IRIS Consultant Biography

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  Consultant Name Cathryn Scott
  Company Name TMG
  Phone Number 844-864-8987
  E-Mail IRISinfo@tmgwisconsin.com

Work History (starting with most recent)

Name of Agency Date of Employment Job Title
TMG 6/19/2017 IRIS Consultant

Care Responsibilities

Your TMG IRIS consultant is your partner as you create a plan that meets your needs and stays within your IRIS budget. Your TMG IRIS consultant can connect you to resources in your area, and will be a great source of information for any questions you have about the IRIS program. In a self-directed program like IRIS, you decide who provides your support and services and when they happen. You may have natural support from people in your life, or you may choose to purchase the support you need from an agency or someone that you hire directly. Your TMG IRIS consultant will be there to talk through these decisions with you, and will help you put a plan in place that reflects your choices.

Educational Background

Name of Institution Major/Degree Degree Obtained Date Obtained
Winona State University Bachelors of Science - Organizational Communications Yes 6/1/1991

Credentials

Name of Certification / Accreditation Certifying Agency Date Certification was Obtained
Certified Assistive Technology Professional RESNA 4/1/2014

Specialties (e.g., working with autism, the elderly, employment for people with disabilities or youth in transition, mental health, experience with assisted technology)

Prior to coming to TMG, I worked at Independent Living Resources (ILR) for ​9 1/2 years out of the Richland Center office (in SW Wisconsin). I have experince working with people of all ages living wtih disabilities; from infants to aging adults. While at ILR, I partnered with people by providing advocacy support for grievance and appeals processes, public access issues, housing access concerns, service/support animal issues and more. I also provided support through independent living skills training in a variety of settings, and I have developed a personal knowlege base of resouces available in SW Wisconsin. I am also certified as an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) and have considerable experience providing assistive technology (AT) assessments for home, work and community settings. An important aspect of providing AT assessments was also follow-through to make sure people knew how to use thier adaptive aids once they were received. I also have extensive experience providing home safety/modification assessments which included basic recommodations; i.e. throw-rug removal to full bathroom and home entry modifcations for wheelchair access, as well as assessments for safe access to vehicles. I have had regular training on the Americans with Disabilites Act (ADA), I have strong knowlege of Wisconsin's long-term care programs (Family Care and IRIS) and have basic knowlege of SSI and SSDI benefits.

County/Region I'm familiar with

Crawford, Richland

Languages or Communication Skills

English

I'm comfortable with pets in the home

Yes

More about me

How do you Partner with people to 'clear the path ahead'?
I feel it important to listen to people and to ask questions in order to clarify, which will hopefully minimize misunderstandings. I also feel it is important to be honest and transparent in order to nurture trust and to help the people I work with have realistic expectations around the services provided by the IRIS program. And, I feel it is important to sit beside, or work with the people I partner with in the program so that they can be as empowered and self-reliant as possible.

What's your favorite thing about being an IRIS consultant?
​My favorite thing about being an IRIS Consultant is offering support and assistance so that people can live the lives they choose, where they want to live them.

What past experience prepared you to become an IRIS Consultant?
While working for Independent Living Centers, I partnered with people by providing advocacy support for multiple issues. I also provided support through independent living skills training in a variety of settings. Being a certified Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) allowed me to gain significant knowledge in and have considerable experience in providing assessments for home, work and community settings. I also have extensive experience providing home safety/modification assessments which included basic recommendations. I have had regular training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I have strong knowledge of Wisconsin's long-term care programs (Family Care and IRIS) and have basic knowledge of SSI and SSDI benefits.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
​I love nature! I spend time outdoors landscaping and gardening.I also am an accomplished nature photographer and do most of that photography while kayaking and hiking (and when I am able traveling). I have an adorable cat who adopted me last summer (as a kitten). She has allowed me to train her on a harness and lead, so she can join me on hikes/walks. I am an active board member for the DNR Disability Advisory Council and enjoy supporting the council in offering recommendations for access to hunting and public recreation opportunities.

WI DHS/DLTC/F-01486 (04/2015)