COC maintains a philosophy of services to people with disabilities that sets the standard for how the people COC supports shall be treated. Services to people with disabilities have changed dramatically from the days of institutionalization when they were treated as outcasts of society. People with disabilities today now participate in their lives alongside people without disabilities, and they have gained higher levels of independence than ever imagined. A critical factor in making this progress has been the philosophers in disability services that have advocated for new and improved ways of treating people with disabilities. COC desires to incorporate these "philosophies of services" into its daily operational practices in striving to provide quality services. It is difficult to state all of the philosophies that COC maintains toward people with disabilities, but these are the philosophies that stand out as predominant Our belief is that every person is created in the image of God and therefore has significant value. Our services to people with disabilities are a ministry of compassion based on God's Word that directs all of life and commands us to love and serve one another. We believe that everybody, especially people with disabilities, has God-given potential that should be optimized. This is best accomplished through services that address the needs of the whole person - physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Universal Enhancement Dr. Tom Pomeranz, Universal Life Stiles means that individuals who have the opportunity to develop significant and valued relationships in their lives are more likely to increase their potential to have meaningful and valued lives. Universal Enhancement supports people in "having a meaningful life." If people do not have any meaning in their life, they will behave in a way to cause other people's lives to have no meaning or value, often times in an aggressive and destructive manner. This is referred to as anomie. Universal Enhancement maxims are short succinct phrases that encapsulate the tools and approaches of Universal Enhancement. The following maxims best represent Universal Enhancement: ~An institution is not a place; it is a state of mind; ~The value is in participation, not community integration; ~Anger communicates an unmet need. Violence is the language of the unheard. ~The more people are surrounded by the things that proclaim who they are and what they are about, the more likely others will treat them as the unique and special human beings they are; ~Where there is no risk, there is no dignity; ~Don't give people privacy, teach them to take it; ~The less able the person is, the higher likelihood that people will treat them inappropriately; and ~You cannot keep people safe by denying them a life. The old system of protection from harm is injurious. The language we use when referring to people with disabilities is important. It reveals our true attitude toward people with disabilities. Speaking appropriately is the first step toward valuing all people. "People first" language refers to the person ahead of the disability. For example, it is appropriate to say people with disabilities instead of disabled people. Referring to people with disabilities apart from "us" is labeling them. Any label that does not carry the connotation of "us" is one that separates people with disabilities from the rest of society. An institution is not a place, nor does the size of a home guarantee that people will be valued as individuals. It is people who recognize people with disabilities as individuals and include them in every possible decision and activity that creates a quality environment everyone desires. Only if people are willing to raise their standard to the level of asking, "Is this the kind of place where I would like to live?" will they begin to see the indecencies in an institutional environment. People with disabilities need to be active participants in their services. This is best accomplished by giving people with disabilities choices in all aspects of their life. Person centered planning should be an integral part of services so that other people are not imposing their ideas of a quality life onto people with disabilities. People who live where staff see it as their job to "care for them" end up not caring for themselves. They do not try to meet their own everyday needs or take responsibility for their lives. It is the job of staff to be "partners" not "parents". Rights and responsibilities for people with disabilities go hand in hand. People with disabilities should be taught rights and responsibilities concurrently. Irresponsible behavior should result in realistic consequences for people with disabilities just as it does for people without disabilities. Even people with severe disabilities can be taught accountability for their behavior. Dignity of risk means allowing individuals with disabilities exposure to normal risks commensurate with individual abilities. Dignity of risk is at the midpoint of a spectrum having negligence at one extreme and over-protection at the other extreme. Dignity of risk also means allowing reasonable risk-taking and letting people with disabilities learn from their mistakes. Where there is no risk, there is neither growth nor dignity. No one can further themselves without risk. Balance independence with interdependence. The overarching purpose in disability services is to provide people with disabilities with the opportunity to reach their potential, which focuses on helping them reach greater levels of independence. However, it should be recognized that no one is totally independent. We all depend on various people in our lives for support, and this should be the same with regards to people with disabilities. Age appropriateness refers to treating individuals with disabilities in a manner consistent with their chronological age regardless of severity of disability. Personal belongings, personal appearances, interpersonal interactions, and activities that are age appropriate help people with disabilities to blend into their communities by reducing stigma. Viewing people with disabilities as children paints an image that they are dependent, needy, and helpless. In our society, children, or people who are seen as children, are not afforded the same rights and opportunities as adults. Dehumanizing practices are behaviors that devalue, degrade, and demean people with disabilities. These behaviors can be deliberate or unintended, but the effect is always the same - people with disabilities feeling separate, frustrated, and lonely. We should talk with people with disabilities about their experiences with a disability so that we can better understand our behaviors that are hindering them. Role modeling can significantly influence the development of skills in people with disabilities. People's behaviors are contagious and are often modeled by people with disabilities. This places a tremendous responsibility on everyone to model appropriate behaviors at all times and to promote Christian values in all interactions with others. Inclusion refers to worshiping, working, living, recreating, and socializing with people without disabilities. Participating in these activities in the community does not necessarily make a person a part of the community. As many people have pointed out, living in the community does not guarantee inclusion. One can be "in the community" without being "of the community". Inclusion is more important than integration.