The Council receives a federal formula grant from the Department of Health and Human Services every three years. The funds are used to fund and initiate programs and projects that fulfill the mission of the DD Act for individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve full citizenship and inclusion in the community through advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change.
Some of our programs and initiatives include:
Kentucky Partners in Policymaking
The goal of Kentucky Partners in Policymaking (KPIP) is to accomplish productive partnerships between the people needing and utilizing services and those who form public policy. KPIP was founded on the belief that the most significant and lasting public policy decisions came from the efforts of those most affected by them, working together with public officials and policy experts. KPIP educates participants about present issues and best practices and teaches them about local, state and federal levels legislative processes of policymaking. The program sessions cover and are dedicated to specific topics presented by nationally known experts in their fields. Topics include History of Disabilities & Services, Inclusive Education, Kentucky’s Legislative Process, Social Engagement, Community Organizing, and Systems Change Advocacy.
More information on the KPIP Program - Click Here
Transportation Initiative
The Transportation Initiative is a project of the University of Kentucky's Human Development Institute. The Transportation Initiative seeks to provide comprehensive information and education on transportation options. Training material including video, audio, and print material may be found at the Transportation Initiative website. Topics include ADA Paratransit, NEMT, Hart-Supported Living, Ride Share, Blind Work Expense, K-TAP Kentucky Works Program and etc. View the link below for more inforamtion.
More information on the Transportation Initiative - Click Here
My Choice Kentucky: Supported Decision-Making
Supported decision-making is the use of trusted friends, family member, and professionals to get the help we need to make our own decisions. This help can come in many forms including but not limited to evaluating a situation, weighting pros and cons, exploring options, offering advice based on experience, and/or explaining complicated documents or concepts.
Think for a moment about the decisions you make, every day. Simple and hard choices. Important choices and silly ones. What you want to do, who to see, where to live, work, and go. These choices make us who we are and show us who we want to be. They are the building blocks of the rights every American holds dear: the rights to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.
More information on My Choice Kentucky - Click Here
Housing Solutions Projects
Mattingly Edge is taking on the challenge of identifying current housing issues in Kentucky for people with disabilities and providing a road map for addressing those challenges.
“Through the Housing Solutions Project we will examine the obstacles people with disabilities face in Kentucky when it comes to finding housing that is both affordable and accessible,” said Hope Leet Dittmeier, Executive Director, Mattingly Edge. “During this intensive process we will be figuring out what it will take to incentivize the housing industry to create more affordable and accessible housing. We will also create a working committee of volunteers that includes developers, architects, landlords, realtors, and others within the housing arena.”
The research and work will focus on creating typical housing options for people with disabilities that areintegrated and desirable to the average valued citizen. The prevailing model in Kentucky pairs housing with support services, forcing many disabled Kentuckians to live in congregated and segregated living spaces. Historically, funding has flowed to organizations that own segregated housing rather than to individuals with disabilities themselves. The Housing Solutions Project seeks to provide a variety of solutions to this issue, including home-ownership, multi-family housing, co-housing with non-disabled peers, community land trusts, and tenancy.
More information on Housing Solutions Project - Click Here