District of Columbia
Vision for Supporting Families and the CoP in DC:
- To ensure the DD system is accessible, connected, easy to navigate, and streamlined for all families in DC.
- Connecting families with resources and information at the right time and in a way that works for them.
- Supporting SF CoP partners’ work through collaboration and capacity building.
Innovation/Focus Areas:
- Improving coordination and support among SF CoP partners and other CoPs in the District-including cross participation
- SF CoP launched a family priority survey to plan focus for outreach events with communication with families based on their preferences.
- Continuously building relationships and trust between families, self-advocates, and the state/jurisdiction
Success Stories:
- Annual Latino Conference on Disability and Ethiopian/Eritrean Conferences continue to grow and engage underserved communities in DC.
- Parenting Support Program is a DC Health funded home visiting program designed to support the need of parents with intellectual disabilities who are pregnant or parenting young children through age 5.
- Family Ties of DC is a parent to parent program in the Nation’s Capital to match parents who have a child(ren) with a disability with a parent of a child with a disability who has been on their parenting journey for intentional emotional and informational support.
- Family Support Council offers recommendations to DC Government Agencies on how best to support families that include a member IDD/DD.
Resources and Highlights:
Supporting Links:
- Team CoP Website: https://dds.dc.gov/page/dc-supporting-families-community-practice
- Team/State DD Agency: https://dds.dc.gov/
- Team/State DD Council Link: https://ddc.dc.gov/
DC CoP Lead Partners:
- Project Action: https://www.facebook.com/dcprojectaction/
- DC Family Support Council: https://dds.dc.gov/publication/dc-family-support-council-fsc