Update from the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Administration. View the full bulletin

More Information about the Steering Committee

We have information to share with you regarding the progress made for A Path Forward: 10-year strategic plan for transforming intellectual and developmental disabilities services planning. We have received several questions about the steering committee. There will be more information coming soon about how you can give input.

What is the steering committee doing?

The steering committee is assisting with the design of the outreach plan and helping us connect with community members. They will help ensure the community is included, heard and reflected in the plan.

We want to make sure that the process is inclusive and that everyone interested in giving input has a chance to do it. We felt it was important that more than DDA staff were part of the design process and the final review. That means the committee is giving feedback to Berry Dunn on:

• The community engagement process, which includes surveys, virtual discussions, and in-person opportunities for people to share their input.
• How information is shared. Providing input on the survey to help ensure that questions are accessible and easy for people to understand and respond.
• How to reach people to make sure they know how to give input and have their voice heard.

The steering committee is not meeting to provide input or collecting input for the plan.

What does it mean for the steering committee to oversee the process?

The steering committee has discussed what success looks like for the planning process. A successful process is one where:

• People feel heard.
  • The community has opportunities to share ideas and experiences.
• People shape the plan.
  • The plan reflects what the community says.
• People support the plan.
  • The plan reflects community priorities. A plan everyone can get behind.
• The plan addresses the requirements of the budget proviso which are:
  • Prioritizing collaborative engagement between people with lived or living experience and decision makers who will act to make the vision reality.
  • Identifying and implementing strategies to reduce or eliminate the use of expensive, congregate institutional settings for long-term care.
  • Expanding community-based services to serve a larger population of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
  • Addressing barriers to service access and equity.
  • Identifying necessary investments in community infrastructure, workforce, and service capacity.

Who is on the steering committee?

The steering committee includes 15 members.

• Three committee members are self advocates.
• Seven committee members identify as parents or family members of someone with an intellectual or developmental disability. Their loved ones are recipients of DD services in Washington. Some of the committee members are also connected to community organizations.
• The remaining five committee members are connected to organizations that support and serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Organizations that committee members participate in include:

• Parent to Parent
• Self-Advocates in Leadership or SAIL
• People First of Washington
• The Arc of Washington – Executive Director
• The Developmental Disability Council – Executive Director
• The DD Ombuds
• Washington Multicultural Services Link
• Open Doors for Multicultural Families
• Community Employment Alliance
• Community Residential Services Association
• Association of County Human Services

During the next steering committee meeting on September 21, we will discuss whether the committee is comfortable with their names and how they connect with the DD community being listed on the public website.

What information will be shared about the process?

We will be sharing the timeline for the plan, list of engagement opportunities, and how to stay informed on the process on the DSHS website soon. The DSHS website is currently being refreshed and will go live later in September. We will partner with the Developmental Disabilities Council to post information until then. Once the final plan is written, the steering committee will make sure that the document reflects this success criteria.

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