![\"Nonprofit](\"https:\/\/sduptownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Ken-Barnes-at-Work-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBy KENDRA SITTON |\u00a0Uptown News<\/p>\n
Ken Barnes se convirti\u00f3 en director ejecutivo de Options 4 All, una organizaci\u00f3n sin fines de lucro que atiende a adultos con discapacidades del desarrollo, el 3 de febrero. En cuesti\u00f3n de semanas, pas\u00f3 de reunirse con empleados de la organizaci\u00f3n en todo el estado a formar un grupo de trabajo interno sobre coronavirus. En la sexta semana de su mandato, se emiti\u00f3 la orden de quedarse en casa, y \u00e9l estaba preparado.<\/p>\n
\u201cThursday, March 19, that afternoon we started rolling out [remote programming] and the governor issued the state order that night. The next day, we were ready because we\u2019ve been planning for three weeks,\u201d Barnes explained in a phone interview.<\/p>\n
At this point, Barnes has spent more time working from home than he has spent working in the office. The organization\u2019s 420 employees are also all working from home. While other nonprofits have struggled to keep their payroll, Options for All has actually hired seven people since the crisis began.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing that I\u2019m most excited about is that we\u2019ve been able to keep our staff home. I didn\u2019t want them to face the economic stress in the midst of it; there\u2019s all kinds of stressors happening,\u201d Barnes said.<\/p>\n
Para apoyar al personal, la organizaci\u00f3n tambi\u00e9n ha establecido un programa de asesoramiento an\u00f3nimo para los empleados. Con miembros del personal todav\u00eda empleados, la organizaci\u00f3n ha podido seguir sirviendo a los 1.400 adultos discapacitados en su \u00f3rbita.<\/p>\n
The majority of the work Options for All does is community engagement. \u201cWe help them engage in society, so they can fully participate,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cThis is a population that historically have been confined to their homes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Al llevar a las personas con autismo, s\u00edndrome de Down, par\u00e1lisis cerebral y otras condiciones a la biblioteca, al parque, a Starbucks ya las tiendas, Barnes dijo que se logran dos cosas. En primer lugar, a los adultos con discapacidad se les ense\u00f1a c\u00f3mo interactuar y, en segundo lugar, otras personas desaprenden el estigma que rodea a las personas con discapacidad.<\/p>\n
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\u201c[Intellectually disabled] people are normal people just like them. They just are just neurologically diverse,\u201d Barnes said.<\/p>\n
Another effort Options for All has is supportive employment. Many of their clients are employed at grocery stores and healthcare centers and other essential jobs where they receive some coaching and guidance from the nonprofit staff so they can be as independent as possible.<\/p>\n
Una peque\u00f1a parte de su trabajo es ayudar a cuidar a personas discapacitadas que viven de forma independiente sin el apoyo de familiares o amigos. Esto puede significar pagar facturas, administrar su hogar y comprar alimentos.<\/p>\n
The last portion of their work is a film and media studies program with Joey Travolta, the older brother of actor John Travolta. People take classes and train to work in the film industry. Participants create commercials for local companies and recently released their first feature film, \u201cCarol of the Bells.\u201d<\/p>\n
Each of these programs have been made remote so participants can continue receiving support while sheltering at home. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want them to lose all of their daily habits and their daily routine that they rely upon,\u201d Barnes said. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna do everything we can to meet them where they are and continue to provide services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barnes first got involved with Options for All in 2014 when a friend invited him to a fundraiser because she knew that Barnes grew up with a twin brother with cerebral palsy, although his brother died many years ago. After the fundraiser, Barnes began volunteering and within a few years was on the board of directors. Last year, the organization\u2019s CEO of 27 years moved on. Barnes was living in Sacramento at the time after years of work in public affairs and management consulting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe board went out and did a search and I thought, gosh, it sounds crazy but I think I want to apply, but we will take a pay cut and have to move to a more expensive area in the state,\u201d he said. He was selected and moved to San Diego for the new role.<\/p>\n
El trabajo es especialmente significativo durante la pandemia porque algunos estados, incluidos Washington y Alabama, han colocado a los adultos con discapacidades intelectuales como una prioridad menor para los tratamientos que salvan vidas en sus planes de preparaci\u00f3n para desastres. Los defensores temen que a algunos de los 7 millones de estadounidenses con discapacidad intelectual se les nieguen ventiladores y otros tratamientos que salvan vidas si hubiera escasez.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose emergency precautions are basically saying that someone who has Down syndrome or someone who\u2019s on the autism spectrum is less valuable than someone who\u2019s not on the autism spectrum. It goes beyond cruel. It\u2019s inhumane,\u201d Barnes said passionately.<\/p>\n
The potential situation reminds Barnes of his brother. \u201c\u2019Twin A, he\u2019s got cerebral palsy so let him die. Twin B, he\u2019s more valuable, so let him live,\u2019\u201d Barnes imagines a healthcare worker deciding.<\/p>\n
Barnes does not believe triage should be based on someone\u2019s interpretation of the value of someone\u2019s life based on what they are capable of. Barnes is willing to advocate for clients if need be. Already, a sickened person in the program faced the \u201cdouble barrier\u201d of English being their family\u2019s second language and being disabled after being diagnosed with COVID-19. A staff member called the family and the healthcare center to ensure the person was receiving proper care.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anything more important than protecting the most vulnerable people in our society,\u201d Barnes concluded.<\/p>\n