Projects of National Significance 

Fiscal Year 2005 Performance Highlights 

Projects of National Significance (PNS) are short-term projects 
that focus on the most pressing issues affecting people with 
developmental disabilities and their families. These projects 
allow ADD to address specific issues that are important to the 
developmental disabilities community. Project issues transcend 
the borders of States and Territories, while project designs are 
oriented to permit local implementation of practical solutions. 
PNS Projects in FY 2005 included: 

Family Support 360 

While many service programs are available in this country, they 
often fail to meet the diverse needs of an individual with developmental 
disabilities and his or her family. A family may need several services, 
and many service systems address primarily one need, such as health or 
employment. These systems usually focus on one individual, not the person 
and his or her family. Family Support 360 grants help States design a 
one-stop center to meet the many needs of individuals with disabilities 
and their families. A one-stop center serves as a centralized location 
to access a wide range of services. In FY 2005, 9 planning grants helped 
organizations to design one-stop centers in CT, DE, IL, IA, MS, ND, NJ, 
OH, and TN. Additionally, 21 implementation grants helped the following 
States and Territories make their plans a reality: AK, CO, DC, HI, ID, MA, 
MD, MI, MN, MO, NH, NC, CNMI, OR, RI, SD, UT, VT, and WI. 

In FY 2005, grantees developed a variety of tools and resources, including 
online intake and referrals, intake assessments, and data collection tools, 
as well as promotional materials, such as brochures and press releases. 
Eleven grantees were involved with either their Governor’s office or other 
local or state elected officials, and several officials participated on 
grantees’ family support councils and advisory committees. Over 1500 families 
received information and referrals, and over 560 families developed Family 
Service Plans (FSPs) with the family support navigators. 

http://www.addfamilysupport360.org/3_10/index.html 

Youth Information, Training, and Resource Centers Grants 

ADD provides grants to fifteen organizations across the country in order 
to support the development of information, resource and training centers 
for youth (ages 13 - 17) and emerging leaders (ages 18 - 30) with 
developmental disabilities. The grantees, located in CA, DC, DE, IA, IL, 
MD, MN, NM, NC, OK, OR, and WA, serve young people in unserved and underserved 
communities. Three of these grantees are national organizations, serving 
youth across the United States. Each 
organization has received a three-year grant of up to $100,000 to support its 
model youth information center. Each project has reached out to youth and young 
people with developmental disabilities, providing information, training, and 
experiences to assist them with their post-school decisions, to become leaders, 
and to serve as role models for other young people. In FY 2005, over 777 youth 
and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities participated in trainings, 
community activities and advisory boards. Over 136 other youth and emerging 
leaders received information and referrals from the grantees. http://www.addyic.org 

Ongoing Data Collection and Information Dissemination 

ADD funds four national projects designed to study and provide information about 
financial commitments and programmatic trends in developmental disabilities 
services and support. Project focuses include: 

. Analysis of trends and innovations in Medicaid spending 

. Research on the nature of day and employment services for individuals with developmental disabilities, 

. Examination and study of housing-related activities. 

. Support of the web based Medicaid Reference Desk. 

www.thedesk.info http://www.cu.edu/ColemanInstitute/stateofthestates/index.html http://rtc.umn.edu 

http://statedata.info 

Find this and other ADD Publications on the Web at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/add/