Article 3- Sep 24

Community Power!

Highlighting helpful resources throughout the state

 

Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities

by Whit Downing, Board Secretary, Faces of Change Alumna '17, and KCDD Program Coordinator

 

Hello! My name is Whit Downing, and I am the Program Coordinator for the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD). In addition to working for KCDD, I am the KYEA board secretary and am a graduate of the Faces of Change program. I love all things KYEA, and I am so excited to share a little bit about my job, and how youth can be involved!

At KCDD, we are all about empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to change systems and advocate for inclusive communities where everyone belongs and thrives. We want all people with I/DD to live, learn, work, play, belong, and thrive in the community they choose. We support people of all ages with developmental disabilities, so they have the opportunity to make choices regarding both their participation in society and their quality of life.

Does any of this sound interesting to you? Are you a young person who is looking for ways to get involved?

One way that you can be involved is by joining our Health Equity and Outcomes Coalition. Health equity means that everyone, regardless of a disability, should have the same opportunity to achieve their best health. Our Health Equity Coalition includes staff from KDADS, behavioral health professionals, health care workers, parents, and people with lived experience (people with disabilities). Through the coalition, we aim to ensure that the Kansas healthcare system encourages health equity for all Kansans living with I/DD.

Our coalition has four active workgroups:

Pediatric to Adult Clinical Care
Inclusive Research
Aging and the Caregiving Crisis
Behavioral Health

Another opportunity to get involved with KCDD is by participating in our mental health support group for individuals with I/DD. We aim to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. We want to help individuals with I/DD to embrace their unique strengths and give people ideas/resources to help them overcome their challenges. The group will be held on the first Friday of each month, on Zoom, from 4:30 until 5:30 pm.

At KCDD, we are committed to including self-advocates in all of the work we do! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at whit@kcdd.org. You can also learn more about KCDD at https://kcdd.org/.