ALBANY - New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council awards $49,000 to the Consortium on Innovative Practices.

The State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council awarded funds to the Consortium on Innovative Practices for the second of a potential three years to conduct a technical assistance project to support and evaluate the congregational inclusion effort in the Central New York Developmental Disabilities Services Office region of New York State.

Over the past 10 years, there has been a good deal of research indicating individuals with developmental disabilities both value and benefit from religious practice and participation in a faith community. The CNYDDSO has committed to identifying information about a person’s spiritual and/or religious desires through the individualized planning process. If a spiritual/religious valued outcome is identified, the service delivery system will develop the necessary supports. Service coordinators will receive training in how to effectively assist individuals who choose congregational inclusions to achieve this valued outcome.

The DDPC contracted with the Consortium on Innovative Practices to research, support and evaluate the Congregational Inclusion project in the CNYDDSO catchment area to assess the impact of including participation in congregational life in the individualized planning process for individuals who wished to do so. This project will evaluate the impact on three separate and distinct groups: individuals with DD (and their families), Service Delivery System, and Religious