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Contact: Mark Harniss (mharniss@uw.edu)
Core Function: Technical Assistance and Outreach Training
Program: Community Disability Policy Initiative
The primary role of the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council (DDC) is to make public policy recommendations to the Governor and state policy makers on issues of importance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. The Council is comprised of 27 members appointed by the Governor, at least 60 percent of whom must be individuals with IDD, parents or other family members, or guardians. Also serving on the Council are representatives of service providers and principal state agencies that provide funding to or services for individuals with IDD, and the state Protection and Advocacy organization, Disability Rights Washington (DRW), and the UCEDD.
The Washington State DDC meets four times a year in rotating locations around the state with additional meetings as necessary. The Covid-19 pandemic forced the DDC to meet via the Zoom platform but the meetings transitioned to a hybrid model during the last quarter of 2021. During 2021 the focus of the DDC was on the development of the recently completed new five-year state plan for 2022-2026 which sets the priorities for Council activities.
The UCEDD and the DDC collaborate to identify and work on issues facing individuals with IDD. These issues are addressed through policy recommendations as appropriate as well as through advocating for further research, training, and services. In addition, the UCEDD, DDC and DRW (AIDD network partners) have committed to the ongoing support of the Allies in Advocacy to become a fourth AIDD network partner. Additional long term collaborative activities include parents with developmental disabilities, access to and use of technology, criminal justice reform within the Department of Corrections and Juvenile Rehabilitation, and strengthening the advocacy partnership with state agencies in Washington State. An example of increasing partnerships with agencies has been current efforts with the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), and the Washington State Independent Living Centers (SILCs) to increase access to Covid-19 vaccines, in collaboration with the AIDD Network Partners. All these collaborations support UCEDD’s mission to work on systems change through collaborating with individuals with IDD and advocacy groups.
