Imagine Philosophy and Mission

The Board and staff of Imagine envision a world where all people, including those with significant disabilities, are respected, valued and provided opportunity in the workplace and community. To achieve this vision, the person with the disability must be in control of their

IMAGINE GUIDING PRINCIPLES 1) Respect and meaningful communication is highly valued and mutually expressed between the person requesting supports, family, staff and all we do business with. 2 ) The primary decision maker in determining life goals is the person with the disability. Parents, family members, guardians, friends, paid caregivers or advocates are involved and participate as acceptable to the person. 3) The individual plan and supports must be flexible and responsive to accommodate needs and preferences that evolve over time. 4 ) Personal responsibility and self-determination evolve simultaneously. 5 ) Privacy, dignity, and choice are protected and supported. 6) Informed choice and individual preference drive the selection of meaningful careers, relationships, and community living. 7) Services blend with existing resources, social networks, and natural supports. 8) People with disabilities, families and advocates are involved in creating and evaluating services.

destiny. Their dreams and desires are at the center of the decision making process. Self-determination, employment strategies, career planning, Social Security benefits planning, student transition supports and educational seminars are Imagine tools for assisting people to reach their goals. Providing quality services one person at a time ensures success for the person, the family, and the community.

  Imagine approaches service delivery differently than most existing agencies or organizations. The differences lie in organizational structure, values and principles that guide service delivery, the talent of the staff to implement value-driven services, and a long-term commitment to the individual and family.

Imagine is a collective of people with disabilities, parents, family members, advocates and professionals who desire an organization that steps out of the box of typical human services and reaches for the new and innovative. Advocates and staff gather frequently to share ideas for the future of sons, daughters, family and friends. Determined to implement technologies and practices that improve the quality of life for people with severe disabilities throughout the United States, Imagine Board, staff and volunteers are committed to demonstrating new and better alternatives.

The organizational motto “Imagine That!” reflects the creative and energetic organizational attitude. Imagine is a new kind of organization, implementing services that demand spontaneity, flexibility, attention to detail, and customer satisfaction. Services begin with building a dream or personal goal such as employment, semi-independent living or learning a new hobby. Then, design a person-directed plan that will guide the process for achieving the goal. And finally, provide services that support the person through their journey. The very soul of the organization is the people with disabilities, welfare recipients or social security beneficiaries who desire to do and be more.

The person-directed process results in a true partnerships or sharing of power, between the person receiving services and the staff who provide the direct care. Imagine promotes a continuous loop of services, which anticipates changes in life circumstances and provides services that correspond to these changes. Avoiding huge time lags or waiting lists for services is a lofty goal. This level of commitment requires extraordinary support for staff. Organizational goals reflect careful planning to remain within the working capacity of staff resources.

Inclusion of all people with disabilities is achieved through teamwork, relationship building, community involvement, and personal empowerment. The following principles guide the implementation of Imagine services:

Best practice builds on capabilities of an individual, supports self-determination, expects competency, respects the dignity of risk, and embraces community inclusion for all people with disabilities. Texans with disabilities living in group homes, nursing homes or institutions, or receiving services in day habilitation programs or sheltered workshops experience few of these options. These programs focus on personal limitations and presumed incompetence that promotes dependency on the service system and separates people from communities. They deny the person the opportunity to work in community jobs or to live in homes of their choice. Many providers have retooled their policy and procedures to reflect best practice, but continue services that are based in the historical institutional/medical model. Imagine wants to offer an alternative for the person who seeks a life in the mainstream of community.

The threads of dignity, respect, and compassion are woven into every aspect and activity supporting people with developmental disabilities, people in poverty or people in search of better lives. Staff strive to maximize the resources and implement effective strategies that are responsive to requests for employment and community living supports. Imagine That! A world where individuals who typically are excluded from the mainstream are empowered to shape their own lives through relationships with family, friends, employers, and other community citizens.