The SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN) is hosting eight Stakeholder Sessions across the state. March is Disability Awareness Month, so the timing is perfect for the agency to speak with stakeholders about the future of the service delivery system for our state. The healthcare world is changing. Changes at both the national and state level may impact service delivery options to people with disabilities and special needs. DDSN is thinking forward in order to better navigate and adjust to upcoming changes.
DDSN desires to engage in meaningful conversations with consumers, families, advocates, providers, and other stakeholders to better understand the value of the current services DDSN provides. What services are the most and least important? What can DDSN do to create or improve supports to individuals and families? Are there other models or approaches to supporting people with disabilities and special needs and their families that would improve quality and value while lowering costs? On the healthcare end, we want stakeholders to identify concerns with accessing physician or clinic-based services. In what ways can these services be improved? What are the barriers to getting healthcare? Are there parts of the system that are working well that you want to be sure remain in place?
New national trends in healthcare give us wonderful opportunity to strengthen, modify, and adopt new initiatives to provide better services and improved results. Each stakeholder session will break into four concurrent target groups. These break-out groups will allow us to focus discussion on issues specific to the service needs of individuals and families across the state. The groups are:
1. Young children (birth-5 years)
2. School age children (ages 6-21)
3. Adults who live in their home or at home with family
4. Adults who live in DDSN residential settings
Please join us for one of the eight sessions across the state most convenient to you. We will start at 6pm and end by 7:30pm. Click here for the meeting schedule. If you have any questions, please contact DDSN at 803.898.9600.
In addition to the community Stakeholder Sessions, DDSN will conduct an online stakeholder survey. The survey will cover similar topics to the discussion points of the Stakeholder Sessions and provide opportunity for further input to the agency. The survey will be available during the month of March via the DDSN website. Additional information and updates will be posted on the DDSN website at http://ddsn.sc.gov.
