Developmental Disabilities

Arizona Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), housed in the Arizona Department of Economic Security, has as its mission "To support the choices of individuals with disabilities and their families by promoting and providing, within communities, flexible, quality, consumer-driven services and supports." The DDD provides case management and adult services as well as operates the Arizona Training Program at Coolidge and smaller state-operated group homes. For information on who is eligible for services or for more information about the services provided call or write:

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), Arizona Department of Economic Security, programs provides a variety of specialized services for individuals with physical or mental disabilities that create barriers to employment or independent living. The mission of the RSA is to work with individuals with disabilities to achieve increased independence and/or gainful employment through the provision of comprehensive rehabilitative and employment support services.

Sheltered Employment

Sheltered employment is a service which provides a controlled and protected environment, additional supervision and other supports for individuals engaged in remunerative work either in a sheltered workshop or in the community. These service options are available for clients of the Employment Support Services (ESS) Program, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Arizona Department of Economic Security. For more information and to check eligibility, contact the ESS:

Competitive Employment

The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Vocational Rehabilitation Program works cooperatively with the Arizona One-Stop system. Under the new federal Workforce Investment Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation program is a partner within the overall workforce investment/development system in Arizona. Other RSA employment initiatives include (1) Project Hire, a partnership between the Department of Economic Security and the Department of Administration. It was designed to provide quality employment opportunities for people with disabilities desiring State employment and (2) Business Organization and Occupation Service Training (BOOST), a business, community and volunteer-based program. It provides opportunity for employment through customer service, computer, and other skills training. For more information write or call:

Health and Safety

The Arizona Occupational Safety and Health consultation activities are available at no charge to any business with one or more employees through the State.

The Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health (ADOSH) operates under an approved plan with the U.S. Department of Labor to retain jurisdiction over occupational safety and health issues within Arizona, excluding mining operations, Indian Reservations and federal employees. This jurisdiction encompasses approximately 1.8 million employees and 104,000 public and private establishments. ADOSH investigates complaints about workplace safety and health hazards. For further information contact:

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

People can report abuse, neglect, and exploitation of Arizona's vulnerable or incapacitated adults, to the Department of Economic Security, Division of Aging and Adult Services.

Protection and Advocacy

Another advocacy source is the Arizona State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council. The mission of the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities is to bring together persons with disabilities representing Arizona's cultural diversity and their families and other community members, to protect rights, eliminate barriers, and jointly promote equal opportunities. This is achieved through a philosophy of self-determination with increased options through state-wide planning, advocacy, monitoring and community action for public policy change. For further information, contact:

The Arizona Center for Disability Law provides information on legal rights; represents individuals in negotiations or in administrative proceedings and court; investigates abuse and neglect; provides outreach and training on legal rights and self-advocacy; brings impact litigation to remedy systemic problems; provides technical assistance to groups and individuals on disability-related legal issues.