Council structure

The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (DD Council) is a group of 21 Michigan citizens. Members are appointed to the Council by the governor. They come from across the state and are:

• people with disabilities; 
• family members, mentors, guardians and advocates of people with disabilities; and 
• professionals from state and local agencies who assist people with developmental disabilities.

Members operate the Council by providing advice and consent to its committees and staff. People throughout Michigan depend on the DD Council getting results, and its members work diligently on behalf of those people.

The Council holds public meetings throughout the year, generally in the Lansing area.

To learn more about the Council, call the office at 517/334-6123.

Defining developmental disabilities

A developmental disability, as defined by state and federal law, is a severe, chronic disability:

• attributable to a mental or physical impairment, or a combination of such impairments; 
• manifested before the person is age 22;  
• likely to continue indefinitely; and resulting in substantial functional limitations in three or more of these major life activities: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. 

About the Council

The DD Council operates under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. Its activities include:

• advocating for people with developmental disabilities as a strong voice working on behalf of those citizens. Objectives of this advocacy include supporting and encouraging people to take control of their lives through community-wide, results-oriented action;  
• channeling federal funds - more than $2 million in annual grants - to state and local service agencies and organizations in Michigan. These groups use the grants to affect policies and systems change, to develop results-oriented initiatives; and to collectively work toward community inclusion through RICCs (see below);  
• entering into agreements with Michigan agencies to help carry out Council responsibilities set forth in the Developmental Disabilities Act;  
• assisting Michigan citizens with developmental disabilities to access appropriate treatment, services and habilitation for such disabilities;  
• supporting projects that develop, enhance or advocate for community-based supports. These lead to independence, community inclusion and productivity for Michigan citizens with developmental disabilities. 
• organizing and defining activities of a statewide network of Regional Interagency Consumer Committees (RICCs). 

Regional Interagency Consumer Committees (RICCs)

The DD Council maintains a series of groups across the state that work to further Council interests in communities. These groups also work to facilitate support services to people with developmental disabilities in their communities. These active groups must include people with disabilities, family members, advocates and service professionals among their members.

There are about 50 RICCs in Michigan. They serve more than 50 of the state's counties. RICC community activities supported by Council objectives include community living, education, and employment. Michigan's certified RICCs each receive an annual Council grant of $500 for operating expenses.

Each RICC can receive an added $3,500 for projects related to Council goals, such as cultural diversity. Other grants of up to $8,000 are available on a competitive basis.

Council staff provide technical assistance to RICCs and help establish new committees. If there is not a certified RICC in your area, please call the Council office to learn more about starting one.

Position on inclusion

It is the position of the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council that disability is a part of the human experience. People with disabilities have specific rights as well as responsibilities. Disability is an ongoing factor in people's lives, occurring at any age, on a temporary or permanent basis.

Fundamental concepts regarding the rights of individuals with disabilities, indeed for all individuals, include: self-determination and choice-making; independent living; and the opportunity to be fully included in the social, educational, political, economic and cultural mainstream of society.

People with disabilities and their families are capable and creative. They must have key decision-making roles in policies, programs and services that affect their lives.

Our challenge is to ensure that true choices exist and barriers to full inclusion are eliminated.

Operations of the Michigan DD Council

The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council operates under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, also known as the "DD Act," and Michigan Executive Order 1984-13.

Among the council's tasks are:

• to act as an advocate for people with developmental disabilities, as a strong voice working on behalf of those citizens. Objectives of this advocacy, for example, might include helping people gain a better job and job training, or improved public transportation so they can get to that new job. Others might be insuring that children with development disabilities are included in everyday school classroom life, just as they, as adults, are to be productive members of everyday community life.  
• channel federal funds, in the form of grants, where they can do the most good and carry out the Five-Year Strategic State Plan. The grants are awarded to state and local agencies and organizations (grantees) in Michigan. These state and local groups create programs and services that support people with developmental disabilities...and the objectives of the DD Council. Programs and services that receive council grants are monitored for their productivity and results. 
• maintain and financially support a very effective system of local networking groups across the state known as "regional interagency consumer committees," or RICCs. Each RICC -- there are 43 of them -- offers lines of communication and information to local agencies that support people with developmental disabilities. Members of the RICCs come from these local groups, thus solidifying objectives and insuring results. 
• work together with other human service agencies to assist persons with developmental disabilities. This might include coordinating similar projects for even better results, or sharing data and resources on tasks with corresponding objectives.