Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities
Annual Report FFY 2007
Annual Report FFY 2007
Greetings from the Council Chair
It has been my pleasure to serve as Chair of the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities for fiscal years 2006 and 2007. 2007 was the first year of the Council’s new 5-year plan-of-action which runs through 2011. The results you will see in this report are the first fruits of this plan-of-action. I know they will only grow in the coming years of the Plan. This is an active and involved Council whose members come from across our great state and each gives 110% of themselves to the work of the Council. As I have said before and truly believe, this is an awesome Council.
Jan Wenaas, Council Chair
Mission Statement
“The Montana Council is dedicated to a consumer driven service delivery system that improves independence, productivity and integration of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of life and community.”
Greetings from the Executive Director
As the Council was creating the 5-year, Roadmap to the Future for 2007-2011, those dates seemed so far away. But it’s true that time really does fly by, and here is the Council’s Annual Report for FFY2007.
In the 2007-2011, 5-Year Plan of Action the Council identified the following areas in which to invest its talents and resources:
Education, Employment, Community Supports, Quality Assurance and
Collaboration
This report will highlight the progresses made in reaching our goals, and resources invested. We’ll also share additional information about the Council, who we are any why we do what we do.
Please don’t hesitate to contact Council offices if you have any questions regarding the information in this report. You can reach us by phone at 1/866-443-4332 (MT toll-free) or in Helena 443-4332. We appreciate your interest and support of the Council.
Deborah Swingley, Executive Director
Our Resources
Montana is one of 13 minimum allotment states identified by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. As a minimum allotment state Montana receives an annual allotment of $461,116; for FFY 2007.
From that allotment we:
• Maintain Council offices in Helena and a staff of two;
• Support staff and member travel and other expenses for a 25 member, Gubernatorial appointed Council from across Montana
• May have discretionary funding available for competitive award through our Calls for Investment.
FFY 2007 our award was expended as shown on this chart.
DESTINATION: Education
Dovetailing on the successes of the Graduate to Work project, the Partnership in Transition project had an outstanding first year of operation. This Council created project is contracted through the Rural Institute on Disabilities, University of Montana. List Outcomes and stories Include pictures
DESTINATION: Community Supports
Learning from the Land is the title for an exciting project designed and run by Rim Country Land Institute. This unique project provides outdoor learning experiences to identify plant and animal species, create art from the resources of the land and to mentor High School and College students on what they have learned from and about the land. Mostly self-directed, low-impact, outdoor and year round exposure to the land and its characteristics gave all the chance to engage the prairie on their own (and its own) terms. And, importantly, the experience was expressed and shared with the broader community.
“We went for a walk south of the barn, we saw deer droppings, a blown down pine tree, a dead pine tree, 2 rabbits and 2 bald-eagles. I had fun. I love it. I love wildlife.”
Gary, December 15, 2007
DESTINATION: Quality Assurance
People First Chapters
The Council provides the majority of financial support for this self-advocacy organization with Chapters located across the state. A funding shift approved by the Council in June of 2007, provides financial support to each, individual Chapter. Chapter members develop their own budgets and make all the decisions as to how their funding is expended. Currently there are 13 Chapters of People First active in Montana.
Members of the Livingston Chapter of People First of Montana
Charting Your Future, Learning Event
The Council hosted a learning event on self-directed services and self-determination in September of 2007, titled Charting Your Future. The event was developed to coincide with the Self-Directed Services Waiver submitted by the Department of Public Health and Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Program.
Nationally known speakers, including Norm and Emma Kunc and Tom Nerney and Pat Carver of the Center for Self-Determination keynoted the event, as well as talented presenters from Montana on a broad variety of subject surrounding the issue and state delivered services.
A high-light of the event was the screening of the film “Profoundly Normal”, the true life story of Ricardo and Donna Thornton who began their lives in an institution thirty-some years ago, and are now a happily married, successful couple with adult children on their own. We were especially fortunate to have Richardo, Donna and their son Rick attend the event and do a question and answer session after the screening of the film. Approximately 235 persons attended the event, including persons with disabilities, parents and family members, state agency staff, providers and other interested persons.
MT Youth Leadership Forum(MYLF)
The Montana Youth Leadership forum continues to excel in its mission of leadership development and empowerment because it focuses on youth with disabilities and issues specifically related to disability. There are other leadership programs in Montana for youth such as Boy’s State and Girl’s State, however, few if any, youth with significant disabilities have the opportunity to attend these programs. Youth that have attended either Boy’s or Girl’s State and MYLF indicate that MYLF enhanced their experiences, rather than duplicate it. Twenty high school sophomores, juniors and seniors with disabilities from across the state attend the youth leadership forum held on the campus of Carroll College each July.
DESTINATION: Collaboration
The Council continues to work in collaboration on a variety of projects with a variety of partners, including the Rural Institute on Disabilities, Governor’s Transition Team, Montana Transportation Partnership, Home Choice Coalition, Youth Leadership Forum Advisory Board and Disability Rights Montana.
| Council Members | Council Staff | |
| Jason Billehus, Missoula | ||
| Janet Carlson, Malta | Deborah Swingley, Executive Director | |
| Sara Casey, Helena | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | |
| Melissa Clark, Great Falls | (406)443-4371 | |
| Keough Duffy, Missoula | ||
| Lisa T. Hathaway, Bozeman | ||
| Roger Holt, Billings | Dee Burrell, Contract Manager | |
| Rocky Hughes, Kalispell | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | |
| Kellie Karasco, Manhattan | (406) 443-4332 | |
| Rep. Carol Lambert, Broadus | ||
| Joan Miles, Helena | ||
| Darwin Nelson, Helena | MT Council on Developmental Disabilities | |
| Barb Olind, Baker | PO Box 526 | |
| Shawn Parker, Box Elder | 7 West 6th Avenue, Suite 2A (59601) | |
| PJ Rismon-Beckley, Kalispell | Helena, Montana 59624 | |
| Diana Tavary, Helena | (866) 443-4332 | |
| Brenda Walters, Billings | www.mtcdd.org | |
| Jan Wenaas, Great Falls | ||
| Connie Wethern, Glasgow | ||
| Sen. Carol Williams, Missoula |
“Committed to a consumer-driven service delivery system that improves independence, productivity and integration of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of life and community."