Know Your Rights
Rights For Individuals Accessing Supports
The C.H.E.E.R.S (Choices Happen with Education Encouragement Resources and Support) Committee at Supported Lifestyles works in collaboration with staff and individuals accessing supports to create opportunities for individuals to learn about their rights!
The committee’s membership includes representatives from the individuals that are supported by the Agency. Caitlin V. has been a member of the C.H.E.E.R.S committee for over 5 years. She prepared the following article as part of her work on the committee.
Questions:
- Do we have rights as individuals in a supportive agency?
- Do we have the right to express how we feel?
- Do we have the right to be taken care of properly?
- Do we have the right to healthy food and clean water?
- Do we have the right not to tolerate verbal or physical abuse?
- Do we have the right to be respected by everyone we encounter?
- Do we have the right to receive medication or see a doctor when we are unwell?
The answer to all those questions is YES!
We do have all the above rights, even though we are in care. We are are still human and still have equal rights – regardless of whether we cannot walk and talk or have different disabilities.
We are all human and even staff have rights because they are human as well. We all deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of our disabilities, race, gender or physical capabilities.
We all bleed red and are the same on the inside, regardless of what we believe or what religion we practice.
We may have our differences but we are all human.
- We have the right to access clean water and healthy food.
- If we fall ill, we have the right to see a medical professional and receive the proper medications.
- We have the right to participate in outings that support our physical and mental health.
- We have the right to shelter – to be protected from the cold in winter and the extreme heat in summer.
- We have the right to access a public guardian and a public trustee who can help make decisions on our behalf if needed.
And lastly…
- We have the right to speak with our team about any concerns we have and to have those concerns addressed.
