Transcript: Bettye Dunham Interview
Bettye Dunham got her start in the disability field in 1975. She was a support person to an Indiana University student needing assistance with note taking and studying. Bettye says, “The things I learned from Chris really endeared me to the field.”
Bettye went on to work 19 years at…
Title
Transcript: Bettye Dunham Interview
Subject
Legislation
Institutions
Sheltered Workshops
Rauch, Inc.
Muscatatuck State Developmental Center
Description
Bettye Dunham got her start in the disability field in 1975. She was a support person to an Indiana University student needing assistance with note taking and studying. Bettye says, “The things I learned from Chris really endeared me to the field.”
Bettye went on to work 19 years at Developmental Services in Columbus, Indiana where she started a workshop program in Jennings County. This workshop would include residents from Muscatutuck State Developmental Center. “The VR counselors and I interviewed around 300 individuals, three to 400 individuals, residents of Muscatatuck…that was probably one of the most interesting points in my career…Talking with them about how they felt about being there, what their dreams and hopes were,” explained Bettye. Eventually, they hired around 20 people to work in the Jennings workshop.
At the time of her 2013 interview, Bettye had been the C.E.O. of Rauch in New Albany, Indiana for over 20 years. Rauch started in 1953. Bettye says, “There were parents that had children with disabilities, all different ages of disabilities that came together. And they said, you know, there ought to be something. There ought to be some service or something that can help our children down the road and help them develop.” Bettye explains several of the services Rauch has offered including a sheltered workshop, American Sign Language, Healthy Families program, and community opportunities. She also addresses the challenges the agency has faced over the years.
“To me, one of the most significant steps in the history of our field in Indiana was that 317 Task Force and putting some blueprints in place for what the future of services should look like,” explains Bettye. Kathy Davis, who was the Secretary of Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) at that time, chaired the 317 Task Force. Bettye on was on the 317 Task Force and talks about a few of the outcomes.
In her interview, Bettye also discusses supported employment, natural supports, and the changes she has seen in the disability field over the years. One struggle Bettye sees is health care. She says, “One of the future challenges is going to be what happens to managed care and health care and how our population survives through that change, if that change comes about.”
Bettye went on to work 19 years at Developmental Services in Columbus, Indiana where she started a workshop program in Jennings County. This workshop would include residents from Muscatutuck State Developmental Center. “The VR counselors and I interviewed around 300 individuals, three to 400 individuals, residents of Muscatatuck…that was probably one of the most interesting points in my career…Talking with them about how they felt about being there, what their dreams and hopes were,” explained Bettye. Eventually, they hired around 20 people to work in the Jennings workshop.
At the time of her 2013 interview, Bettye had been the C.E.O. of Rauch in New Albany, Indiana for over 20 years. Rauch started in 1953. Bettye says, “There were parents that had children with disabilities, all different ages of disabilities that came together. And they said, you know, there ought to be something. There ought to be some service or something that can help our children down the road and help them develop.” Bettye explains several of the services Rauch has offered including a sheltered workshop, American Sign Language, Healthy Families program, and community opportunities. She also addresses the challenges the agency has faced over the years.
“To me, one of the most significant steps in the history of our field in Indiana was that 317 Task Force and putting some blueprints in place for what the future of services should look like,” explains Bettye. Kathy Davis, who was the Secretary of Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) at that time, chaired the 317 Task Force. Bettye on was on the 317 Task Force and talks about a few of the outcomes.
In her interview, Bettye also discusses supported employment, natural supports, and the changes she has seen in the disability field over the years. One struggle Bettye sees is health care. She says, “One of the future challenges is going to be what happens to managed care and health care and how our population survives through that change, if that change comes about.”
Creator
Indiana Disability History Project
Publisher
Center for Health Equity at the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community and Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities
Date
2013-08-20
Contributor
Bettye Dunham - Interveiwee
Jane Harlan-Simmons - Interviewer
Peggy Holtz - Interviewer
Rights
Copyright © 2018 The Trustees of Indiana University
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Document
Identifier
023-do
Access Rights
Open to all users
Bibliographic Citation
Bettye Dunham, August 20, 2013, interview 023-mi, transcript, Indiana Disability History Project, Center on Aging and Community, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Bloomington, IN, http://indianadisabilityhistory.org
Spatial Coverage
Indiana, Floyd County, New Albany
Indiana, Jennings County
Temporal Coverage
1975-2013
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