DD Awareness Month Posters
Microboards Workbook (PDF) (November 2001)
Following a study of the service system in Missouri, the Council launched a pilot initiative to develop several Microboards to learn what was involved in creating and implementing them. This workbook has been created to share what we have learned about Microboards.
Change Is Good (PDF) (June 2007)
Stories of Success for Community Inclusion
Community Living/Quality of Life (PDF)
Individuals with developmental disabilities DO successfully live, work, learn, play, participate in and are vital members of their community!
Disability Issues Public Opinion Poll Results (PDF)
The Council is interested in the opinions of the public at large when it comes to disability issues. Systems change sometimes requires broad support and understanding. To gain understanding, the Council developed questions in the areas of Employment, Education, Community Living and Healthcare, among others. The Poll was conducted with a scientifically selected random sample of 880 Missouri adults, commissioned by the Council and conducted through the Center for Social Sciences and Public Policy Research at Missouri State University. We found that Missourians overwhelmingly support inclusive education, real jobs for people with developmental disabilities and limited increases in healthcare costs so kids can get therapies they need. Missourians really "Showed Us!"
Empower MO On-Line Training Now Available! (PDF)
The Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council supported a project to study the barriers and resources for people with developmental disabilities seeking employment in state government in 2004. The findings from this project led the Council to fund a second project to develop two new on-line training modules that not only assists employers in the state system but also private employers and co-workers. This Free interactive curriculum provides helpful information about employing people with disabilities. The first module: Diversity in Employment & Disability Awareness: is a general overview of common misconceptions, myths, and stereotypes concerning people with disabilities. The second: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) & Reasonable Accommodations will address issues related to recruitment, interviewing, reasonable accommodations, and universally designed work environments. The Council firmly believes that people with disabilities represent a huge untapped business resource and that hiring a person with a disability is a winning proposition for both employee and employer.
Medicaid Reform for People with Disabilities: A Guide for Legislators (PDF) (August 2007). In collaboration with People First of Missouri, the Council published this Guide to assist legislators and other policymakers as Missouri embarked on the challenging task of transforming Missouri's state-sponsored health insurance program currently known as Medicaid.
Microboards (2001)
Following a study of the service system in Missouri, the Council launched a pilot initiative to develop several Microboards to learn what was involved in creating and implementing them. This workbook (PDF) was created to share what we learned about Microboards.
Needs Assessment
In order to facilitate long-range planning and advocacy efforts, the Council, in partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Institute for Human Development and eleven Regional Advisory Councils conducted an extensive statewide needs assessment in 2004 and 2005 to provide us with a better understanding of the strengths and barriers that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families face in accessing programs, services, and other supports necessary to achieve independence, productivity, and inclusion into community life.
Provider Handbook Organizational Development and Quality Enhancement Provider Handbook (PDF)
The Council was pleased to publish this manual designed to provide information, advice and resources to support interested individuals in becoming successful and effective service providers for individuals with developmental disabilities. It is intended to assist providers of residential and day treatment services in navigating the maze of contracting, reporting, training, and licensing necessary to do so.
Real Lives Reals Jobs: Stories of Successful Employment (PDF) (August 2009)
Work is a fundamental expectation for all Missouri citizens. Why should that be any different for people with disabilities? When people with disabilities contribute their gifts and talents through work, the community becomes a better place for all Missourians to live.
Self Direction (Independence Plus Final Recommendations - PDF)
The Council has been a leader in Missouri in promoting the values, principles and practices associated with individuals and families self-directing their own services and supports. The results of the Independence Plus Grant, in which the Council was a partner, demonstrate the advantages that many individuals and families experience by self-directing their supports or those of their loved one. The recommendations address future efforts for the State of Missouri to address as well as challenges the Council or other partners may wish to undertake. Our findings clearly demonstrate that self-direction can increase quality of life and opportunities for community participation. A video was developed to demonstrate the positive impact that self-direction can have on an individual’s life.
"Show Me Change" Leadership Initiative (1998) and 2004 Update
The Council initiated the Missouri Customer Leadership Initiative to consider what could be done to re-structure the long-term support systems for people with developmental disabilities. The Final report "Show Me Change" (PDF) and the 2004 Update (PDF), guide the work of the Council.
Transportation Solutions: How to Manuals
The Missouri DD Council funded two communities, the City of Boonville (PDF) and Jefferson County (PDF), to assist in developing affordable accessible transportation solutions for their communities. As a result of over three years of hard work, these two areas have developed some guidelines to help other communities figure out how best to tackle their transportation issues. The Council would like to share this information with all Missouri communities, please let us know if you find this information helpful or have other comments.
Transition Study Quality of Life Project
Following Governor Blunt's announcement of his intention to close Bellefontaine Habilitation Center in January 2005, the Council contracted with a well-known researcher, James W. Conroy from the Center for Outcome Analysis of Havertown Pennsylvania, to study the well-being of individuals who transitioned from the Bellefontaine Habilitation Center. While Bellefontaine has not closed, the residential census has been reduced considerably since the initial announcement providing access to outcomes for numerous individuals who moved to community settings. Dr. Conroy's findings clearly demonstrate that people who moved into community settings report statistically better quality of life in nearly every comparison performed. In addition, Dr. Conroy compared the data from the Missouri study to that of several similar large-scale studies which heightened his confidence in the results of the Missouri research. Dr. Conroy's work is reported in two brief reports:
1. Brief Report #1: Current and Former Residents of Bellefontaine Habilitation Center: A Survey of the Families and Guardians (PDF)
2. Brief Report #2: Current and Former Residents of Bellefontaine Habilitation Center: Are People Better Off (PDF)
3. Executive Summary (PDF)
State of the State (2007)
This State-of-the-State Report describes the needs of Missourians with disabilities and their families, the services and supports that they currently access, a comparison of Missouri to other states, and, most importantly, the Coucnil's recommendations on steps that Missouri should take in order to develop a system that meets the Council's mission of community inclusion for all people with developmental disabilities in every aspect of life.
