HARRY HUGHES, Governor

3719

No. 10

(Senate Joint Resolution No. 35)

A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

Disabled in Action's Self Advocacy Training Project

FOR the purpose of commending the Maryland Developmental
Disabilities Council for its support of the Self Advocacy
Training Project, and to direct the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene to develop additional self advocacy programs.

WHEREAS, Disabled in Action's Self Advocacy Training Project
is dedicated to serving the needs, interests, and advocacy issues
of all persons with developmental and physical disabilities
throughout the State of Maryland; and

WHEREAS, Persons with developmental disabilities have the
right to receive training and support in learning the skills
necessary to advocate on their own behalf for human and legal
rights; and

WHEREAS, Persons with developmental disabilities have the
right to self-representation, to their own unified platform of
self-representation, and access to joining a peer support
advocacy group; and

WHEREAS, The State has supported the deinstitutionalization
of developmentally disabled persons in favor of a community-based
human services system; and

WHEREAS, For this system to truly provide relevant services
it must include the disabled consumers in the decision making
processes; and

WHEREAS, The goal of all community programs should be the
increased independence and self-representation for those persons
involved in the programs; and

WHEREAS, Disabled in Action has established, with funding
from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, a
successful statewide Self Advocacy Training Project; and

WHEREAS, Through the Self Advocacy Training Project, over
400 persons with disabilities have joined Self Advocacy Groups
throughout Maryland and are learning how to work together in
spirit, teamwork, and new determination; and

WHEREAS, This Self Advocacy Training Project is one of the
few in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The State Mental Retardation/Developmental
Disabilities Administration views Self Advocacy as an important
future direction for State services; now, therefore, be it