The Board’s Mission is to enrich the lives of Virginians with disabilities by providing a VOICE for their concerns.

V ision of communities that welcome people with disabilities

O utreach to individuals, families, and advocates

I nnovation through grant projects and sponsored programs

C ollaboration with providers of disability services

E ducation of policymakers on disability issues

NUMBER of PEOPLE with DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES in VIRGINIA:

Within Virginia's population of 7,078,515 there are an estimated 26,191 to 41,763 individuals with mild mental retardation, an estimated 14,157 individuals with moderate mental retardation, an estimated 9,202 individuals with severe mental retardation and an estimated 2,831 with profound mental retardation. These figures, based on 2000 census data, include only the population of persons with mental retardation and not the thousands of other individuals who have developmental disabilities other than MR.

NUMBER of COUNCIL MEMBERS

40 Council Members (7 people with developmental disabilities, 2 people with other disabilities, in addition to family members and community representatives)

Agency Representatives:

The Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired, The Department for Rehabilitative Services, the Department for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, the Department of Mental Health Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, the Department of Education, the Office on Aging, and two agencies representing the DD Network, the Office for Protection and Advocacy, and the Partnership for People with Disabilities

NUMBER of STAFF : 12

STANDING COMMITTEES

Ad hoc committees meet to examine issues of importance related to the State Plan areas of emphasis: Education, Employment, Community Integration and Community Living: Housing, Transportation and Advocacy

FREQUENCY of MEETINGS: Quarterly

DESIGNATED STATE AGENCY/ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY:

The Board serves as its own “state agency.”

2004 FEDERAL ALLOTMENT: $1,511,135

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• Community Integration

• Positive Behavioral Supports II -- This second generation grant provides curriculum and scholarships to train individuals in the practice of Positive Behavioral Supports and support to practice delivery of services
  
• Improving Community Living Options -- The overall goal of this project is to increase community living options for individuals with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities.
  
• Consumer and Family Participation Fund – This project will provide funding to support consumers and family members attendance at conferences, workshops, other training and service opportunities so that people with developmental and other disabilities can become better informed about disability issues and serve on task forces and work groups regarding issues that impact their lives.
• New Voices – This project will develop plans to educate the public about concerns regarding community living for individuals with developmental disabilities, ensure that a “second generation” of new voices evolves, and create media tools to promote the stories of individuals with developmental disabilities and impact public policy development through open dialogue.
  
  
• Transportation
  

• Community Transportation Coordination Demonstration Project -- This project will develop and implement a coordinated transportation service in a setting not currently served by a municipal or public transit system. The project will involve participation by the community and will utilize existing transportation resources.
  
• Links, A Unified Transportation Clearinghouse – This project will develop information and data on the available transportation systems and private providers across the state, create a database culling information on service delivery and individual case studies from people with disabilities, and produce a report with recommendations for transportation planning entities on improvements for service delivery.

 

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• Education

• Mapping Transition Services I -- These projects will develop and disseminate a transition map for use by transition service professionals, family members and people with disabilities in three localities that enable them to access the full array of transition services available in their local schools and communities.
  
• Effectiveness Training for Local Special Advisory Committees – This project will improve the effectiveness of local Special Education Advisory Committees (SEACs) through system-wide stakeholder training that empowers local participants to improve the effectiveness of their SEACs, conveys accurate information regarding the roles, responsibilities and functions of local SEACs to all participants and, supports ongoing initiatives through the development of web-based training tools and ongoing technical assistance.
  
• On Campus Transition Program -- This project will expand the MontgomeryCountyPublicSchool district’s current inclusion model for students with developmental disabilities ages 18-22 to include the age-appropriate setting of a college campus for receiving “postgraduate” services. 
  
  
• Employment
  
  
  • Employment Collaboration Replication: Staffing Companies and Employment Services Organizations -- This project will establish longer term relationships new employers for individual placement; place individuals into community-based employment settings; establish a network of natural supports at a minimum of two employment sites; provide a comprehensive employment consultant training program to each of the natural supports; establish an advocacy group to expand possibilities of supported employment services with business leaders; and utilize volunteers to help expand employment opportunities.
    
  • Employee Assistance Referral Network (EARN) Study – This project will complete an assessment of employment mentoring and advocacy programs in Virginia, provide a “How-To Document” on the creation of a network of employees with disabilities who will serve as role models, mentors, and advocates for integrated competitive employment opportunities and develop a model network and Memorandum of Understanding for support of the network with various employment partners.
    
  • Employment Collaboration Replication: Staffing Companies and Employment Service Organizations (Roanoke) -- An employment specialist at the NAI (National Associates Inc.) offices will work directly with business developers and account managers to look for opportunities for 'job carving, and a basic handbook and resource guide for use in creating such partnerships nationwide will be developed. A website will also be created and mailing lists for staffing services and ESOs will be distributed to use to communicate with other organizations engaged in the same type of collaboration.
    
  • Employment & Benefits Outreach - Project WIT – The goal of this project is to increase the knowledge of people with disabilities about maintaining benefits as they plan to return to work. Such individuals will be provided with expertise and information on SSA work incentives, employment support programs and Ticket to Work as well as the variety of programs that impact employment through one on one interaction.
    
  • Long-Term Demonstration Project: Supporting & Replicating Success -- This project will focus on achieving long-term, community based employment with the placement and retention of people with developmental disabilities in a private sector employment setting. The majority of job placements will be with employers who have not previously employed individuals with developmental disabilities.
    
  • Careers in the Arts: A Forum for People with Disabilities -- The major goals of this 1-year project are to: identify barriers to careers in the arts for people with disabilities; increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities who are interested in one of the many careers available in the arts; provide opportunities for people with disabilities to network with artists and arts organizations; and, increase awareness of the abilities and talents of people with disabilities.

• Board Sponsored Programs

• The Youth Leadership Forum – This program seeks to empower young people with disabilities to further develop their leadership skills.  Students, serving as Delegates from communities throughout Virginia, participate in a wide range of activities and learning experiences during the four day Youth Leadership Forum set on a university campus
• Partners in Policymaking -- Partners in Policymaking is a training program for people who have developmental disabilities or for parents of young children with developmental disabilities. Individuals attending the program participate in advocacy skill workshops, resource development, and leadership training. 
• Policy Interns and Policy Fellowship -- The Disability Internship Program seeks to provide direct, hands-on work/study experiences as well as opportunities for advanced scholarship in the field of disability studies. The goal of the Disability Internship Program is to promote awareness about services available in Virginia for people with disabilities and to educate college students about careers and opportunities available in the disability services sector.

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EXAMPLES OF SIGNIFICANT LONG TERM ACHIEVEMENTS

The Board has successfully improved community living for individuals with developmental disabilities in Virginia through varied initiatives over the last 20 years. The following representative grants and special projects have not only improved community living but have increased the visibility of children with developmental disabilities and their families and the issues important to them.

• The MedicaidWaiverTechnicalAssistanceCenter was established to build mentoring networks through out Virginia to inform individuals about Medicaid waiver utilization and continues to provide updated manuals, brochures and materials to improve community living for thousands of Virginians. With website availability, such materials can be downloaded and is immediately available with technical assistance and consultation.

• The Virginia Accessible Housing Registry was established to ensure individuals with disabilities can access an electronic interactive database, connecting to available properties that fit hand in glove to the needs of an individual, depending upon their specific functional capacity. This initiative built lasting partnerships and developed critical linkages in Virginia, between those who plan and build housing and the community of individuals with disabilities.

• Development of an Entrepreneurial Guide for People with Disabilities for those interested in starting their own businesses. The Directory is now promoted by the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services to continue to build more entrepreneurial initiatives in Virginia.

• A Benefits Outreach and Training Project which provided intensive outreach and trainings through the state to consumers, family members and professionals on the importance of ongoing benefits planning and use of work incentive programs for career planning and employment purposes.

• Celebrating Special Children Resource Directory for NorthernVA started and was initiated as an Innovative Grant, however was then expanded to the Central and Shenandoah Valley regions. The Directory contains information on programs and supports that can be accessed by families of children with special needs. Over 100,000 individuals and families have received the directory to date.

Additional information about the Virginia Council’s initiatives can be found at:

http://www.vaboard.org/grants.htm

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CHANGING LIVES: PERSONAL STORIES

One testimonial from a Partners in Policymaking participant is relayed as follows:

PIP training changed me from inside out as an advocate and as a parent of Jenny with autism. I have always been a very involved active parent even before Jenny's diagnosis. However, PIP changed my life 180 degrees.

Since September 2004, I spoke publicly 3 times regarding biomedical treatments for autism. I am invited to talk at ASA-GRV annual conference in April. I attended a TASH conference in November and joined TASH to be active in personnel preparation committee to improve special education programs at a higher education level. I am organizing a charity concert in the fall to raise autism awareness. I volunteered as chair in a subcommittee of NRV Autism Action Group to raise local autism awareness. I am working with my local SEAC. I started a project of adapting conventional children's books for kids with disabilities by power point. I am very excited about my final project of autism simulation for educators to personally experience what it is like to live with autism. I am making a power point slide show of Jenny's life to present to post my homepage under construction. I cannot believe my own transformation.

PIP has opened my eyes to a bigger picture of disability movement. I am no longer just a mom for Jenny. I am no longer a complainer who feels victimized. I am no longer just happy to write a good IEP for Jenny. I want more. I want to make a difference for people with disabilities. This is my newly found passion and life's mission.

Thank you so much for offering this amazing program. I am so proud that I take a part in it.

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