Our new Mission and Vision reflect our values.  Values dictate the direction and practices of a service delivery system.  Guiding documents will not by themselves create new approaches but they will provide a compass.  The community of self advocates, family members and providers and citizens of all walks of life throughout the state will be the ultimate designers of supports and services.  As we create a new system that grows by way of everyone’s participation we will need to use this compass to ensure that we’re headed in the right direction.  At no time in this process is guidance more necessary than at the beginning of the journey.  That is why November 26, 2012 is so important.  We are embarking on a new journey together.  The road will be unfamiliar as we need to discover more solutions with perhaps different partners.

Over the last year, DDS CT has been involved in a series of activities dedicated to rethinking the department’s mission, vision and goals.  A new Mission and Vision draft was developed with the active participation of 70 stakeholders at a full day retreat facilitated by the nationally recognized speaker John O’Brien.  Family members, self advocates, public and private providers, our partners from multiple other state agencies and many others came together to contribute to designing a new Mission and Vision.  The energy and creativity were contagious as everyone helped craft these new guiding documents.  The draft document that was developed at this meeting was posted on the DDS website and sent out to families through the Direct to Families newsletter.  A final mission/vision document was created after receiving additional feedback from stakeholders.

The former DDS mission helped us to create support services that provide more choices and which help ensure greater participation in community life.  However, the previous mission is now over thirty years old.  We’ve learned a lot in that time period.  It is time to support a new vision of the future where self advocates and families are recognized as valued contributing citizens in their community and are supported as the designers and drivers of their support services.

Please view Mission and Vision Statements.