Developmental Disabilities

Kentucky Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The mission of the Kentucky Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation is "to provide leadership, in partnership with others, to prevent disability, build resilience in individuals and their communities, and facilitate recovery for people whose lives have been affected by mental illness, mental retardation or other developmental disability, substance abuse or an acquired brain injury." For more information, write or call:

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation assists eligible individuals with disabilities achieve their employment goals. The Office provides vocational rehabilitation services to eligible individuals with disabilities to assist with entry into employment and productivity in the workplace and community.

Sheltered Employment

The Carl D. Perkins Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center operates as a Division of the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. Its mission is to provide comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services that assists individuals achieve suitable employment and/or increased independent functioning. The Center supports the achievement of its mission by providing two basic types of programs to students 16 years of age and older: evaluation programs which assess functional capacities and vocational potential and treatment/training programs which correct problems that might limit functional capacity or employability. The Work Adjustment Program is a program designed to improve work-related behavior and habits. There are classroom plus hands-on components. This program prepares individuals for job training, improves job readiness and enhances interpersonal skills needed to become successfully employed. The PACE program offered at the Center encourages development of work habits and work skills at an actual work site.

Competitive Employment

The Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Services serves individuals with disabilities needing assistance in vocational planning and job development. Supported Employment is competitive employment in an integrated setting, or employment in integrated work settings in which an individual is working toward competitive employment, consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, interests, and informed choice The services are designed to increase or enhance the individual's skills and independence.

Health and Safety

The Division of Education and Training, Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Program, assists employers and employees by promoting voluntary compliance with the occupational safety and health standards. This cost-free assistance consists of technical training, consultation, publications and information on injury-illness recordkeeping requirements.

The Division of Compliance, Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Program, is responsible for the enforcement of Kentucky's Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Safety Compliance Officers and Industrial Hygienists inspect workplaces to assure that there are no hazardous conditions which would threaten the health or safety of workers. Jurisdiction includes all public and private employers and employees with the exception of those in private sector maritime activities, federal employees, employment at Tennessee Valley Authority facilities, military bases and any properties ceded to the U.S. Government. (These remain under OSHA jurisdiction.) The vast majority of employers and employees in Kentucky, however, are impacted by the Kentucky OSH Program.

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

The Family and Adult Consultative Services (FACS) Branch, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, ensures the safety and stability of Kentucky's vulnerable adults. The Family and Adult Consultative Services Branch is responsible for ensuring the protection from abuse, neglect or exploitation of adults with a mental or physical disability and victims of domestic violence across the commonwealth. This branch focuses on three main areas, which include: Fiduciary, guardianship, and adult protection. Adult Protective and General Adult Services are directed toward preserving vulnerable individuals' independence and/or protecting them from abuse, neglect and/or exploitation. Field staff who provide these services are located in each county Department for Community Based Services office. The Adult Abuse Hot-Line is (800) 752-6200.

Protection and Advocacy

The Kentucky Protection & Advocacy (P&A) is an independent state agency that was designated by the Governor as the protection and advocacy agency for Kentucky. P&A's staff includes professional advocates and attorneys. Advocates work together with people who have disabilities to promote and protect their legal rights through information and referral services, P&A tries to answer questions about rights under disability laws. Services provided include: training groups about rights under disability laws; investigating reported or suspected abuse or neglect of people with disabilities; providing technical assistance to attorneys and other professionals; providing technical assistance about legislative and policy concerns.