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Nebraska Planning Council on
Developmental Disabilities
2011 Annual Program Performance Report Summary
The Nebraska Council works to promote the independence, integration and productivity of people with developmental disabilities. The Council identifies and addresses pressing needs, including inequities in employment, education, housing, transportation and health care. In 2011, the Nebraska Council received $477,839 in federal funding authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Act to support its work. It has There are 23 members appointed by the Governor with 60% of these members being people with developmental disabilities or family members. The following are highlights of the Council’s accomplishments last year.
- Funded Collaborative Industries to capture and report baseline data on the use of restraints and the use of psychotropic medications in the state with people with developmental disabilities. Such information will be valuable for future quality assurance activities and measures.
- Continued to support People First of Nebraska, a self-advocacy organization for people with intellectual disabilities. Council funds help pay the salary of their State Advisor who assists their Board and local chapters. The State Advisor trained 419members in leadership, self-advocacy, and self-determination this past year.
- Supported a network of six regional councils that further the Council goals in their local areas of the state. These volunteer councils support a number of disability awareness activities and provide leadership and training opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, their families and service providers. These councils reached 2,762 individuals with education and awareness initiatives in their local communities.
- Reviewed and provided information on various legislative and regulatory initiatives that impacted the lives of persons with developmental disabilities and their families. This included distributing Newsline, an informational publication on legislative activities to 600 individuals.
- Provided a grant to PTI-Nebraska to develop a web-based training curriculum on the Individualized Education Program (IEP). PTI-Nebraska offers these classes in person around the state; however, with their limited resources, they were unable to meet the needs of families in a timely manner. The web training provides parents the opportunity to take the lessons at their convenience. Knowledgeable parents who are involved in their child's education contribute much to their educational outcomes.
- Funded the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to adapt their training methods for the food handler training program so that individuals with developmental disabilities could receive the required permits needed to achieve employment in the food service industry.
- Funded O'Hare Professional Consultation to improve transition planning for youth with disabilities by providing accurate and understandable information regarding their DD Service options, including non-specialized services. A brochure has been developed and widely distributed and is now being used by service coordinators and school transition specialists as they work with individuals and their families. A complementary website has been created and has been posted on the Nebraska Transition Website of the Nebraska Department of Education.
- Participated on a number of statewide committees to insure the Council’s perspective is included in policy discussions at all levels in such issues as education, transportation, maternal and child health services, and assistive technology, as well as coordinate with other disability organizations.
If you have additional questions or comments about the Council’s activities or would like to receive a copy of the complete annual report, please contact:
Nebraska Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities
Nebraska Health & Human Services
301 Centennial Mall South
P.O. Box 95026
Lincoln, NE 68509-5026
Phone: (402) 471-2330 Fax: (402) 471-0180
V/TTY: (402) 471-9570
E-Mail: mary.gordon@nebraska.gov
(Alternate formats for persons with disabilities are available by calling any of the above numbers.)
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