Developmental Disabilities

Missouri Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD), Missouri Department of Mental Health, serves a population that has developmental disabilities such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, head injuries, autism, epilepsy, and certain learning disabilities. The Division improves the lives of persons with developmental disabilities through programs and services to enable those persons to live independently and productively.

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

The Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is a team of dedicated individuals working for the continuous improvement of education and services for all citizens. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides leadership and promotes excellence by championing high-quality services to persons with disabilities; advocating equity and access for all persons; developing all divisional staff and community service providers and establishing standards that demand excellence and build a solid foundation for lifelong learning, workplace skills, and citizenship. Putting people first means ensuring that the Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation provides the highest quality of employment oriented services to Missourians with disabilities.

Sheltered Employment

The Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education oversees the Sheltered Workshop program statewide. The Department's Sheltered Workshop Section certifies, regulates, and monitors workshop activities. A sheltered workshop operates like any other light assembly or service shop, except that the employees are adults whose physical or mental disabilities currently prevent them from competing for regular employment. Employees are paid on a piece-rate basis according to their ability to produce, compared with non-disabled workers who would be paid the prevailing wage for the job. The workshop provides them a place to perform meaningful work and more productive lives. There is a lot of promise for workshops, as their scope is increased and purposes are broadened, to serve more people with disabilities, and to provide new opportunities for those that are currently being served.

Competitive Employment

The Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) provides supported employment services to a diverse population of consumers. Supported employment is defined as competitive work in an integrated work setting with ongoing support services for individuals with disabilities. The division places an emphasis on the development of natural support systems for consumers who participate in supported employment. The Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) strives to enhance community rehabilitation services throughout Missouri. The VR and the Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) collaboratively work with an outcome-based service model that emphasizes results and values successful employment outcomes. The division funds a variety of services to consumers in CRPs; it purchases services from local, nationally accredited, nonprofit CRPs and does not own or operate any of the programs. Access to community-based services is a division priority. This type of work experience allows the individual to work with non-disabled employees in the competitive labor market, or in a setting where he/she is working toward competitive employment.

Health and Safety

The Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations' Division of Labor Standards On-Site Safety and Health Consultation Program is a free and confidential service to help Missouri employers comply with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. The program also helps provide safe and healthy workplaces for employees by helping the employer locate and remove existing hazards in the facility, thereby reducing injuries and illnesses.

The Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Kansas City and St. Louis Area Offices provide safety and health protections to most private sector workers and state and local government employees within the state. OSHA investigates complaints about workplace safety and health hazards.

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' Elder Abuse and Neglect Hotline responds to reports of alleged abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of persons 60 years of age or older and other eligible adults between age 18 and 59. The program provides investigation, intervention and follow-up services to victims and stresses the mentally competent adult's right to make their own decisions. The hotline, 800-392-0210, operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Requirements are intended to protect adults who demonstrate a need for protective services or who are suspected to be victims of abuse or neglect.

Protection and Advocacy

The Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services is a federally mandated system in the state of Missouri which provides protection of the rights of persons with disabilities through legally based advocacy. It was established in 1977 to address public outcry in response to the abuse, neglect and lack of programming in institutions for persons with disabilities. The governor of Missouri designated the Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services to be Missouri's protection and advocacy system, and provided assurance that the system was and would remain independent of any service provider. The mission is to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities by providing advocacy and legal services. Seven federally funded programs are provided to protect the legal rights of persons with disabilities.