Every five years, TCDD develops a strategic state plan with goals and objectives that outline activities to implement each year. We develop the plan with public input and guidance from the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL) to meet the requirements of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act). Our 2027-2031 strategic state plan has two goals. Goal 1 has two objectives, and Goal 2 has six objectives.
Annually increase the knowledge and skills of self-advocates (people with DD) by sharing information and resources and increasing policy skills. Annually strengthen state self-advocacy organizations to train other self-advocates and peers and increase participation in cross-disability initiatives that promote independence and community involvement for issues that matter to them.
Annually increase the knowledge and skills of family members and others to receive information, connect with resources, and develop policy skills to be actively involved in state and local activities related to issues that are important to them.
Annually increase knowledge and skills about DD-informed healthcare services and supports among professionals so that Texans with DD engage in healthy behaviors.
Annually increase knowledge and skills among formal and informal family caregivers to improve connections with supports that are essential to quality of life for individuals with DD within their communities.
Annually increase knowledge and skills to support individuals with DD and their families in schools and the transition to post-graduation life, including competitive and integrated employment.
Annually increase education, training, and participation in policy initiatives to improve protections for the human rights of Texans with DD to live safely in their communities.
Annually increase citizen participation, outreach, and training efforts to expand awareness of available supports and services, promoting the full inclusion of individuals with DD as a standard and expected practice across communities.
Engage, as needed, to support individuals with DD and their families in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
The DD Act requires that the our strategic plan be developed through data-driven strategic planning. The plan’s goals and objectives must originate from the unmet needs of people with DD and their families.
The plan must:
The DD Act defines unserved and underserved populations as those with people from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, disadvantaged people, people who speak limited English, people from underserved geographic areas (rural or urban), and specific groups of people within the DD population.
The plan must include annual activities developed to meet the following outcomes:
Each year, TCDD sends a report to the federal government that indicates the degree to which the goals and objectives of the strategic plan have been met. The report includes summaries of activities and empirical data on how many people benefited from those activities.
