​Developmental Disabilities Council

The council's vision and mission focus on the creation of a commonwealth in which all people are linked together in mutuality and interdependence. Our mission is threefold: to empower people with disabilities; to ensure access to goods and services, and to encourage freely given and unpaid relationships between Pennsylvanians with and without disabilities.

The Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council is a group made up of people with disabilities, family members, advocates, and state department representatives who work to create favorable conditions for people with developmental disabilities and their families in the Commonwealth. Created under a federal act and Governor's Executive Order, the Council is both a planning group and a funding body.

The MyODP Training and Resource Center supports the Office of Developmental Programs in providing consistent statewide training. This office also provides local training and technical assistance to county MH/ID agencies to meet the needs of individuals and families who receive supports and services through their local intellectual disability office. The MyODP Training and Resource Center also provides training and technical assistance that focuses on the practice of person-centered support for individuals and families. Training and technical assistance efforts adhere to the principles of Everyday Lives.

The National Academies Press (NAP) was created by the National Academies of Science. The National Academies strive to apply the knowledge, analytical tools, and methods of the behavioral and social sciences to some of the nation's most pressing issues. NAP publishes books and reports issued by the Academies and the National Research Council on a range of health matters, such as epilepsy, ADHD, autism. Hundreds of these books and reports can be downloaded for free, on the Web. For example, read the full text of the report "Educating Children with Autism" for free on the web.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the nation's premier public health agency. The CDC is one of the major operating components of the Department of Health and Human Services. Their mission is to collaborate to create the expertise, information, and tools that people and communities need to protect their health. Their website offers reliable information on a number of medical conditions in English, Spanish and other languages.

The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET) coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.

ACHIEVA, formerly Arc Allegheny, is western Pennsylvania's largest provider of comprehensive services and supports for children and adults with disabilities and their families.

The Institute on Disabilities in partnership with people with disabilities, families and allies from diverse cultures, work to change systems so that people can live, learn, work and play in the communities of their choice. The Institute on Disabilities is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities in their pursuit of interdependence, contribution, and inclusion. This mission is accomplished through training, technical assistance, services and supports, research, dissemination, and advocacy.

The Vision for Equality is a unique organization born out of a collective desire for systems change. We interface daily with the service system to set a presence in people's lives and to bring the perspective of the "customer" and their family to the forefront. We define our roles as advocates and monitors promoting quality and equality in the system and one community for all.

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) is designed to promote interest of professional and parental development with resources for individuals who have the co-existence of mental illness and intellectual disabilities.

The Arc is the national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related disabilities and their families.

The Arc Pennsylvania is the local chapter of the Arc national organization on mental retardation and related disabilities and their families.

Pennsylvania Early Intervention Technical Assistance provides training and technical assistance to MH/ID early intervention programs (birth to age three) and MAWA (Mutually Agreed Upon Written Arrangement) agency early intervention programs (age three to age of beginners) in support of family-centered practices and supporting children in their natural environments.

Pennsylvania The Dual Diagnosis Forum provides an opportunity for networking, idea sharing and reflection among people who provide supports to others facing the dual challenge of intellectual disability and mental illness.

TASH is an international advocacy organization for people with disabilities. Read legislative news or find a local chapter.

Speaking for Ourselves - Our Purpose is to help our members run their organizations, develop leadership skills through real-life experiences, learn to work together collectively to address their own issues, and increase their own self-sufficiency and independence.

NPPSIS is the National Parent to Parent Organization that is a volunteer organization that connects parents of children with special health care needs and rare disorders.

The primary purpose of QualityMall.org is to collect and disseminate information related to or useful in promoting quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. It is not a retailer or vendor of products or services, but uses the theme of a shopping mall to help connect visitors to the best products and services available. People involved with, experienced with, or simply aware of such services are invited to visit QualityMall.org, shop the many "stores," and make recommendations for new products and services.

Self-Determination Housing Project of Pennsylvania, Inc. The goal of the project is to build upon recent national and state efforts to increase the stock of affordable, accessible and integrated housing. By bringing together individuals committed to this goal, the project is expanding access to public and private housing programs and self-determination in housing for persons with developmental disabilities.

The Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA Act 79-1987) requires employees and administrators of community providers to submit a criminal background check for employment and report the suspected abuse of any person who is receiving care from the agency regardless of age. The PA Dept. of Aging is providing on-line, self-study training for mandatory abuse reporting and criminal background checks.