Transcription: About BPDD Updated: (08/18/2008 )

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John Shaw: Welcome to the first podcast for the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities. My name is John Shaw and I will be your moderator. For this first podcast, we have Jennifer Ondrejka who is the Executive Director for the board. Good morning, Jennifer!

Jennifer Ondrejka: Good morning!

John Shaw: And what we will be talking about is what the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities does. So Jennifer I understand you've not always been the board. Could you tell me about the recent change and who you were prior to this change.

Jennifer Ondrejka: Well for 35 years, we were the Council on Developmental Disabilities. And the basics of that haven't changed. Congress set up councils in every state. We're a state agency, a public agency, but our money is federal from congress. And the staff works for a board of directors that the governor appoints. People with disabilities, family members, providers and others.

The difference now in being called the Board for People with Developmental Disabilities is that we're completely independent state agency no longer attached to to one of the larger agencies.

John Shaw: So Jennifer, can you tell me what kind of things does the board do?

Jennifer Ondrejka: We have a fairly broad array of responsibilities. And once the board decides what the main goals are, how we can best work for people with developmental disabilities, then we do a variety of things.

One of those is always direct advocacy, advising the governor and the legislature and the administration about how various policies and programs affect people with disabilities. Another one that we're required to do by federal law is to support people with developmental disabilities to become their own best advocates.

And then we also do a variety of programs that we call "demonstrations". Things that would demonstrate a better way to provide services or make connections in the community.

John Shaw: Wow, it sounds like there's a lot of different things that you do. How do you decide how to pair that down? I mean there's so much.

Jennifer Ondrejka: Well every five years, the board puts together a five-year state plan. And before that starts, they spent a whole year listening to the public, talking to people with disabilities, families and the general public. Researching what's going on in other states. What are the priorities in the federal government and our national organization. And then they look at all of those possibilities and compare it with the limited resources we have. They try to figure out what's the best investment.

John Shaw: So it sounds like the board's responsibility is to decide what particular projects are being worked on and the staff then implements these projects. Is that correct?

Jennifer Ondrejka: Right, right.

John Shaw: Ok, could you tell me briefly about a couple of the exciting things that the board is currently involved with right now.

Jennifer Ondrejka: Sure. Well we have so many, but one that comes to mind is working in elementary schools trying to develop a culture of inclusion of all children with and without disabilities, various cultural backgrounds, etc. by using arts programming. And the teachers and the kids can pretty much give guidance as to what they want to do.

Do they need an artist to come in and help them do a mural? Do they need a band to come in and do a dance routine and help them develop a song? But it's things that they can all do together so they learn to respect and enjoy being with each other.

John Shaw: Well that sounds great! And you know I would like to thank you for coming in and being with us this morning. In the future we will be talking about several of these different projects that the board is doing. And trying to keep the public informed about the different good activities of the board. Thanks Jennifer again!

Jennifer Ondrejka: You're welcome!