Alice Tousignant is the Executive Director of Virginia Supportive Housing. She holds a Masters degree in Social Work Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode Island. Alice has over 30 years of experience in the fields of housing, homelessness and social services. She is the past Director of the Virginia Housing Coalition and the Associate Director of the Division of Housing at the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. She is a founder and past President of Emergency Shelter, Inc. and past President of the Richmond Community Development Alliance. She is a graduate of Harvard's NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence in Community Development Leadership program, and a recipient of the Fourth Annual Virginia S. Peters Housing Award. Alice currently serves on the Board of Area Congregations Together in Service (ACTS) and is the Board Chair of the Virginia Collation to End Homelessness.
Archive for December 2009
Need a suggestion for a New Year’s resolution?
December 29th, 2009
I have asked Kristin Yavorsky, VSH’s Director of Clinical Services, to write this week’s blog. Kristin holds a Masters Degree in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University and for more than fifteen years, has worked for public and private community mental health organizations in North Carolina, Virginia and New York City.
Thanks, Alice
Let’s use person-first language whenever possible in 2010 (and beyond!)
Words have power and convey our attitudes and beliefs about the person or group about whom we’re speaking or writing. In this coming year, consider the impact your word choice has on people who have often already experienced significant challenges due to their life experiences.
“We provide assistance to the homeless.”
“He is a schizophrenic.”
“She is crippled and wheelchair-bound.”
The statements quoted above use labels to define a whole person or group of people rather than promoting their personhood first. Each of us can be defined by a series of labels, some that promote our strengths and others that highlight our differences or challenges.
Would you want to be defined solely by your challenges?
If it is necessary to refer to a person’s illness, disability or life challenge, do so in a way that acknowledges the person first. When in doubt, ask the person themselves how they prefer to address their experience or challenge!
“We provide assistance to people who’ve experienced homelessness.”
“He is an individual who was diagnosed with schizophrenia.”
“She has a physical disability and uses a wheelchair.”
Sometimes person first language can be cumbersome, but these language changes demonstrate respect and serve as an acknowledgement that people who have disabilities also have many abilities and that they are valued as whole, complex individuals over simple labels.
Story of Hope – A Home for the Holidays
December 23rd, 2009
For many people, this is a season of hope and fulfillment. While many of us take the simple gifts of food, housing, health, and income for granted, Virginia Supportive Housing extends a message of hope to some of our most vulnerable citizens who struggle to satisfy even these most basic of human needs. Stories like Sam’s (below) remind us that when compassion translates into action, the gift of hope can be fulfilled. Hope is what Virginia Supportive Housing is all about.
Sam has been a resident of New Clay House since 2002. Now in his late forties, Sam struggled for years with intellectual disabilities and the challenges of independent living. Throughout school, he was in special education classes and eventually dropped out in the 11th grade. Due to his cognitive impairment (his IQ measures at 50), he has never been able to consistently support himself although he would occasionally do farm or yard work. Without a reliable source of income, he was dependent on periodic assistance from local churches.
In his twenties, he moved to Richmond with no real plan or means of support. He spent time in shelters and on the streets, occasionally living with friends. Despite the critical impact that Sam’s disability was having a on his daily functioning, his attempts to apply for disability income were repeatedly denied until Virginia Supportive Housing came into the picture.
Thanks to VSH support services staff, Sam’s SSI claim was approved within 90 days. He now has a safe place to live and a steady income that meets his basic needs. For the first time in his adult life, Sam can share in the hope and fulfillment of the holiday season. Happy Holidays from Virginia Supportive Housing!
Act Now To Support The National Housing Trust Fund!
December 15th, 2009
The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign has issued a Call To Action asking people to contact their Senators and Representatives in support of appropriating funding for the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF).
To find out more, click on the link below. VSH supports this measure and encourages everyone to take action by Friday!
