The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) is not something many Floridians are familiar with…and we want to change that. So, in this initial episode of our podcast series, Valerie Breen shares how the FDDC is related to the Developmental Disabilities Act of 2000 that is designed to help people with developmental disabilities be productive, achieve independence, and be a part of their communities.

Valerie Breen is the Executive Director of the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. She is staff to the Council’s 26-member Governor-appointed board, which includes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family members, state agency leaders, and organizations.

Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Valerie received her Master of Science in Social Administration through Case Western Reserve University’s School of Applied Social Sciences in 1980. In her 47-year career in the field of health and disability, she has designed and implemented multiple public-private partnerships and is a strategic advocate for policy and system change efforts that advance services and supports for persons with disabilities and their families.

In this episode, Valerie shares everything about how the council is formed, the work that is done, as well as some of the projects the FDDC funds and works on. We talk about how the FDDC decides which projects get funded and how it is administered within the state and federal government. She also shares how individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can access resources created by the Council and how you can get involved.

Learn more at www.fddc.org/our-work-matters

Our Care Matters - https://www.fddc.org/our-care-matters/