“The American Dream”

Living in homes close to community resources with regular contact with citizens without disabilities in their communities;

The full and active participation by individuals with developmental disabilities in the same community activities and types of employment as citizens without disabilities, and utilization of the same community resources as citizens without disabilities, living, learning, working, and enjoying life in regular contact with citizens without disabilities; and

Having friendships and relationships with individuals and families of their own choosing.

By 2003, the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities will be recognized as a national leader in advancing the independence, productivity, integration and inclusion (IPII) of people with developmental disabilities and families through the primary products of –

We have three primary strategies to achieve our three-year direction:

Strategy 1. Partners in Policymaking

• Basic Program
• Graduate Workshops
• Longitudinal Study
• Cultural Outreach to African American, Hispanic, and Native American Communities
• Partners in Policymaking for Employers

Strategy 2. Information and Dissemination

• Publications and Resource Materials
• Conversion of Products and Services to
  Electronic Government Service (web based)
• Training Conferences

Strategy 3. Quality Improvement

• Customer Focus Research
• Alignment of Council and Suppliers to the Baldrige Framework

Strategy 1. Partners in Policymaking

1. Basic Program: Partners in Policymaking will be held once each year for 35 people with disabilities and family members. Emphasis will be on achieving greater IPII.
   
   Resource packets will be assembled by workers in supported employment.
   
   
2. Graduate Workshops: for 20 Partners graduates will be held on a quarterly basis. Emphasis will be on individual leadership processes leading to advocacy, systemic (overall / general) change, and prevention of system (organization / agency) problems.
   
   
3. Longitudinal Studies: Longitudinal studies of Partners in Policymaking graduates will be conducted on an annual basis. Response rate will increase by 5% over previous year.
   
   
4. Cultural Outreach: Cultural outreach programs will be conducted once each year in the African American, Hispanic, and Native American communities. At least 10 individuals will graduate from each program.
   
   
5. Partners in Policymaking for Employers: A pilot program, Partners in Policymaking for Employers, will be tested with Minnesota businesses aligned to the Baldrige Framework. A minimum of four (4) businesses will be involved on an annual basis.

1. Publications and Resource Materials: Publications and resource materials that advance IPII will be available in multiple formats (hard copy / print, audiotape, videotape, CD-ROM, disk, and Braille).
   
   
2. Conversion of Products and Services to Electronic Government Service (web based) (web based): All products and services will be converted to Electronic Government Service (web based).
   
   
3. Training Conferences: Ten (10) leadership training conferences will be cosponsored on an annual basis.

1. Customer Focus Research: Customer research will be conducted systematically to collect information on customer needs, requirements, and expectations; customer satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and IPII in order to select process improvement areas and prevent system problems.
   
   
2. Alignment of Council and Suppliers to the Baldrige Framework: The Council and all suppliers will align their organizations, structures, and operations to the Baldrige Criteria and Framework in order to meet process improvement goals and prevent system problems.

To Top