Advocacy and leadership are the two most important cornerstones of the disability movement. It involves self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), parents, siblings and guardians passionately telling their story, the challenges they face and the opportunities they see for more inclusion and integration in their local communities, within the state and on the federal level.
As part of its 2022-2026 Five-Year State Plan, the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) seeks to increase access to leadership development trainings and tools so that people with disabilities and their families so that they can better advocate for their needs and preferences. This will increase the advocacy capacity of self-advocates in the areas of: independence, self-determination and inclusion in the community.
Relying on advocacy, leadership training and education, the Council will focus its efforts two specific objectives:
- Establish and Strengthen Statewide Self Advocacy (DD Act Requirement)
By 2026, Kansas will strengthen a state self-advocacy organization led by people with DD, the Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK), through supporting and increasing the number of self-advocates who participated in leadership training so they can provide others including additionally identified self-advocates with opportunities to learn and engage in personal, collaborative, and civic leadership so that self-advocates can be on workgroups, committees, Councils, and commissions. - Support advocacy training and development programs for family members
By 2026, Kansas will have increased the number of newly identified family members who have participated in leadership and advocacy training so they can provide their families and other family to family peers with opportunities to learn and engage in personal, collaborative, and civic leadership.
Self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), parents, siblings and guardians are encouraged to get involved in the Council’s advocacy and leadership activities. To receive updates about opportunities to get involved, sign up below.
