Developmental Disabilities

Connecticut Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) purchases or provides a wide range of supports and services for citizens of Connecticut with mental retardation. The supports and services DMR administers or purchases include residential services, day programs, employment supports, family supports, case management and clinical services. Services and referrals to community providers are available through the 3 regional centers.

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

The Bureau of Rehabilitation Services in the Department of Social Services operates a Vocational Rehabilitation program to assist persons with significant physical or mental disabilities prepare for, find or keep a job. This program is supported by a combination of state and federal funds. Through the provision of individualized services, persons with disabilities who are eligible for vocational rehabilitation are supported in planning for and achieving their job goals.

Sheltered Employment

The Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) contracts with private not for profit agencies to provide sheltered employment services for developmentally disabled workers with mental retardation. These facilities in Connecticut are accredited by CARF. CARF requires providers to conduct an annual comprehensive safety inspection, emergency procedures, personnel training on safety issues, and critical incident reporting, among other things. For more information about CARF accreditation, go to their website at: http://www.carf.org/ or call their main office in Tucson, AZ at 1-888-281-6531.

Competitive Employment

Supported employment is a job option for people with disabilities who require assistance in order to be gainfully employed. A job coach works side by side with the person who has a disability and trains the worker. As the worker's skills increase, the job coach does less of the actual job. People who work in supported employment situations may hold individual jobs or may work as part of a group. In each instance, a person in a supported employment job works in a regular place of employment such as a factory, store, hotel, restaurant, or hospital where there are other employees who do not have disabilities.

Health and Safety

A request for consultation for either private or public employment settings can be to CONN-OSHA which offers a variety of consulting services to both public and private employers in Connecticut. Consulting services are available at no charge and are tailored to fit individual employer needs.

Public sector employees in Connecticut are covered by the Connecticut Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health, referred to as CONN-OSHA. CONN-OSHA administers Connecticut's Public Employer Only State Plan and enforces occupational safety and health standards as they apply to all municipal and state employees. As a State Plan state, CONN-OSHA adopts and enforces standards that are at least as effective as the federal requirements. Public sector employees (i.e. municipal and state agency employees) and representatives of public sector employees are afforded the opportunity under Section 31-374(f)(1) of the Connecticut Occupational Safety and Health Act to request, in writing, a workplace inspection by CONN-OSHA if the employee(s)/representative(s) believes that a violation of a safety or health standard exists that threatens physical harm or an imminent danger exists.

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

In Connecticut, the law requires any caregiver who has witnessed, been told about, or suspects abuse or neglect to report it to the proper authorities.

Suspected cases of abuse and neglect also need to be reported to the Department of Mental Retardation case manager or broker who will help report it to the appropriate people in the region.

The Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities has the authority to investigate selected complaints from people with disabilities and into allegations of abuse and neglect with respect to adults who have mental retardation (ages 18-59).

Protection and Advocacy

The Council on Developmental Disabilities is a Governor-appointed body of people with disabilities, family members, and professionals who work together to promote the full inclusion of all people with disabilities in community life.

The Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities provides information, referral, and advocacy services; pursues legal and administrative remedies on behalf of people with disabilities who experience disability-related discrimination, provides public education and training on disability issues and informs policy makers about issues affecting people with disabilities.

Within the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR) is the independent office of the Ombudsmen for Mental Retardation. The Ombudsmen works on behalf of consumers of DMR services to address problems with access to services or fair treatment.