Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking<sup>®</sup> Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni

Bruce Lane Keisling; Robert Zach DeBerry; Alexandra Marie Vohs

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking^® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni

Bruce Lane Keisling, Robert Zach DeBerry, Alexandra Marie Vohs

Published in American Journal of Health Research (Volume 9, Issue 3)

Received: 21 April 2021 Accepted: 30 April 2021 Published: 14 May 2021

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Abstract

Partners in Policymaking^® is a leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities. The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities began implementing this intensive seven-weekend program in 1993. Objectives: The lasting influence of such a training program on the advocacy practices and leadership activities of graduates once they have completed the program has not been examined; this was the aim of the study. Methods: A follow-up survey seeking to quantify graduates’ current levels of advocacy, community involvement, accomplishments, and overall satisfaction with the training experience was created and sent to 361 graduates across a variety of formats; one hundred and thirty-five individuals completed the measure. Results: The findings suggest that program completion had a lasting impact on participants’ disability-related knowledge, advocacy, and self-assessed ability to create change in disability-related policy. Specifically, a majority of the graduates affirmed increases in leadership skills, leadership ability, and sense of empowerment. In addition, graduates reported increased feelings of connectedness to others with similar life experiences, with a majority even reporting increased quality of life due to participation. Conclusions: Use of a structured training program in leadership and advocacy to increase perceived self-efficacy in disability policy advocacy and leadership is supported. Graduates’ qualitative comments reveal enduring community activism and engagement in systems change, including statewide and national disability-related policy advocacy, years after completing the program.

Published in	American Journal of Health Research (Volume 9, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
Page(s)	72-81
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Leadership Development, Advocacy, Community Inclusion, Partners in Policymaking

References

[1]	Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights of 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-402 106–402, §1 (a), 114 Stat. 1677 (2000). https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/about-acl/2016-12/dd_act_2000.pdf.
[2]	The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities. (2016). Partners in Policymaking Coordinator's Handbook. Minnesota Department on Administration. http://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm/pdf/Partners_Coord_Handbook2016.pdf.
[3]	Wang, M., Mannan, H., Poston, D., Turnbull, A. P., & Summers, J. A. (2004). Parents’ perceptions of advocacy activities and their impact on family quality of life. Research & Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 29 (2), 144-155.
[4]	The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities. (2015). Partners in Policymaking. Minnesota Department on Administration. http://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm/pdf/PiP-Changing-Lives-Changing-Policies1.pdf.
[5]	Zirpoli, T. J., Hancox, D. H., Wieck, C., & Skarnulis, E. R. (1989). Partners in Policymaking: Empowering people. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 14 (2), 163–167.
[6]	Zirpoli, T. J., Wieck, C., Hancox, D. H., & Skarnulis, E. R. (1994). Partners in Policymaking: The first five years. Mental Retardation, 32 (6), 422–425.
[7]	Cunconan-Lahr, R., Brotherson, M. J. (1996). Advocacy in disability policy: Parents and consumers as advocates. Mental Retardation, 34 (6), 352–358.
[8]	Balcazar, F. E., Keys, C. B., Bertram, J. F., & Rizzo, T. (1996). Advocate development in the field of developmental disabilities: A data-based conceptual model. Mental Retardation, 34 (6), 341–351.
[9]	Reynolds, M. C. (2011). Understanding the partners in policymaking program and the impact of participation on parents of children with developmental disabilities in Missouri [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Missouri-Kansas City.
[10]	United States Census Bureau. (2017). Quick Facts for Tennessee in 2017. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/tn.
[11]	Jackson, S. L. (2015). Research methods and statistics: A critical thinking approach (5th ed.). Wadsworth Publishing.
[12]	Shenton, A. K. (2004). Strategies for ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research projects. Education for Information, 22, 63–75.
[13]	Solomon, N. A. (2018b, July). Two Chattanooga programs promote the safety of individuals with disabilities. Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/cdd/projects-and-initiatives/public-awareness/breaking-ground/breaking-ground-93/breaking-ground-93---two-chattanooga-programs-promote-the-safety-of-individuals-with-disabilities.html.
[14]	Rice, C. (2017, April). The rest of Menchie’s story. Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/cdd/documents/cddbreakingground/Breaking%20Ground%2084%20-%20final%20version.pdf.
[15]	Solomon, N. A. (2018a, October). Oris G. Bowen breaks employment ground through the state’s Go-DBE program. Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/cdd/projects-and-initiatives/public-awareness/breaking-ground/breaking-ground-94/breaking-ground-94---oris-g--bowen-breaks-employment-ground.html.
[16]	Earheart, C. (2016, April). Let me “get out to the ballgame!” Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/cdd/documents/cddbreakingground/Breaking%20Ground%2082%20-%20April%202016.pdf.
[17]	Meredith, A. (2016, October). The TIME Act aims to undo subminimum wages. Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/cdd/documents/cddbreakingground/Breaking%20Ground%2084%20-%20final%20version.pdf.
[18]	Shouse, J. (2017, July). Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder is a first step in the right direction. Breaking Ground. https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/cdd/documents/cddbreakingground/Breaking%20Ground%2088%20July%202017%20PDF.pdf.
[19]	Nulty, D. D. (2008). The adequacy of response rates to online and paper surveys: What can be done? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 33 (3), 301–314.

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APA Style

Bruce Lane Keisling, Robert Zach DeBerry, Alexandra Marie Vohs. (2021). Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. American Journal of Health Research, 9(3), 72-81. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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ACS Style

Bruce Lane Keisling; Robert Zach DeBerry; Alexandra Marie Vohs. Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. Am. J. Health Res. 2021, 9(3), 72-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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AMA Style

Bruce Lane Keisling, Robert Zach DeBerry, Alexandra Marie Vohs. Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. Am J Health Res. 2021;9(3):72-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12,
  author = {Bruce Lane Keisling and Robert Zach DeBerry and Alexandra Marie Vohs},
  title = {Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni},
  journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
  volume = {9},
  number = {3},
  pages = {72-81},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  abstract = {Partners in Policymaking® is a leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities. The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities began implementing this intensive seven-weekend program in 1993. Objectives: The lasting influence of such a training program on the advocacy practices and leadership activities of graduates once they have completed the program has not been examined; this was the aim of the study. Methods: A follow-up survey seeking to quantify graduates’ current levels of advocacy, community involvement, accomplishments, and overall satisfaction with the training experience was created and sent to 361 graduates across a variety of formats; one hundred and thirty-five individuals completed the measure. Results: The findings suggest that program completion had a lasting impact on participants’ disability-related knowledge, advocacy, and self-assessed ability to create change in disability-related policy. Specifically, a majority of the graduates affirmed increases in leadership skills, leadership ability, and sense of empowerment. In addition, graduates reported increased feelings of connectedness to others with similar life experiences, with a majority even reporting increased quality of life due to participation. Conclusions: Use of a structured training program in leadership and advocacy to increase perceived self-efficacy in disability policy advocacy and leadership is supported. Graduates’ qualitative comments reveal enduring community activism and engagement in systems change, including statewide and national disability-related policy advocacy, years after completing the program.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni
AU  - Bruce Lane Keisling
AU  - Robert Zach DeBerry
AU  - Alexandra Marie Vohs
Y1  - 2021/05/14
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
T2  - American Journal of Health Research
JF  - American Journal of Health Research
JO  - American Journal of Health Research
SP  - 72
EP  - 81
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8796
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
AB  - Partners in Policymaking® is a leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities. The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities began implementing this intensive seven-weekend program in 1993. Objectives: The lasting influence of such a training program on the advocacy practices and leadership activities of graduates once they have completed the program has not been examined; this was the aim of the study. Methods: A follow-up survey seeking to quantify graduates’ current levels of advocacy, community involvement, accomplishments, and overall satisfaction with the training experience was created and sent to 361 graduates across a variety of formats; one hundred and thirty-five individuals completed the measure. Results: The findings suggest that program completion had a lasting impact on participants’ disability-related knowledge, advocacy, and self-assessed ability to create change in disability-related policy. Specifically, a majority of the graduates affirmed increases in leadership skills, leadership ability, and sense of empowerment. In addition, graduates reported increased feelings of connectedness to others with similar life experiences, with a majority even reporting increased quality of life due to participation. Conclusions: Use of a structured training program in leadership and advocacy to increase perceived self-efficacy in disability policy advocacy and leadership is supported. Graduates’ qualitative comments reveal enduring community activism and engagement in systems change, including statewide and national disability-related policy advocacy, years after completing the program.
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Bruce Lane Keisling

Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, United States
Robert Zach DeBerry

Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, United States
Alexandra Marie Vohs

Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, United States

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Bruce Lane Keisling, Robert Zach DeBerry, Alexandra Marie Vohs. (2021). Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. American Journal of Health Research, 9(3), 72-81. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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ACS Style

Bruce Lane Keisling; Robert Zach DeBerry; Alexandra Marie Vohs. Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. Am. J. Health Res. 2021, 9(3), 72-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

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AMA Style

Bruce Lane Keisling, Robert Zach DeBerry, Alexandra Marie Vohs. Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni. Am J Health Res. 2021;9(3):72-81. doi: 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12,
  author = {Bruce Lane Keisling and Robert Zach DeBerry and Alexandra Marie Vohs},
  title = {Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni},
  journal = {American Journal of Health Research},
  volume = {9},
  number = {3},
  pages = {72-81},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajhr.20210903.12},
  abstract = {Partners in Policymaking® is a leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities. The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities began implementing this intensive seven-weekend program in 1993. Objectives: The lasting influence of such a training program on the advocacy practices and leadership activities of graduates once they have completed the program has not been examined; this was the aim of the study. Methods: A follow-up survey seeking to quantify graduates’ current levels of advocacy, community involvement, accomplishments, and overall satisfaction with the training experience was created and sent to 361 graduates across a variety of formats; one hundred and thirty-five individuals completed the measure. Results: The findings suggest that program completion had a lasting impact on participants’ disability-related knowledge, advocacy, and self-assessed ability to create change in disability-related policy. Specifically, a majority of the graduates affirmed increases in leadership skills, leadership ability, and sense of empowerment. In addition, graduates reported increased feelings of connectedness to others with similar life experiences, with a majority even reporting increased quality of life due to participation. Conclusions: Use of a structured training program in leadership and advocacy to increase perceived self-efficacy in disability policy advocacy and leadership is supported. Graduates’ qualitative comments reveal enduring community activism and engagement in systems change, including statewide and national disability-related policy advocacy, years after completing the program.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Twenty-Five Years of the Partners in Policymaking® Leadership Institute: A Longitudinal Survey of Tennessee Alumni
AU  - Bruce Lane Keisling
AU  - Robert Zach DeBerry
AU  - Alexandra Marie Vohs
Y1  - 2021/05/14
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
T2  - American Journal of Health Research
JF  - American Journal of Health Research
JO  - American Journal of Health Research
SP  - 72
EP  - 81
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-8796
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajhr.20210903.12
AB  - Partners in Policymaking® is a leadership and advocacy training program for adults with disabilities and family members of persons with disabilities. The Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities began implementing this intensive seven-weekend program in 1993. Objectives: The lasting influence of such a training program on the advocacy practices and leadership activities of graduates once they have completed the program has not been examined; this was the aim of the study. Methods: A follow-up survey seeking to quantify graduates’ current levels of advocacy, community involvement, accomplishments, and overall satisfaction with the training experience was created and sent to 361 graduates across a variety of formats; one hundred and thirty-five individuals completed the measure. Results: The findings suggest that program completion had a lasting impact on participants’ disability-related knowledge, advocacy, and self-assessed ability to create change in disability-related policy. Specifically, a majority of the graduates affirmed increases in leadership skills, leadership ability, and sense of empowerment. In addition, graduates reported increased feelings of connectedness to others with similar life experiences, with a majority even reporting increased quality of life due to participation. Conclusions: Use of a structured training program in leadership and advocacy to increase perceived self-efficacy in disability policy advocacy and leadership is supported. Graduates’ qualitative comments reveal enduring community activism and engagement in systems change, including statewide and national disability-related policy advocacy, years after completing the program.
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
ER  -

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