Swap Burning Out For a Fire Within

The March 14, 2021 newsletter will give you an update on Capitol protocols and review of bills of interest that have been updated to the Texas Legislature Online.

February 5, 2021

Dear Gentle Reader,

Valentine’s Day is coming up soon. Do not forget the hearts of the Direct Support Professionals who work tirelessly to support our people who live at the SSLCs. 

Please take this opportunity to show your appreciation to the DSPs who have been truly heroes during this pandemic. Here are some ideas:

  • Amazon has many choices on treats for staff: Keurig cups, assorted snacks, individual oatmeal servings, cereal bars, hot cocoa, tea, assorted individual chip bags
  • If you want to make something and can deliver: sloppy joes and buns, hot dogs and buns, baked potatoes and the fixings to go with them, spaghetti with ground meat & garlic bread
  • Order food delivered: pizza with sodas, breakfast tacos, Mexican food
  • Valentines and assorted chocolate candies
  • Redbox codes to rent a movie
  • Check Pinterest for more ideas. Search “DSP week ideas”

Thank you DSPs!

Keep shielding, families and friends! 🛡.

Becky Japko

December 25, 2020

Dear Gentle Reader,

The Texas Tribune has given us some brief hints of how the upcoming legislative session will be conducted. They report that hearings may take place two days a week. The public will have be tested for COVID-19 before they are allowed to enter the Capitol. There will also be a limitation on the number of people allowed in the Capitol. And there is a strong possibility that there will be a special session due to the time constraints of the regular session.  With these changes, PART may be asking you to show up in the Capitol very differently than in sessions past. Many of you have shown up and testified in person for many years. The individuals who live at the SSLCs have been shielded from harm, no doubt due to you all speaking truth courageously to the legislature. As soon as we know the definite plan, PART will use social media, email updates and our website to inform you how to continue to make a difference for our people.

Here’s what Brene Brown, research professor at the University of Houston and visiting professor at The University of Texas, says, “And in that chair should be this person, the person who believes in what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. And the person who says yeah it’s so scary to show up. It feels dangerous to be seen. It’s terrifying but it is not as scary dangerous or terrifying as getting to the end of our lives and thinking ,what if I would have shown up? What would have been different?”

Keep shielding, families and friends!
Becky Japko

October 26, 2020

Dear Gentle Reader,

If you join our team at PART, you will be helping to touch the lives of thousands, whether it is families who are facing a crisis, parents and guardians who need direction in understanding disability policy or people just looking for ways improve their loved one’s quality of life.

There are so many families like mine, left in crisis after the death of a caregiver. When families are in crisis with no experience in navigating the system they have no where to turn. In our case and for many families across the state, the family is instructed to go seek assistance in the Emergency Room. My sister, Linda’s life was changed dramatically by the many events that followed. This experience has changed our whole family.

It was not until after the crisis was abated, that I learned about the work of PART and now fully support it’s mission. PART exists to serve you and your family, to provide hope and understanding.

PART’s mission is to assist and support families to protect the rights of their loved one to live in the community of their choosing that best meets their needs.

I hope you will join us,
Becky Japko