Transforming Community Living

Date & Time
Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location Virtual Program
Ticketing Free
Category
Register

Join the Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium for a free, virtual program on the region’s deinstitutionalization movement.

From the Era of Institutions to the Innovative Options of Today!

Featuring two impactful short film screenings, a keynote address, and a thought-provoking panel discussion, the program will offer valuable insights and perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing home- and community-based disability services in the modern era.

Learn about the beginning of the deinstitutionalization movement in Western Pennsylvania from the short film, “From Wrongs to Rights,” and hear how advocates in the early 1970s fought to gain rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Be among the first to see the new short film, “Polk Center 1897-2023: A Reflection,” which offers a unique perspective on the institution’s 2023 closing and the remarkable evolution in community living over the last half-century.

Listen to Jill Jacobs, Commissioner for the US Administration on Disabilities for the Administration for Community Living, a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, reflect on the history of advocacy, the right to community living, and the current challenges to the future of home and community-based services.

Engage in a dynamic discussion with three esteemed experts in the field of home- and community-based services: Kristin Ahrens, deputy secretary of Pennsylvania’s Office of Developmental Programs, Hope Dittmeier, executive director of Mattingly Edge, and independent consultant Christopher Liuzzo who has a wealth of experience in the field.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to engage with thought leaders, explore disability history, and contribute to the ongoing conversation about the future of home- and community-based services. Together, we can create a more inclusive and supportive future for all members of our community.

Schedule

9 a.m. – Opening Remarks

9:05-9:15 a.m. – Film Screening: “From Wrongs to Rights”

9:15-9:30 a.m. – Exclusive Premiere: “Polk Center 1897-2023: A Reflection”

9:30-10:15 a.m. – Keynote Address by Jill Jacobs

10:15-11 a.m. – Panel Discussion: Shaping the Future of Community-Based Services

11 a.m. – Closing Remarks

Admission

This virtual event is free with advance registration. Please register today to reserve your spot.

ASL interpretation will be provided at the event as well as closed captioning for the event, including videos. If you require additional accommodations, please email info@wpdhac.org.

Event Partners

The Consortium is grateful to the following organizations who made this event possible:

Funding for this event was provided by A.W. Mellon Foundation.

Event offered in partnership with the Senator John Heinz History Center

Filmmaking services for “Polk Center 1897-2023: A Reflection” provided by ArtifactLA.

Event planning support provided by our Executive Committee, including staff members from Temple University Institute on Disabilities, Achieva, and the Heinz History Center, as well as community advocates and activists.

Photo Gallery

View of main Administrative Building at Polk State Center, 1900-1920. The first institution of its kind in Western Pennsylvania and the second in the entire Commonwealth, Polk Center initially opened its doors in 1897 with a capacity for 800 residents. In less than a decade of operation, Polk Center’s population increased, and overcrowding became a serious concern. 
 
Polk Center (PA) Glass Plate Negatives, Record Group 23.989, Pennsylvania State Archives.

View of residents participating in and viewing field games on the grounds of Polk State Center, 1900-1920. In addition to athletics, other recreational activities included trips to the PA State Fair, school band, as well as school plays. Beyond these recreational activities, many Polk Center residents labored without compensation to sustain the institution in the fields of caregiving, kitchen duties, laundry, and agriculture. 
 
Polk Center (PA) Glass Plate Negatives, Record Group 23.989, Pennsylvania State Archives. 

View of temporary dormitory for residents at Polk State Center, 1900-1920. Polk Center initially opened its doors with a capacity for 800 residents. In under a decade, Polk Center underwent numerous expansion and renovation projects as its population increased and overcrowding became a serious concern. This reality resulted in harsh consequences for individuals confined at Polk Center. Large barrack-style sleeping quarters were not uncommon, and resulted in an alarming lack of privacy and individual expression. 
 
Polk Center (PA) Glass Plate Negatives, Record Group 23.989, Pennsylvania State Archives.  

Arc Allegheny advocates Ginny Thornburgh and Jean Isherwood, 1970s. Thornburgh and Isherwood were integral to a small team of advocates who tenaciously investigated conditions at state-run institutions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Both mothers of disabled children, the two were also heavily involved in exposing human rights violations and neglect that they witnessed, capturing the attention of the media, local and state officials, as well as members of the general public. 
 
Bob Nelkin Collection of ACC-PARC Records, MSS 1002. 

Promotional pamphlet for Horizon Home, the first community home established in Allegheny County. This pioneering initiative was led by Rabbi Walter Jacob of Rodef Shalom Congregation with the support of parent advocate and former Arc of PA president Pat Clapp, fellow Jewish community members, and others.  Patricia Clapp Papers and Photographs, MSS 1196. 

Open house celebrating first community home operated by Arc Allegheny (now the Arc of Greater Pittsburgh, Achieva), 1991. This residence was located in Avalon, Pa. 
 
Bob Nelkin Collection of ACC-PARC Records, MSS 1002. 

View of Polk State Center grounds in November 2020, three years preceding the institution’s closure. The photographs were commissioned by the Western Pennsylvania Disability History and Action Consortium and funded by the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust.  Charlie Uhl Photographs of Polk Center, 2021.0026