What is a Developmental Disability?
Developmental disability is a group of various and chronic conditions that are due to mental, emotional and/or physical impairments that develop and manifest between the age of 0 and before 22. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, especially in "language, mobility, learning, self-help, and independent living". Developmental disabilities can be detected early on, and do persist throughout an individual's lifespan.
Most common developmental disabilities:
- Fragile X syndrome
- Down syndrome
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
- Cerebral palsy
- Intellectual disability
- Developmentally Delayed
What is a Self Advocate?
Self-advocacy is the ability to speak-up for yourself about the things that are important to you as an individual and that affects your sense of well-being. Self-advocacy means you are able to ask for what you need and want and tell people about your thoughts and feelings. Self-advocacy means you know what your rights and responsibilities are, you are able to speak-up for your rights, and you are able to make choices and decisions that affect your life.
What is the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000” (DD Act)
The DD Act refers to the federal statute which authorizes the establishment and mandates the responsibilities of state developmental disabilities planning Councils in all states and territories.
What is the State Plan?
The State Plan refers to the Virgin Islands State Plan for Persons with Developmental Disabilities required by the DD Act to be developed and submitted by the Council at five year intervals to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities for approval and which defines the goals, objectives and activities which direct the disbursement of funds provided to the Council under the DD Act.
