Let’s Go WABAC

Since the beginning of history, Peabody’s Improbable History that is, the concept of being held accountable when acting as a paid representative for a group of citizens has been an acknowledged value.

I think most would agree that in the field of funding and serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), accountability is paramount. If a person is to act as a paid representative for this vulnerable population, that person must be accountable for all actions that he or she undertakes on behalf on that population. Should we expect the players of Improbable History to engage in role reversal? Role reversals should be accountable, transparent, and reported.



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Thirty years from now Peabody and Sherman will use the WABAC machine to return and relive our decisions, discoveries, and our own role reversals.

You would think they would find that all of us – providers, CCBs, government agencies, regulators, and paid advocates - have the end-user in mind at all times. Then again, providers have a bottom line, government agencies must work within statutes and government structure, CCBs have regulatory compliance, and paid advocates … well, paid advocates still are expected to keep the end user in mind at all times.

So what they might find instead is players engaged in role reversals and trading places, voices, and stakeholders. I have recently found myself in such a situation, where I was playing the role of advocate (an out of body experience, you might say), a paid advocate was playing the role of government, and government officials were playing the role of provider. If only we had Peabody to straighten us out.

You know what I’m thinking? It’s time to adjust the WABAC machine. How? Check in with anyone who you think is speaking on your behalf. If you are speaking for others, be explicit. Don’t start with “I think …” Rather, start with, “The people I represent would say …” If you are facilitating a meeting, insure the attendees state who they are representing to insure the right people are at the table. We’ve moved past the information age into the communication age. Technologies exist that allow organizations and individuals to communicate and collaborate in ways not possible a few short years ago. Let’s hope Peabody and Sherman find that everyone in this field is transparent, accountable, and reporting their actions.

Then again, what do I know?