We can use this information to support our efforts to strengthen long-term policies, to inform and guide our quality assurance activities, and compare Michigan’s performance with national norms. You can read the full report at http://www.nationalcoreindicators.org. It is also located on our website at http://northernlakescmh.com/about-us/how-we-are-doing/.

Here are some findings:

Characteristics

This is the first time statewide data on intellectual disability is available. Compared to other states, Michigan serves a greater percentage of people with mild intellectual disability (40%) and a greater percentage of people with profound/severe (31%) intellectual disability. (The national average: Mild 35%, Moderate 28%, Profound/Severe/ 26%.)

Michigan results also show that a greater percentage of people have psychiatric conditions (45% compared to 33% nationally). The report shows that 12% need extensive behavior support for challenging behaviors compared to 9% nationally.

Residence

The majority of people (41%) surveyed live in a community-based residence (which includes group home, apartment programs or foster care). Twenty-one percent live in an independent home and 32% with parent or relatives.

Employment

Seventeen percent are employed; of those who are working, 33% are competitively employed. This places Michigan in the range of “significantly above average” for employment compared to national data. For people who were not employed in the community, 60% reported they would like to be; however, only 22% reported having a goal to achieve community employment in their service plan.

Choice and Decision-Making

Michigan’s results in this area are very similar to the NCI national average with many respondents reporting that they do not have input in major life decisions such as where and with whom they live and where they go during the day. Specifically, 52% report they have input into where they live and 40% that they have input on their roommate. It is positive to note that 78% of people report having input into their daily schedule and 88% have input into how they spend their free time.

System Performance

A large majority of people reported that their staffs have adequate training (90%). Seventy-five percent (75%) report they get needed services. A larger proportion of those living in individual homes report getting needed services compared to  those people living in their parents’ homes. Of the 25% who reported they did not get needed services. The services that were most often identified as being needed are:

• Meeting people/relationship building – 30.6%
• Finding/changing jobs – 25.9%
• Changing housing – 24.1%
• More education/training – 21.3%

Health Care and Health

The majority of people report being in good health; however, 7% report being in poor health. Just 8% used tobacco products. Most people interviewed have routine care:  99% have a primary care doctor and 85% had received a physical exam in the previous year.

Michigan’s results show only 19% report they engage in regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes three times a week). This places Michigan’s results in the range of “significantly below average” when compared to other states.

Relationship

Only 68% report that they have friends who are not staff or family. Those living independently and in their own home report a slightly higher rate. Forty-four percent (44%) report they feel lonely at least half the time.

• Use less jargon. Speak with words that people will understand. Try not to use abbreviations because not everyone knows what they stand for.
• If you know someone has a hearing impairment, try to reduce any significant background noise so clear communication is possible.
• Even if you are having a bad day, try your best to not take your troubles out on other people.
• Be respectful of the distance between you and the person with whom you are communicating. Try to not keep too much space between you and the receiver of your discussion so that you hear what the other person is saying and are able to respond in a timely matter without having them repeat themselves.
• Ask questions if you are unclear. There is no such thing as a bad question!
• Motivate yourself to turn negative issues/discussions into positive ones. Picture a stop sign when you feel the conversation is becoming overwhelming and then try to redirect the content to be more positive. This is hard to do but as with everything, practice makes perfect.
• Remember that you are an individual and your opinion and thoughts matter. Even if you have a personality conflict with the person you are talking with, do your best to smile and engage in light conversation. Simple yes and no answers are okay, especially when you are unsure of the words to use.
• Continuously remind yourself that empathy can be used in a positive manner to let the other person know that you care about what they are saying regardless of the situation.
• Try to avoid expectations and prejudices because they can lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said. Make sure to speak slowly and clearly to avoid jumping to incorrect conclusions.
• Social interactions can vary greatly in different cultures as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different social settings. Some people do not like to be touched so hugging would be considered inappropriate in their culture. Always ask permission before expressing physical emotions such as hugging. Even if hugging is not a cultural barrier but makes you feel uncomfortable, make sure to relay that information as politely as possible by offering a handshake or a high-five instead.
• Language differences and unfamiliar accents can make it difficult to understand. Ask people to repeat themselves. It’s a lot easier to have a dialogue with someone if you ask them to repeat themselves because you didn’t understand them. It is not a bad thing to let people know that you aren’t used to their accent and might not have heard them correctly. This verifies that you are listening and care about what they are saying.

We will skip our May meeting to accommodate the statewide Walk A Mile In My Shoes Rally at our state capitol. Our next meeting will be Wednesday June 12, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Hope to see you there!