History
Half a Century of Services in the Chippewa Valley, words from UCP's Executive Director
Fifty years ago this fall, a group of parents in the Eau Claire area discovered each other and realized that they shared two commonalities. They each were parenting a child having cerebral palsy and they all craved a way to support each other in the quest for reaching the optimal potential for their children. They learned that three years previous to meeting each other, the beginnings of a support organization had started in New York under the name of United Cerebral Palsy Association. Joined by local educators and therapists, these parents incorporated in November 1954 under the name of United Cerebral Palsy of Chippewa Valley and the first Board of Directors was formed under the leadership of Louis L. Phillips. Other early Board members included: Ken and Mary Jane Clark, the Meagher sisters, Bert and Cliff Chatterson, Larry Wahlstrom, Ruth and Lee Mathison, and Charles Safford.
During the organization's first 2 decades, UCP in the Eau Claire area existed as only a Board of volunteers who supplied each other with support, hooked into the first national Telethon in the '50s, and with the funds thus raised, purchased adaptive items needed by local individuals. It was in the early '70s when the Board organized a survey of local needs and accepted the challenge of employing one staff person to attempt to address the needs identified.
Since that first hiring, the growth of UCP has been phenomenal. Having the unsure beginning of one part-time employee, today the agency employs 12 dedicated staff members. Starting an evaluation clinic known as the C.P. Clinic, in 1977, and serving 15 individuals every other month, today the Clinic has broadened under the name "Neurodevelopmental Evaluation Clinic" and serves a diverse population of over 100 IndivIduals once every other week. The Clinic, held at Sacred Heart Hospital thus grew under the medical directorship of Dr. Michael O'Halloran. The two other physicians on the team were neurologist, Dr. James Bounds, and orthopedist, Dr. Claude Davis; Three therapists complete the team.
Meanwhile, in 1976, UCP affiliate boundary lines in the state of Wisconsin were redrawn and the local area was renamed West Central Wisconsin, including nine counties of Barron, Chippewa, Eau Claire, St. Croix, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, and Rusk. Jackson county was added at a later date and will be followed this month by Buffalo and Trempealeau counties.
In the late '70s, another survey of needs revealed a desperate cry among parents and caregivers for periodic relief from their 24-hour care obligations. Thus, UCP initiated the first respite care program in the area. It has become a benchmark of UCP's advocacy process to step aside from a program as soon as a quality duplicate is in place. Thus, respite care became a State mandate in the '80s and local counties formed their own respite components. Still acting as a watchdog of service quality, it is interesting to observe that, in 2003, that mandate no longer exists and UCP has again emerged as a respite care provider under the statewide Lifespan. Respite Care project.
UCP of West Central Wisconsin has also been blessed with remarkably dedicated staff members who have always had the philosophy of "consumer need is our first criterion" for service direction. No project demonstrates this maxim better than the existence of our "consumer groups" developed with WCDD funds under the able leadership of Adult Educator Donna Fortin In the mid '80s. Today, as Donna has decided to start cutting back on her illustrious career, what better successor to come forward to assist her than one of Donna's own trained self-advocates, Dan Odell.
And what of the next 50 years? I have two visions. One, the contrast between those having disabilities and those who are temporarily able will become so seamless that accessibility within communities won't even be an Issue. And second,, the prevalence of developmental disabilities will be so insignificant that the existence of advocacy such as UCP won't even be needed. Do I want to see ourselves put out of business? Yes, wouldn't that be the best possible long-term goal for UCP?
Ruth Gullerud
Executive Director
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