Vermont Developmental Disabilities Division Releases 2014 Report

The Vermont Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) released its Annual Report for State Fiscal Year 2014 as required by the Vermont Developmental Disabilities (DD) Act. The Act was passed in 1995 and outlines the principles that must guide services to people with DD and their families. The 2014 annual report describes the extent to which each of the principles are being met and includes relevant history, information on what is working well, any noted challenges and an explanation of the data collected from DDSD’s annual consumer survey.

Some of the principles included in the report are highlighted below:

• People need information to make choices about the availability and costs of supports. Effective person centered supports come from asking relevant questions in such a way that people and their families can describe their hopes and dreams and are able to negotiate services that are personally meaningful. These are all factors that are necessary to make meaningful choices.
• Family support services are provided with respect and responsiveness to a family’s unique needs, strengths and values. Trusting and respectful relationships, along with the ongoing provision of information and appropriate communication supports, foster these relationships.
• Meaningful choices are essential to making good decisions about one’s own life.
• The goal of job support is to obtain and maintain paid employment. The value of work extends far beyond wages earned. Employers and the community benefit from the social inclusion and diversity people bring to the workforce.