Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

FIVE YEAR STATE PLAN FFYs 2012 – 2016

Download 2012-2016 Five Year State Plan (PDF)

SECTION IV.  FIVE YEAR GOALS

GOAL #1 Employment:  Increase opportunities and the supports needed by individuals with developmental disabilities to be employed in integrated settings at or above minimum wage and benefits by:

  1. Educating and building the capacity employers, and creating employer incentives that contribute to workforce development;
  2. Providing increased supports that may include technology and are
    necessary for a broad range of employment options including competitive, customized, or self employment;
  3. Increasing access to inclusive postsecondary education and other career
    focused training opportunities; and
  4. Increasing the expectations of individuals and families about the
    importance of work opportunities during high school (transition years) and adult years, by utilizing their personal networks to reach public and private sector employers, and identify job experiences in the community.

Objectives: 

  1. At least 10 individuals with developmental disabilities will be employed in a broad range of inclusive employment settings each year.
  2. The particular type of job, hours worked, hourly wages and benefits will be tracked.
  3. Two employers will directly employ individuals with developmental disabilities.
  4. Two businesses will receive training on disability relate employment issues.
  5. Two schools will be preparing students in transition for postsecondary education and jobs/careers of their choosing.

GOAL #2 Partners in Policymaking: Support and promote the development of leadership skills for families of children with developmental disabilities and adults with disabilities as advocates, spokespersons, and members of the larger disability rights movement by educating people about rights, self determination, engagement in public policy advocacy and learning best practices in the areas of education, technology, housing, employment and other aspects of community participation. Provide face to face training, online learning, blended learning, and graduate workshops as a means of reaching people and strengthening personal leadership skills.

Objectives:

  1. Educate adults with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities about rights, self determination, public policy advocacy, best practices in education, technology, housing, employment and other aspects of community participation.
  2. Thirty-five individuals will complete 128 hours of leadership training and graduate from the classroom Partners program each year; and 90% will report customer satisfaction and improvement in IPSII.
  3. Provide face to face training, online learning, and blended learning.  At least 50% of Partners participants will review one of more online courses and complete the Feedback Form.
  4. Provide graduate workshops as a means of reaching people and strengthening personal leadership skills.  A total of 200 Partners graduates will participate in a graduate workshop in Year 1 (Partners 25th Anniversary), 40 Partners graduates will participate in a graduate workshop in Years 2-5; and 90% will report customer satisfaction and improvement in IPSII.
  5. Provide a networking opportunity to increase awareness and engagement in public advocacy; 400 Partners graduates/Partners coordinators will subscribe to the Partners listserv each year and 90% of quarterly survey respondents will report customer satisfaction and a positive learning experience.
  6. Conduct longitudinal studies to determine the long term effectiveness of the Partners program; 40% of Partners graduates will participate in the longitudinal study; 85% of Partners graduates surveyed will show improvement in IPSII and 90% will report good to excellent leadership skills.

GOAL #3 Cultural Outreach: Support the development of leadership skills in
culturally diverse communities through collaborative efforts with organizations in these communities to increase awareness and knowledge, and develop skills that will encourage participation in the Partners in Policymaking program and joining with the larger disability rights movement.

Objectives:

  1. Provide outreach and introductory leadership skills training that reflects the concepts and values of the Partners program.
  2. Forty-five individuals will complete 30 hours of introductory leadership skills training each year, a step to participating in the Partners program; and 90% will report customer satisfaction and improvement in IPSII (baseline, mid-year, end of year surveys).
  3. Five graduates will be referred to the Partners program.

GOAL #4  Self Advocacy:  Develop a statewide network of well trained and informed self advocates by fulfilling the federal DD Act requirements –

  1. Establish or strengthen a program for the direct funding of a state self advocacy organization, led by individuals with developmental disabilities;
  2. Support opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities who are considered leaders to provide leadership training to individuals with developmental disabilities who may become leaders;
  3. Support and expand participation of individuals with developmental disabilities in cross disability and culturally diverse leadership coalitions (Public Law 106-402, Section 124(b)(4)(ii);

And assist in identifying alternative/other funding opportunities.

Objectives:

  1. Establish or strengthen a program for the direct funding of a state self advocacy organization, led by individuals with developmental disabilities and assist with identifying alternative funding opportunities.
  2. Fifty self advocates will participate in training sessions each year, and 90% will report customer satisfaction and improvement in IPSII.
  3. Support 10 individuals with developmental disabilities to provide leadership training.
  4. Support/expand the participation of five individuals with developmental disabilities to serve on cross disability/culturally diverse coalitions.

GOAL #5 Training Conferences: Provide ongoing education and training that reflect and incorporate the values in the DD Act in programs and supports for people with developmental disabilities that will lead to greater networking and partnering with others across the state through a variety of delivery modes including face to face, online learning, postsecondary educational opportunities, and blended learning.

Objectives:

  1. Deliver 10 training conferences/workshops through a variety of opportunities including face to face learning, postsecondary education opportunities, blended learning, etc. to 1,000 individuals each year.
  2. At least 90% of attendees report customer satisfaction and an overall quality rating of he conference/workshop.

GOAL #6 Publications, Websites, Online E-Learning Courses: Provide information, education, and training that increases knowledge, skills and abilities of end users through a broad range of multiple media formats by:

  1. Promoting accurate historical archiving of resource materials;
  2. Investigating and using the latest technological advancements in communications that may include social networking;
  3. Showcasing the positive roles and contributions of people with developmental disabilities; and
  4. Increased marketing efforts to ensure wide dissemination of Council products.

Objectives:

  1. Promote accurate historical archiving of resource materials;
  2. Investigate/use the latest technological advancements in communications that that may include social networking and development of apps for advocacy.
  3. Increase marketing to ensure wide dissemination of GCDD products.
  4. 90% of visitors report customer satisfaction and improvement in IPSII.

GOAL #7 Customer and Market Research: Conduct or commission research
studies to measure and assess quality outcomes of the federal DD Act through
annual qualitative and quantitative surveys on new topics/issues or further
research on topics/issues previously studied.

Objectives:

  1. Conduct a qualitative survey regarding definitions of IPSII in Year 1; a total of 50 individuals will be surveyed; participation rate will be 75%.
  2. Conduct a 50 Year Opinion Poll 1962-2012 in Year 2; a total of 600 Minnesotans will be surveyed; participation rate will be 30%.
  3. Conduct a research study on education issues in Year 3; a total of 150 individuals will be surveyed; participation rate will be 20%.
  4. Conduct a possible research study on employment and test the market for effective measures regarding the benefits of a diverse workforce in Year 4
  5. Conduct individual and provider surveys in Year 5 to collect input for the FFY 2017-2021 Five Year State Plan; a total of 200 individuals will be surveyed; participation rate will be 30%.

GOAL #8 Quality Improvement: Identify and implement an approach that
promotes continuous quality improvement and apply to all Council work.

Objectives:

  1. Apply a comprehensive quality improvement approach to the GCDD's Annual Work Plan, Annual Report, monthly reports, and ADD Program Performance Report.
  2. A total of 100 hours of training will be provided.
  3. A 10% ROI improvement ratio will be realized each year.

Table of Contents Sections 1 & 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Sections 6 & 7

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St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
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The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center, the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.

This project was supported, in part by grant number 2401MNSCDD, from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

This website is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $1,152,808.00 funded by ACL/HHS and $222,000.00 funded by non-federal-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.