creating systemic improvements for lgbt older adults a model for area agencies on aging presenters...
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CREATING SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENTS FOR LGBT OLDER ADULTSA model for Area Agencies on Aging
Presenters
Jay Kaplan, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Michigan – LGBT Project
Kathleen LaTosch, Director, AAA-LGBT Collaboration
Jason Maciejewski, Chief Information and Planning Officer, The Senior Alliance
Presentation Agenda
Introductions & Welcome
Learning Objectives
About the LGBT Older Adult Coalition
The Pilot ProjectProject FrameworkPolicy ChangeProcedure ChangeCommunicating the Changes
Audience Q & A
Introductions & Welcome
About the Presenters
Jay Kaplan, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Michigan’s LGBT ProjectCo-Chair, LGBT Older Adult [email protected]
Jason Maciejewski, Chief Information & Planning Officer, The Senior AllianceArea Agency on Aging 1-C (MI)[email protected]
Kathleen LaToschDirector, AAA-LGBT Collaboration
LGBT Older Adult CoalitionLaTosch Consulting
Primary Learning Objectives
1. Learn best practices for asking questions and documenting information about sexual orientation & gender identity.
2. Learn how to encourage agency administration to pass non-discrimination policies.
3. Learn how to avoid pitfalls and prepare for unseen challenges in doing this work.
About the LGBT Older Adult CoalitionIn 2010, a number of organizations came together in Southeast Michigan – a seven county region, including the City of Detroit - to assess the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults in the area.
About the LGBT Older Adult Coalition
Our Goals:
1. Reduce isolation and increase social connection
2. Provide information, access and advocacy on health care and housing
3. Improve and increase LGBT competent care in community-based and institutional settings
4. Increase the competency of LGBT older adults to manage their own affairs
Atiba’s Story
About the LGBT Older Adult Coalition
Fact about LGBT Older Adults:
1. 90% of LGBT older adults have no children to help care for them; compare to just 20% of heterosexual older adults.
2. 70% of LGBT older adults live alone; compared to 30% heterosexual older adults.
3. LGBT older adults are nearly 3 times as likely to live in poverty as heterosexual older adults.
The Pilot ProjectIt is estimated that LGBT people make up 2-5% of the population.
Based on 3% of the population, that means there are approximately 13,000 LGBT Older Adults living in the Metro Detroit Area.
The Pilot Project
Only 1% come to LGBT organizations for service and support,just 130 older adults.
The AAAs serving Metro Detroit receive nearly 150,000 calls collectively each year. We estimate that 4,500 of those calls involve LGBT older adults concerns – 3%.
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project Process Project Framework – setting up the objectives,
building a collaboration.
Changing Policies
Changing Procedures
Communicating the Changes
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project Framework How the collaboration model was developed
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of being invited to the table
Key Success Elements in setting up the collaboration
The Pilot Project
AAA-LGBT Collaborative Pilot Project Objectives1. Expand LGBT cultural competency among all call operators with
three Area Agencies on Aging
2. Enable call operators to provide referrals for LGBT-affirming resources.
3. Provide support to adopt sexual orientation and gender identity into existing non-discrimination policies.
4. Launch a joint communications campaign to increase public awareness about the availability of referrals for LGBT elders.
5. Document process and share with other communities.
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project Framework How the collaboration model was developed
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of being invited to the table
Key Success Elements in setting up the collaboration
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project Framework How the collaboration model was developed
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of being invited to the table
Key Success Elements in setting up the collaboration
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project FrameworkKey Success Elements:
Framework created together by partners
Three agencies in collaboration
3rd Party Project Manager
Designed as learning model
Rotating meeting location
Food!
The Pilot Project
Pilot Project Process Project Framework – setting up the objectives, building a
collaboration.
Changing Policies
Changing Procedures
Communicating the Changes
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing Policies Making the case - Why is policy change important?
Which policies need to be changed?
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of policy change
Key Success Elements for policy changes
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing Policies Making the case - Why is policy change important? Which
policies need to be changed?
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of policy change
Key Success Elements for policy changes
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing Policies Making the case - Why is policy change important? Which
policies need to be changed?
The Senior Alliance – a shared story of policy change
Key Success Elements for policy changes
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing PoliciesKey Success Elements:
Early Executive support
Three agencies – provided support, shared language and strategies for change with each other.
Consultant provided best practices and examples of standard policy language.
The Pilot Project
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing Procedures Summary of procedural changes - asking about sexual
orientation and gender identity
IT & database changes
The Senior Alliance – an example best practice.
The Pilot Project
The Pilot Project
The Pilot Project
The Pilot Project
The Pilot Project
A Word About Training… National Resource Center on LGBT Aging - Best Practice
documents
Adapting training with practice sessions and role playing
Learning along the way
The Pilot Project
Objective: Changing Procedures Summary of procedural changes - asking about sexual
orientation and gender identity
IT & database changes
The Senior Alliance – an example best practice.
The Pilot Project
The Senior Alliance – audio recording
The Pilot Project
Communicating the Changes
YouTube content: Stories from Al, Atiba, Faith
Website promotion – films shared by:
AAAs: AAA1-B, D-AAA, The Senior Alliance
AARP-Michigan
Michigan Office of Services to the Aging
LGBT orgs: LGBT Older Adult Coalition, ACLU of Michigan, Affirmations, Equality Michigan, KICK
www.LGBTOlderAdults.com
Communicating the Changes
YouTube content: Stories from Al, Atiba, Faith
Website promotion
News Coverage
www.LGBTOlderAdults.com
Communicating the Changes
YouTube content: Stories from Al, Atiba, Faith
Website promotion
News Coverage
www.aaa1c.org
Communicating the Changes
YouTube content: Stories from Al, Atiba, Faith
Website promotion
News Coverage
www.LGBTOlderAdults.com
The Pilot Project
Communicating the Changes
YouTube content: Stories from Al, Atiba, Faith
Website promotion – films shared by:
PR Firm – News coverage
Primary Learning Objectives
1. Learn best practices for asking questions and documenting information about sexual orientation & gender identity.
2. Learn best practices for encouraging agency administration to pass non-discrimination policies.
3. Learn how to avoid pitfalls and prepare for unseen challenges in doing this work.
Primary Learning Objectives
1. Learn best practices for asking questions and documenting information about sexual orientation & gender identity.
• National Resource Center on LGBT Aging guide for asking questions
• Employ an automated message to improve comfort
• Practice with community words and language, staff discomfort is biggest blockade to asking.
• Practice asking routinely, you won’t offend
Primary Learning Objectives
2. Learn best practices for encouraging agency administration to pass non-discrimination policies.
• Gain leadership support before engaging in project.
• Provide leadership with language alternatives.
• Triple collaboration provides opportunity to learn from one another and share strategies.
Primary Learning Objectives
3. Learn how to avoid pitfalls and prepare for unseen challenges.
• Be flexible – accommodate collaboration partner comfort levels, then test them and report back.
• Monthly Collaboration meetings – allowed project partners to stay on top of the project, monitor progress and share information.
Resources
LGBT Older Adult Coalition of Michigan http://lgbtolderadults.com/
The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging http://www.lgbtagingcenter.org/index.cfm?dontshow695=1
The Senior Alliance http://www.aaa1c.org/
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) http://www.sageusa.org/
Questions?
THANK YOU!Jay Kaplan | [email protected]
Kathleen LaTosch | [email protected]
Jason Maciejewski | [email protected]
www.LGBTOlderAdults.com