Vision for Equality

Vision for Equality is a grass roots, non-profit organization that assists people with disabilities and their families to seek quality and satisfaction in their lives and equal access to services and supports in the community. Our consumer and family satisfaction teams, parent support groups, advocacy assistance department, waiting list campaign, independent monitoring teams, pa family network, serve as the impetus to reach thousands of people with disabilities and families yearly to bring them the knowledge and information they require to change their lives. Through referrals, technical assistance, direct support as well as training individuals and their families to gain the power and expertise to navigate a complicated service system to seek the services they need.our staff under our consumer and family satisfaction department along with our independent monitoring for quality teams monitor present services to ensure quality care and to address concerns as they arise reporting information back to the system when needed to enhance people's lives. We offer direct mentoring and support to 7 parent support groups who represent the diversity of our philadelphia community bringing them the opportunities to advance their knowledge and the stage to forward their cause and concerns back to the system for redress. Our waiting list campaign educates the system to the needs of those who wait with no services across Pennsylvania. As a result of their work alone over 15,000 people have begun to receive services for the first time. The pa family network was established to support families throughout the lifespan. The pa family network consists of a team of 18 family advisors who train families across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Vision has also brought the needs of the latino community to the forefront to ensure equal access for them as well. This community is often isolated and alone due to language barriers. Through our latino staff who provide advocacy, translation and interpretation services several thousand new families a year are assisted in becoming part of the service system and having love ones receive the services they desperately need.

The independent monitoring for quality (im4q) program at Vision for Equality is a part of the Pennsylvania intellectual disabilities quality management system. Vision for Equality, a grass roots community organization contracts with the state of Pennsylvania to provide credible "customer" feedback to the system for hundreds of people each year that are considered philadelphia residents. Each year the data collected along with other organizations across the commonwealth is entered into a statewide data bank, analyzed and statewide and local reports produced and made public sharing information on the level of satisfaction on the everyday lives of individuals receiving intellectual disability services through the pa office of developmental programs. This information serves as a benchmark and measurement of quality improvement each year for the state of Pennsylvania on the services provided and is shared yearly with providers to help them enhance their programs. Individual issues/concerns found at those visits are brought to the attention of the counties to be addressed immediately.teams comprised of individuals with disabilities, families and interested community members visit, conduct surveys and seek input from individuals and their families regarding their level of satisfaction with the intellectual disability system. Each year Vision for Equality's im4q teams visit more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families to ascertain the quality of and their satisfaction with the services they receive giving an "eye view and feedback from the customer's perspective on how well they feel the system is meeting their needs. This information is used by the state, counties and providers as a means to raise the bar in providing quality services to their constituents. Over the last 20 years Vision for Equality has made over 13,542 visits to thousands of people and their families so they have the chance to speak through them to the quality of their care. This program has been highlighted over the years as exemplary and a model to be replicated across the country for its success.