Welcome to the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD) website. VBPD serves as Virginia's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Planning Council. DD Councils are in every state and territory of the United States. They work for the benefit of individuals with DD and their families to identify needs and help develop policies, programs and services that will meet these needs in a manner that respects dignity and independence.

Under mandate of federal and state law, VBPD works to promote and guide public policy changes and create opportunities for new approaches in our service delivery systems. VBPD is proud to have enriched the lives of Virginians with developmental and other disabilities by investing in over 200 best practice, model demonstration and research grant projects that have created change in the areas of education, employment, housing, early intervention, transportation, recreation, and community integration. We work with many public and private groups across the state and nationally to identify best practices, new approaches, and collaborative ventures that facilitate our mission and increase the independence, productivity, and integration of people with disabilities in our Commonwealth.

A key aspect of our work is to advise the Governor, legislators and government agencies on public policy issues as well as on how to develop programs and services for people with DD that will eliminate barriers to full inclusion in all facets of community life. We believe that people with disabilities and their family members play a critical role in identifying needs and in having a say in the policies and programs that affect their lives. Twenty four of our 39 Board members are individuals with disabilities, parents, or family members of individuals with disabilities. Their experiences and perspectives play a vital role in guiding our ongoing efforts to ensure responsive, individualized, and flexible systems of services and supports in our communities.

We look forward to working with you on the important issues and challenges ahead and hope that you find the information and resources on this website helpful.

Heidi Lawyer
Executive Director

Mission
To create a Commonwealth that advances opportunities for independence, personal decision-making and full participation in community life for individuals with developmental and other disabilities.

Vision Statement
Virginians with developmental and other disabilities direct their own lives and choose how they live, learn, work, and play.

The Board is organized into an Executive Committee and four standing committees: Community Integration, Community Living and Transportation, Employment and Education, and Advocacy and Outreach.

Board Member Roster

Executive Committee
Chair, John Kelly (Woodbridge)
Vice Chair, Linda Broady-Myers (Glen Allen)
Secretary, Margaret Disney (Richmond)
At Large: Nancy Briggs (Chester)
At Large: C. J. Tate (Staunton)
At Large: Ed Turner (Richmond)

Advocacy and Outreach
Korinda Rusinyak, Chair (Virginia Beach)
Everlene Brewer (Norfolk)
Sharon Drescher (Midlothian)
Dennis Findley (Fairfax)
Thomas Leach (Richmond)
Carol Lewin (Leesburg)
C. J. Tate (Staunton)
Rose Williams (Charlottesville)

Education and Employment
Dennis Manning, Chair (Ashburn)
Mary McAdam (Palmyra)
April Niamtu (Richmond)
Lauren Snyder Roche (Poquoson)
Ed Turner (Richmond)
* Agency Designees:
John Eisenberg, Department of Education (DOE)
Donna Gilles, VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities (UCEDD)
Ray Hopkins, Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DVBI)
Kristi Lockhart, Ex Officio, Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)

Community Integration
Chair, Sarah Ratner (Richmond)
Brian Clukey (Falls Church)
Margaret Disney (Richmond)
Norma Draper (Hopewell)
Charles Meacham (Glen Allen)
Ralph Owen (Blue Ridge)
* Agency Designees:
Colleen Miller Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy (VOPA)
Lee Price Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)
Terry Smith Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS)
Kathleen Vaughan, Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)

Community Living and Transportation
Chair, Angela Sadsad (Virginia Beach)
Nancy Briggs (Chester)
Linda Broady-Myers (Richmond)
Stephen Joseph (Lynchburg)
Ron King (Manassas)
Jessica Philips (Henrico)
Kimberly Vanderland (Henrico)
* Agency Designees:
Ronald Lanier, Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDHH)

Individuals achieve membership to the Board through appointments by the Governor. The Governor directly appoints Virginia citizens to fill 31 positions of the total 39 member Board as specified in the "Virginians with Disabilities Act." The remaining nine positions are filled by agency heads designated by the Act who serve on the Board by virtue of their position in state government. The Act permits seven of the nine agency heads to designate a person to represent them on the Board. Individuals directly appointed to the 31 citizen positions and the remaining two agency head positions may not designate a substitute. Acceptance of a direct appointment to the Board is an express commitment to individually meet the responsibilities of membership.

Individuals are appointed to the Board to fill unexpired terms or for full four year terms. Individuals appointed to unexpired terms are eligible for additional appointments for two full terms. The Act limits service on the Board to two successive terms.

To nominate yourself or someone else for Board appointment, you must use the Commonwealth’s new Online Application System (OASYS) found on the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website. Under Nomination for, please select Disabilities, Virginia Board for People with. Under Position, you must list the specific Board position for which you are eligible and are applying. A list of available positions, both currently and for state fiscal years beginning on July 1, can be found on the Gubernatorial Appointments webpage.

Anyone who needs assistance filling out the online application because of a disability can call the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office at (804) 786-2441 or use the TTY/TDD line at 1-800-828-1120, or 711.

Prior to completing your application, you may also wish to review the Member Guide for people serving or interested in serving on a Council on Developmental Disabilities. Please note that the definition of developmental disability as defined in the "Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act", is a severe, chronic, often lifelong disability that causes substantial limitations in several major life activities such as: self care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, the capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. It is attributable to a mental, emotional, sensory, and/or physical impairment that is apparent before the age of twenty-two. People with developmental disabilities often need a combination of special services, support, and other assistance that is likely to continue indefinitely.

• Go to the online Disability Assessment Comment Form
• Download the Word format Disabilities Assessment Comment Form

Submit a general comment below to info@VBPD.virginia.gov. To comment on Virginia's Disability Services System please use the Disability Assessment Comment Form.

Thank YOU for your comments.

* Required Field

• Download the VBPD Public Comment Policy in Adobe PDF Format.
• Download the VBPD Public Comment Policy in MS Word Format.