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Allan Bergman on the Evolution of the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act)
Allan Bergman

Allan Bergman is a nationally recognized leader in influencing the development of federal and state policy relating to best practice services and supports for persons with disabilities. He has held leadership positions within local, state, and national non-profit organizations, most recently serving as CEO of Anixter Center, one of Chicago’s largest community agencies. Prior to that, he served as President and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America and held several Director positions with United Cerebral Palsy Associations.

At the June 2, 2010 meeting of the Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Allan Bergman talked about the evolution of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act). In interview format, he then responded to specific questions about the DD Act and shared little known stories about how certain aspects of the DD Act came about over the years.
Allan Bergman on the DD Act >>>

A History of Human Services,
Universal Lessons, and Future Implications
Presented by Wolf Wolfensberger, Ph.D. and Susan Thomas, Training Coordinator

In September 1998, Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger (along with Susan Thomas) presented this two-day lecture at Millersville University, Lyte Auditorium, Millersville, PA. The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities is pleased to present this nearly eleven-hour video series of that presentation.

Day 1: An Interpreted Pictorial Presentation on the History of Human Services
With Emphasis on the Origins of Some of Our Major Contemporary Service Patterns and Some Universal Lessons for Planning and Structuring of Services Which Can Be Learned from This History.

Day 2: Reflections on a Lifetime in Human Services
From Prior to the Reforms of the 1950s-70s to the Present, with Implications for the Future: What Has Gotten Better, What Has Gotten Worse, What Is the Same, and What Lies Ahead.

 Wolf Wolfensberger
Dr. Wolf Wolfensberger
Dr. Burton Blatt: 1984 Lecture Video

Burton Blatt
Burton Blatt

 

In March 1984, Dr. Burton Blatt, Syracuse University, delivered this speech to an audience at the Pittsburgh Holiday Inn Airport. The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities is pleased to present this 1½ hour lecture.

Dr. Blatt had a profound impact on the field of developmental disabilities through his writing, teaching, and advocacy. He died twenty five years ago in January 1985.

Click here for personal statements from Bob Laux and Hank Bersani about Blatt’s influence, a biography of Dr. Blatt, and a link to Christmas in Purgatory.

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Partners in Making Your Case has been updated and enhanced with new resources and stories, a new look, and a greater emphasis on the concept of community organizing. Comments and feedback are most welcome.

Milestones in Disability History Since the Enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act: On this 20th Anniversary of the ADA, this timeline includes significant court rulings, federal and state legislation, and events that have advanced the civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities.

In an interview, US Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun (1908 – 1999) speaks about his impressions of state institutions dating back to the Pennhurst case.

FFY 2010 Training Conferences Cosponsorship Funds Awarded: Twelve Minnesota organizations were recently awarded cosponsorship funds for training conferences. The conferences provide opportunities for participants to learn about best practices, and develop or strengthen their personal leadership skills.

Samuel Bagenstos, US Department of Justice, discusses disability and integration from a civil rights perspective and the broad application of the US Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. (PDF)
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