In 1992, Washington State’s Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), now known as Developmental Disabilities Community Services (DDCS), created and adopted the County Guidelines. This document, based on work done in the late 1980’s on the Residential Guidelines, set out a shared vision, core values, and clear responsibilities for counties and citizen boards in supporting people with developmental disabilities to live and participate in their communities.

The guidelines provided a roadmap for county-level planning and resource development. They focused on community-based supports, quality assurance, and helping people move away from institutions and contracted service systems toward more inclusive community living.

The 1992 guidelines emphasized several key principles:

• Inclusion in community life

• Power and choice for people in decisions about their own lives

• Employment in integrated, typical work settings

These guidelines were developed during a broader shift toward community living and around the time the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed in 1990. The values outlined in the 1992 document continue to guide Washington’s DDCS and have been reviewed and reaffirmed over time.

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