Olmstead Taskforce Retirement

In 1999, the US Supreme Court decided on a case called Olmstead vs. L.C. It was determined that persons with intellectual and physical disabilities need to be housed in the least restrictive setting possible. Shortly after this decision, Iowa governor Tom Vilsack followed other states and established the Olmstead Consumer Taskforce (OCTF) to monitor Iowa's compliance.

As a high school student at the time, I was unaware of any of this and had other priorities in mind. It wasn't until 2018, when a friend said the OCTF was looking for members, that I learned of its existence. The group sounded somewhat interesting, so I submitted my résumé and application. A few weeks later, I was told thank you, but I wasn't chosen and my application would be kept on file. The following summer, OCTF contacted me if I was still interested. I debated, but went ahead and applied again and I was then taken on.

My first meeting was in September 2019 at a library near Des Moines. Another member had only served two of their three-year term and I was finishing that person's time. I arrived a little late due to a doctor's appointment, but had told the secretary the situation. My caregiver and I quietly found a spot to sit and listened to the proceedings. For the entire 3+ hours, including lunch, I was never welcomed, acknowledged, or thanked for coming. As I suspected, I was just there to fill a quota and nothing more. I looked forward to completing my one year and leaving.

Not long after 2020 started, meetings changed from primarily in person to completely virtual. This worked much better for me, and several others, and the format was continued. I also joined a subcommittee as required and finally started to feel like a valued part of the group. Therefore, I decided to try one full term just to maybe help more.

Friday was my final official day with the OCTF. After serving two full terms, plus an extra year, I was required by the group's bylaws to take a year off before applying again. For the past two years, I served as the vice-chair as well as chairman for the community access committee and on the executive committee. Due to various factors, I was slated to stay on an additional year as the OCTF chairman, but that changed due to another volunteer taking the roll.

During my tenure, I was pleased to see the group go from just dry meetings covering data to actively campaigning for change and meeting with people that could make change. In 2023, a few other subcommittee members and I met with the CEO of the Iowa State Fair to campaign for better accessibility. It resulted in increased accessible parking and further possible changes.

I am also thankful to report that my caregiver funding was approved for more hours for September-December. It was not a direct result from OCTF, but it is something we highly encouraged through various avenues.

Through all the meetings, at least two per month, I became friends with some other members. I can still attend as a member of the public, but without voting rights or similar privileges. I'm uncertain if I'll apply again next year, but I'm thankful for the time I was able to help and encourage more active roles.