2401 N.W. 23rd Street, Suite 74
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
PHONE: (405) 521-4984 or
1-800-836-4470
FAX: (405) 521-4910
E-MAIL: staff@okddc.ok.gov
The Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council promotes quality services and programs that enable persons with developmental disabilities to realize increased independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in the community. Though not a provider of direct services, the Council has assisted thousands of Oklahomans to live, work, play, learn and worship in their own homes and in their own neighborhoods.
What are Developmental Disabilities?
Developmental Disabilities are severe disabilities, originating any time from birth through age 21, that are expected to last a lifetime. Developmental disabilities may be cognitive, physical, or a combination of both. While not always visible, these disabilities can result in serious limitations in everyday activities of life, including self-care, communication, learning, mobility, or being able to work or live independently. Such disabilities may require a combination of specialized, interdisciplinary, or generic services, and assistance for an extended duration.
Mission/Membership
About the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council
The Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council was established in 1971 to help coordinate the efforts of state agencies and private organizations in Oklahoma in meeting the needs of Oklahomans with developmental disabilities and their families.
State Councils on Developmental Disabilities are authorized by the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (currently P.L. 106-402); the Oklahoma Council was established by an Executive Order of Governor David Hall. Although an independent agency, the Council is administratively located within the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Council’s designated state agency.
Select here for text only version of Council
Brochure
Role of the Council
The Council promotes systemic change and helps build community capacity so persons with developmental disabilities can live, work, play and learn in the communities of their choice. This is accomplished by planning and implementing innovative service or support model programs, funding research, training advocates, and educating policymakers.
State Councils on Developmental Disabilities were formerly known as “Planning Councils.” “Planning” referred to the Council's responsibility to the Administration on Developmental Disabilities: to submit a State Plan. These plans outline the goals, objectives and activities each Council will undertake over the course of five years. Upon approval of the State Plan, Councils are provided with a federal grant to implement the activities listed in the plan.
The Mission
The mission of the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council is to promote quality services and programs which enable persons with developmental disabilities to fully realize their maximum potential through increased independence and productivity, as well as through integration and inclusion in the community.
As part of this mission, the Council has as its mandate in concert with P.L. 106-402, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, to promote, through systemic change, capacity building, and advocacy activities, the development of a consumer- and family-centered comprehensive system and a coordinated array of services, supports and other assistance designed to achieve full community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities.
State Plan
The Council is charged with the task of developing a Five Year State Plan and setting forth an agenda of goals and objectives to be achieved over this time period.
The Oklahoma State Plan for persons with developmental disabilities was developed to:
1. Provide assistance to State Councils on Developmental Disabilities and other State officials involved in the review and preparation of a State Plan under the requirements of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, “Federal Assistance to State Councils on Developmental Disabilities;”
2. Advise the citizens of Oklahoma about the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council, its goals, objectives, activities, programs and procedures, to enable them to participate in the planning process and to be knowledgeable about the manner in which the Council operates; and
3. Provide the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services with reliable, useful information upon which to base current and future national policy regarding the Basic State Grant Program and the needs of people with developmental disabilities and their families.
Select here for text only version of Executive Summary State Plan Fiscal Years 2007-11
Developmental Disability Defined
The term “developmental disability” means a severe, chronic disability of an individual five years of age or older that:
a) is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of
physical and mental impairments;
b) is manifested before the person attains the age of 22;
c) is likely to continue indefinitely;
d) results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the
following areas of major life activity:
1. self-care;
2. receptive and expressive language;
3. learning;
4. mobility;
5. self-direction;
6. capacity for independent living;
7. economic self-sufficiency; and
e) reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special,
interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports or other assistance that
is of lifelong or extended duration and is individually planned and coordinated;
except that, such term, when applied to infants and young children means
individuals from birth to age five, inclusive, who have substantial developmental
delay or specific congenital or acquired conditions with a high probability
of resulting in developmental disabilities if services are not provided.
Membership
About the Members
The Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council is composed of volunteer members, all of whom are appointed by the governor. In accordance with federal law, at least 60 percent of the Council members are individuals with developmental disabilities, their relatives or guardians.
The Council also includes representatives of the principal state agencies which provide services to persons with developmental disabilities: the Aging Services Division and Developmental Disabilities Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services, and the Special Education Section of the Oklahoma Department of Education.
Representatives of the Council's sibling organizations, the Oklahoma Disability Law Center and the Center for Interdisciplinary Learning and Leadership (formerly the University Affiliated Program of Oklahoma), also have seats on the Council. The remaining members of the Council represent service providers, advocacy organizations, universities, public agencies or associations.
Board
Chair: Mark Liotta, Tulsa
Vice Chair: Janet Borden, Broken Arrow
Secretary: Nancy Ward, Oklahoma City
Parliamentarian: Britton Zimmerman, Tulsa
April Bennett, Bartlesville
Jeannette Carver, Noble
Michelle Butts, Oklahoma City
Suzan Carroll, Pauls Valley
Jed Castles, Edmond
Brett Cunningham, Oklahoma City
Bob Heinemann, Idabel
Mark Liotta, Tulsa
Mark McCarver, Tulsa
Catherine Patrón, Clinton
Bob Rawlings, Edmond
Rep. Kris Steele, Shawnee
Terry Trego, Woodward
Michael Upthegrove, Norman
Sylvia Watson-Baker, Idabel
Brandi Webster, Yukon
Janice Williams, Mustang
Agency Representatives
Department of Rehabilitation Services: Cathy Ames
State Department of Education: Misty Kimbrough
Department of Human Services Aging Services: LaNell Daniel
Department of Human Services Developmental Disabilities Services: Jim Nicholson
Department of Health: John Corpolongo
Oklahoma Disability Law Center: Quinton Underwood
Center for Learning and Leadership: Valerie Williams
Council Staff
Executive Director: Ann Trudgeon
Deputy Director: Troy Honeman
Comptroller/Operations Director: Pam Lindsey
Planning and Grants Management Director: Lathonya Shivers
Public Education Coordinator: Rick Barcus
Advocacy and Training Coordinator: LeAnna Hart
Administrative Assistant: Tammy Finch
Meeting Dates
2007 Council Meetings
Thursday, January 18
Thursday, April 19
Thursday, July 19
Thursday, October 18
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Oklahoma County Red Cross Chapter Office
Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council
2007 Quarterly Council Meetings
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Red Cross Oklahoma County Chapter Office
601 NE 6th Street
Directions from I-40 and I-35 Junction
Take I-235 (Centennial Expressway) north. Exit onto Lincoln Boulevard. Turn
right onto 8th street, proceed east to Lindsay, turn right onto Lindsay,
proceed to 6th street, turn right. 6th street will dead end at the Red
Cross office.
Directions from I-44
Exit onto Lincoln Boulevard, proceed south to 8th street. Turn left onto
8th street, proceed east to Lindsay, turn right onto Lindsay, proceed to
6th street, turn right. 6th street will dead end at the Red Cross office.
Committees
2007 Scheduled Committee Meetings
Executive Committee
Thursday, January 18-11:00 a.m. **
Friday, February 9-1:00 p.m. *
Friday, March 9-1:30 p.m. *
Thursday, April 19-11:00 a.m. **
Friday, May 11-1:30 p.m. *
Friday, June 8-1:30 p.m. *Rescheduled
Friday, June 22 1:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 19-11:00 a.m. ** Agenda
Friday, August 10-1:30 p.m. *
Friday, September 14-1:30 p.m. *
Thursday, October 18-11:00 a.m. **
Friday, November 9-1:30 p.m. *
Friday, December 14-1:30 p.m. *
*Meeting will be held in the Council offices
**Meeting will be held prior to quarterly general Council meeting at the
Oklahoma County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 601 NE 6th, Daugherty
conference room.
Project Development Committee
Friday, January 12-11:00 a.m. *
Friday, February 9-11:00 a.m. *
Friday, March 9-11:00 a.m. **
Friday, June 29-11:00 a.m. *
Friday, September 28-11:00 a.m. **
Friday, November 9-11:00 a.m. **
*DHS Aging Services Division, 2401 NW 23rd, Suite 40, Roy Keen Conference
Room
**Shepherd Mall Activities Center, 2401 NW 23rd, Suite 40B
Public Relations Committee
Tuesday, January 9-2:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 5-2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 10-2:00 p.m. (Rescheduled)
Tuesday, July 17-2:00
Tuesday, October 2-2:00 p.m.
All meetings will be held in the Council Offices
Public Policy Committee
Friday, February 9-11:00 a.m.*
Friday, May 11-11:00 a.m.*
Thursday July 19, 12:00 a.m.**
Friday, August 10-11:00 a.m.*
Friday, November 9-11:00 a.m.*
*Meetings will be held in the Council Offices
**Meeting will be held prior to quarterly general Council meeting at the
Oklahoma County Chapter of the American Red Cross, 601 NE 6th, Daugherty
conference room.
2401 N.W. 23rd Street, Suite 74
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
PHONE: (405) 521-4984 or
1-800-836-4470
FAX: (405) 521-4910
E-MAIL: Council Office
Current Activities
Working with the OKC Mayor’s Commission on disability concerns, the Council has been a long time supporter of Disability Employment Awareness Month.
Current Council Activities
One of the goals of the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council is to ensure that people with developmental disabilities have control, choice and flexibility in the services and support they receive. The following activities and programs help to achieve this goal.
Oklahoma Court Appointed Advocates for Vulnerable Adults
This program provides trained citizen volunteers to advocate for vulnerable adults with and without disabilities who may require some assistance with the state’s judicial system. Citizen volunteers provide information and recommendations to local district judges in matters of guardianship or other legal proceedings for vulnerable adults.
For more information, or to volunteer as a court appointed advocate for vulnerable adults, please contact the council office at (405) 521-4984, 1-800-836-4470 or by e-mail at staff@okddc.ok.gov.
Partners in Policymaking
Select here for text only version of Partners Brochure
Partners in Policymaking is a national, innovative leadership training program that teaches adults with disabilities and parents of young children with disabilities to become community leaders. The Partners curriculum provides information and resources to assist self-advocates and parents to obtain the best services for themselves and others.
The program is designed to give individuals the necessary skills to effectively work with legislators, state agency personnel, and other policymakers whose decisions and actions have an impact on the lives of people with disabilities.
Partners promotes partnerships between people who use services and people who set policies related to those services.
Partners in Policymaking training includes eight two-day sessions between September and May. Sessions begin Saturday at 9 a.m. and conclude Sunday at 3 p.m. Training is at NO COST to participants. All related expenses (travel, respite or attendant care, hotel and meals) will be paid by Partners in Policymaking or reimbursed. For more information, contact the Council.
Social Work Internships
Working with the University of Oklahoma School of Social Work, the Council offers up to four $2,500 stipends per academic semester for graduate social work students who want an internship experience with state agencies or non-profit organizations serving persons with developmental disabilities. The goal of this project is to provide these students with a better understanding of persons with disabilities and related service systems.
Sooner SUCCESS
A collaboration between the Child Study Center, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Health and the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council, Sooner SUCCESS seeks to assure that all children with and without disabilities have coordinated access to needed services.
The Sooner SUCCESS State Interagency Coordination Council has membership from families and many state departments. This group identifies current interagency coordination activities, challenges to effective interagency coordination, and builds capacity to address those challenges through policy and/or procedural adjustments. The Sooner SUCCESS Council meets monthly and also provides guidance to the project.
For more information, or to serve as a volunteer in this program, please contact the ODDC office at (405) 521-4984, 1-800-836-4470 or by e-mail at staff@okddc.ok.gov.
Serving Families of Children and Youth with Special Health
Care Needs
IN YOUR COMMUNITY
Who do we serve?
Families of Children and Youth, birth to 21 years of age, with one or more of the following:
based on...
Healthy People 2010 Initiative
purpose...
Sooner SUCCESS can offer support for families who:
works through...
Contact Information
Child Study Center
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
1100 N.E. 13th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73117-1032
Youth Leadership Forum
Select here for text only version of Youth Leadership Forum Brochure
Beginning in 2004, the Council will fund an annual leadership development program for high school juniors and seniors with disabilities. This week-long forum will focus on leadership, assistive technology, independent living, higher education, career development options and the Oklahoma legislative process.
Dreamnight at the Oklahoma City Zoo
Dreamnight is an international event, held each year on the first Friday evening in June. The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens is the only Oklahoma zoo participating and the Developmental Disabilities Council has helped to design and sponsor this event since it began in 2005. In addition to providing access to families of children with disabilities, the Council funded disability awareness training for zoo employees that is now part of new employee orientation. Additionally, the zoo wrote and published a Dreamnight at the Zoo manual, working with zoos from across the country to compile important information. This has been disseminated to all Councils on Developmental Disabilities and has been presented at national conferences of zoo professionals.
To receive an invitation for Dreamnight at the OKC Zoo, contact the Council staff.
Select here for the Text only
version of Dreamnight
Manual.
Affordable Home Ownership Options for People with Disabilities
Based on the national home-ownership model “Home of Your Own,” Affordable Home Ownership Options for People with Disabilities was an activity funded through the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA). The program developed home-ownership readiness training, down payment/closing cost assistance programs, and weatherization/rehabilitation programs for potential home owners. Additionally, OACAA built relationships with the Oklahoma Housing Finance Authority, banks and mortgage companies to assist home buyers with disabilities. Though the Council no longer provides funding for this program, most of the products have been incorporated into the core services of Oklahoma’s community action system.
For more information on housing efforts, please contact the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies or your local Community Action Agency.
Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies www.okacaa.org
Tech Now Inc.
Tech Now, Inc. is a program designed to encourage students with disabilities to explore post-secondary education and careers related to technology. The Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council originally funded six school sites in Oklahoma. Today, there are 36 sites across the state in both high schools and junior high schools.
The curriculum includes classroom instruction, field trips to local technology-related businesses, mentorship from local business leaders, and computer project competitions. Students participating in the program are eligible for scholarships and cash awards provided by local businesses, the Oklahoma Department of Career Technology, and the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education.
Funding for the program is now provided by local school districts, as well as through the State Department of Education, the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, and federal grants. Council staff serve on the non-profit’s Advisory Board and assist with fund development and program expansion.
For more information, contact the Council office.
Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities
The Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities is the oldest and largest conference of its kind in the United States. Oklahoma Governor George Nigh encouraged the development of this conference, and every Governor since has attended this conference. It now anticipates an annual attendance of 800 self-advocates, family members, service providers and policymakers. The conference is held each spring and rotates between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Conference speakers are nationally-respected leaders in the field of developmental disabilities and advocacy leaders in Oklahoma. Previous keynote speakers have included Temple Grandin, John Hockenberry, Dennis Harkins, Norman Kunc, John O’Brien, Sue Swenson, Al Condeluci and Denise Bissonette.
Watch this site beginning in January of each year for more information about the upcoming conference.
For more information on the Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities contact the Council Office.
History
Council Project History, 1971 to present
The Oklahoma Council was established in 1971 as a result of an Executive
Order signed by Governor David Hall. The Council was originally administered
by what is now the DHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division. For
the first seventeen years of its existence, the Council used its federal
appropriation to fund the Sheltered Workshop program.
The First Generation of Innovative Projects
In 1988, Congress amended the Developmental Disabilities Act to assure that
Council funding was used to fund innovative, non-duplicative projects that
promoted employment, community living, and child development opportunities
in communities throughout Oklahoma.
Beginning in 1989, the Council negotiated its first five grants under the
new federal law. Four of these projects targeted community-based employment;
the fifth project provided free dental services statewide for persons with
developmental disabilities. While these original projects were not progressive
by today’s standards, they represented a significant change in how
and where persons with developmental disabilities were provided services.
The Power Shop in Duncan operated an enclave at Halliburton Industries and
placed several individuals at a local Garfield’s Restaurant. Two contracts
taught individuals food preparation skills and employed individuals in local
restaurants: The Spud Shoppe was operated by People Inc. in Sallisaw; and
the “Just Us” sandwich shop was operated by the Center for Family
Love in Okarche. The fourth employment project was a flower shop in Tahlequah
operated by the Oklahoma Production Center. Variety Health Center in Oklahoma
City operated the “D-Dent” program, which coordinated a list
of dentists who were willing to donate their services for persons with developmental
disabilities. The Council funded each of these projects for three years.
Second Generation
The second generation of Council projects followed a slightly different set
of rules. Each of these projects was awarded by competitive bid and was renewable
for two additional one-year periods. The funding provided by the Council
was to decrease in each year of the contract. The Council expected that the
matching funds required by the project would increase each year of the contract,
thus assuring continuation of the project over the long-term. These projects
were considerably more progressive in nature, and most projects continue
in some form at the local or state level.
The projects were good for both the Council and the communities they served,
but neither these projects nor the State Plans under which they were funded
were strategically planned, and therefore the systemic impact of these projects
was not clearly defined. The projects listed are organized under the four
federal priority areas as they were then defined by the Developmental Disabilities
Act: Child Development Priority Area, Community Living Priority Area, Employment
Priority Area, and a new heading entitled Systems Coordination and Community
Education Priority Area.
Child Development Priority Area
Project PEAK, contracted with the Oklahoma City Chapter for Autistic Citizens,
Oklahoma City
This contract designed and established an assessment and program development
program for children with autism at the State Department of Education. Psychometrists
at the 21 Regional Education Service Centers were trained to screen children
who might have autism in their local school districts. Regional resource
libraries assist parents and teachers working with children with autism help
assure proper programs and supports.
Mobile Outreach Unit, contracted with University of Okla. Health Sciences
Center/Child Study Center, Oklahoma City
In addition to the Child Study Center, the Health Sciences Center campus
also includes Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma. This hospital specializes
in treating children with significant and complex medical and developmental
needs. Once the children are discharged, specialized care is not often available
in their home communities. Through this contract, a developmental pediatrician
and clinical staff traveled throughout the state to provide medical and developmental
screenings of children who had been discharged from Children’s Hospital
and other children considered “at-risk” of developmental disability
or delay. Medical services were not provided to these children; rather, the
team consulted with the child’s medical physician and nurse clinicians
to assure the medical personnel were familiar with developmental processes
and appropriate intervention strategies.
Fetal Alcohol and Drug Exposure Prevention Project, contracted with University
of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center/Child Study Center, Oklahoma City
Aware of the rising population of children born to narcotic-addicted mothers,
this project provided multidisciplinary evaluation, therapies for developmental
disabilities, and parent-child interaction training to ameliorate disability
and prevent the development of behavior problems in infants and toddlers
with fetal drug exposure. The project also provided training for professionals
at the in-service and pre-service levels.
Minority Developmental Disability Outreach Program for Children and Families,
contracted with Community Health Centers Inc., Oklahoma City
At the time this proposal was accepted by the Council, personnel of the Community
Health Centers were about to begin work on the Agent Orange Class Assistance
Program. Phone interviews were conducted by Community Health Centers in northeastern
Oklahoma County, which is predominantly an African-American population. If
children in the home were determined to have developmental disabilities,
the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program could provide information and referral
to appropriate services if the child’s parents were veterans of the
Vietnam War. However, children with disabilities whose parents were not veterans
could receive no further assistance. With the funding provided for the Council,
children identified through the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program who
did not qualify as children of veterans could also be provided these services.
LINK Project, contracted with the Children’s
Medical Center Child Development Institute, Tulsa
LINK is a Child Development project which began in Tulsa. At the time this
project began, there were 13,000 children in 193 child care centers. Personnel
at the Child Development Institute were being contacted by child care providers
about possible delays in some of the children in their centers. Through this
project, all children in child care centers in the Tulsa area were screened
for possible developmental delays. When delays were found, parents of these
children were linked to service providers who could assist the family.
The Tulsa LINK Project conducted developmental assessments on children
in daycare settings in Tulsa County
The Chickasha Project, contracted with the Center for Child and Family
Development/University of Oklahoma, Norman
The Council’s first Family Support project, the Chickasha Project served
25 families which included children with severe disabilities in Chickasha,
Oklahoma. In addition to providing early identification and early intervention
services, the families involved in the project helped to support each other,
which built esteem in the families and friendships among the adults and children.
The project also increased awareness of early identification of developmental
delays.
FACT Project (Family Assistance Through Caregiver Training), contracted
with the Center for Child and Family Development/University of Oklahoma, Norman
The FACT Project addressed the need of child care for children with disabilities.
FACT specifically targeted eight rural areas of Oklahoma and trained not
only childcare professionals, but also parents and other family members.
The training was also offered to classroom teachers and aides, VISTA volunteers,
Foster Grandparents and others who might wish to volunteer their services
to assist families of children with disabilities. The eight sites were Woodward,
Stillwater, Afton, Sallisaw, Idabel, Ardmore, Chickasha, and Altus.
Community Living Priority Area
Community Integration Marketing Project, contracted with Tulsa ARC, Tulsa
This project focused on developing positive community attitudes regarding
individuals with developmental disabilities and programs which integrate
them into the community. A comprehensive public information and marketing
strategy targeted 19 counties in northeastern Oklahoma, the catchment area
of the former Hissom Memorial Center, and the geographic area of most former
Hissom clients who were returning to the community.
Consumer Leadership Project, contracted with Tulsa ARC, Tulsa
A curriculum entitled “Leadership +” was developed and presented
to persons with cognitive disabilities. The goal of the project was to train
and place persons with disabilities on boards and advisory committees of
public agencies and private organizations. The curriculum taught leadership
and group participation skills. Tulsa ARC also worked with agencies and organizations
to teach them how to accommodate persons with disabilities serving on their
boards.
Parent Training Program, contracted with the Oklahoma City Chapter for
Autistic Citizens, Oklahoma City
At the time of this contract, the only service offered to families which
included an individual with autism was placement at a specialized residential
school in a neighboring state. Recognizing that this was not a desirable
option for most parents, the Oklahoma City Chapter for Autistic Citizens
developed and implemented a training program to teach parents how to navigate
the school-based services and write effective IEPs, learn and teach better
communication skills for persons with disabilities, plan for the future,
and other coping skills.
Information and Referral Support Network for Persons with Epilepsy, contracted
with Epilepsy Association of the Sooner State, Oklahoma City
In addition to establishing support groups statewide for persons with epilepsy
and parents of children with epilepsy, the contract provided for several
in-service training sessions for public school teachers and civic organizations,
and performed several “Kids on the Block” puppet shows at preschools,
elementary schools and libraries to increase awareness about epilepsy.
Centennial Park, contracted with Centennial Park Inc., Duncan, and Freedom
Trail Playground, contracted with City of Yukon
Parents in southern and central Oklahoma had been traveling as far as Wichita
Falls, Texas to give their children the opportunity to play on an accessible
playground. In both Duncan and Yukon, groups of parents began to work with
their municipal governments and public and private funding sources to design,
plan and build accessible playgrounds in those cities.
Both parks, built before the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act,
have been wildly successful in their communities and are models of new park
design in Oklahoma.
Recreation and Leisure Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, contracted
with The Power Shop, Duncan
The Power Shop is a large provider agency in the city of Duncan. Although
vocational services and residential needs of their clients were being met,
there were no efforts being made to assure that their clients and others
with disabilities in Duncan had recreational opportunities in the community
of Duncan. With the assistance of a physical and occupational therapist,
recreational opportunities already available in Duncan were presented to
clients of The Power Shop and others with disabilities living in Duncan.
Not only did individuals benefit from exposure to these opportunities, it
allowed the citizens of Duncan to meet and get to know individuals with disabilities
as their fellow citizens.
Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center, contracted with the University of
Oklahoma Health Sciences Center/Dept. of Physical Therapy, Oklahoma City
Although there were several resources for assistive technology services available
at the Health Sciences Center prior to this contract, the establishment of
a single site coordinated the various equipment, supplies and personnel under
one office. Over the course of the contract, the Positioning and Mobility
Center, as it was originally known, became an important part of the service
delivery system. The center now has its own building on the Health Sciences
Center campus.
Day Care Worker Training for Children with Disabilities, contracted with
Special Care Inc., Oklahoma City
Special Care is a day care center which serves children with and without
developmental delay and disability. Because of the great and increasing demand
for child care for children with disabilities, Special Care proposed to train
workers in typical day care centers so those centers should accept children
with disabilities. By 2000, more than 650 day care workers in 94 Oklahoma
communities had been trained with the Special Care curriculum developed with
this contract. In 2000, the Council provided additional financial assistance
to close-caption the training videos for greater accessibility of the program.
Project Access, contracted with McAlester Public Schools, McAlester
While technically a contract with McAlester Public Schools, this project
was actually a community inclusion program, as the old McAlester High School
had become a community center and meeting space. In order to better serve
its citizens, architectural modifications were needed. Council funding provided
extensive renovation to the exterior of the building and the addition of
an elevator.
Futures, contracted with TransVoc Inc., Tulsa
Futures is an independent living skills training project which assisted clients
of TransVoc, an employment provider. Among the skills developed were basic
reading and math skills, independent leisure skills, and “social survival
skills” – cooking, social interaction skills, and the like.
Services Satisfaction Survey, contracted with Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater
By 1990, community-based services had been part of the Oklahoma service system
for several years. This survey discussed satisfaction with the systems in
place by surveying primary and secondary consumer as well as providers of
services.
Employment Priority Area
11th Street Laundry, contracted with Tri-Cities Helping
Hands, Wewoka
In the rural community of Wewoka, employment options for persons with developmental
disabilities were extremely limited. Working with Council funding, a local
provider employed persons with disabilities while teaching independent living
skills at this full-service laundromat.
Computer Training Project, contracted with Ki-Bois Community Action Foundation
Inc., Stigler
Emerging technology was the focus of this Council project, which served four
cities in southeastern Oklahoma: Stigler, Wilburton, McAlester and Poteau.
As a way to develop and improve job skills and independent living skills
for persons with disabilities, computers with accessible hardware and software
were purchased. Project participants used basic educational programs, and
as computer skills progressed, new programs were added.
Sweets Etc., contracted with the Sequoyah County Human Development Center,
Sallisaw (formerly People Inc.)
By the time this contract was signed, The Spud Shoppe had been a very successful
employment program in Sallisaw. Based on that success, the Human Development
Center proposed to open a second food service business. This was a difficult
decision for the Council as moves away from “traditional” employment
sources such as food service were being advocated. However, based on the
economic situation (many fast food restaurants; not many other job opportunities
for anyone in the population) and the business profile of Sallisaw (i.e.
no bakery operating in Sallisaw), the Council did approve this project, which
was indeed very successful.
Developmental Disability Employment Training Project, contracted with Progressive
Independence, Norman
Progressive Independence is a Center for Independent Living that developed
a model job-readiness program with a unique difference. Individuals who took
part in this project focused their employment goals on community change by
choosing an issue of community-wide importance and developing and implementing
a plan for positive change. The hypothesis tested through this project was
that active participation in improving one’s community might provide
a key to gainful employment.
Systems Coordination and Community
Education Priority Area
Consumer Involvement Fund
Individuals with developmental disabilities, family members and professionals are encouraged to participate in conferences, training sessions, and related activities.
The Council, through an application process, provides financial assistance annually for up to 25 persons to attend these events. Those wishing to travel with the Council’s assistance agree to present a written report about the conference to the Council and write a letter of introduction about themselves and their issues to their state legislators and congressional representation.
What is it?
The Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council has a small pool of funds we make available as financial assistance for advocates in the developmental disabilities field to participate in conferences and short-term educational programs. The Council provides this support as a method of capacity-building for Oklahoma.
Through participation in regional and national conferences, Oklahoma advocates can share information about local initiatives, and learn from their counterparts in other communities. We believe this exchange helps us grow and work smarter on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities.
If you attend a conference or educational program with Council support, we expect two things in return:
FIRST, that you’ll provide a report to the Council describing what you’ve learned and shared during the program, and how the information applies to what people need in Oklahoma.
SECOND, that you’ll be a resource person to whom we can refer other citizens who contact the Council seeking information about the topic of the program you attended.
THIRD, that you will write a letter to your State Senator, State Representative, U.S. Representative, and U.S. Senators introducing yourself as a constituent and educating these policymakers on your issues and concerns.
Occasionally, a service provider, organizational representative, or educator presents a compelling reason why he or she should attend a conference with Council support. Such applications are considered on an individual basis.
The Consumer Involvement Fund is designed to assist persons with disabilities, their family members and their guardians. In order to receive money from the Consumer Involvement Fund, an applicant must be:
Travel Policy
All travel requests must be made IN WRITING to the Council Director.
The following rules apply to all Council-sponsored travel for which overnight
accommodations or other subsistence is requested.
Requests must include:
A copy of the official conference bulletin or announcement must be attached to your request.
This bulletin should contain:
If there is not an official bulletin or if all information is not included on the bulletin, call or e-mail the Council staff and they will work with you to get the pertinent information.
THE COUNCIL’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE APPROVES ALL REQUESTS FOR TRAVEL.
All approved requests are referred to the Council staff for processing. You will be informed in writing on the Council’s decision regarding your application. Once you have been approved, you will be directed to call the Council office so that we can begin the paperwork associated with the request.
Requests which include air travel must be submitted at least 8 weeks prior to requested travel dates.
The Council will book 21-day advance tickets. This must be done because of the extremely high price of air travel. Obviously, there is some room for exception, but generally conferences are publicized well enough in advance that the Council should never have to pay a premium price for airline tickets.
The Council will take the expense of the flight into consideration before approval of a travel request.
You may apply for assistance to attend conferences or educational programs by making a written request.
Be sure to enclose a copy of the program announcement. Council travel policy complies with Oklahoma State Travel Regulations. A copy is provided to each person who receives travel-related support from the Council.
If you need assistance developing a request, or if you would like further information, please call us at 405-528-4984 or toll-free at 1-800-836-4470. We look forward to your (continuing) advocacy.
To have an application faxed or mailed to you, please e-mail the Council
office or call (405) 521-4984.
Vocational and Community Integration of Persons with a Dual Diagnosis,
contracted with The Power Shop, Duncan
Persons with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and mental retardation are
a particular challenge to the service system in Oklahoma as there are two
state agencies designated to serve the population: the Oklahoma Department
of Human Services and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance
Abuse Services. The Power Shop spent many hours learning how to work with
this population and provided supported employment services through this contract.
Additionally, The Power Shop worked to fully integrate the persons served
by the contract into the community by arranging residential services for
clients, including some who were discharging from the Greer Center, an institution
serving persons with a dual diagnosis in Enid.
ENaBLE (Everyone Needs a Better Living Environment), contracted with the
University Affiliated Program of Oklahoma (now the Center for Learning and
Leadership), Oklahoma City
ENaBLE worked to develop the community infrastructure necessary for coordinated
community support of initiatives to support people with developmental disabilities
and their families on a regional and statewide basis. This included the design
and implementation of an interdisciplinary advocacy training program, a model
community education demonstration project on family support, and initiation
of a dialogue between advocacy organization leadership.
CARE Councils (Community Awareness, Resources, and Education), contracted
with Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tulsa
Based on the findings of a Council report, the College of Osteopathic Medicine
attempted to develop community councils in each of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.
The goal of the councils was to provide information and community education
on issues related to developmental disabilities. The major foci of community
education were education, employment, information and referral, and residential
alternatives.
Third Generation
Council projects of the third generation are characterized by the systemic
efforts of the grants. By the mid 1990s, the Council was writing more strategic
goals and objectives for its State Plan. Although all previous projects had
been successful, no longer was the Council interested in simply filling gaps
in services. These projects, again, falling under the four federal priority
areas of Child Development, Community Living, Employment, and Systems Coordination
and Community Education, were broader in scope and concentrated more heavily
in true systemic change and capacity building.
Child Development Priority Area
Transition from School to Work Project, contracted with Oklahomans for
Independent Living, McAlester
Oklahomans for Independent Living (OIL) is a Center for Independent Living
in a rural part of Oklahoma. Historically, little effort had been made to
assist students in Pittsburgh County to move from school to work. Through
coordination efforts with high schools, the Department of Rehabilitation
Services, the Department of Human Services, Kiamichi Vocational-Technical
School, area providers, the local Chambers of Commerce, local business owners,
and others, OIL was able to assist 25 students per year plan for life beyond
high school.
Keeping Families Together, contracted with the University Affiliated Program
of Oklahoma (now the Center for Learning and Leadership)
A model program carried out by the University Affiliated Program, “Keeping
Families Together” provides assistance to families which include infants
with developmental health care needs. Families are assisted and strengthened
through a common sense, coordinated effort of training and resource development
focused on keeping families together. The program is designed to keep infants
from being institutionalized because their families are not ready or able
to take them home from neonatal intensive care facilities. Activities included
training for health care professionals, training for a state-level resource
team, and development and training of alternative family environments.
Learning Together at Home, contracted with Idabel Public Schools
Learning Together at Home contracted with Idabel Public Schools McCurtain
County, in extreme southeast Oklahoma, has long been one of the state’s
most economically disadvantaged counties. Because of its isolation, there
is a large population of children considered “at-risk” for developmental
delay. Learning Together at Home is a school-readiness model which trains
parents to work on preschool skills with their 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, with
the goal of preventing placement in special education classes. The curriculum
is based on a national model, HIPPY, but was extensively rewritten so schools
with limited budgets could participate in the program. The curriculum was
distributed to all schools in Oklahoma with active Head Start programs.
Family Services Coordinator, contracted with the Lee Mitchener Tolbert
Center, OUHSC
Sooner Start, the state’s early intervention program for infants and
children age birth to 36 months, has been a strong link in the chain of services
for persons with disabilities. This project furthers Sooner Start’s
commitment to family-centered care by creating the position of Family Services
Coordinator. The Family Services Coordinator is primarily responsible for
keeping Sooner Start families apprised of current issues and policies that
may affect their services. This is accomplished through the publication of
a newsletter, extensive family contacts across the state, and the coordination
of parent networks.
Community Living Priority Area
“Living in the Freedom World,” contracted
with the University of Minnesota
In the late 1980s the State of Oklahoma began the deinstitutionalization
of The Hissom Memorial Center, one of the three large public intermediate
care facilities for persons with mental retardation (ICF/MR). The closure
was the result of a court order and was a huge and controversial undertaking.
Wanting to assure that the outstanding results of that closure were highlighted,
the Council contracted with the University of Minnesota to produce a monograph
and video featuring the lives of persons who had previously lived in public
and private ICFs/MR. The video received an “honorable mention” at
the prestigious Chris Awards in Columbus, Ohio; and has been distributed
throughout the United States, as well as Russia, Japan and Australia. The
video continues to be the Council’s most requested publication and
clips from it are now part of the Minnesota Governor’s Council’s “Parallel
Lives” on-line history of developmental disabilities services in the
U.S.
Network of Master Trainers for Aging and Developmental Disabilities, contracted
with The Nigh Institute/University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond
This multidisciplinary collaborative project developed an extensive training
curriculum for consumers and professionals in the fields of aging and developmental
disabilities. The curriculum was designed specifically to assure professionals
in the field of aging had general information about issues related to developmental
disabilities, and vice versa. Partnering in this effort were The Nigh Institute
for State Government, The Donna Nigh Foundation, the Department of Human
Services Aging Services Division and Developmental Disabilities Services
Division, Oklahoma Community-Based Providers, Oklahoma People First, and
the Long-Term Care Authority of Tulsa.
Demand-Response Transportation Model, contracted with The Gatesway Foundation,
Broken Arrow, Red River Transportation Model, contracted with The Power Shop,
Duncan, and Community Transportation Model, contracted with Oklahomans for
Independent Living, McAlester
These three transportation models helped the Council to determine best practices
in community public transportation. The Broken Arrow model was essentially
an accessible para-transit service. The established routes connected with
the accessible Tulsa Transit bus lines so individuals with disabilities who
wished to work, shop, or visit friends in Tulsa had a ride. The Duncan model
helped an established transportation system, Red River, become more accessible
to persons with disabilities. Lifts were purchased and installed and dispatchers
were trained in how to assist persons with disabilities to get to their destinations.
The McAlester model demonstrated that collaboration among agencies and organization
can assure people with disabilities can get to their destination of choice.
Existing vans, with and without lifts and other accessibility features, were
organized and a central dispatch assured any person (with or without a disability)
needing a ride could get one. The City of McAlester provided funding for
gas and vehicle maintenance.
Spirit of Families Together (SOFT) Project, contracted with Grand Lake
Mental Health Center Inc., Nowata
SOFT is a family support model which worked with persons with cognitive disabilities
or with a dual-diagnosis of both cognitive and psychiatric disability; the
goal of the project was to support families to prevent out-of-home placement
in congregate settings for either cognitive or psychiatric disability. The
project served the extreme northeastern counties of Oklahoma (Craig, Delaware,
Mayes, Nowata, Ottawa, Rogers, and Washington), where there is a large population
of American Indians, particularly Cherokee. Because of the high percentage
of American Indians, SOFT personnel worked hard to assure that assistance
and supports were delivered in a culturally responsive manner; staff members
were trained in the Cherokee language.
Work-Study Program, contracted with Cushing Public Schools, Cushing
This contract with the Cushing Special Services Coop provided assistance
to 29 school districts in five rural counties of Oklahoma: Payne, Creek,
Pawnee, Okfuskee, and Lincoln. Transition from school to work for students
with disabilities was the main goal of the project, and students in the program
were provided with traditional job supports – training, job coaching,
resume building, and the like, all based on the Elsmere Project model.
A Better Choice (ABC), contracted with Whitebead School, Whitebead
Neither parents nor teachers at Whitebead School, a small public school serving
grades K-8, understood why children with disabilities who grew up in Whitebead
needed to be bused to the local educational co-op for middle school. They
didn’t believe it made sense to remove these children from their friends
and siblings, so school administrators withdrew from the Pauls Valley Co-op
and used Council funding to assure that the children had appropriate supports,
including accessible computers, on-staff occupational, physical and speech
therapists, and a respite room for the children. In spite of the project
promoting child development, this project is very deliberately placed in
the Community Living priority area.
Oklahoma Aging Advocacy Leadership Academy, contracted with the Aging Services
Division, Department of Human Services, Oklahoma City
The Council helped fund the development of a 10-month advocacy training program
in partnership with the Aging Services Division of the Department of Human
Services. This program identifies, trains and develops caring people with
and without disabilities to become informed leaders about issues affecting
those in later phases of life.
Persons accepted and graduated from its training are empowered, committed
advocates for their own and later generations to help Oklahoma’s older
population with and without developmental disabilities.
Project Access, contracted with Ability Resources, Tulsa and Accessibility
Hardware and Software Training, contracted with Nanopac, Tulsa
With the wealth of information on the Web, the Council wanted to ensure that
physical access to computers was available throughout Oklahoma. Ability Resources,
a Tulsa Center for Independent Living, surveyed libraries throughout Oklahoma
about their computer systems and accessibility. Following the survey, the
Council placed 56 computers with accessible hardware and software in local
libraries throughout the state. In addition, the Council sponsored five training
sessions throughout the state for library staff so they knew how to operate
the accessibility features.
Employment Priority Area
I-TEMP, contracted with TransVoc Inc., Tulsa
I-TEMP is an employment service that specializes in assisting persons with
disabilities to get and keep jobs consistent with their interests, skills,
and abilities. Key to the success of this project was the partnership with
local businesses. These partnerships enabled I-TEMP to place persons with
disabilities so both the employer and employee could test the waters before
making a job permanent.
Sheltered Workshop Conversion Projects, contracted with SHOW Inc., Sapulpa,
and ARC Industries Inc., Bartlesville
SHOW Inc. had been moving in the direction of closing out its workshop “slots” and
serving their clients in community-based jobs. Funding from the Council helped
to convert the last 26 workshop clients and move those persons into jobs
in Sapulpa.
ARC Industries used Council funding to convert several sheltered workshop
slots to community-based employment. This project was particularly effective
in raising the profile of persons with disabilities in Bartlesville through
extensive public relations efforts.
Supported Training and Employment (STEP) Program, contracted with the Panhandle
Area Sheltered Workshop, Guymon
The Oklahoma Panhandle is arguably the most remote part of the state. The
three counties which make up the Panhandle (Cimarron, Texas and Beaver) are
rural, sparsely populated, and receive minimal state agency services. In
fact, prior to this project of the Council, there were no integrated employment
opportunities for persons with disabilities in this region. With Council
assistance, community integrated employment was modeled for the first time.
Valley Laser, contracted with Garvin County Community Living Center Inc.,
Pauls Valley
Cartridge King is a national supported employment model which trains persons
with disabilities to work in the field of computer toner cartridge recycling.
Using that model, Valley Laser was created to provide clients with the opportunity
learned how to recycle and resell several kinds of computer printer cartridges.
Valley Laser has won several state contracts for their product. Based on
the skills of several workers, Valley Laser also trains workers to be computer
printer repair technicians.
Access Careers, contracted with Ability Resources Inc., Tulsa
Ability Resources is the state’s largest Center for Independent Living.
The project was a collaborative effort of Ability Resources, local Tulsa
businesses, local social service agencies, and the Department of Rehabilitation
Services. Access Careers provides services in the areas of job development
and placement, career guidance, training necessary for job retention, literacy
training, resume writing, and the like. The project, working with a business
roundtable, assisted individuals with disabilities to try jobs available
in the community, both to learn practical skills and test interests, skills
and abilities.
“Count Us In” Job Fair, contracted
with Community Service Council, Tulsa
As part of the larger “Count Us In” community awareness effort
in Tulsa, this job fair was specifically designed for persons with disabilities
and community employers looking to hire persons with disabilities.
Vermiculture and Composting Micro-enterprise, contracted with Green Country
Community Mental Health Services, Muskogee
Originally designed as an entrepreneurial demonstration project, this project
evolved into a training project which provided an opportunity for individuals
with disabilities to develop and improve work skills in the areas of accountability,
decision making, responsibility, and commitment to work schedules.
Systems Coordination and Community
Education Priority Area
The Habilitation Center/Joseph Harp Correctional Facility, contracted with
the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Oklahoma City
One of the most unique systems change projects that Council undertook was
the project which served minimum- and medium-security offenders with cognitive
disabilities at the Joseph Harp Facility in Lexington, Oklahoma. The Department
of Corrections saw a need to provide some specialized training to assure
that, once released from prison, these individuals had the academic, social,
and work skills to help prevent a return to the criminal justice system.
The Council helped the Habilitation Center to complete assessments and develop
academic, social, and work skill curricula. Joseph Harp now houses all minimum-
and medium-security offenders determined to have developmental delay or disability.
Oklahoma Assistive Technology Consortium Network, contracted with the Community
Partnership Development Foundation, Stillwater
The Community Partnership Development Foundation was a consortium of several
advocacy and provider organizations in northeastern Oklahoma. OATCN’s
goals were to assist persons with disabilities already living in the community
to access already-existing recreational and educational opportunities. The
project worked with several community colleges in northeast Oklahoma to make
their curriculum more accessible and appealing to persons with disabilities.
El Centro Ensenado, contracted with The Power Shop, Duncan
The City of Duncan, like other rural parts of Oklahoma, recognized a growing
population of Spanish-speaking agricultural workers and their families. As
a way of providing state agency services – not just for those with
developmental disabilities, The Power Shop staffed an office called El Centro
Ensenado (The Learning Center.) Not only were staff bilingual, they were
able to convince state agencies to print brochures about their services in
Spanish for the first time. In addition to linking people to needed services,
El Centro Ensenado also helped match people with available jobs in the community,
notably a Spanish-speaking dispatcher with a disability at the Red River
Transportation Service, another collaboration between the Council and The
Power Shop.
Inclusion Now for School and Work, contracted with the Community Services
Council, Tulsa
The goal of this project was to create a local model of inclusive elementary
education and use that model to work with other area schools to achieve education
throughout Tulsa. In addition to helping one elementary school to be completely
inclusive of children with disabilities, the project spread the word about
inclusion by hosting breakfast meetings for principals, providing technical
assistance, and providing a best practices newsletter.
Access Roundtable, contracted with Ability Resources Inc., Tulsa
Roundtable discussions were hosted by Ability Resources and facilitated by
the Statewide Independent Living Council in six locations throughout the
state. Those participating were state agency personnel, local social service
agencies, and consumers. Consumers were able to discuss their needs and agency
personnel were able to explain their agency’s services and supports.
From these discussions, barriers and gaps in services were identified and
a final report was broadly disseminated.
Oklahoma Respite Resource Network Marketing, contracted with Naukam Marketing,
Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma Respite Resource Network (ORRN) is a multi-agency collaboration
which provides respite vouchers for families caring for children and adults
with disabilities. This program has garnered well-deserved national attention.
The Council provided initial funding to market ORRN to families and providers.
ArcLink, contracted with TARC, Tulsa
ArcLink is a national web-based information and referral system affiliated
with the Arc of the U.S. This site allows users to format a personal profile
based on their service needs, age, income, and ZIP code. The information
provided then matches the eligibility criteria and service location so users
can easily sort through potential services. The Council provided funding
for the research and uploading of the Oklahoma page. Annual support for the
site is provided by the DHS Developmental Disabilities Services Division.
Partners
in Policymaking, originally contracted with TARC, Tulsa, and now an in-house
Council project.
Oklahoma Partners in Policymaking follows the national model developed by
the Minnesota Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities.
This advocacy training course, taught one weekend per month for nine months,
provides self-advocates, parents of young children with developmental disabilities,
and other advocates and providers with state-of-the-art training related
to services for people with disabilities, inclusion in all aspects of community
life, and building positive working relationships with policymakers.
Conference Support, various contractors throughout Oklahoma
During this generation of project development, the Council developed instructions
to staff related to sponsoring or co-sponsoring Oklahoma conferences with
a focus on people with disabilities. This sponsorship continues today and
has included annual sponsorship of the Oklahoma Governor’s Conference
on Developmental Disabilities, the Autism Symposium, Oklahoma Association
of Persons in Supported Employment, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Conference,
and the State Conference on Aging.
Fourth Generation
With the 2000 reauthorization of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance
and Bill of Rights Act, “priority areas” were changed to “areas
of emphasis,” and new areas were defined. The areas of emphasis include
Quality Assurance; Education and Early Intervention; Child Care; Health;
Employment; Housing; Transportation; Recreation; and Formal and Informal
Community Supports. The Council responded by changing the Committee Structure
of the Council by first dropping the Systems Coordination and Community Education
Committee (with an eye toward assuring that all Council activities were reflective
of systems coordination and community education issues), then ultimately
collapsing all former “priority area” committees into a single
Project Development Committee to assure that all State Plan goals, objectives
and activities were being considered in a single committee. Projects continued
to evolve in this generation to assure greater “statewideness” and
more systemic change in nature. Council investments in these projects and
activities were often larger and more long-term.
Business Leadership Network/Job Fit, contracted with the Oklahoma Department
of Rehabilitation Services and the Executive Services Corps of Central Oklahoma
The Business Leadership Network is a national model that seeks to educate
local businesses of the value of hiring persons with disabilities. The Council
worked with the Executive Services Corps to coordinate the original Business
Leadership Network; and worked with the Department of Rehabilitation Services
to develop a website that both job seekers and businesses could access. This
site allowed job seekers to post resumes, search for jobs, and match their
skills to available positions. Human Resources managers could post jobs and
search available resumes.
Tech Now! and Cache High Tech Connections, contracted with Bethany Public
Schools and Cache Public Schools
The national High School-High Tech program was brought to Oklahoma by the
Council. The first two programs were funded in Cache and in metro-Oklahoma
City. The metro-Oklahoma City program worked originally in five schools.
Over the course of five years, Cache eventually became part of Tech Now,
and Tech Now continues to expand.
Tech Now Inc. is a program designed to encourage students with disabilities
to explore post-secondary education and careers related to technology. Today,
there are 36 sites across the state in both high schools and junior high
schools. The curriculum includes classroom instruction, field trips to local
technology-related businesses, mentorship from local business leaders, and
computer project competitions. Students participating in the program are
eligible for scholarships and cash awards provided by local businesses, the
Oklahoma Department of Career Technology, and the Oklahoma Regents for Higher
Education.
Funding for the program is now provided by local school districts, as well
as through the State Department of Education, the State Department of Rehabilitation
Services, and federal grants. Council staff serve on the non-profit’s
Advisory Board and assist with fund development and program expansion.
SoonerCare Health Education Partners, contracted with the Center for
Learning and Leadership at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
With the roll-out of SoonerCare, the state’s managed health care program,
the need was identified to assist enrollees about their rights and responsibilities
related managed care. SoonerCare Health Education Partners improved the knowledge
of the managed care system of health care providers, primary care providers,
Oklahoma Health Care Authority (the state’s Medicaid agency) service
representatives, Exceptional Needs Coordinators, self-advocates and family
members.
Youth Service Worker Training Programs, contracted with the National Resource
Center for Youth Services
This project developed training for Oklahoma’s community-based youth
service agencies and other community-based service agencies providing services
to children and youth to build their capacity to work with children and youth
with developmental disabilities.
OASIS Update contracted with OASIS, Oklahoma City
OASIS is the statewide information and referral system for persons with disabilities.
While comprehensive, the Council determined the need to update the information
provided in their data base, and supplement it with local, generic services
that could be of assistance to individuals with disabilities – such
as church food pantries and utility assistance programs. Over the course
of three years, all data was updated and the Council funded sub-contracts
in Tulsa and McAlester to identify and include such generic services.
Home of Your Own/Home Ownership Options for Persons with Disabilities,
contracted with the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies
HOME OF YOUR OWN STEERING COMMITTEE
Based on the national home-ownership model “Home of Your Own,” Affordable
Home Ownership Options for People with Disabilities was an activity funded
through the Oklahoma Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA). The
program developed home-ownership readiness training, down payment/closing
cost assistance programs, and weatherization/rehabilitation programs for
potential home owners. Additionally, OACAA built relationships with the Oklahoma
Housing Finance Authority, banks and mortgage companies to assist home buyers
with disabilities. Though the Council no longer provides funding for this
program, most of the products have been incorporated into the core services
of Oklahoma’s community action system.
Workforce Center Access Project, contracted with the
University of Oklahoma’s
National Center for Disability Education and Training
This program provided training and technical assistance to the state’s
Workforce Centers to assure each met the requirements for programmatic and
physical accessibility for persons with disabilities as the federal Ticket
to Work program went on-line.
Environmental Design Prototype, contracted with the OSU College of Environmental
Sciences, Stillwater
This project produced a study, “The Impact of the Near Environment
on People’s Psychological Well Being,” and conducted a literature
review of current standards, products and facilities for persons in temporary
congregate living situations. As part of the research, students in the college
designed model residential homes for youth with mental health situations
who were making a transition from institutional care to a less restrictive
environment. These designs, including blue prints and suggestions for furnishings
and fixtures, were provided to Oklahoma’s service providers at no cost
and several more “home like” homes with important durability
and safety features have been built.
Dreamnight at the Zoo, contracted with the Oklahoma City Zoo
Dreamnight is an international event, held each year on the first Friday
evening in June. The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens is the only
Oklahoma zoo participating and the Council has helped to design and sponsor
this event since it began in 2005. In addition to providing access to families
of children with disabilities, the Council funded disability awareness training
for zoo employees that is now part of new employee orientation. Additionally,
the zoo wrote and published a Dreamnight at the Zoo manual, working with
zoos from across the country to compile important information. This has been
disseminated to all Councils on Developmental Disabilities and has been presented
at national conferences of zoo professionals.
Sooner SUCCESS, contracted with the Child Study Center of the University
of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
This project supports the effort to establish a coordinated collaboration
of formal and informal service providers and families at the county level.
Council funding supported salary for six county coordinators, all of whom
were parents of children with disabilities or special health care needs.
Sooner SUCCESS will eventually expand to all 77 counties in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Court-Appointed Advocates for Vulnerable Adults (OCAAVA), contracted
with the Aging Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services
(Active Project)
OCAAVA meets a significant need by training citizen volunteers as adults
for vulnerable adults with and without disabilities. These advocates, assigned
by district court judges, assure that the rights of such adults are preserved
and protected during. OCAAVA, as a state organization, standardizes training
and certifies local CAAVA programs in each judicial district.
Justin A. McCurry Library and Resource Center
Through the years, the state’s DD Act partners, the Council, the Disability
Law Center and the Center for Learning and Leadership had amassed a large
collection of print and electronic media. As a Redlands Partners collaboration
project, all material was housed in a single location (at the Council office)
and this became the Justin A. McCurry Library and Resource Center. The library
is affiliated with the State Department of Libraries, and as such all holdings
are available for “inter-library loan” to local and university
libraries and their patrons.
Emergency Preparation for Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Emergency
Response Personnel
Another collaboration of the Redlands Partners has been the work related
to emergency preparation in Oklahoma. Oklahomans have experienced significant
natural and man-made disasters, and with these projects, all operated in-house,
persons with disabilities and emergency response personnel are better prepared
to handle such situations. Among the work completed under this banner are
the distribution of thousands of Red Cross Disaster Preparation for People
with Disabilities books, the distribution of more than 10,000 laminated tip
cards for first responders to emergency personnel in more than 22 of Oklahoma’s
77 counties, and the participation of professionals in the field of developmental
disabilities in the State’s Department of Emergency Management advisory
councils.
Youth Leadership Forum
The Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is a week-long summer camp for rising high
school juniors and seniors with disabilities. YLF, an in-house project of
the Council, provides training in leadership, career and post-secondary education
exploration, public speaking, and working with policymakers.
Master of Social Work Stipend Program
This in-house program of the Council promotes career exploration for graduate
students in social work by providing a stipend for practicum experiences
at non-profit organizations and state agencies serving persons with developmental
disabilities.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Housing Study, contracted with the Aging
Services Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Oklahoma ranks second in the number of children being raised by grandparents.
Many of these children have disabilities. The Council has worked closely
with the Aging Services Division of OKDHS to identify and help meet the needs
of these families and conducted this study to determine housing-related needs
of this population.
Direct Support Professionals Project, contracted with Tulsa Community College
As part of the overall strategy to train and support qualified direct support
professionals, the Council is working with Tulsa Community College to create
a certificate of educational attainment that can be taken to Tulsa Community
College (and hopefully soon more community colleges). The training required
of these professionals can be transferred into college credit hours, which
we expect will encourage these professionals to continue working on a college
degree, thus increasing their career advancement in the field of developmental
disabilities.
The Council office holds cabinets and bookcases full of additional information
about these former projects; if you’d like more information about any
project, please contact the Council office.
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Contact Us
Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council
2401 N.W. 23rd Street, Suite 74
Oklahoma City, OK 73107
PHONE: (405) 521-4984 or
1-800-836-4470
FAX: (405) 521-4910
E-MAIL: staff@okddc.ok.gov