Connecting families with resources, tools, and statewide supports to help individuals with
developmental disabilities plan for a good life.
Ohio’s Community of Practice for Supporting Families works to connect individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to information, resources, and opportunities for planning across the lifespan.
Through partnerships with state agencies, community organizations, and family support networks, Ohio promotes the use of Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) principles and tools to help individuals and families explore possibilities, identify supports, and plan for their futures.
Ohio focuses on connecting families with resources, expanding opportunities to learn about Charting the LifeCourse, and incorporating person-centered approaches into statewide planning.
Kansas brings together state agencies and community organizations to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through shared learning and collaboration.
Ali Braun
Family Systems Consultant
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Allyson Infante
Deputy Director; Director of the KCDD Health Equity Outcomes Coalition
Kansas Commission on Developmental Disabilities
Corby Lockwood
I/DD Waiver Program Manager
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
Corbym.lockwood@ks.gov
Kelsey Stock
Communication Access Services Program Manager
Kansas Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
kelsey.stock@ks.gov
Stacie Martin
Education Program Consultant
Kansas Department of Education
smartin@ksde.org
Stephanie Coleman
Autism Family Outreach Manager/Family Discipline Mentor
Kansas Family Support Center, Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND)
Tami Allen
Co-Executive Director
Families Together
tami@familiestogetherinc.org
Teresa Sowell
IDD/BH Crisis Stabilization Coordinator
Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services
teresa.sowell@ks.gov
Facilitator
Facilitator
Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities
corey.ferguson@dodd.ohio.gov/strong>
Ohio has 88 counties, each served by a County Board of Developmental Disabilities that provides services and supports to individuals and families. Previously, each county board maintained its own Individual Service Plan (ISP). To create a more consistent statewide approach, the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities implemented the Ohio Individual Service Plan (OISP) for use across all 88 counties.
The OISP incorporates Charting the LifeCourse language and concepts, bringing LifeCourse principles into a common planning framework used throughout the state. This statewide initiative represents an important step toward greater consistency in how individuals and families participate in planning for services and supports.
Kansas offers a variety of programs and resources to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families connect with support, navigate services, and plan for the future.
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities offers information and resources organized around Charting the LifeCourse life domains, helping individuals and families explore supports across different areas of life.
The Family Resource Network of Ohio (FRNO) connects families with a wide range of resources, including agencies, service providers, therapists, books, webinars, programs, events, and training opportunities. The network also maintains a Facebook group where families can connect, share resources, and learn about upcoming opportunities.
FRNO provides educational videos exploring Charting the LifeCourse concepts and practical applications. Featured topics include:
Additional videos and learning opportunities are available through the Family Resource Network of Ohio.
