Whitlock Daniels

Atlanta, Georgia (Senate District 39)

Every weekday from 8:30-2:30, you can find Whitlock Daniels, 74, at the Central Training Center, a day program and facility run by Fulton County. Ms. Whitlock, as everyone calls her, is their oldest client. She’s not just the oldest in terms of age, but also because she’s been attending the program since 2007. As such, she has earned a place of respect, though she uses it to be a bit bossy, the staff says with affection. 

Born with mild intellectual disability, Ms. Whitlock is a bright and happy lady, who looks forward to coming to the center every day. She especially loves spending time with Shelly Knight, her training instructor, or “teacher,” as Ms. Whitlock says. Their day begins with Morning Huddle, a time when participants gather to talk about what’s going on in the news, the weather, what they’ll be doing that day, anything at all needing to be debriefed in that first hour. After Morning Huddle, everyone breaks up and goes to individual classrooms. There are about five participants in her classroom. Ms. Whitlock says she goes to the room with “the children.” She’s so much older than everyone else, she thinks of her fellow clients as kids she helps to care for. (Story continues below after slideshow.)

The Central Training Center used to be a workshop facility, producing maps and instructional kits, but they let go of all those contracts a few years ago and now just concentrate on the health and vitality of their clients. Veronica Rooks, Behavioral Health Assistant Lead, explains that nearly the entire budget for the Central Training Center comes from pooling participants’ Medicaid funding or the nearly obsolete state-funded Grant & Aid program. They also get some funds from the Fulton County budget, which helps with items such as tablets, utilities, and other costs. The center serves a full hot meal in the cafeteria for lunch, although many clients go out to eat some days. Ms. 

Ms. Whitlock’s participation in this program is thanks to receiving a Comprehensive Supports Medicaid Waiver (COMP). It supports her participation in the program and helps pay for her caregiver. In another lifetime, Ms. Whitlock says she would have been a professional weather person for the news. If given a chance to speak to her legislator, Ms. Whitlock would say that people should be more mindful of the weather, and especially they should close the schools for inclement weather. She also wants everyone to know that she makes beautiful bracelets. 

Shelly thinks there are a lot of sad misconceptions about people with developmental disabilities, and there needs to be public education to break that stigma. About Ms. Whitlock and her other clients, Shelly says, “People with developmental disabilities are people, just like us. They shouldn’t be limited. They should be allowed to go out into the community and form relationships. A lot of times they aren’t allowed to do that because people are afraid of them. They don’t know who they are or what they’re capable of doing.” If she got to speak to a legislator, she says, “There are a lot of misconceptions about people with developmental disabilities and their needs.” She wants to encourage people to get to know folks like her clients. Another problem that Veronica Rooks addresses and wishes the government could help with is that a lot of people aren’t acquainted with the resources available to them because “there is a lack of communication. That’s kind of the bottom line. There’s also some fear and apprehension from the families as well.” She can see how funding is a daunting task because of all the confusing paperwork involved.

The day is almost done at the Central Training Center. Some participants are waiting for pick-ups and resting in the break room, watching TV or taking a quick nap. Ms. Whitlock pokes through the Christmas decorations and wonders when the Christmas party will be. Thanks to the supports Ms. Whitlock receives, that’s all she has to worry about in these final years of her life. 

Writer: Shannon Turner, Photographer: Lynsey Weatherspoon