Developmental Disabilities Basic Support and Advocacy Grants

Developmental Disabilities Basic Support and Advocacy Grants: To enable individuals with developmental disabilities to become independent, productive, integrated and included into their communities. Funding under these programs is to assist States in the development of a plan for a comprehensive and coordinated system of services and other activities to enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to their maximum potential, and to support a system which protects the legal and human rights of individuals with developmental disabilities.

State grant agencies are the designated State agencies of the respective States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa. Under the basic developmental disabilities program, the designated State agency must not provide or pay for services to individuals with developmental disabilities, unless it has held such designation on the date of the enactment of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act Amendments of 1994, and the Governor of the State (or the legislature, where appropriate and in accordance with State law) determines prior to June 30, 1994, not to change the designation of such agency. The State can only receive funding under the basic developmental disabilities program if it is also participating in the protection and advocacy program. The agency designated to implement the State system under the protection and advocacy program cannot provide or pay for services to individuals with developmental disabilities, and that agency must have authority to obtain access to records of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Formula awards are processed through a payment management system to the State.