Raleigh, NC, November 19, 2024 – The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) released its 2024 Impact Report highlighting its progress in creating statewide systems change for better supports and services for North Carolinians with intellectual or other developmental disabilities (I/DD).

The past year’s focus was on educating and informing the public and legislators on the issues faced by people with I/DD, with an emphasis on addressing the Innovations Waiver waitlist and the Direct Support Professional (DSP) workforce shortage.

Individuals with I/DD and family members had two impactful opportunities to connect with legislators. A Developmental Disabilities Town Hall meeting, coordinated by NCCDD with other advocacy organizations, providers, and legislators, was held in Charlotte. With Meet The Need North Carolina, an initiative of NCCDD, the organizations held a listening session for the I/DD Legislative Caucus at the NC State House in Raleigh.

Throughout the year, Council-funded initiatives showed impact across its three Five-Year State Plan goals: Financial Asset Development, Community Living, and Advocacy Development for people with I/DD.

Initiatives worked to increase Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) engagement, expand Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and expand benefits counseling services to increase employment participation and independence.

The Council continued the work around the new Guardianship Rights Law by providing education to stakeholders on alternatives to guardianship, and explaining how these rights can support greater independence in healthcare decision-making. Several mini-grants were awarded to nonprofits and organizations to support efforts in transition planning, health and wellness programs, job placement and community accessibility.

Initiatives also focused on advocacy leadership. These included developing training and peer mentoring programs, the creation of a statewide advocacy leaders network, and hands-on mentorship through a peer mentoring training program.

To better understand the needs of and advocate for the I/DD Hispanic community, NCCDD had a presence at community resource fairs, meetings, and conferences across the state. The Council also expanded its Spanish-language materials and hosted a Spanish screening of “Unmet: The Disability Crisis in NC” for Charlotte’s Hispanic community to discuss concerns and explore ways to improve service access for Hispanic families.

For more information on NCCDD’s impact across the I/DD community, the 2024 Impact Report is available online in both English and Spanish.

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About the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities: The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) works to assure that people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families participate in the design of, and have access to needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity and inclusion in all areas of community life. Through its Five-Year Plan, the Council identifies and funds innovative projects and initiatives that promote the goals of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) for all North Carolinians. www.nccdd.org