|
Far North Parent-Professional Partnerships |
||||||||
 |
Understanding Basic SystemsDevelopmental DisabilitiesDevelopmental Disabilities ServicesIf you are new to the disability community, I’m sure you have wondered how things work. Individuals and families can certainly find it disjointed and difficult to understand. We will walk you through how to work with that system to help your family member become eligible for services. Before we begin the description of Alaska services, it’s important to understand that there is a federal system with rules and regulations that the State must follow. The State of Alaska must follow federal rules in order to receive federal monetary support of education and Medicaid services. The state follows this federal structure, in part, through their participation with the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, the University Center for Human Development and the Disability Law Center of Alaska. The Developmental Disability Service system in each state is supported or guided though these three organizations that are designed and funded by the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities. These three organizations support the service system and individuals with developmental disabilities by providing overall planning and advocacy, training and technical assistance, and legal protection for individuals with developmental disabilities. The organizations report back to the federal government on how Alaska’s service system is working for people with disabilities and their families.
The Governor’s Council on Disabilities is appointed by the Governor to represent and advocate for people with developmental disabilities. The Council has authority to set priorities and develop strategies to improve the lives of people the represent. Its members consist of individuals with disabilities, family members and designated state agency representatives. The purpose of the Council is to engage in advocacy, capacity building and systems change activities that increase the independence, productivity and community inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. The Council holds monthly teleconferences and meet three times per year in different communities around Alaska. Forums are conducted during the meetings to gather input from community members on how services are working or not working and gather recommendations for change. The Council then incorporates this information into its’ advocacy, capacity building and systems change activities. Governor’s Council on Disabilities web site: The Center for Human Development is a section of the University of Alaska Anchorage and is a University Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Education, Research and Service (UCEDD). The purpose of the Center is to provide training to professionals and paraprofessionals in disability related services. The Center for Human Development also seeks funding to demonstrate and provide best practice in service delivery. The center also provides distance delivery education in disability services across Alaska. UAA Center for Human Development web site: The Disability Law Center of Alaska provides guidance and legal services to individuals with disabilities in the areas of education and disability services. Its purpose is to prevent discrimination based on disability. The Disability Law Center tracks laws on education, entitlement services (social security, state and federal Medicaid, etc) and ensures the basic civil rights of individuals with disabilities. Disability Law Center of Alaska web site: Now, that you have a brief description of the federal components, let’s look at how Alaska’s developmental disability system actually works! |
|||||||
