Independent Living Advocate Helps Others With Intellectual Disabilities
Mia Monahan has focused her career on teaching and helping individuals with intellectual disabilities. Monahan has cerebral palsy and uses this experience to connect with the disabled community and work with other people. She is an independent living advocate for Center for Independence San Mateo. Her responsibilities include service coordination, support and followup to consumers with disabilities. She helps in areas such as obtaining housing, housing modification and accessibility, advocacy, counseling, independent living skills, information and referral, financial benefits and ADA compliance.
"I think that it is more comfortable to seek assistance and advice from someone if they have walked in your shoes, and personal experience goes a long way when it comes to building trust and rapport," she explained. "Individuals with disabilities have to work so much harder just to be on a level playing field with everyone else due to preconceived notions and assumptions. I want to assist them to make their challenges a bit easier to manage, just as others have done for me."
Monahan obtained her Bachelor of Arts in special education with a minor in Spanish and her Master of Education in special education with an emphasis on teaching individuals with intellectual disabilities from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She pursued her advanced degree because she had a strong interest in teaching individuals with intellectual disabilities because of her uncle's disability and her own experience working in a group home. "With an advance degree, I wanted to learn more about the current systems that are in place, what types of reform are needed and how they are put into place."
She first volunteered to gain experience including tutoring adults in literacy skills and visiting patients in hospice care. "I have worked with individuals with disabilities of all ages from preschool to the elderly, in both residential and academic settings," she said.
This is her calling and passion, and Monahan would encourage others to go into special education and pursue their degrees because of the many opportunities available across many settings and interest areas. "The difference you can make in another person's life is truly invaluable," she stated. "My degrees have helped my career because there are so many ways to utilize them. You are not restricted to a certain age group or setting, and there will always be a need for those who can provide assistance and guidance to others."
Debbie Hall is practically a Las Vegas native (37 years and counting) and loves experiencing everything in Southern Nevada from the Las Vegas Strip to the surrounding mountains and Lake Mead. She also teaches at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and loves sharing her knowledge. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.