Position Statements

The below Position Statements are topics that the Council has discussed and adopted by voting upon stated topics listed below.

Assisted Suicide

The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council strongly opposes physician-assisted suicide for people with disabilities.
Read the full Position Statement.

Behavior Supports

Behavior supports help people manage their behavior in positive, respectful ways. These supports should be based on what works, easy to access, and given in places like home, school, or the community. They should be personalized, support learning and choice, and help people be part of their families and communities. The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council does not support harmful practices, including aversive procedures and physical restraints. Restraints should only be used to prevent serious harm and only after all other safe options have been tried.
Read the full Position Statement.

Community Living

Everyone should have the choice to live in a real community. This means deciding where and with whom you live, who supports you, and how you spend your time. A real community includes people with and without disabilities, and everyone should have the same rights, responsibilities, and chances to be independent. With support if needed, people should be able to make their own choices and be part of everyday life in their neighborhood.
Read the full Position Statement.

Education

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have a legal right to a good education. Schools and staff must follow the laws that protect these rights and make sure students get the support they need to learn and succeed.
Read the full Position Statement.

Employment

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) can work in the community with people without disabilities and earn good wages. They should be given information and supported to make choices about their work and careers. They should also have support to find and be successful working in the community.
Read the full Position Statement.

Healthcare

Everyone who lives in Delaware must be able to get the healthcare and health related services they need. This includes oral healthcare and eye care.
Read the full Position Statement.

Healthcare Privacy

The DDC believes people with disabilities have the right to control their personal health information. We oppose any system that collects or shares this information without clear permission. Privacy, dignity, and choice must always come first.
Read the full Position Statement.

Housing

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD), like all Americans, have a right to live in their own homes, in the community. Children and youth belong with families. Adults should control where they live and who they live with. They should have opportunities to rent or buy their own homes. They also must have the freedom to choose what they do each day.
Read the full Position Statement.

Human & Civil Rights

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have the same human and civil rights as everyone else. They have the right to support and accommodations to make sure they can fully enjoy those rights. Accommodations are changes that help give equal opportunities. Governments must protect these rights, and professionals like teachers, police, doctors, and support staff must understand and respect them. Anyone who takes away the rights of people with I/DD or harms them must be held responsible.
Read the full Position Statement.

Inclusion

All people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) benefit when fully included in the community.
Read the full Position Statement.

Individual Supports

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) must be able to get the individual supports they need to live the lives they want at home and in the community.
Read the full Position Statement.

Protection from Mistreatment

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities must be free from abuse, neglect, or any kind of mistreatment.
Read the full Position Statement.

Quality of Life

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities must be able to lead the life they choose so they can have a good quality of life that is right for them.
Read the full Position Statement.

Seclusion & Restraints

The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council does not support the use of seclusion, restraints, or other harmful practices to manage behavior. These methods are not safe or effective and go against best practices for supporting people with developmental disabilities. Instead, behavior supports should be positive, person-centered, and based on each person’s unique needs. Supports should also respect the person’s culture and focus on changing the environment when needed, rather than punishing the person.
Read the full Position Statement.

Self Determination

Self-determination is when you have the freedom to make your own choices and are in control of your own in life.
Read the full Position Statement.

Sexuality

The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council believes that all people, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), have the right to make their own choices about sexuality and relationships. Everyone has the right to love and be loved, to start or end relationships, and to be treated with respect. People have the right to privacy, to be with who they choose, and to express their sexuality in ways that are right for them. They also have the right to sex education that matches their beliefs and needs. Everyone should respect the rights, values, and feelings of others when it comes to sexuality.
Read the full Position Statement.

Subminimum Wage

People with disabilities should get the support they need to find the right job and should be paid fair wages for their work. It is not fair to pay people with disabilities less than others for doing the same job. Everyone deserves equal pay for equal work.
Read the full Position Statement.

Support Coordination

Support Coordination finds and coordinates services, supports, and resources in the community that children and adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities(I/DD) and their families need. Support Coordination is an important service that helps people with I/DD and their families live in the community.
Read the full Position Statement.

Transportation

The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council believes that everyone should have access to transportation that is easy to use, affordable, and reliable. People with disabilities should be able to get where they need to go—just like everyone else.
Read the full Position Statement.