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Mission and Population Served

Mission:

The Council is dedicated to improving the independence, productivity, and integration of people with developmental disabilities.

Independence means having choices available, being able to choose, and exercising control over one's own life.

Productivity means making a contribution to one's own household, neighborhood and community. It means working in the community and earning a living.

Integration means being present in the community, participating in the life of the community and being valued as a person, friend, family member and neighbor.

Population Served:

The Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities plans and advocates for adequate and appropriate supports for people with developmental disabilities in Wisconsin. A developmental disability, as defined in state statute (Chapter 51.01 (5) (a)), is a disability attributable to brain injury, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, Prader-Willi syndrome, mental retardation, or another neurological condition closely related to mental retardation or requiring treatment similar to that required for mental retardation, which has continued or can be expected to continue indefinitely and constitutes a substantial hardship to the affected individual. Developmental disability does not include senility which is primarily caused by the process of aging or the infirmities of aging.

Since the Council is funded with federal monies, it also complies with the federal definition of developmental disabilities as stated in federal law (P.L. 106-402). The federal definition is a "functional" definition and is based on the person's abilities and level of severity of the disability as opposed to the state definition which defines a developmental disability in terms of a disability diagnosis. The federal definition tends to be more inclusive and states that a developmental disability is a severe, chronic disability of an individual 5 years of age or older that:

• is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments;
• is manifested before the person attains age 22;
• is likely to continue indefinitely;
• results in substantial or functional limitation in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:

a. self-care;
b. receptive and expressive language;
c. learning;
d. mobility;
e. self-direction;
f. capacity for independent living; and
g. economic self-sufficiency; and

reflects the individual's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports, or other assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated except that such a term, when applied to infants and young children means individuals from birth to age 5, inclusive, who have substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired conditions with a high probability of resulting in developmental disabilities if services are not provided.