Feature Issue on Self Direction

Living with a traumatic brain injury means you need to discover your own way on the road of life. For me, this has led me to poetry and to advocacy. Helping people is my greatest jolt and I do not shut it off. This is who I am.

Self-directing my services fits in well with this idea because I like to be in control. I want to be the one to say, “Ok, I want to do this,” and I don’t want anybody standing in my way telling me I can’t do it. I even enjoy it a little when people tell me I can’t do something. I tell them I didn’t get the memo.

I have hired and fired service providers. Right now, I’m working with my case manager to see if I can direct some of my budget to hire a social media consultant to help with my motivational speaking business. And when I moved from one county to another recently, I was told I couldn’t get a case worker in the new county while I was still living in the old county, so it sounded like it was going to be a long wait. I picked up the phone and made a couple of calls to the state house and I had a case manager in my new county within two days. To me, “no” means “bother me later.” For the most part, I spend my budget as I see fit, and I like it that way.

I really only use my waiver to have somebody come in and help me do a few things around the house and take me out in the community. I use a fiscal management company to do tasks like payroll and other services, but I do the hiring and, if necessary, firing. I have a certain budget for transportation, and I have flexibility to save that up for important trips.

I’ve been on my own for about a year. I’m in my 50s now, so it was past time to do this. Since I’ve been on my own, I’ve gotten an LLC designation for my work. The Summit County Board of Developmental Disabilities contracted with my LLC to offer feedback on a pilot program they did. I love being on my own. I direct everything in my life.

Yes, I’ve run into obstacles. But I do not understand the meaning of the word no. If I start getting pushback, I think about who I can call in Columbus and get help? Anybody can do what I do; all you have to do is be willing to push. I had a friend in a U.S. Congressperson’s office who, when I was there, always said, ‘Stewart builds relationships.’ I’ve been able to build a multitude of them.