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A Few Minutes With EPIC

CEO Clarissa Mitchell

By Nadine Bartholomew, MBA

We asked EPIC CEO, Clarissa Mitchell, to share her thoughts about the next phase of care for people with
developmental disabilities and below are her responses.

Q. What’s the next challenge for adults with developmental disabilities?
A. I think the next big push will be towards more independent living where people with developmental dis-
abilities (DD) can exercise their right to live as independently as they choose. EPIC is focusing on supporting
people in property owned by the person to maintain alignment with our mission.

Q. What are the hurdles to moving this ideal forward?
A. Lack of resources in Maryland for people with DD to live independently and in a safe environment. This

group doesn't have the option to make more money so they can afford better living. As a result, I believe
that we need state financial funding and adoption of practices that other states do.

Q. What can EPIC and other DDA provider agencies do to help?
A. I believe we must support skills that can help an individual with a disability do what they want to do on
their own. Things like budgeting, public transportation training, assistive technology training and social
skills can all be part of independent living skills.

Q. Can a person move from a group home atmosphere to independent living?
A. Transition can mean helping a person to move from a group home to a place to live independently in

their own community. It can also mean helping a young person to move to their next steps after high
school. We just need funding to provide services that help people with what they need to live independent-
ly in their own home if they do not want to live in a group home.

Q. What would that mean for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs)?
A. Direct Support Professionals can still help with a variety of needs for some people with developmental
disabilities. Hiring, training, and letting go of Personal Assistants is something that people who use them
need to learn how to do. DDA providers, like EPIC, can provide training in these tasks and help people who

need these assistants to find them. Working together, we can make a better world for adults with DD.

Nadine Bartholomew, MBA, Marketing Director for EPIC. Nadine is a Marketing Communications professional
with over 15 years of experience leading marketing programs, brand management, and media relations at non-
profit and for-profit organizations in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. Passionate about the
importance of brand differentiation for non-profit and small business success, Nadine works to maximize the
opportunities created by digital and traditional marketing strategies.
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