Other Sources
State Disability Councils
State disability councils are another potential source of funding to support direct service workforce initiatives. The Developmental Disabilities Act Authorization allocated money to Councils on Developmental Disabilities to fund state level initiatives. The Kansans Mobilizing for Workforce Change project, for example, focused on direct service workers supporting persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and was funded by the funded by the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities from 2002 to 2004. The project designed and implemented a statewide intervention plan to improve DSP recruitment and retention success.It included interventions at the systems level (through the statewide Stakeholder Advisory Group), and the organization level (through training and technical assistance provided to twelve partnering organizations by the University of Minnesota and the University of Kansas at Parsons). The project provided training on recruitment and retention strategies, created a Kansas chapter of the NADSP, developed, disseminated and began using a marketing and recruitment toolkit, and created and piloted the Kansas DSP Apprenticeship Program in conjunction with the Department of Labor, among other interventions.
For information and resources from a similar project, refer to the Illinois Direct Support Professional Workforce Initiative website. The goal of this project is to develop long-lasting changes in Illinois to encourage people to start applying for DSP positions and for those who are hired stay in positions longer.
If you are focused on improving the mental health/behavioral health workforce, the National Advisory Mental Health Council advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, on all policies and activities relating to the conduct and support of mental health research, research training, and other programs of the Institute.Individual states also have Mental Health Councils that may be considering workforce issues as an area of focus.
Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs) were established under Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended in 1994. SILCs consist of a group of individuals who oversee the delivery of Independent Living Services to persons with disabilities throughout the State. They are responsible for collaborating with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to develop state independent living plans – including determining use of independent living funds, and monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating the implementation of this state plan. SILCs are a vital part of the Independent Living movement and a potential partner in workforce initiatives. To locate the SILC in your state, please visit the ILRU Directory of Centers for Independent Living and Statewide Independent Living Councils.
