Agency urges business and arts community to help disabled residents explore the nation's capital

(Washington, DC) Department of Human Services (DHS) Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability Administration (MRDDA) urges those who sponsor events, workshops, trainings and cultural activities in the District to keep residents with disabilities in mind as they plan.

"The goal of DHS is to uplift the lives of the District's most vulnerable residents," said DHS Director Yvonne Gilchrist. "To do this, we need to embrace a culture of total integration and inclusion for our residents with disabilities."

To help people with disabilities become more integrated into community life, MRDDA recently launched a website service that pays special attention to the needs of people with disabilities.  The website lists hundreds of activities every day, mostly free, with detailed information about wheelchair access, handicapped parking, stairs, ramps, sign language and audio interpreters, touch tours, closest Metro station/lines, etc.

"Every day there are more than 100 events, destinations and activities, most of which are free," said MRDDA Administrator Dale Brown. "The idea is to let people with disabilities know they are welcomed and try to answer every question they may have regarding access."

The user-friendly site is http://mrdda.dc.gov/activities. Select any day or type in a key word, like "jazz" to pull up all related events.

MRDDA is responsible for the delivery of services to approximately 1,800 District of Columbia citizens with mental retardation and developmental disabilities to help them to reside with their families, or in other community living situations, and to develop functional and occupational skills. It manages more than 260 providers who offer home and community based services, intermediate care facilities, transportation, clinical services, residential care, and daytime activities that provide a combination of diagnostic, active therapeutic treatment, rehabilitative, and vocational services.

For more information on MRDDA's website, contact Kathleen Donner at (202) 727-2437.