Best Practices – Provider

Practice: A Quality Council member, Patty Houghland, shared a current practice of a provider organization she visited regarding community inclusion. Patty described how the provider organization had started selling fruits and vegetables at their home location, but realized they could reach more people and be more part of the community they live in if they went to a community venue such as a local Farmer’s Market. The group of residents started selling their fruits and vegetables at a community Farmer’s Market.

Who Benefits? How? Everyone benefits from the utilization of this practice. Instead of a segregated fruit and vegetable stand on their own property, it is an integrated fruit and vegetable stand utilizing the same community resources as their local community residents. This practice relates to person-centered practices important to all people and links people to community life in their own geographic community.

How could others apply this in practice? Others could use this practice by looking at events and happenings in their local community and seeing how they can be a part of those events instead of hosting separate events for those with disabilities.