[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 71 (Tuesday, May 22, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     20TH ANNIVERSARY OF GUMA' MAMI

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 22, 2001

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 20th anniversary of 
Guma' Mami, which means ``Our House'' in the native language of the 
people of Guam. Guma' Mami is a non-profit corporation whose mission is 
to facilitate the full inclusion and integration of adults with 
developmental disabilities or mental retardation into their communities 
through individual and family support. Their success stem from ensuring 
the highest quality of services to support, enhance and improve the 
quality of life of adults with cognitive and other developmental 
disabilities.
  Guma' Mami began in May 1981 by providing individual and family 
support and planning a housing support program. Until recently, the 
organization operated three housing support programs--the Independent 
Group Home, the Mary Clare Home and a transition home. The Mary Clare 
Home, which was opened in memory of a young woman in need of positive 
behavior support, and the Independent Group Home accommodates 11 
individuals. These homes are staffed 24-hours a day, 7-days a week by 
Community Living Counselors and supervised by a Housing Support Manager 
with the ultimate goal for these individuals to transition into a home 
of their choice with the support services they need. To date Guma' Mami 
has successfully helped 18 persons from its housing support program to 
homes of their own--from dependency to autonomy. The third home, a 
transition or emergency shelter, served as temporary housing for 
homeless developmentally disabled individuals as well as those soon to 
be homeless. The housing support program successfully ran its eighteen-
month funding cycle and transferred clients to homes of their choice. 
It was funded by the Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority through 
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community 
Development Block Grant.
  Guma' Mami also assists individuals who live in the community by 
providing supportive services through its Comprehensive Case Management 
Program. Three Case Managers and a Program Coordinator in this section 
provide services and support for up to 104 individuals in the 
community. Case Managers monitor the progress of consumers by 
conducting consumer-driven needs assessment on an on-going basis and 
coordinate linkages with community resources, such as respite care, day 
programs, employment, psychological services, medical and dental 
services, as well as recreation and leisure, and emergency shelter when 
needed.
  Other services provided by Guma' Mami include assisting clients by 
advocating for rights and training in self advocacy efforts; crisis 
intervention by providing coping skills for daily living, supportive 
counseling especially in time of crisis, positive behavior support and 
family training; and transportation services. Home visits and other 
personal contacts are made to assist with social integration, budget 
management, mobility training and personal hygiene. Guma' Mami is the 
legal guardian of some of the individuals with more significant 
disabilities. As legal guardian, Guma' Mami attends to the needs of 
these individuals, such as medical matters and living arrangements.
  One of the hallmarks of Guma' Mami has been its ability to take on an 
active leadership role in the community. Today, the island community 
looks to Guma' Mami not only for the provision of housing options, but 
also for leadership in the planning and development of policy reform. 
Guma' Mami is represented in the Guam Developmental Disabilities 
Council, the Guam System for Assistive Technology, the University 
Affiliated Program on Developmental Disabilities, the Rehabilitation 
Council and the Statewide Independent Living Council. Guma' Mami takes 
pride in programs that are driven by the preference and choices of 
individuals it supports.
  Twenty years later the organization continues to exist as a highly 
regarded professional service provider and this year they adopted the 
slogan, ``IT'S ALL ABOUT CARE'' to emphasize the basic human value that 
drives their mission of inclusion and integration of adults with 
developmental disabilities into their communities through individual 
and family support. The organization has implemented its three-year 
plan, ``Guma' Mami: Millennium 2000,'' and has taken steps to begin 
meeting the goals and objectives as delineated in its plan.
  In celebration of their 201h anniversary, and its continuous efforts 
to breakdown barriers, erase negative stereotypes of persons with 
developmental and mental disabilities, and educate the public, the 
Governor of Guam will proclaim the week of May 27 to June 2 as ``Guma' 
Mami Week'' in Guam. The Guam Legislature will also adopt a resolution 
in support of Guma' Mami's efforts.
  The Guma' Mami Board of Directors, its staff and management have 
planned many activities for the week-long celebration. The celebration 
will begin with a Mass at Santa Teresita Church in Mangilao, the 
village where the organization's homes are located. Awareness 
activities include placing a banner along Guam's main highway, inviting 
the community to visit the Mary Clare and Independent Group Homes and 
to watch a series of interviews with Guma' Mami clients and staff 
during the nightly TV news program. Guma' Mami Week will culminate with 
a luncheon at which clients and persons in the community who have been 
of great support to Guma' Mami will be recognized.
  Mr. Speaker, I share this story with you and my colleagues as a proud 
member of the Guma' Mami organization, and because its success is a 
reflection of the selflessness, the generosity and the caring nature of 
the people of my district. I lend my support in the form of financial 
contributions and by always being vigilant on the availability of 
federal grants with which the organization may improve the quality of 
its services. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and 
congratulating the staff and management of Guma' Mami, headed by 
Executive Director Peter Blas, for their tireless efforts to provide a 
positive and pro-active impact in the lives of persons with 
disabilities through community involvement, service excellence, and 
advocacy efforts.
  Congratulations are also in order for the Board of Directors under 
the guidance and leadership of President James Denney for their 
significant contribution to the Guam community, most especially to 
individuals with developmental disabilities and their families enabling 
them to become active and contributing members of the community.

                          ____________________