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MRDD Agencies

For more information about Developmental Disabilities, and services for children, adults and families, please feel free to contact any of the following websites:

Mental Retardation/ Developmental Disabilities Services Information

2005-2007 MRDD Plan Summary

Erie County announces the completion of its 2005-2007 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities.

Each year, counties in New York State develop an annual Developmental Disabilities Plan. The Erie County 2005-2007 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities contains information about what types of residential, day, and individual and family support services exist, and the number of individuals and families currently receiving those services. It also identifies the highest unmet residential, day and support service needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, and establishes priority initiatives designed to develop new services or expand existing services to meet those needs. The local priority initiatives from all of the Counties annual plans contribute to the development of New York State's five-year Plan for Developmental Disabilities. They also guide the development of local and state budget allocations that fund new program development for developmental disabilities. This process is important in assuring that limited available resources are dedicated to our most pressing developmental disability service needs in Erie County.

The Erie County 2005-2007 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/ Developmental Disabilities was developed with significant input from service consumers. The Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Subcommittee to the Erie County Mental Hygiene Community Services Board consists of 11 individual and parent service consumers. They provide advisement, assistance, and direction in developing and implementing our local planning process. Other participating organizations included the Developmental Disabilities Association of Western New York, the Parent Network and the Erie Chapter, New York State Early Childhood Direction Center. This year's Plan also sought to survey individuals' ideas and suggestions on how the OMRDD initiative called Opportunities for Persons Through Services, or OPTS, can be creatively applied to support their short and long-term hopes, dreams and life goals. Over 250 surveys were distributed directly to 51 parent groups. An additional 335 family surveys and 210 individual surveys were also distributed to 28 service agencies to achieve the widest possible distribution. Results of these surveys can be found in the Erie County 2005-2007 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, available through the Erie County Department of Mental Health.

The Erie County 2004-2006 Local Government Plan for Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities includes specific priority initiatives that recommend the development and expansion of services in all three service domain areas: residential, day, and individual and family supports. For 2005-2007, these priorities include:

Erie County conducts its local Developmental Disabilities planning process between February and May of each year through Public Forums, focus groups, surveys and other avenues. Details on next year's planning process will be available soon. It is important to participate in this process so that we can better identify and address those highest priority service needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in Erie County in the future. We encourage all interested individuals to get involved in the local planning process. Call 858-8536 for more information.