July 20, 2011 – On the 27th of July, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) will meet in Sacramento at the Hilton Sacramento Arden West, located at 2200 Harvard Street, and vote on a policy that, if passed, will chip away at the Lanterman Act and the Individual Program Planning (IPP) process. It will place into law an official policy that declares that integrated competitive employment is the priority outcome for every adult with a developmental disability. We certainly support the intent of creating better job opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, but we believe this statement should be modified to reflect the importance that the State has historically placed on individual choice. If you agree, we need your support and your voice to be heard.
The Council Was Given Responsibility by the Legislature
The SCDD is composed of volunteers and professionals who develop the State Plan for Development Disabilities in California. The Legislature passed a bill giving the Council the task of recommending an Employment First Policy statement that could become law in California. They have completed their work and you can read the full text of their final draft report at their website (www.scdd.ca.gov).
The report contains many recommendations that could improve employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities, and we strongly support that intent. Our disagreement is with the way their Employment First Policy statement declares the desired outcome for ALL individuals with developmental disabilities, as if ALL individuals with developmental disabilities were the same. Their policy statement fails to protect the rights of the individuals as mandated by the Lanterman Act.
Other States are Different
Similar policies to make employment the desired outcome have been enacted in over 20 states. Almost all of these states have waiting lists for services. In these states, the Employment First policies are seen as progress and a way to move their stagnant service systems forward. However, these states do no have the Lanterman Act and, in many cases, it has not helped. In some states, other needed services have become more difficult to access.
No other state has the promise of the Lanterman Act that declares that each individual has the right to make important choices about their lives and not have the state make these choices for them. The most important value is placed on the individual through the IPP process and not on one value for the entire population.
The Employment First Policy of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities
The final draft policy is one sentence. It states:
“It is the policy of the State of California that integrated competitive employment is the priority outcome for working age individuals with developmental disabilities. In plain language: WORK IS FOR ALL.”
When people with developmental disabilities hear this statement, many do not like it because it says to them that others are making an important choice for them. Only a small percentage of people who will be impacted by this policy, and even fewer of their family members, have seen or heard about it.
An Alternative Employment First Policy Statement
We believe there is a better way to state this policy – one that values and respects the choice of each individual while still addressing the pressing need for more competitive job opportunities for people that want them.
We support an alternative statement that says:
“It is the policy of the State of California that opportunities for integrated competitive employment be available for all people who choose to work.”
Tell Us What You Think
We want to know what you think of the State Council’s proposed policy. KTLP thinks it is important for people with developmental disabilities and their family members and friends to express their views, whether positive or negative, directly to the State Council before their meeting on July 27. We would also appreciate your comments here.
Click here to download and print a bulletin explaining several ways to communicate to the Council.
