Our agency values community partnerships. In order for us to be most effective we team up with other agencies to make a bigger impact on community needs. 

We continue our partnerships with Substance Abuse Prevention Services, Anuvia, CASCADE, and community volunteers to educate young women and physicians on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). FASD is the number one most preventable cause of mental retardation. This collaboration has enhanced this agencies ability to serve this potential parent and physician population by allowing us to prevent incidence of disability in Mecklenburg County.

We also work with the following agencies on the Transition Sub Committee of the Mecklenburg County Developmental Disability Best Practices Committee on the subject of transition, which has been identified locally and nationally as an area of need from analysis reports on service area gaps: Residential & Support Services, Lifespan, UMAR, Family Preservation Services, Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Together this committee works towards better transition outcomes, which include greater inclusion and involvement of youth with developmental disabilities in independent living, employment, post-secondary education or vocational training, and community, social, and civic affairs. This is a significant partnership because we are contributing to the advancement of the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities without duplicating efforts.

The last of our major strategic partnerships is MDAC (Mecklenburg Disability Action Collaborative) a collaboration of disability agencies (over 20 disability agencies are represented) focused on creating action plans that support individuals with disabilities. The activities of the committee focus on self-determination, best practices, increased community awareness, and acceptance to better prepare and integrate people with developmental disabilities into the community. This committee is important to our agency and the community because it enables a variety of disability agencies to create a unified approach and message in the effort to integrate and support people with developmental disabilities. Through this partnership we are able to make a significant impact in the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities in critical areas (employment, housing, etc). Our strategic partnerships help a great deal with our advocacy and education initiatives, while maximizing our resources and reach within the community.