I’ve been accepted into the 2007-2008 class of Partners in Policymaking for my state.
This program, now in its 20th year, was created by the Minnesota Council of Developmental Disabilities to teach parents and self-advocates the power of advocacy.

The organization has on-line courses available on their website, but nearly every state in the US, as well as the Netherlands, New Zealand, Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. Over 15,000 people have graduated from their programs.

I applied back in July and was accepted. I was accepted two years ago as well, but had to decline because of schedule conflicts. The hardest criterion of the program is committing to being there for all 8 weekends – there are no absences allowed. The schedule is one weekend a month September – May, all day Saturday and Sunday.

Frankly, I wasn’t sure if they would take me this year. I have been told that since the program is administered through the Governor’s Council on Disabilities that makes it a political organization, and that perhaps my forays into advocacy because of our due process with the school district would make me a bit too controversial for them. But that was not the case…so far.

So what am I going to learn? Apparently all about advocacy for people with disabilities. This opening weekend is mostly introductory. There is a project assigned to each one of us to be completed by April. We will learn about how the various social services systems work in our state, how the legislature works, and about lobbying. I have no idea what my project will be yet, but I do know the topic…traumatized children.

Here’s what I wrote on my application about the impact I wanted to make:

"I would like to be an effective advocate for traumatized children. There is so much stigma attached to the mental, emotional, and developmental disabilities that are often linked to these children’s traumatic pasts. Adoptive and foster parents are frequently caught unaware of the level of care these children will need. Then, the systems often fail to provide support to these families…either social services doesn’t provide the needed medical and therapeutic services, or in the case of international adoptions, insurance will not cover the extensive needs these children have. Additionally, school systems are not dealing appropriately with identifying and educating children who have been traumatized and the many learning difficulties that can cause. These children’s issues are either being ignored (or contributed to bad behavior, poor parenting or lack of attentiveness) or are, in many cases, being punished.

So…tomorrow morning, before the sun is up, I’m headed to the hotel for our first two-day session. Super Dad will be holding down the fort here. It’s like a mini-vacation for me! It truly will be nice to have lots of adults to talk to for a change and no kid interruptions."

Advocating in the Midst of it All

Grassroots Efforts – How to Get Things Started

Advocating for Marginalized Kids

Photo Credit



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