The grant is part of a Supporting Families Initiative by the Department of Human Services. The initiative awards $5,000 grants to 19 regional collaboratives committed to encouraging families of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism to have high expectations of full and purposeful lives.
“The goal of the grants is for communities to acknowledge the opportunity for everyone, including individuals with a disability and their families, to live well-rounded lives that include meaningful jobs in the community, friendships, health and safety, and social and spiritual opportunities,” Gov. Tom Wolf said in a press release.
“We invited counties to submit proposals about how they would create partnerships and collaborations to better support local families throughout their lifespans. People living in each area know their region’s strengths, diversity, and needs best,” the governor added.
The collaboratives will partner with a variety of local stakeholders and resources such as faith communities, businesses, schools, child care facilities, civic organizations, social media, and other families acting as mentors.
Regional collaboratives can be individual counties or a number of counties whose communities blend together.
Clarion County is part of the largest collaboration in the state made up of Clarion, Cameron, Elk, Clearfield, Jefferson, Erie, Forest, Warren, McKean and Potter counties.
This fiscal year, Clarion County has taken the lead in the group and will receive half the grant this year and half the grant next year for group activities.
The collaboratives are being encouraged to discover opportunities both within and outside the formal disability service systems that can support the concept of everyday lives for all citizens in the community.
In addition to the grants, the Department of Human Services will offer the regional collaboratives an ongoing schedule of technical support and learning opportunities.
“People with disabilities want to have a good life, to live and work in the community, like everyone else, and we are creating opportunities and initiatives to help do that,” said Ted Dallas, the secretary of the Department of Human Services.