Developmental Disabilities

North Dakota Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The Developmental Disabilities Services, North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS), provide support and training to individuals and families in order to maximize community and family inclusion, independence, and self-sufficiency; to prevent institutionalization; and to enable institutionalized individuals to return to the community. To achieve this goal, Developmental Disabilities contracts with private, nonprofit and for-profit organizations to provide an array of residential services, day services, and family support services.

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

The Vocational Rehabilitation Services, North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS), assist individuals with disabilities achieve competitive employment and increased independence through rehabilitation services. Vocational Rehabilitation provides training and employment services to eligible individuals with physical or mental impairments so that they can become and remain employed.

Sheltered Employment

Dakota East Vocational Services, North Dakota Department of Human Services, provides productive and meaningful work to enable people to reach their work potential. This is accomplished through evaluation trials at various work sites to determine interests, abilities, and training needs. Services are provided in conjunction with physical and occupational therapy, adaptive equipment, and psychological and medical services, as appropriate. Employment training opportunities range from direct employment with a range of support, to enclave and sheltered workshop assignments. Items produced by the employees of Dakota East are available through a variety of retail outlets, including the privately owned and operated gift shop. Wholesale products are distributed to many local and regional retailers for value-added processing.

Competitive Employment

The North Dakota Vocational Rehabilitation Services Supported Employment provides training for individuals with significant disabilities who, because of the severity of their physical or mental impairments, have never been employed or have a history of sporadic employment. Individuals served by this program need ongoing intervention on or off the job in order to maintain employment. A job coach or employment specialists within private, nonprofit agencies generally provide intervention.

Health and Safety

The North Dakota Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Office provides free consultation service to help employers improve their occupational safety and health management systems and to help 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) Bismarck Area Office provides safety and health protections to most private sector workers and state and local government employees within the state of North Dakota. OSHA investigates complaints about workplace safety and health hazards.

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

The North Dakota Department of Human Services Vulnerable Adult Protective Services develops, administers, and implements a program of protective services for vulnerable adults. North Dakota Century Code states that any person who reasonably believes that a vulnerable adult has been subjected to abuse or neglect or observes conditions or circumstances that reasonably would result in abuse or neglect may report the information to the department or to an appropriate law enforcement agency. A vulnerable adult is any person older than age 18, or emancipated by marriage that has a substantial mental or functional impairment. Under the law, the North Dakota Department of Human Services (l) Has the right to assess and to provide or arrange the provision of adult protective services, if the vulnerable adult consents and accepts the services, and 2) May pursue administrative, legal, or other remedies authorized by law, which are necessary and appropriate to protect a vulnerable adult who cannot give consent, and to prevent further abuse or neglect. To contact a vulnerable adult protective service worker , contact:

Protection and Advocacy

The North Dakota Disabilities Advocacy Consortium (NDDAC) advocates for public policy that ensures all people with disabilities and their families are fully integrated into the mainstream of society. The NDDAC works to improve the quality of life through greater independence, empowerment, and self-determination; guarantee the freedom to exercise rights and responsibilities as citizens of North Dakota including the option of receiving services in the least restrictive environment, and promote universal accessibility in all aspects of life.

The North Dakota Protection and Advocacy Project (P&A) is an independent state agency that protects and advocates for the rights of people with disabilities within established priorities. P&A serves eligible individuals, of all ages with all types of disabilities, at no cost. P&A also advocates for individuals to receive disability-related assistive technology devices and services. P&A works exclusively for the person with a disability. P&A's efforts focus on the expressed wishes of the client, within his or her legal rights. P&A believes that people with disabilities should be empowered to advocate on their own behalf to the extent possible. An individual should have the greatest opportunity to shape his or her personal destiny. Services provided by P&A promote client control in decision-making. P&A focuses on the employment of people with disabilities in order to foster independence, productivity, and integration into the community. The Protection and Advocacy Project may be contacted by telephone or by e-mail: