2020 Virtual Directors Forum & Annual Conference

Forging Ahead: Leading In A Changed World

Events during the first six months of 2020 changed the landscape of our country and the nature of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) supports offered by each state system. In response to this new environment, states have rapidly adapted as we continue to grapple with the pandemic and identify changes in our systems that have potential value beyond the emergency. During this time of intense change, it has become even clearer that our state service structures cannot operate outside the realization that social justice issues and systemic disparities must be identified and addressed by every one of us within our scopes of influence. Complicating our approach is the looming budget crises states are facing as we move forward post-pandemic.

Our world and our experience within it has changed. How do we forge ahead? How do we improve rather than erode our support systems as a result of these shocks to the status quo? How do we build more person-centered and effective systems of support with even more limited resources? We will explore these topics; connect with experts; learn to use data to inform our choices; and share experiences among professionals in the I/DD field as we all forge ahead together toward a stronger, more inclusive future for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those that support them.