News

Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. is working in collaboration with the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council and the Morrison Institute in the project called Partners For Progress: Together We Make A Difference, which will include public discussions in 10 Arizona communities during April and May to build local and regional partnerships to better identify obstacles and possible solutions for people with disabilities.

PHOENIX – A new statewide collaborative project to better engage people with developmental  disabilities, their families and their communities on issues related to employment, health, and social connection is being launched in April by the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

The ADDPC project, called Partners For Progress: Together We Make A Difference, will include public discussions in 10 Arizona communities during April and May to build local and regional partnerships to better identify obstacles and possible solutions for people with disabilities.

The second and third community forums will take place at two locations in Yuma County on April 21: one forum begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Regional Center for Border Health, located at 214 W. Main Street in Somerton, and a second forum begins at 2 p.m. at the MLK Center Multipurpose Room, located at 300 S. 13th Avenue in Yuma. All residents are invited to attend. Refreshments and light snacks will be served. To register, log on to addpc.az.gov/about/contact-us.

Other selected communities being scheduled for the Partners For Progress public forums are Avondale, Tucson, Keams Canyon, Maricopa, Lake Havasu City, Flagstaff, Sierra Vista and Tuba City.

Disabilities directly impact one in three Arizonans – more than 2.2 million people – either personally or as a caregiver, according to a 2015 poll by Arizona State University’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy, which is co-managing the project with ADDPC.

“The dynamics concerning people with disabilities are as complex and varied as the related issues of child and adult foster care, the criminal justice system, guardianship, civic participation and voting, employment and benefits – the list goes on,” said Erica McFadden, Ph.D., senior policy analyst at Morrison Institute and a recognized expert in this topic area. “We need to pull together to approach problems and opportunities from a position of strength as a team.”

Local input is vital to the Partners for Progress project’s success. Regional leaders, elected officials and community members can provide valuable feedback by attending the forums to help ADDPC establish workable plans and build relationships to jointly address challenges and priorities. Project organizers are placing special focus on underserved groups such as children with disabilities in foster care, inmates, Latinos, Native Americans and the elderly.

The communities of Somerton and Yuma were especially selected for their high-need population since the City of Yuma has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at 15.7 percent, McFadden said.

Consequently, employment becomes challenging for the 12 percent of Yuma residents who have a disability. American Community Survey numbers show that between 2009 and 2014 there were more than 9,000 working age individuals with disabilities. Most two out of three individuals with disabilities (63 percent) are not looking for work in Yuma County, yet many are living in poverty (30.1 percent).

Transportation issues, a lack of preparation, attitudinal barriers among employers, and a lack of employment opportunities are all barriers cited among Yuma residents.

We need the help of the surrounding community to highlight solutions to reverse these trends. “We’ve worked hard to seek out clear data about the current state of disabilities in Arizona,” said Larry Clausen, ADDPC executive director. “Over the next five years, we want to focus on the highest-priority challenges facing Arizonans with developmental disabilities. But we can’t do that without hearing directly from stakeholders about what their local communities need most. This tour is our final but most important step in that process.”

About the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council / addpc.az.gov

The Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (ADDPC) represents the interests of persons with developmental disabilities, with particular attention dedicated to people who are unserved or underserved throughout Arizona. Examples of developmental disabilities include Down syndrome, autism, epilepsy, behavioral disorders and intellectual disabilities. The federally funded Council engages in advocacy, capacity building and systemic change to increase inclusion and involvement in the community.

About Morrison Institute / morrisoninstitute.asu.edu

Founded in 1982, Morrison Institute for Public Policy is Arizona’s premiere think tank. The Arizona State University resource has a long history of nonpartisan, independent research and analysis, as well as public outreach via panel discussions and community forums, digital platforms and coverage by local, state and national news media. Morrison Institute is part of the ASU College of Public Service and Community Solutions.

 CONTACT: Larry Clausen, ADDPC executive director

602-542-8977 / LClausen@azdes.gov

Sarah R. Ruf, ADDPC community relations specialist

480-356-5195 / sruf@azdes.gov

In Yuma contact: Mariajose Almazan, Executive Assistant for President and CEO / Regional Center for Border Health, Inc. / mrincon@rcfbh.org / 928-627-9222 / www.rcfbh.org

# # #