Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network (KARRN) is a collaborative team that advocates to empower communities impacted by disability. CCDD provided funding to KARRN to improve access to community areas. The first supported cohort was a group of students from Perry County High School. The students worked together to make a local park more accessible. Read about this project in Exceptional Family Magazine on page 10.
For more information on KARRN- Click Here
Exceptional Family Kentucky
Exceptional Family Kentucky is the only magazine dedicated to disability issues in Kentucky. It is published twice per year and distributed statewide. 20,000 copies are printed in English and 2,000 in Spanish. The resource guide boasts over 450 listings. If you would like more information on the magazine email nicole.maher@ky.gov
To read the magazine online: https://ccdd-edit.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
The Independence Seekers Project
The Independence SeekersProject (ISP) is led by and for people with developmental and intellectual
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disabilities, especially those who are in Medicaid funded programs.
Additionally, they work to center the perspective and participation of: BIPOC,
low income, women, and LGBTQ folks in leadership and decision making. The
majority of their Leadership Council has been institutionalized, under
guardianship, and/or received Medicaid services. ISP would like to implement the Advocacy & Sexuality Initiative. Skills taught include interpersonal relationships and boundaries along with etiquette around dating and sexuality. Louisville School of Medicine, will be involved in creating curriculum. ISP will host an unconference after the implementation of the Advocacy & Sexuality Initiative. This will allow disabled folks to freely discuss sexuality with other disabled people and their support teams.
It’s Never Too Early, Employment Initiative
This project will update and provide training on employment using Employment Checklist tools and related
resources (available at https://hdi.uky.edu/employment-checklists). These resources were initially developed through a Kentucky family/advocacy workgroup as part of a Partnerships in Employment statewide systems change project. As part of this project, the early childhood checklist, targeting children aged three - five and their families, will be reviewed by families, staff and consultants with lived disability experience. The updated resources will be the central element of trainings offered to families and child care providers around the state, including Visually Impaired Preschool Services in Jefferson County, Memorial Childcare in Pulaski County, and Easterseals Redwood in northern Kentucky. A powerful component of this effort is the committed partnership of Child Care Aware Kentucky which provides support and learning opportunities for roughly 1,650 licensed child care providers across the state. This provides an immediate and trusted training entity to help us amplify the work statewide.
Mattingly Edge Housing Solutions
Communities across the country are creating their own neighborhoods designed to increase connection,
diversity, social support, and sustainability. These neighborhoods are sometimes called "cohousing communities."
Cohousing communities are made up of residents who collaborate in the design and operation of their neighborhood. These communities benefit from the best of both worlds by combining private home with shared amenities that connect you to your neighbors.
Their vision for a cohousing community in Louisville:
- Multi-Generational: Accommodates neighbors at all stages of life. From single adults, families with children, seniors looking to age in place, and everyone in between.
- Universal Design: Designed to accommodate neighbors of all abilities and stages of life.
- Affordable: A development that includes both affordable and market rate units.
- Inclusive and Diverse: Intentional efforts to make the community desirable and attainable for people of diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.
- Centrally Located: Accessible to public transportation, grocery stores, and other community amenities