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 PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING

SUCCESS STORIES

Deborah Hill is the mother of a 15-year-old daughter, Lauren, who has attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and developmental delays. She is a graduate of the Partners Class of 2002.

"The program helped me, as a parent, get a better view about how other adults are helping their children," Ms. Hill says. "PIP taught me how to better understand my daughter. It put me in my daughter's shoes and made me realize that things don't always have to be the same. Working together, we really can make a difference in the lives of people with developmental disabilities."

Since Ms. Hill graduated from PIP in November 2002, she now serves as co-chairperson of the Regional Family Support Planning Council #7, representing families in Burlington and Camden Counties.

"PIP opened up so many new things to me," Ms. Hill says. "Knowing what services are out there and what support is needed has been so valuable. You learn to work hard to make sure your daughter has all the support she needs. And, you make sure you have a life, too."

"I’ve always been interested in the movement for people with disabilities to have more rights," says Jorge Ortiz, a graduate of the 2001 Partners in Policymaking Class. "I wanted to learn how things work in government and how we can help influence the decisions that are made. I wanted to learn the proper techniques to speak with legislators and how I can advocate a positive change."

Mr. Ortiz has cerebral palsy, which severely limits the use of his legs and right arm. He says he was looking for something to do on weekends that would increase his independence and learn "what it feels like to be an adult."

"I learned how powerful a person with disabilities can be," Mr. Ortiz says. "I learned about the power of the voice and, if you put your mind to it, you can be anything in life. It was something I never thought I’d learn."

With his PIP training, Mr. Ortiz says, he has also become active in the Middlesex County Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Monday Morning Middlesex County Network.

"PIP impacts so many people in so many positive ways," Ortiz says. "I am honored that I was able to play a part. I learned that you can’t just sit back and hope change will come. You have to go out and get it yourself."

Darlene Reeves is a graduate of the 2001 Class of Partners in Policymaking. Her husband, Derrick, took the course in 2002. They are the parents of a daughter, Cadena, who was born with Down syndrome.

"The most important thing I learned was how to be assertive and consistent, instead of aggressive," Ms. Reeves says. "A lot of people don’t have children with disabilities in our community so they don’t understand. It is not that they don’t like our kids. It is just that they don’t understand.

"I want to be more alert and involved as far as laws that are being passed, and try to make changes. I found that not everything is written in stone, and if you have enough people to say that a law is going to affect us a certain way, we can have people change their mind or accommodate us in some kind of way. I didn’t know you could do that."