Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council

05/25/2026

All State offices are closed today, Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day. Offices will reopen tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. As we gather with family and loved ones today, let us take a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🇺🇸

05/20/2026

There is still time to register for our upcoming Power in Our Voices event in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month.

Join us for an important conversation on the intersectionality of disability and mental health, including a screening of our mental health documentary, “Everything to Somebody,” followed by a live Q&A discussion featuring individuals with lived experience.

✔ Mental health and disability
✔ Barriers to care and stigma
✔ Building resilience and self-advocacy
✔ Community resources and supports
✔ Honest conversations from people with lived experience

📅 Friday, May 29, 2026
🕤 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Delaware State Troopers Association
500 Messina Hill Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. This event is free, but registration is required.

Register today: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YYCQBQ3

Please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your networks, colleagues, families, and community members.


Image Description: A colorful promotional graphic for the Power in Our Voices Mental Health Awareness event featuring bold text that says “There’s Still Time!” and “Register Today.” The flyer includes event details, discussion topics related to disability and mental health, an image from the “Power in Our Voices” campaign, a registration QR code, and messaging encouraging people to be heard, empowered, and part of the change.

05/18/2026

There’s still time to register for the next Power in Our Voices: Intersectionality of Disability and Mental Health event during Mental Health Awareness Month! Join us for a powerful day of learning, conversation, connection, and community.

Topics we will discuss include:
✅ Mental Health Documentary: Everything to Somebody
✅ What intersectionality means and why it matters
✅ How living with a disability can impact mental health
✅ Barriers to care, stigma, and access to support
✅ Stress, trauma, isolation, and other factors that affect well-being
✅ Building resilience, community, and self-advocacy
✅ Resources and supports available in our community
✅ Hear from people with lived experience

📅 May 29, 2026
🕤 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 DE State Troopers Association
500 Messina Hill Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

🍳 A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
🎟️ This event is FREE, but registration is required.

Register today:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YYCQBQ3

Everyone is welcome, including individuals with disabilities, family members, professionals, advocates, and community members. We hope to see you there as we continue building stronger conversations around disability, mental health, and community support.

Image Description: A colorful promotional graphic for the “Power in Our Voices” event focused on the intersectionality of disability and mental health. The graphic includes bold text saying “There’s Still Time! Don’t Miss Out!” and “Register Today for the Next Power in Our Voices.” It features illustrations of a heart and brain hugging, a movie-style Power in Our Voices poster, colorful checkmarks beside discussion topics, event details for May 29, 2026 in Dover, Delaware, a QR code for registration, and messaging encouraging people to “Be Heard. Be Empowered.”

05/15/2026

The Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services - DDDS invites you to join their May Fireside Chat featuring Dr. Charmaine Smith Wright, M.D., MSHP, Director of The Center for Special Health Care Needs at ChristianaCare. The Center provides primary care services for adults age 18 and older with complex medical and social needs that began in childhood and is the only program in the Delaware area focused on this type of care for adults. Join the conversation to learn how Dr. Wright and her team support individuals with disabilities with healthcare services throughout adulthood. Come as you are and stay as long as you can.

To register, visit: https://tinyurl.com/FiresideChatDE

May’s Fireside Chat welcomes Charmaine Smith Wright M.D., MSHP, Director of The Center for Special Health Care Needs at ChristianaCare. The Center provides primary care for adults age 18 and older with complex medical and social needs that began in childhood. It is the only program in the Delaware area focused on this type of care for adults. Join us to hear Dr. Wright share how her team supports people with disabilities with healthcare services throughout adulthood. Come as you are and stay as long as you can.

To register use the following link: https://tinyurl.com/FiresideChatDE

05/13/2026

📢 SAVE THE DATE! 📢

Join us for the 2027 LIFE Conference, Delaware’s Premier Disability Conference, on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, at Bally’s Dover Conference Center from 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM!

LIFE stands for Legislation, Independence, Family, and Education, bringing together self advocates, families, professionals, educators, and community members from across Delaware and beyond.

This year’s theme is ✨ From Advocacy to Action ✨

More information coming soon. We can’t wait to see you there!



Image Description: A colorful “Save the Date” flyer for the 2027 LIFE Conference featuring photos of conference attendees participating in discussions and presentations. The flyer highlights the conference theme “From Advocacy to Action,” the date Wednesday, January 27, 2027, the time 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM, and the location Bally’s Dover Conference Center. The LIFE logo appears on the flyer representing Legislation, Independence, Family, and Education.

05/12/2026

Today is School Board Election Day in Delaware! 🗳️

Polls are open today, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

School board elections are taking place in:
• Appoquinimink
• Caesar Rodney
• Christina
• Colonial
• Delmar
• Milford
• Red Clay Consolidated

For polling locations and additional information, visit:https://elections.delaware.gov/voter/pdfs/school_board_elections_polling_places_2026.pdf

School Board Elections are being held TODAY, Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in the following school districts: Appoquinimink, Caesar Rodney, Christina, Colonial, Delmar, Milford, and Red Clay Consolidated. Voters may vote at any school board election polling place in their school district between the voting hours of 7AM - 8PM. Voted absentee ballots must be received by the elections office in the voter's county of residence by 8PM tonight, 5/12/26 in order to count. For additional voting information, including voter eligibility, ID requirements, candidates, and polling places, please visit the Department's School Board Election webpage, https://elections.delaware.gov/school/index.shtml.

05/11/2026

🎤🗣️ The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council is proud to continue our Power in Our Voices series with an important conversation during Mental Health Awareness Month.

Join us for a powerful and inclusive event focused on the intersectionality of disability and mental health. Through open conversation, lived experiences, education, and community connection, we will explore the challenges many individuals face and the importance of breaking stigma together.

As part of this event, we will be showing our mental health documentary, Everything To Somebody. This powerful documentary shares the stories of five individuals with disabilities and their mental health journeys, highlighting real experiences, challenges, resilience, and the importance of support and understanding.

Topics will include:
💚 Mental Health Documentary: Everything To Somebody
💚 Barriers to care, stigma, and access to support
💚 Stress, trauma, isolation, and resilience
💚 Building community and self-advocacy
💚 Resources and supports available in our community
💚 Hearing directly from people with lived experience

🍳 Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

📅 Friday, May 29, 2026
⏰ 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 DE State Troopers Association
500 Messina Hill Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

🎟️ Register today:
https://shorturl.at/ddla7

Everyone is welcome, including individuals with disabilities, family members, professionals, advocates, and community members. Together, we can continue building understanding, connection, and stronger voices in our communities.



Image Description:
Light gray and blue flyer for the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council’s “Power in Our Voices” Mental Health Awareness event. The flyer features the Power in Our Voices logo, cartoon illustrations of a heart and brain, event details, and information about the documentary Everything To Somebody. The event takes place May 29, 2026, from 9:30 AM to 4 PM in Dover, Delaware. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day from the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council! 💐Today we celebrate and honor all mothers and mother figures for their love, strength, support, and advocacy. Thank you for all that you do each and every day. 💖

05/08/2026

🚨 DEVELOPERS — WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 🏘️

We recently brought landlords to the table to talk about accessible and affordable housing for people with disabilities… now it’s time to continue the conversation with DEVELOPERS.

Too many people with disabilities still struggle to find housing that is affordable, accessible, and inclusive. Developers have the power to help change that.

Join us for:
A Way Home: Addressing Housing Challenges for People with Disabilities

This interactive virtual training will cover:

✅ Housing barriers people with disabilities face
✅ Fair housing rights and accessibility
✅ ADA-compliant vs. traditional unit costs
✅ Real solutions developers can help lead

📅 Tuesday, May 19, 2026
⏰ 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
💻 Virtual Event

🔥 Fully endorsed by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA)

If you are a developer, builder, planner, or housing professional — this conversation matters. Let’s work together to create communities where everyone has a way home.

📌 Accommodation requests must be received by May 14, 2026.

🔗 Register now:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/nVF1HQJDQUyFD5ZN8Wb7wQ

Image Description:
A gray and white flyer promotes a virtual housing training for developers called “A Way Home: Addressing Housing Challenges for People with Disabilities.” The Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council logo appears in the top left corner, while the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) endorsement logo appears in the top right. The center of the flyer explains that the training will focus on helping developers understand housing barriers faced by people with disabilities and ways to create more accessible and inclusive communities. Event details state the training will take place virtually on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, from 5:30–7:00 p.m., with a Zoom link provided after registration. Images throughout the flyer show modern housing spaces, including kitchens and an accessible bathroom. A section near the bottom lists discussion topics such as fair housing rights, ADA-compliant versus traditional unit costs, and collaborative solutions for affordable accessible housing.

05/04/2026

✨ Thank You for Joining Us – Power in Our Voices: Legal Support Options ✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us last Thursday for Power in Our Voices: Legal Support Options. It was truly a meaningful and impactful conversation centered on choice, independence, and informed decision-making.

A special thank you to Councilmembers Terri Grube Hancharick, and Arte for openly sharing your personal stories. Your voices brought this conversation to life and reinforced why this work matters.

We also want to extend our appreciation to Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. - CLASI and Delaware Volunteer Legal Services for sharing their legal expertise and helping individuals and families better understand their options and next steps.

These conversations are critical. Everyone deserves access to clear information and the ability to choose what works best for them and their family.

👉 If you or someone you know is exploring legal support options, we strongly encourage you to connect with these organizations and learn more about the resources available.

Together, we continue building a community where every voice matters and every choice is respected.



Image Description:
A series of photos from a community event held in a large, well-lit meeting room. Attendees are seated at round tables, engaged in discussion and listening attentively. One image shows a woman speaking at a podium with a presentation displayed on a screen behind her. Another shows participants gathered around tables with notebooks, drinks, and flowers, actively participating. Additional photos highlight resource tables from legal organizations and a speaker using a microphone while seated in a power wheelchair. The environment reflects an inclusive and welcoming space for people with and without disabilities to learn and share experiences.