POLICY E-NEWSLETTER

PUBLIC POLICY AND SYSTEMS CHANGE COMMITMENT

NCCDD’s mission is to engage in advocacy and systems change activities that will support the estimated 172,000 persons in North Carolina with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families. Through public policy, the Council strives to ensure that individuals and their families can contribute to the design of and have access to culturally competent services and supports, as well as other assistance and opportunities, which promote inclusive communities. The Council calls these activities “building bridges to community.”

The federal Developmental Disabilities Act (DD Act) calls for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, and their families to participate in the policymaking process and to educate leaders and policymakers at the local, state, and national level.

Important Steps for Public Policy and Systems Change:

• IDENTIFY problems and the laws, policies, regulations and programs associated with them. Clearly communicate these issues and educate others.

• PROPOSE SOLUTIONS that are backed up by research, statistics, budgets, laws and applicable success stories. Outline the action needed for real change
  to attack each problem.
  
  
• ASK LEADERS AND CITIZENS TO TAKE ACTION to make needed changes to laws, policies, regulations and programs.

POLICY ISSUES FROM FUNDED GRANTS

• EMPLOYMENT FIRST: Employment efforts to increase the employment rate of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Grant 2009-2011. Employment First policy paper. (pdf) Employment First Position Statement (pdf)
  
  
• NORTH CAROLINA RELATIONSHIPS INITIATIVE (NCRI): Engage self-advocates in educating state policymakers and making recommendations to reduce loneliness and promote healthy friendships and relationships among people with developmental disabilities. "A Credo for Meaningful Relationships," written by self-advocates (pdf), Relationships position statement (pdf) Relationships position statement-providers (pdf). Read the final NCRI report (pdf).
  
  
• SEEING IS BELIEVING: TRANSITION FROM INSTITUTIONS TO COMMUNITY Assists residents moving from large residential settings to the community home of their choice. Grant 2007-2010. Policy recommendations (doc) (pdf), Seeing is Believing (Video) (see directions for captioning).
  
  
• BEYOND ACADEMICS: IMPROVE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEMS Enrollment of persons with intellectual disabilities in college and cooperative learning experiences that emphasize education, career development, and inclusive living. Identify needed policy changes to expand opportunities for persons with I/DD in all post-secondary institutions. Policy Implications Summary (doc) (pdf).
  
  
• ADVANCING STRONG LEADERSHIP Next generation professionals employed in the I/DD field are skilled in leadership and addressing emerging policy issues. Grant 2007- 2011
  
  

POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH REPORTS

• The Impact of the Affordable Care Act on People with I/DD by Pam Silberman, J.D., DrPH, North Carolina Institute of Medicine. (ppt / pdf / doc)
  
  
• SERVICE GAP ANALYSIS: A Strategic Analysis for Change (presentation)
  Data compares North Carolina with other states to provide planning tools and action steps to improve the developmental disability system. Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) August 2011. Presentation (pdf).
  
  
• A STRATEGIC ANALYSIS FOR CHANGE (full report)
  Responding to the Needs of People with Intellectual and Other Developmental Disabilities in North Carolina August 2011. Full report (pdf).
  
  
• Strategic Analysis for Change Action Steps Based on the Service Gap Analysis, this paper outlines the action steps needed to improve the developmental disability system. Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) January 2012. (pdf)
  
  
• "Where Does North Carolina Stand? 1998-2008" A comparison of residential service trends nationally and in North Carolina, for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. See the May 2010 PowerPoint Presentation: (ppt / pdf / doc) and the April 2010 Report: (pdf / doc)
  
  
• Direct Support Professionals Report The support provided by Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to individuals with I/DD has a profound influence on quality of life. High turnover rates, low wages, recruitment and retention, and increasing demand for services threaten the ability of North Carolina to develop a high quality DSP system. Direct Support Professionals Evaluation Summary (pdf), Demonstration Project Final Report (pdf) Practice Improvement Committee (ppt)
  
  
• “Basics of 1915(b)(c) Waivers" What is a combined 1915(b)(c) waiver? What is the state doing? What is the goal? Get answers to these questions and others. (pdf)
  What is North Carolina doing?
  
  
• “Opportunities and Challenges of 1915(b)(c) Waivers” Medicaid is the major source for funding of long term care services and supports provided in home and community settings. The use of a 1915(b)(c) waiver is one method of delivering Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). (pdf)
  
  
• 2008 SUMMIT REPORT Thirty five state leaders called for a thorough review of state policies relating to individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and outlines the challenges of the future. “Looking Forward: A Summit on North Carolina’s Developmental Disabilities System.” August 2008 (doc) Recommendations (pdf)
  
  
• Proposed Indicators of Progress Toward Reform in the North Carolina Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse System. Report prepared August 2006. (doc)
  
  
• Going Home: Keys to Systems Success in Supporting the Return of People to Their Communities from State Facilities Report prepared October 2006 (doc)
  
  
• “Honoring our Past, Shaping our Future" A Report from NACDD upon the 40th Anniversary of the Creation of Councils on Developmental Disabilities.” (pdf)
  
  
• Other NCCDD Publications

POLICY PARTNERS

Disability Rights North Carolina
Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities
NC Developmental Disabilities Consortium (doc) (pdf)
NC Developmental Disabilities Coalition

POLICY RESOURCES

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)

Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD)

NC Division of Mental Health, DD and Substance Abuse Services

North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research

CONTACTING ELECTED OFFICIALS

State of North Carolina

Federal U.S. Congressional Representatives

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