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"That was about the same time things were really starting to change. I felt like I was actually being part of a system that was on its way up." Cindie Underwood came to Muscatatuck State Developmental Center in 1989 as a case manager. Over the years…

In 1973, the Developmental Training Center (DTC) on the Indiana University Bloomington campus created a deinstitutionalization project utilizing a halfway house approach. It provided residents of Muscatatuck State Hospital and Training Center…

Residents of Muscatatuck State Developmental Center were buried in an area adjacent to a non-institutional cemetery in Butlerville, Indiana. This photograph was taken by Seth Musselman, probably in 2009. Muscatatuck State Developmental Center…

“It was my time to play my part in the circle of life.” On June 13, 2018, Jamie Beck became the first person in Indiana to have her guardianship terminated and a Supported Decision-Making agreement put in place. Jamie had been adjudged as…

This video is an overview of 200 years of change in the lives of Hoosiers with disabilities, produced by the Indiana Disability History Project. A very broad survey starting in the 19th century, the short video highlights the role of advocacy in…

"At that time, supported employment was just beginning across this country" and the goal was "to show that this was very viable, that people with severe disabilities could actually work." Suellen Jackson-Boner, the Indiana Governor's Council for…

“Oh, my favorite thing was we got the opportunity to take two clients to Tennessee.” Lori Nei talks about a career highlight as a service manager in the disability field in Indiana. As part of her responsibilities, she provided support to two men who…

“We would get referrals from the workshops usually, and we would meet with the individuals to determine their eligibility.” Roberta Stafford worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor for almost 24 years. Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation…

“We were afraid as parents, and they started talking about doing away with the workshop.” Mary Lou and her husband didn't like the idea of their daughter Cindy getting a job in the community. In the late 1990s, they sent a letter to other parents…

“I haven't really seen progression in supported employment since the 1990s,” recalls Connie Ferrell. She was hired as a field coordinator for the new Indiana Employment Initiative in 1992. In her 2015 interview, Connie explains why she feels…