Virginia's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Planning Council
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2009 VBPD Competitive Grants - Available Funds to be Announced in DecemberImportant Changes to Proposal Process
2008 Biennial Assessment of Virginia’s Disability Services System now available!
Coalition for Students with Disabilities Comment on Draft Special Education Regulations.
Join the Virginia Special Education Network!Welcome to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD) website. VBPD serves as Virginia's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Planning Council. DD Councils are in every state and territory of the United States. They work for the benefit of individuals with DD and their families to identify needs and help develop policies, programs and services that will meet these needs in a manner that respects dignity and independence.
Under mandate of federal and state law, VBPD works to promote and guide public policy changes and create opportunities for new approaches in our service delivery systems. VBPD is proud to have enriched the lives of Virginians with developmental and other disabilities by investing in over 200 best practice, model demonstration and research grant projects that have created change in the areas of education, employment, housing, early intervention, transportation, recreation, and community integration. We work with many public and private groups across the state and nationally to identify best practices, new approaches, and collaborative ventures that facilitate our mission and increase the independence, productivity, and integration of people with disabilities in our Commonwealth.
A key aspect of our work is to advise the Governor, legislators and government agencies on public policy issues as well as on how to develop programs and services for people with DD that will eliminate barriers to full inclusion in all facets of community life. We believe that people with disabilities and their family members play a critical role in identifying needs and in having a say in the policies and programs that affect their lives. Twenty four of our 40 Board members are individuals with disabilities, parents, or family members of individuals with disabilities. Their experiences and perspectives play a vital role in guiding our ongoing efforts to ensure responsive, individualized, and flexible systems of services and supports in our communities.
We look forward to working with you on the important issues and challenges ahead and hope that you find the information and resources on this website helpful.
Heidi Lawyer
Executive Director
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