Johnson & Douglas County Capacity Building Plans

by: Stephanie Wilson

The CDDOs in both Johnson and Douglas County have worked in conjunction with their local Councils of Community Members to identify a capacity building need within their local area to address during the July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004 fiscal year.   I represent CLO on both Councils, and I am the current Vice President of the Johnson County Council.

The Johnson County Council selected this year to work on the need of dietary services for persons with developmental disabilities who have problems with obesity.   Dietary services are not a specific service covered by Medicaid.   The Council sent out a request for proposals, and awarded a grant to CLO to provide dietary training to persons with developmental disabilities and their family members, case managers, and/or staff.   In addition, a group of persons with developmental disabilities who have obesity issues were selected to participate in a project within which specific dietary plans were developed for each individual.   Yolanda Hargett, Administrator, and Terry Bury, Dietician for CLO provided an update to the Council at their June meeting.

The Cottonwood Council selected to work on options for persons with developmental disabilities in the CDDO area who enter into a crisis and need inpatient psychiatric support.   Lawrence Memorial Hospital recently closed their inpatient psychiatric unit, thus the Council felt other options needed to be outlined for local providers.   A team of representatives from Lawrence Memorial, the local police department, Bert Nash, the Lawrence school district, and providers of developmental disability services participated in the group.   The outcome of the group is a chart that consumers, families, providers, and case managers can utilize to know what their options are when a behavioral crisis occurs.