Basic Information
The DD Council wants input from people with developmental disabilities, families and advocates. Here is how we will get the information.
Cafe Locations and Times:
- Flint
- Mass Transit (MTA) office
- When: February 24, 2009
- Time: 1 pm 5 pm
- Registration Deadline: February 17, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
- Southfield
- Michigan First Credit Union
- When: March 19, 2009
- Time: 9:30 am 2 pm
- Registration Deadline: March 12, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
- Plainwell
- Comfort Inn
- When: April 28, 2009
- Time: 9:30 am 2 pm
- Registration Deadline: April 21, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
- Midland
- Holiday Inn
- When: May 5, 2009
- Time: 9:30 am 2 pm
- Registration Deadline: April 28, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
- Gaylord
- Treetops Resort
- When: May 20, 2009
- Time: 10:30 am 3 pm
- Registration Deadline: May 13, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
- Marquette
- Marquette Commons
- When: June 11, 2009
- Time: 12:30 4:30 pm
- Registration Deadline: June 4, 2009
- Cafe Location Map Link
Café Style Forums
We will use a World Café style of forum. Instead of 1 person at a time speaking from a podium, people sit Café style at round tables. Groups engage in in-depth conversation about specific questions.
The purpose of the Café is to gather data. We will:
- Identify and explore key issues affecting the lives of people with developmental disabilities.
- Identify critical challenges.
- Identify possible solutions.
Each Café table will have a host to lead the conversation. Another person will serve as the recorder. Following the Café, hosts and recorders will meet to analyze the information gathered and explore common themes. Michigan Disability Rights Coalition (MDRC) will plan and lead each Café.
Focus Groups
Following the forums, six focus groups will be held, one in each region. 3 focus groups will be people with disabilities. 2 focus groups will be family members. 1 group will be service providers and advocates. DD Council, committee and work group members will be part of each focus group.
The focus groups will generate more ideas and evaluate possible solutions to the problems identified in the Cafés. This may include:
- Perceptions of the need.
- Current efforts for advocacy.
- Identify best practices and creative approaches that have been used in their area.
- Generate possible strategies to overcome service gaps and barriers.
Capitol Research Services (CRS) will plan and conduct the focus groups. CRS will also prepare a report on the results from each Focus Group.
State Strategy Team
The state-level Strategy Team will include DD Council members, people with DD, their family members, RICC members, Council workgroup members, staff of state agencies, and members of state-level advocacy groups. The Arc Michigan and MDRC will chair the team, with staff support from UCP Michigan and MDRC.
The State Strategy Team set priorities and make recommendations to the Council. The team will:
- Review the reports from the Cafés and focus groups.
- Identify possible additional strategies.
- Set priorities among the issues identified.
- Develop recommendations for the council's next five-year state plan.
Reports
United Cerebral Palsy of Michigan will prepare a set of reports:
- To the regional partners after each Café, on the findings for their area.
- To the Strategy Team after all forums and focus groups are completed, on the issues and priorities identified across the state and the proposed actions.
- To the DD Council, on findings across the whole state and across all goal areas.
- To each of the Council's committees and workgroups, on findings across the state in the committee's/workgroup's assigned goal area.
A summary report for the general public, including all participants, on findings across the state and across all goal areas.
The Council, its committees and workgroups will review reports and recommendations. The Council will incorporate them into 2012-2016 State Plan, and implement the approved actions through grants and other system change activities.
