Public Policy & Advocacy

The DDC advocates for equitable policies, programs, and practices that benefit all people with developmental disabilities and their families. To do this, we must:

• Advocate on issues that are important to people with developmental disabilities and their families to increase equitable access, improve culturally relevant services and supports, and ensure the protection of rights of people with developmental disabilities.
• Lead efforts to define, advocate for, and implement a vision for what resources and supports the developmental disabilities community needs to thrive.
• Provide accurate, responsive, and culturally relevant information about supports and services for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
• Apply a framework of intersectionality to identify and advocate with and for multiply marginalized people with developmental disabilities that are disproportionately impacted by gaps in services (i.e. “the most impacted”) because of their position at the intersections of ableism, racism, and other forms of discrimination.
• Support efforts to close Residential Habilitation Centers (RHC) and other large, segregated, and congregate care models, while helping people successfully transition to homes in the community of their choice.
• Support efforts to reduce the number of people with developmental disabilities living in jails/prisons, hospitals, and other restrictive settings while helping people successfully transition to homes in the community of their choice.
• Make recommendations for how the Legislature and state agencies should invest funding to create or enhance community-based supports and services for people with developmental disabilities and their families.
  

The DDC develops and supports leaders to strengthen their voices and effectively advocate for issues that are important to them, their families, and their communities. To do this, we must: 

• Develop and implement culturally-relevant leadership programs for people with developmental disabilities, family members, and other allies to create capacity within individuals to advocate on issues important to them, lead advocacy activities, and mentor others.
• Support and lead advocacy events that provide culturally relevant information, resources, and opportunities for all people with developmental disabilities, their families, and other allies to advocate on issues that are important to them and work together to create systems change.
• Support self-advocacy organizations to successfully accomplish their missions.
• Support innovative programs and possible demonstration projects that address issues of equity, access, and improvements to the service delivery system.