Policy and Legislation

Benchmarks for Evaluating Public Policy in Virginia

Cover Image: Benchmarks for Evaluating Public Policy in Virginia In the course of its planning and advocacy activities, the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities determined that a concise, far-reaching “blueprint” was needed by which it and others could measure not just the progress of the state’s disability services system toward full community integration, but also the overall progress toward achieving a Commonwealth with equal rights and opportunities for all Virginians.

To create this blueprint, a Board workgroup first developed a broad description of the elements for an ideal disability services system and deliberated the actions needed to achieve it. This initial description was then refined and broadened in scope to create a document, Benchmarks for Evaluating Public Policy in Virginia, applicable to public policy and actions impacting all individuals, with and without disabilities. Following approval by the full Board, this document was distributed to all members of the 2010 Virginia General Assembly and senior members of the Governor’s administration.

The Board asks all policymakers to take the time to review, consider, and adopt these Benchmarks and to consider the impact upon Virginians with disabilities when developing, writing, and implementing all state policies, regulations, laws, and funding priorities. To learn more about the Benchmarks or to duplicate and share them with others, please click on the following links:

Board Policy Positions/Public Comment

Virginia Alliance for Community

The Virginia Alliance for Community, a collaboration of the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, the Partnership for People with Disabilities at Virginia Commonwealth University, the Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy, The Arc of Virginia, and Virginia’s twenty-two local chapters of The Arc, provides a unified and collective voice in advocating for the civil rights of Virginians with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially concerning the need to move away from the state’s historical bias and antiquated practice of institutionalizing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The following updated Alliance proposal and answers to frequently asked questions are a call to action to Virginia’s elected officials to make “Community for All” reforms a priority for the Commonwealth:

Virginia Alliance for Community: Reform Now. Community for All! (PDF Format)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Alliance Proposal for Reform (PDF Format)

This updated proposal builds on the following recent series of messages from the Alliance directed at the state’s current elected officials and all candidates for statewide offices and House of Delegates’ seats in the November 2009 election.

Virginia Alliance for Community Asks State Candidates: Make “Community for All” Reforms a Priority (PDF Format)
"Community For All": An Agenda for Virginia; the Time for Action Is Now (PDF Format)
Community for All: Sound Program and Fiscal Policy for Virginia (PDF Format)

The links below include the Alliance’s initial November 2008 proposal to reform Central Virginia Training Center, one of the oldest and largest institutions in the country, and supporting documents.

Virginia Alliance for Community Proposed Training Center Reform Initiative (PDF Format)
Virginia Alliance for Community Proposed Training Center Reform Initiative (Word Format)
Nat’l Assoc. of Councils on Developmental Disabilities Letter of Support for the Alliance (PDF Format)
The Arc of the US Letter of Support for the Alliance (PDF Format)
Assoc. of University Centers on Disabilities Letter of Support for the Alliance (PDF Format)
Nat’l Disability Rights Network Letter of Support for the Alliance (PDF Format)

Click here for the latest Alliance news, a full list of supporting organizations, photos and video from the Alliance’s recent Capitol Square Rally for Reform, and other resources.

Federal and State Special Education Regulations and Related Resources

In 2006, the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) issued new federal regulations for Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), enacted by Congress in 2004. The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) and the Board of Education then reviewed and modified the state's special education regulations to ensure compliance with IDEA 2004. Changes to the Commonwealth’s regulations took effect in July 2009. Links to the federal regulations, revised Virginia regulations, information about the state's revision process, and additional resources are listed below:

The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is an active advocate for the rights of students with disabilities and their parents, both independently and as a member of the Virginia Coalition for Students with Disabilities. Additional information can be found at its Coalition Alerts and Contact VCSD webpages and in the Early Intervention and Education Chapters of the Board’s Assessment of the Disability Services System in Virginia.

Community Integration (Olmstead) Implementation in Virginia

What's Happening in Virginia with Community Integration (Olmstead): Visit the One Community web site for more information.
Resources for Educating Localities about Fair Housing for People with Disabilities can be found at www.olmsteadva.com.
For the most current information on Virginia’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) project, visit www.olmsteadva.com/mfp.