Weekly Updates and Announcements

July 24, 2024

The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) would like to share the following announcements:

• This Friday: Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) Virtual Meeting
• Addition of “Care Workers” in Standard Occupational Classification - Request for Public Comments
• Webinar: Navigating Our Present: I/DD Advocacy Challenges and Experiences

Read the details below!

Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) Virtual Meeting

Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is back! They are hosting their next virtual meeting for the Southeastern region. The focus will be home and community-based services and self-advocacy stories. This virtual event is Friday, July 26th from 10am to noon. Learn how you can get more involved as a self-advocate and meet other people like you who have come to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. Remember, your voice matters, and you can make a difference!

No registration required. Just use this Zoom link to join on Friday: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/324815633

Addition of “Care Workers” in Standard Occupational Classification - Request for Public Comments

The Federal Register recently published a call for feedback on suggested updates to the care worker classification system. They want to hear your thoughts on how job categories should be updated to better describe and recognize care workers, including Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). 

This proposal aims to better classify and recognize care workers, including Direct Support Professionals working with people with IDD, reflecting the important role DSPs play in our lives. The document seeks feedback on definitions, classification criteria, and potential impacts. Comments can be submitted until August 12, 2024. 

Key areas for comments include: 

• Changes to existing job categories
• Suggestions for new job categories
• Improvements to classification criteria and descriptions 

Your thoughts are appreciated and needed. Please review the document and consider submitting your comments or suggestions. 

You can access the full document and details on how to submit your comments by visiting the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)-Request for Comments webpage. 

Additionally, HR 2941, defines Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). DSPs provide vital support to individuals with disabilities, assisting with daily activities and promoting independence. Learn more about the H.R. 2941 - Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act.

Navigating Our Present: I/DD Advocacy Challenges and Experiences

Join the NC Advocacy Leaders Network for an exploratory and discovery session to assess the current state of advocacy in North Carolina. Reunite with fellow leadership program alumni and help shape the future of advocacy in the state.

The NC Advocacy Leaders Network aims to unite, empower, and elevate the voices of advocacy leaders within the intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. This forward-thinking network fosters inclusivity, enabling individuals with firsthand experiences and allies to drive significant change.

During "Navigating Our Present: I/DD Advocacy Challenges and Experiences," they will:

• Facilitate interactive brainstorming sessions to cultivate ideas and strategies for upcoming advocacy initiatives.  
• Allocate time for attendees to reconnect with colleagues and establish new connections within the NC Advocacy Leadership Network.  
• Share current challenges and experiences better to understand our community's advocacy landscape.

Embark on this exciting journey with to reignite the shared advocacy passion, equip one another with essential knowledge and skills, and strive for a collective impact through the NC Advocacy Leaders Network. Your involvement is critical to driving the future of advocacy in the I/DD community.

When: July 31, 2024, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

How: Via Zoom - Register here

For more information: NCALN@akalaka.org.