Texas State Plan

State _Texas______________________

Group members:

Kendra Kerbow, Brooke Hohfeld, Candi Ware, Shaun Bickley.

Current partners:

Organization	Name of contact (who you work with there)
State and local chapters of The Arc	Advisors
Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities	Jessica Ramos, Belinda Carlton, Linda Logan, Susan Mihalik, Joanna Cordry
University of Texas Center for Disability Studies	Shelley Dumas
Disability Rights Texas	Jeff Miller, Jean Langendorf
Community NOW!	Joey Tate, Sarah Watkins
The Arc of the Gulf Coast	Norine Jaloway Gill
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network	Sam Crane
Imagine Enterprises	Ricky Broussard

Purpose of your self advocacy group (mission statement):

Texas Advocates is recognized as the leader in self-advocacy in Texas. We will fight to stop unfair treatment and advocate for more and better services for people with disabilities to be included in our communities.

Goal 1 We will close at least one State-Supported Living Center (SSLC).	Goal 2 Texas Advocates will be stronger and have the support we need.
Step a. Self-Advocates will present to at least 3 SSLCs in 2015. Brooke, Kendra, Marshall, & Rebecca S. at Denton; Candi at Brenham; Shaun & Nathan at Austin, possibly members in San Antonio, El Paso & Richmond.	Step a. Contact other states about their funding in Summer/Fall 2015 (e.g. People First of Arizona, Daniel Ekman in NM, Nancy Ward in OK, Carrie Varner in MN, Kassiane Sibley in OR, Dawn Choate in CO).
Step b. In Fall 2015, we will send at least 150 postcards about Texas Advocates to all 13 SSLCs.	Step b. Use Community Organizing Grant (COG) to recruit in Austin (including schools) from Aug 2015-Mar 2016.
Step c. At least 2 leaders will attend the Midwest Academy training at The Arc of Texas in Oct/Nov 2015 (Brooke & others).	Step c. Raise operations money outside the disability community, including in-kind donations from Southwest, Amtrak, & Hilton. Candi will contact Texas A&M for meeting space (Summer/Fall 2015).
Step d. Identify at least 2 organizations who agree with us at the Midwest Academy training and through Community Now!, and create a plan with our allies in late 2015/early 2016.	Step d. At the Oct Board Meeting, have Wichita Falls present on membership & activities and Coalition of Texans with Disabilities (CTD) on fundraising. Also, assign a committee to revise Mission & Bylaws.