Making a Difference Winter 2016: In The News
GCDD Hosts Executive Director Leadership Summit
The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) hosted its annual Executive Director Leadership Summit from Nov. 2 - 4, 2015 in Downtown Atlanta. The gathering of executive directors of nationwide and surrounding territory DD Councils brought together leadership and a look at the next big focus of developmental disabilities.
The three-day summit looked into the future of the developmental disability field and what Councils should be focusing on as they develop their five-year state plans. Panels discussed advocacy and community living addressing choice for individuals with developmental disabilities when it comes to housing and what it means for DD Councils and their mission.
Aaron Bishop, commissioner of the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), also attended the summit to emphasize the need for diversity in the DD Councils’ state plans.
“The demographics are changing so the question is ‘how do the Councils work together with marginalized communities in their state to bridge those gaps in service and supports?’ ” said Bishop.
He cited GCDD’s Real Communities as a shining example of working with other marginalized communities and bringing together people with and without disabilities to address issues like food scarcity, poverty, education and more.
NACDD CEO Donna Meltzer added, “It is important that when DD Councils invest in their communities through grant funding or building partnerships with other organizations, they ensure that those organizations or community stakeholders are also reaching out to people of diverse backgrounds and needs. AIDD’s requirements are in essence forcing us to look deeper and to be more culturally and linguistically competent in all that we do.”
The annual meeting of the DD Council executive directors brings together council leadership for deep and thoughtful discussions on subjects that affect them and their respective Councils. NACDD also uses the opportunity to bring key national leaders in for discussion with the executive directors to assist in designing better tools and supports for their work.
USDOE Grant to Expand College Access for Georgia Students with Intellectual Disabilities
The US Department of Education (USDOE) awarded Georgia State University’s School of Public Health a $2.5 million, five-year grant to support a consortium of universities working to improve access to higher education for students with intellectual disabilities.
The Georgia Inclusive Post-secondary Education Consortium, based at the school’s Center for Leadership in Disability (CLD), will provide organization, community education, start-up funding, statewide training and technical assistance for colleges and universities seeking to establish programs for these students.
This is the second round of five-year grants from the USDOE, known as the Model Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID). The program originated in 2010 in response to changes in the federal Higher Education Act.
Read more from the winter 2016 edition of Making a Difference here:
