Congratulate People First ACL Grant- EPIC Project Over the summer, People First of Nevada, with support from the Nevada Governors Council on Developmental Disabilities, applied for the ACL Grant in conjunction with other self-advocacy organizations in Idaho, Alaska and Wyoming. On October 2, 2014 we received word that we received the grant! Together with the other three states the EPIC project is now in full swing. EPIC stands for: Equal Partners Interstate Congress. Summary: The ACL Grant will provide regional technical assistance to self-advocacy organizations that focus on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to assure that individuals with I/DD participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life. Below are the goals and objectives of the EPIC project. A committee made up of all four states involved in the project formed these goals and objectives. Equal Partners Interstate Congress (EPIC) Goals and Outcomes of the EPIC Project (Goals may be added as needs change or the assessment process determines.) State Goals: State Goal 1: Strengthen and sustain the self-advocacy/civil rights organizations in each state. Outcomes: • More people participating in each state • Support policy based in respect and develops support roles in a team atmosphere • Plan and implement sustainability strategies for each organization. • For state organizations that express the desire, support strategies for becoming a non-profit entity State Goal 2: Build the involvement young people with developmental disabilities in each state. Outcomes • Increased participation by young people in self-advocacy/civil rights organizations and activities. • Develop and implement a curriculum on self-advocacy with students and advisors. • Determine issues important to young people and create strategies to work on these with a younger people. State Goal 3: Use technology to connect more people to the self-advocacy/civil rights movement in each state. Outcomes • Video-Conferencing system accessible to even remote areas across each state. • Assistive technology in the hands of people who need it to be able to more fully participate remotely and in person in civil rights activities. State Goal 4: Information sharing and increased collaborations between chapters and between all self-advocacy/ civil rights organizations within each state. Outcomes • Video-Conferencing system accessible to even remote areas across each state. • Increased collaboration and communication between chapters and organizations • Increased participation and support from the DD Network Partners in each state. Regional Goals: Regional Goal 1: Develop a system of interstate communication, technical assistance and information sharing among the self-advocacy organizations Outcomes • State specific plans to address sustainability • Information clearinghouse • Resource sharing Regional Goal 2: Identify the resources within each state that may be shared to strengthen the self-advocacy/civil movements in the other states Outcomes • Stronger state organizations • Regional organization • Surveys of organizations, DD Network Partners and other stakholers • Resource assessments Regional Goal #3: Create a model of technical assistance and that will exist beyond the life of the program. Outcomes • Resources for grant writing and establishing 501c3 status for individual organizations • Regional web based resources such as a website, webinars, SharePoint site(s), and other resource information available to the EPIC Project and others interested in building sustainable regional organizations. • Strong regional network emphasizing accessible communications, inclusion of remote areas, and cooperative mutually beneficial partnerships. Regional Goal 4: Create a model that strengthens the self-advocacy movement and may be replicated in other areas of the United States. Outcomes • Model for a new DD Network Partner representing self-advocacy/civil rights. • Plan detailing strategies, methods and challenges of creating a new DD Network Partner published to EPIC’s web based resources • Strategies for growing the DD Network Partner • A stronger national voice for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities • Equal partnership with the other DD Network Partners Regional Goal 5: Continue to develop and disseminate “The Proclamation for the Dignity and Rights of All Human Beings”. Outcomes • Stronger document to influence human rights nationally and internationally • Partners in advocacy from different backgrounds and different concerns • Statement to be used in the reauthorization of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act • Used to influence legislation and public policy
Posted on: Tue, 07 Oct 2014 19:13:53 +0000
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