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Washington Hosts First National Bipartisan DD Policy Symposium
Earlier this month, Washington State hosted the country’s first national bipartisan Developmental Disabilities (DD) Legislative Symposium, bringing together legislators, self-advocates, researchers, and community leaders from across the U.S. to discuss policies impacting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families.
Held June 11–13 in Seattle and organized by The Arc of Washington State, the three-day symposium marked the beginning of a coordinated national effort to strengthen inclusive, state-led disability policy. Legislators from more than a dozen states convened with advocates and experts to explore shared challenges and opportunities in disability systems and services.
Dr. Sunny Juul, director of the IHDD, and Dr. Mark Harniss, associate director of the IHDD and director of the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), presented on Community Day, the last day of the event. Their participation reflected the IHDD’s ongoing engagement with local and national policy efforts affecting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
The symposium was co-led by Representative Jamila Taylor (WA-30), chair of Washington’s bipartisan DD Advocacy Caucus. The final day featured roundtable discussions with community members, including representatives from the Community Advocacy Coalition, on topics such as culturally responsive care, housing access, and the role of personal narrative in driving systems change. The event concluded with the formation of a national working group of legislators committed to collaborative disability policy reform.
Read the full press release from The Arc of Washington State.
