Rep. Sannicandro Hosting Session on Real Lives Act in Framingham

State Representative Tom Sannicandro, a Democrat from Ashland, who represents Framingham, will host a free educational event on the Real Lives Act of 2014 at Cameron Middle School on Tuesday, July 21 from 7 to 8 p.m.

A landmark in disability policy, the Act allows individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to self-direct the delivery of their supports and services, meaning they decide who works for them, where they live, and how their individual budgets are spent. This marks a fundamental shift in the perception of people with disabilities by expressing a confidence in them as self-advocates.

“Self-direction is the emerging standard for empowering individuals with disabilities, and is now law in Massachusetts. This forum will provide an exciting opportunity for people across our communities to learn from individuals in the field and users of the law about self-direction and how to make this new tool work for them,” said Sannicandro.

The event will feature a three-member panel of cross-disciplinary experts, as well as two new users of the law, with a Q&A session to follow. Panelists include Buddy Bostick, Marc Fenton, and Kevin Mahoney.

After a 22-year career with the Department of Developmental Services, Bostick now serves as Chief Program Officer of the Arc of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport, where he provides individualized, self-directed, community inclusive supports for people with developmental disabilities.

Fenton’s 40 years of executive management and consulting experience serving health, human services, and Medicaid agencies in 30 states led him to found Public Partnerships, LLC, which provides financial management services to help state and county agencies design consumer-directed services using principles of self-determination.

Dr. Mahoney is well known for his work on participant direction of home and community-based services and supports for people with disabilities at the Boston College School of Social Work. As the Director of the National Resource for Participant-Directed Services, Dr. Mahoney also assists states, agencies, and organizations in offering participant-directed services.

Cameron Middle School, located at 215 Elm Street in Framingham, is ADA compliant and wheelchair accessible.