Photo courtesy of Susan Ellis.
Susan Ellis People First of Shelby County
Susan Ellis, bottom center, receives the Community Service Award at the 2013 Arc of Shelby County award ceremony.
People First of Shelby County
422-5006 • 203 Amphitheater Road, Pelham
Susan Ellis was set on the path to activism when her son, Matthew, was born with Down syndrome. She saw that Matthew and others with developmental disabilities faced lives with limited opportunities for employment, community involvement or social justice. A former teacher and coal miner, Ellis began volunteering as a disability advocate with the Arc of Shelby County and eventually helped create People First of Shelby County in 2004.
As an advisor for People First, Ellis supports Shelby County residents who are developmentally disabled as they learn to advocate for their own interests. This includes learning about civil rights and following relevant state and national legislation. People First also provides assistance with social services, including finding employment and understanding healthcare and Social Security benefits. The goal of the organization is to put more control into the hands of the disabled population.
“You want to have a life where you can make choices,” Ellis said. “It’s the issue that people with disabilities work against the most.”
People First of Shelby County has been active in changing legislation. The organization supported the 2009 Respectful Language Law, which banned the use of the “R-word” in administration of mental health services, and lobbied to change federal regulations on care options for the developmentally disabled. This change would promote employment opportunities instead of day habilitation services, which Ellis described as “babysitting” programs that don’t provide outlets for growth.
However, Ellis’ favorite part of her work is watching people with developmental disabilities learn to self-advocate and find opportunities to be successful. Many of these people now work with People First either as employees or volunteers.
“We have a lot more people with disabilities that are involved with the chapter now. Many of them are state leaders now,” Ellis said. “Seeing their success fulfills me, too.”
People First of Shelby County recently launched begun a new program, the YouthEmerging Leaders project. Funded by a grant from the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities, the YEL project will bring together able and disabled leaders, ages 14 to 26, to learn about self-advocacy and ways to improve their communities. Those selected for the YEL program will participate in retreats and a visit to the state House of Representatives to learn about human rights, disability policy and problems facing the developmentally disabled.
Ellis, however, will be taking on a new project of her own. She is transitioning to a role as state coordinator for People First of Alabama, which hasn’t had a state office in several years. Ellis will be responsible for bringing together the efforts and resources of local chapters across Alabama.
“Having our new state office is a big deal,” Ellis said. “Now that I’ll be able to help organize more chapters and help chapters that exist to be more organized, we’ll be doing more education and training.”
Ellis will still have ties to the Shelby County chapter since Matthew is the current president, but she looks forward to using her new job to give other people the same opportunities that her son has received.
Matthew is now 31 years old and lives in a garage apartment attached to his parents’ house. With the help of a life coach and his supportive parents and siblings, Matthew is able to live semi-independently. He has a girlfriend and best friend, whom he sees several times every week, and has worked the same part-time job since he was 17. As the president of People First of Shelby County, he has attended national conferences to learn about Medicaid, Social Security and other aspects of national disability policy.
“He really gets opportunities because he’s got a family and because he’s got services to have a pretty enviable life,” Ellis said. “And that’s why I feel like everybody, no matter what level of ability, has a role to play. People with disabilities are a gift to the community because of their condition, not in spite of it.”
To learn more about volunteering with People First of Shelby County, contact Ellis at 422-5006.
