Mission and Beliefs
The Council's Mission is:
"To assist individuals, families, and the community to include all people with developmental disabilities in every aspect of life."
The Council believes that mission will be achieved when people with developmental disabilities:
- make informed choices about where they live, work, play, and worship;
- receive individual and family supports which are flexible, based on need, and provided in a culturally sensitive manner;
- have the opportunity to engage in productive employment and meaningful retirement;
- experience continued growth toward their full potential;
- live in homes in the community with the availability of individualized supports;
- are treated with dignity and respect;
- attend neighborhood schools with their peers in regular classrooms, and
- are members of powerful advocacy networks made up of individuals and parents and family members.
The Council also believes that individuals, parents, and family members are the most powerful forces in forging a responsive and flexible support network for people with developmental disabilities.
The Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Developmental Disabilities is the administering agency for P.L. 106-402, the federal law which mandates the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council.
Position Statements