Author: cwdadmin

EDUCATORS, you can help!

Each March, the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities celebrates Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with disabilities in all areas of community life. For 2020, ACDD would like to support teachers, librarians, and school officials in creating an INCLUSIVE lesson, activity, presentation, or campaign. 

Selected proposals receive $200 to implement activity.

Activity to be completed by May 1.

Submit proposals of activity on form found in the link by Friday, March 20, 2020 to:

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

100 North Union Street, P.O. Box 301410

Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1410

Phone: 1-800-232-2158 & 334-242-3973

Fax: 334-242-0797

Email: Holli.Cawthorne@mh.alabama.gov or Darryle.Powell@mh.alabama.gov

Need ideas?

Go to https://www.indianadisabilityawareness.org/downloads/ for valuable resources.

Bank of America has committed to providing people with disabilities the opportunity to achieve economic mobility. Some of their efforts include advocating for inclusion by hiring those with disabilities across their company. Bank of America has also showed this commitment through its partnership with the Special Olympics for 30 years.

A 100 Percent Score

Bank of America scored 100 percent on the U.S. Business Leadership Network Disability Equality Index. This index is a list of companies that are leading the charge in creating inclusive policies and programs for people with disabilities of all types, both developmental and physical. Here are some of the strategies that Bank of America has implemented to gain its 100 score.

1) Creating a Disabilities Advocacy Network

Bank of America’s Disabilities Advocacy Network (DAN) takes employees that either have disabilities themselves or have family members with disabilities, and connects them to opportunities for professional and economic growth. DAN puts on forums and workshops with topics related to the disabled community.

2) Implementing staffing teams dedicated to employees with disabilities

The bank has staffing teams dedicated to inclusion and hiring a diverse group of employees. The teams partner with agencies and local community organizations to give those with developmental and physical disabilities equal access to their jobs.

3) Promoting accessible banking for customers with disabilities

Since the company hires a diverse group of employees, it’s also great at providing services for its diverse customers. Bank of America has ATMs that offer vocal instructions for those that have visual impairments. The bank even offers financial advice through Merrill Lynch, a team of advisors that specialize in special needs planning for families.

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) advocates for the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into the workforce. At ACDD, we support Alabamians with developmental disabilities who want to gain independence, be a contributing member of society, and live a full life. If you’d like to learn more about our services and how you can support the developmental disabilities community, contact us today.

March is national Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and learn about issues that people with these disabilities face. Although everyone should commit to being empathetic and learning about the struggles of others, this month, you have the opportunity to learn as well as celebrate! Here are a few ways you can celebrate and bring awareness to those around you about intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Support with Your Mind

The biggest support that you can give to any community is to learn about the struggles that its members face. Members of an underrepresented community may feel misunderstood, and this month, you can support them by simply learning. Try attending a lecture or reading a book about the personal experiences of someone with an intellectual or developmental disability. Although there’s no way for you to step into their shoes, it could definitely become more empathetic.

Support with Your Money

Another way to support the developmental disabilities community is by helping out financially. Anyone that works for a cause knows that ultimately, you need money to help bring change. Often, organizations that support those with developmental disabilities are nonprofits and can always use donations. Of course, you can always write a check, but if you live near an activity center that serves people with developmental disabilities, call and ask what supplies they need. You could donate by buying these supplies in bulk and dropping them off.

Support with Your Time

Not everyone has the opportunity to support financially, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still support. As mentioned before, organizations that serve the developmentally disabled community are usually nonprofits, and they love to have volunteers! Clear out a Saturday on your calendar for you and your family to volunteer at an activity center. You may want to volunteer at an organization whose goal is to bring awareness, or you could volunteer by passing out flyers around the community.

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities Encourages You to Celebrate

This month is an opportunity for you to celebrate the developmental disabilities community – and it’s also an opportunity to help bring awareness about the struggles that people with these disabilities face. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today.

One of the main goals of the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) is to help Alabamians with developmental disabilities (DD) obtain independence. As a loved one, you can help, too! Each person is different, so there isn’t one right way to help someone gain independence, but here are a few ways to empower your loved one with DD.

Community Integration

Community integration is one of the most important ways that someone can gain their independence. Science tells us that everyone feels the need to be a part of something greater. A sense of community is essential for healthy self-worth and self-esteem, no matter whether you have disabilities or not. Your self-worth directly correlates to your ability to be independent. You can successfully act alone when you know that you’re part of a team. Because of the lack of resources and opportunities for people with DD, there can be a sense of isolation. ACDD works to provide and connect Alabamians to resources that better integrate them into the community.

Develop a Life Vision and Long-Term Goals

Developing a life vision and long-term goals is important for anyone. If you don’t have an idea of where you want to go, then you’ll probably struggle to get anywhere. If you have a loved one that has DD, help them create long term goals for their life. If he or she wants to have a job, write out the steps needed to reach this goal. ACDD provides career coaching as well as resources and support for people with DD in the workforce.

Identify Supports

After creating long term goals, the next step is identifying the support needed to reach these goals. No one can do anything completely alone. Many of us need a support team to reach our biggest goals and dreams. Help your loved one research and find the support that they’ll need to reach their goals or sustain their life’s vision. If his or her goal is to work a part-time job, then identifying support would be researching transportation or setting up a bank account.

Consider Your Own Behavior

The last way to help your loved one gain independence has more to do with you. It’s important to be accepting of your loved one’s dreams and goals. Being judgmental is not the best way to support him or her. Everyone wants their visions, dreams, and goals to be accepted. Your loved one is no different. Create an environment of love and support so he or she will know that they’ll be listened to with acceptance and without judgement.

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities

ACDD wants to help foster the independence of Alabamians with developmental disabilities. If you or a loved one would like to learn more about our resources, contact us today.

The Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) aims to support the independence and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities. Although ACDD offers a number of resources to help achieve this goal, their ultimate hope is that the Alabamians they serve become self advocates. Self advocacy is defined as successfully representing yourself, your beliefs, and your interests. You can take the resources that ACDD offers to help create an inclusive community for all people to work, play, live, and learn.

Become Informed

The first step on the journey to self advocacy is becoming informed. If you, your child, or a family member has a developmental disability, then you’re probably knowledgeable about the everyday struggles. What you may be less informed about is legislation that affects those with developmental disabilities. It’s not only important to know who your state legislator is, but also about bills that affect those with developmental disabilities.

Attend Conferences & Training Events

The next way that you can become a self advocate is by attending different activities that help develop the independence of those with developmental disabilities. Leadership conferences, public forums, and legislative skills training events are held by organizations specifically for those with developmental disabilities and their families. If you are eligible, ACDD offers reimbursement for some of the expenses associated with attending these types of events through the Consumer Involvement Fund (CIF).

Jonathan Peak

Jonathan Peak’s whole life was a journey to self advocacy.  His mother had polio as a child, resulting in an abnormal curvature of her spine. When Peak was in the process of being born, he suffered from nerve damage and a traumatic brain injury because of the force used to deliver him. Doctors told his family that he would live a difficult life because of his disability. His family decided instead to help Peak live a successful life. Today, he is the Advocacy Coordinator at the Montgomery Center for Independent Living.

Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities Promotes Self Advocacy

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a self advocate, or about any of our other resources, get in touch with us.

One of the goals of the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) is to empower the developmental disabilities community and enhance the productivity and independence of those with disabilities. One of the ways that the Council is reaching this goal is through the Consumer Involvement Fund (CIF). CIF is a program where people with developmental disabilities and their family members are partially reimbursed for attending training sessions, conferences, public forums, or other similar events and activities.

Benefiting from CIF is as easy as your ABC’s. Let’s unpack what that means:

(A)pplication

The first step in benefiting from CIF is completing the application. ACDD provides downloadable individual and organization applications on our website. After submitting an application, you’ll receive either an approval or denial letter. If your application is approved, your letter will include the award amount, details for reimbursement of approved expenses, and an acceptance form.

(B)udget

A critical part of the CIF application is writing out your budget. The application includes a section that helps you report your expenses. There are sections for the costs that you can pay with your own funds or funds from other agencies. Lastly, there is a section for you to list the amount that you’d like from CIF.

(C)osts That Are Reimbursed

In order to be reimbursed, your costs have to meet certain criteria. The event you attended has to be a professional conference, advocacy skills training event, focus group, public forum, or similar. Costs that can be reimbursed include: hotel, mileage, meals, and airfare.

ACDD is dedicated to empowering those with developmental disabilities and their families. If you’re interested in learning more about CIF or our other resources, contact us today.