Advocacy Partnership Project
The Advocacy Partnership Project supports advocacy efforts that provide opportunities for self-advocates, family members, and other advocates to effectively participate in advocacy efforts, especially during the legislative session. Highlights include:

• Conducting Advocacy Day each week during session.
• Contacting 90% of legislators/policy makers on a weekly basis to inform them about issues important to people with developmental disabilities.
• Monitoring legislation important to people with developmental disabilities.
  
• Distributing information to people with developmental disabilities and their families
• Weekly podcasts are created to inform people with developmental disabilities and their families about legislative issues, needs and the process.

Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL)
The Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL) project brings self-advocates together to identify the issues that are important to them and to take leadership roles in developing their own legislative agenda and policy that improves quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. Highlights include:

• A peer mentor program. Mentors help at least one new member attend meetings and share information with his/her local self-advocacy group.
• Educating people with developmental disabilities about legislative advocacy.
• Statewide advocacy coordination.
• Coordination amongst other self-advocacy groups occurs to strengthen advocacy efforts.
• Rapid Response Team – The rapid response team is able to make decisions and act within a limited time frame and allows self-advocacy leaders to participate equally in the public policy arena.
• Documentary – The scope of work of the contract has recently been amended to allow for the initial production of a documentary titled, “Where’s the bus?”
  

Local Leadership
The local leadership project trains and supports individuals in leadership skills and systems advocacy about people with developmental disabilities and their families. The project prepares participants to get involved in advocacy at the local, state and federal level. Highlights include:

• Six 1 ½ day workshops that include: civil rights movement/history, government systems, community systems, skill building, self-determination training, systems advocacy and developing and implementing community projects.
• A legislative weekend in which participants experience a legislative hearing from both a legislator’s and advocate’s point of view.
• Local leadership projects are currently being funded in Grays Harbor County, Clark County, Yakima County, Whatcom County and Pierce County. There are approximately 36 people participating statewide.

Home Ownership
The home ownership project trains and supports individuals with developmental disabilities in home ownership. Highlights include:

• Workshops and mentoring for individuals with developmental disabilities who feel that home ownership is an option they would like to pursue.
• Post-purchase support for those individuals who become homeowners.
• Education for realtors and lenders about disability issues to ensure services they offer are appropriate.
• Participation in reviewing city and county growth management so that housing options for individuals with developmental disabilities are advocated for and individuals with developmental disabilities are given a voice in the city and growth management process.
• Technical assistance from an already successful home ownership project experienced in working with individuals with developmental disabilities is provided to new contractors starting their projects.

Youth Leadership
The youth leadership project trains, educates and supports youth with developmental disabilities as they participate in a culturally diverse leadership forum. Highlights include training in the following topics:disability civil rights movement, public policy, leadership skills, self-determination, achieving employment, and achieving community living. The project is an inclusive club and all students, faculty and community members are welcome.

Self Advocacy Project
The self-advocacy project trains and educates self-advocates throughout the state and supports the goal of independence, productivity, self-determination, and integration into the community. Highlights include:

• Trraining in self-determination and inclusion (Reaching my own Greatness, Mixed Voices, or Believing is Achieving curricula). Training is for both self-advocates and case managers and community members.
• Ongoing support of local People First Chapters including technical assistance, the staffing of a 1-800 number and training and information on emerging issues.
• Training in Healthy for Life curriculum.
• An isolation study is being conducted in coordination with the WA state DDC.

Self Employment Project
The self-employment project trains and supports individuals with developmental disabilities in becoming self-employed. Highlights include:

• Creation and launch of a Reaching Independence through Self-Employment (RISE) website.
• Completing a “master dream” with candidates to evaluate their hopes, dreams, and availability of supports.
• Reviewing business proposals then revising proposals and converting them to business plans.
• Supporting individuals in implementing their business plans.
• Holding annual trainings in self-employment.

Life Opportunities Trust
The Life Opportunities Trust shelters and preserves assets that would otherwise disqualify someone from government benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. The trust also allows for families and individuals to save for important services that may not otherwise be provided by the government, such as work training, assistive technology, respite care and more. This public-private partnership creates a stable resource to enhance the quality of life for citizens with developmental disabilities. Features of the trust include: The trust is the only public-private trust of its kind in the nation.The DDLOT currently has 995 active enrollments and 28 payment plan accounts.