WORD ON VIOLENTLY ACQUIRED SPINAL CORD INJURY
SPRING 2002 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 1

The Disabling Bullet:
Mentors Respond to the Needs of their Peers

     Young people who have acquired their spinal cord injury as a result of gunshot trauma often deal with a host of complex and interrelated issues. Data from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center (1994) indicate that individuals with violently-acquired spinal cord injuries (VASCI) are, for the most part, young men of minority background who reside in urban communities. Their personal and social backgrounds tend to include a lack of formal education, inadequate school districts, limited work histories, few employment opportunities, poverty, insufficient community resources, ethnic/racial discrimination, gangs, crime, drugs, and teenage parenthood (Groce, 1998).

     To respond to the multiple needs of young people with VASCI, university researchers have collaborated with key spinal cord injury personnel of Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital to develop and implement a peer-mentor project. For the past year, four peer-mentors with VASCI have provided emotional support and direct assistance to approximately 25 individuals who have become newly disabled as a result of gunshot trauma. Mentees are seen soon after they are admitted into the rehabilitation hospital, and they continue to receive support and assistance following their discharge. Peer-mentors share personal experiences and help their mentees identify and achieve personal goals. These goals often relate to rehabilitation, independent living, and community integration. For example, peer-mentors have responded to basic questions regarding medical care; have explored viable driving and transportation options; and have invited mentees to specific recreational outings, including a major league baseball game, water-skiing, and a camping weekend.

As mentioned, to date, 25 individuals have received services from this project. In this newsletter, we share one peer-mentor relationship and hope that this information will encourage you to consider the use of mentors in your own setting.

Mentors and mentees participate in a
swimming outing this past summer

ANNOUNCEMENT

     We are very pleased to announce that our first collaborating site, Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital and Care Network of Chicago, was awarded a Paralyzed Veterans Association Training and Education Foundation grant. This grant extends the efforts of the Disabling Bullet to females, outpatients, and non-minority individuals with violently-acquired spinal cord injuries. For more information about this particular project, please contact Kristin Balfanz-Vertiz, LSW, MSW at KVertiz@aol.com or (773)522-5869.

A Case Study: Rafael and Carlos

     Rafael is a 22-year old who acquired a spinal cord injury as a result of a gunshot wound about three years ago. He was recommended to be a peer-mentor by the Spinal Cord Injury Coordinator at our first collaborating rehabilitation hospital. The coordinator recognized Rafael's gradual gains after acquiring his disability. He was driving with hand controls, playing wheelchair basketball, and caring for his 4-year old daughter. More importantly, the coordinator recognized his potential to listen and help others. When Rafael was first introduced to the Disabling Bullet Project, and asked for his views on the program, he stated, "It would be helpful. Mentors might be able to answer questions that doctors might not know since they don't know what it's like to have a disability."

      Carlos is a 20-year old who was shot approximately four months ago. He did not hesitate to be a part of the peer-mentor program because he thought it would be helpful to have an individual who had been in his shoes. When asked what his first meeting with his peer-mentor (Rafael) was like, Carlos said, "It was kind of weird at first, but after about 15 minutes we clicked. It was awkward because he was someone that I had never talked to or seen before. But once we started talking, I felt okay because we were from the same background and lived the same things." Rafael and Carlos see each other about twice a month, typically after one of Carlos' outpatient therapy appointments. They also talk by phone weekly. Topics that they talk about include living with a disability, raising a child (since Carlos is also a father), and girlfriends. Rafael is also able to pass on helpful information about community resources to Carlos. Carlos told us, "He helps me out with phone numbers and information. He told me about the DORS (Department of Rehabilitation Services) program and how they can help me put a ramp in my house and go back to college after I finish my GED. Raffy helped me with information that helped me with a car."

      Not only does the rehabilitation hospital serve as a place for Rafael and Carlos to talk and exchange information, but it is also a place where they can engage in other recreational activities. For example, they have played wheelchair basketball together and have attended a picnic and swimming event. Most important, both Rafael and Carlos recognize the value of peer-mentoring in terms of forming meaningful relationships. Although Carlos plans on ultimately leaving Chicago, he is quick to point out that he plans on keeping in touch with Rafael.

Peer Mentors Take a Role in Project Dissemination

     The mentors at our first collaborating site have played an integral role in co-creating the project. In addition to their contributions to program development, we also value their role in helping us disseminate the project at various conferences. Many of the mentors have helped out in this area, by attending these conferences and sharing their experiences with the program.

     For the past year, Joel Irizarry has been a peer-mentor at
Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital. He recently traveled to Las Vegas and presented the Disabling Bullet Project at the 15th annual conference for the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers. Here are his thoughts about the conference and presenting.

Q: When you were first asked to present at this conference, what was your reaction?
A: I was really excited to speak at the conference, in addition to traveling to Las Vegas.

Q: Had you ever presented to an audience of professionals before?
A: I've presented in a school atmosphere and at In My Shoes [the hospital's violence prevention program] but never to an audience of professionals.

Q: How did you feel right before the presentation?
A: Before the presentation I tried to remain relaxed so as not to stutter or blank out in front of the audience.

Q: What did you share with the audience?
A: I shared my experiences of being in the Bullet Project and my experience of being a young Hispanic man with a violently-acquired spinal cord injury.

Q: How did you feel afterwards? Was it what you were expecting?
A: After the presentation I felt great, I felt I presented well and it was everything I expected.

Q: After presenting, did you get any additional questions/comments from the audience?
A: After the presentation I was asked questions. Even after the presentation was over, people stopped me to ask me questions and give comments about the presentation.

NEW PROJECT NEWS

      In addition to continuing to maintain operations at our first site, we've recently begun working at two new hospitals. First, in November, the project director, peer-mentor supervisor from Schwab hospital, and one of our Schwab peer-mentors traveled to National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington D.C. to train our second group of peer-mentors. Second, in February the project director and one of our Schwab peer-mentors conducted a training with a group of four peer-mentors at Oak Forest Hospital to begin project activities. Both trainings were a success, and both groups of mentors have begun seeing mentees. Look forward to a feature on these new sites in the next newsletter!

UIC University of Illinois at Chicago
Advocacy and Empowerment for Minorities Program (M/C 626)
Department of Disability and Human Development
College of Applied Health Sciences
1640 West Roosevelt Road
Chicago, Illinois 60608

Word Newsletter is produced by

The Disabling Bullet Project of the Advocacy and Empowerment for Minorities Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago

Fabricio Balcazar, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Chris Keys, Ph.D. & Patrick Devilieger, Ph.D., Co-Principal Investigators
Brigida Hernandez, Ph.D., produced by
The Disabling Bullet Project
of the Advocacy and Empowerment
for Minorities Program
at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Research Consultant
Erin Hayes, M.A., Project Director
Mark Engstrom, Graduate Research Assistant
Jhon Sanabria, Graduate Research Assistant

Project is funded by grant #H324M990085
from The Office of Special Education Projects
U.S. Department of Education