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  A greeting from the new Executive Director. .
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My name is Kathy Harding and I am the newly appointed
Executive Director for Cumberland Community Options
(CCO). I am excited about my new position and hope to
provide quality supports familiar to CCO partners. I
come to Nashville, via Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.
In Minnesota I was the State Planning and Implementation
Coordinator for Community Support Services, the Human Services
Division's MR/DD crisis department.
Over the last 20 years I have worked in various
capacities with individuals with disabilities and have a
commitment, both personally and professionally to equality and
equal opportunity. I am an advocate and believe we need
to see abilities rather than be hindered by personal
differences.
A little more about
me...
Education
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Undergraduate Studies- English
Education, Psychology
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Minor Criminal Psychology and Adolescent
Literature
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Graduate Studies- Psychology and Community
Health Medicine
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Continuing Education- Adult Learning
coursework, Behavior Analysis, Therapuetic Intervention,
Social Service Ethics, Certified
Mediator
Worked in the following programs: Maximum
Security Prison, Mental Health Centers, MN State Treatment
Centers, Independent Living Support Program, and Center for
Independent Living.
Experience in the Following
Settings/Populations
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Mental Retardation and Related Conditions and
DD/MI
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Spinal Cord Injuries adn People with Physical
Disabilities
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Mental Illness and Dual
Diagnosis
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Borderline Intellectual Functioning and
Borderline Personality Disorder
Have provided support and consultation in many
settings (state hospitals, group homes, nursing homes,
schools, jail/prison, mental health centers, treatment
centers, private/family homes, homeless shelters, and crisis
facilities.
Areas of
Specialty
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Mediation Proceedings and
agreements
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Curriculum Development
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Borderline/Borderline Consultation and Skills
Development
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PBS/Person Centered
Planning
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Independent Living Setup and Planning and
Skills Development
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Use of 12 Step recovery in Managing Physical
and Medical Disabilities
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Home and Work Accomodations
(adaptations)
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American with Disabilities Act- Survey's and
Reasonable Accomodations
I am looking forward to getting to know individuals
involved in supporting CCO and collaborating with efforts to
enhance the lives of people supported in Tennessee.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to get
acquainted.
Kathy Harding, Executive
Director
Cumberland Community Options, Inc.
kahardingccoinc@bellsouth.net
CCO Statement of
Values:
With regard to people supported,
all representatives of Cumberland Community Options
will:
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Provide supports in a
person-centered and family centered way;
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Recognize each person as unique and
positively approach their behavior and the way they
communicate;
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Listen to, respect and honor each
person's choices to promote a life that makes sense to them,
consistent protection from harm;
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Honor each person's choices about
where they live, with whom they live, and who will support
them;
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Encourage and support each person's
relationships and involvement in their
community;
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Insofar as possible, encourage and
promote each person's access to the same opportunities as
persons without disabilities;
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Encourage participation in setting
the vision and direction for the agency;
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Respect the contributions of all
members of the agency;
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Cooperate with other agencies to
provide the best possible
service.
History of
CCO:
CCO began through a mentoring
effort by Mid-TN
Supported Living. A Board of Directors
was formed and incorporated in the Fall of 1999. The
Board of Directors are made up of a self-advocate, parents of
children with disabilities, direct support professionals, and
other professionals in the disability field. CCO has
steadily grown to serving a total of 16 people in supported
living.
We are continually evaluating
our efforts to determine new and better ways to serve
those we support. We believe that for
people we support to live lives that make sense to them, we
must first invest time and effort into developing partnerships
between all key stakeholders in that person's life.
People with disabilities must be given the opportunity to
direct their lives; families must feel empowered and included;
direct support professionals must be valued, appreciated, and
listened to; and administration must set the vision and
provide the necessary support and encouragement for all this
to happen.
Information
regarding employment opportunities at CCO. .
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For more information about Cumberland Community
Options, Inc., contact us at ccoinfo@learningcommunitysouth.com.
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