Today we’d like to introduce you to Nuceka Chatman.
Hi Nuceka, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
A New Leaf was founded in 1979 with the belief that being born with a disability does not diminish an individual’s capability to participate fully in society but results in transformative day-to-day life barriers which require an adaptive path to success.
A New Leaf provides this path with our five programs that service people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in northeastern Oklahoma from upper elementary school into adulthood. This path starts in our Autism Works program, teaching students with autism prevocational skills in six local public-school systems. Through our workforce development program, we provide job training and employment placement so that clients earn a wage. Our residential program assists clients with finding safe and affordable housing and aids with the tasks of daily living up to 24/7 to live independently. Additionally, approximately 60% of people with I/DD have a co-diagnosis of a mental health condition, which was the driving force behind the creation of our Positive Behavior Support program. This program assists staff, family, and the clients we serve with overcoming behaviors that are a barrier to employment and independent living.
Our newest program, the Transition Academy, just opened in summer 2022. This is the first of its kind in Oklahoma. It is a two-year residential program for young adults that emulates the college experience and dorm living. The Academy offers an 80-course curriculum specifically created to help students achieve two critical outcomes: independent living and employment at a competitive wage.
I am the Director of the A New Leaf Transition Academy. I joined the A New Leaf team in February of 2021. Utilizing my project development, collaboration, and administrative talents to develop the first life and workforce skills residential transitory academy for young adults with intellectual and or developmental diversities and/or autism in the state of Oklahoma.
I am most proud that I was able to use my transferrable skills to open the Transition Academy, which included but not limited to establishing and drafting the academy admissions criteria and processes. Creating an 80-course life and workforce skills curriculum, constructing staffing duties, student meals, dorm life standard operating procedures and much more.
What sets me apart from others is that I am presently the first African American woman in the state of Oklahoma to help develop an academy- this type of educational life and workforce skills foundation for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental diversities and/or Autism.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For our entire organization some of the challenges we face are funding for people with I/DD. The state of Oklahoma provides funding, but they are limited and there is a waitlist. The state has promised to remove 600 people from their waitlist, but the current workforce is not there to support the individuals coming off the list.
On top of this issue, A New Leaf has its own waitlist of over 150 people for residential and workforce development program. The service cliff for these individuals after high school is steep. A New Leaf is doing everything we can to get people off the list and to a life of independence.
Regarding the Transition Academy, we have faced a few obstacles to get it up and running. Specifically, funding structures have changed. We knew we couldn’t halt momentum. We had to restructure a few things to be able to start the beginning of classes. Once the community sees the benefit of this program, we know we will be able to support it fully with philanthropic dollars.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
There are currently 13 students at the Transition Academy and the next class will begin in early 2023. We are now accepting applications and conducting interviews for the next class.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.anewleaf.org
- Instagram: @anewleafinc
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/anewleafinc
