#59 � Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities (MCDD)
Mackenzie Jones:
Thank you for joining us for this episode of Talking Health and the 406 where we are one community under the Big Sky I'm your host Mackenzie Jones the program manager of the DPHHS Montana disability and health program which supports the disability community to drive futures of healthy and resilient communities. It is therefore even more fitting that I host and introduce our guest Greg Zadina executive director and CEO of the Montana council on developmental disabilities the Montana council on developmental disabilities or MCD is a non profit organization that works statewide to improve opportunities. Services and community inclusion with and for people with intellectual and developmental disability. To highlight the importance of their work we are launching this episode during October the national disability employment awareness month you'll hear about the impact employment has on our health and the great strides MCD is taking to make a robust system with more inclusive competitive employment. Opportunities here in Montana let's dive in. Hi Greg thank you so much for joining today and I see you're in a beautiful office downtown Helena tell us a little bit about yourself how long have you been in Montana and why were you drawn to working at the Montana Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Greg Zadina:
Yeah thanks we can see I'm excited to to be here and I've been in Montana now about 2 years I spent much of my my career in in in Alaska working with tribal organizations and healthcare systems and nonprofits. Really wanted to get our our kids closer to their their grandparents and Montana felt like the right place to to put down roots throughout my career I've I've been drawn to organizations that solve difficult community problems complex problems. Whether it's been you know the the workforce development or healthcare economic development nonprofit leadership I've I've excelled and enjoyed bringing people together around complex and and and practical. Options when the the council position on popped up it was especially appealing because it kind of sits at that intersection of of policy and and leadership and and community impact and all the complexities that that go along with that and so. With council we we have that opportunity to help improve systems across the entire state not by providing a a direct service ourselves but really by helping the communities state agencies providers families self advocates work together to to find those. Complex solutions that are right for for for them and for their community to to create that lasting change.
Mackenzie Jones:
So you mentioned self advocates I'm not sure Oliver listeners know what that means to men explaining a little bit more.
Greg Zadina:
Self advocates those are our montanans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and that's the the council the first self advocate. And so those are folks in your community and and on our board that are living with the experiences of of you know intellectual and developmental disabilities and our our then advocating for for themselves we also you might hear me say. Family advocates and that would be a family member of. Of a self advocate.
Right.
Mackenzie Jones:
What draws you to supporting self advocates and empowering? Then to live work play in the community.
Greg Zadina:
You know really it's just the the same thing that draws you know me to work live and play in the community and I I think community really is is something that. People are drawn to and and I think that we get a lot of meaning out of you know community and however we define community and whatever our you know community is and you know I want that opportunity for myself for my family for my my children and and so I I've found myself working. Across my throughout my career to to sort of support that for being entirety of of the community and and this is a another opportunity to do that.
Mackenzie Jones:
So every state as far as I know has a council on developmental disabilities what should our listeners know about the councils and why they exist.
Greg Zadina:
So there are 56 councils one in each state and then territories and many people don't realize that their state. As a county. But they're established under a federal law called the developmental disabilities assistance and Bill of Rights act or DD act will talk a little bit more about here later I think but really in this act Congress recognized that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve the same opportunities as everyone else. So like where they choose and work meaningful jobs participate in their communities and make decisions about their own lives and so the the councils are one of the entities created under the D act that exists to improve those systems that support those those opportunities. So we do that by bringing people together and funding different system wide and innovative project. X educating policymakers listening to self advocates family advocates with the lived experience and and then helping identify solutions that that can benefit communities statewide and and I'd say that's true for every council in every state it just looks a little bit different. You know in in Montana then I suppose it does in New Jersey.
Mackenzie Jones:
And we keep using the term council and I know when I first learned about the organization I thought that was just like part of the name but they're actually is a group of people that meet and help advise the momentum of this organization can you talk a little bit more of the like actual council and who participates on. It yeah thank you.
Greg Zadina:
So the council sometimes uh you know we we shorten it because the the Montana council on developmental disabilities can be a a mouthful to say. Over and over so. Sometimes we'll shorten it to MCD or the council but the council is really the Montana council on developmental disabilities and and we're a non profit entity our council members function as our board of directors and and council members and so most of. The councils. Across the nation are governors council so they're in the governor 's office and and Montana is one of the the few in the country that are standalone nonprofit and so in the structure of the governor 's council. The council members are not an acting board of directors that they're the council members and so they're going to be made-up of a majority of family and self advocates and really going to function as that. And advisory body to make sure that the lived experiences of people with developmental disabilities are are considered at every you know step along the way and and and in all activities and so in Montana our council members are also our board of directors and so they have a little bit more. Broad responsibility around you know administration of of a nonprofit agency but but really are there to ensure that the lived experiences are first and foremost and everything that we do.
Mackenzie Jones:
Thank you that helps me understand so imagine that will help. Our listeners understand a little bit more of the organization and the council itself. In addition to. The Montana council and developmental disabilities being a nonprofit is there anything else that makes Montana 's council unique.
Greg Zadina:
Of course I would say yes you know I'm sure we can find some some similar states that have very similar struggles and and if you just read some survey data you might actually think that they're all from the same state but you know I think that non profit piece really sets Montana 's council. Apart for for a couple of of reasons one of the beautiful and unique things that I found in a couple of years in in Montana is Montana itself is pretty unique it's one of the largest geographic states in the country. Many many rural and and and frontier communities and you know what works in say you know Bozeman is not likely to work well in a you know brought us or Browning and that means our solutions have to be practical flexible and and very locally driven. And that nonprofit structure for the Montana council I I think really lends itself to that landscape and that. One of the practical benefits of our nonprofit status is is is we can be much more nimble and responsive and solutions and funding without the multitude of approvals or long timelines that are often associated with the formal government process so when we learn of a need in one of those. Fuel areas or frontier communities we can more quickly move to identify and leverage resources. To provide solutions and I think that's a historically been a a benefit and I can see already in my short tenure here with the council that that is a a major catalyst for seizing opportunity and really supporting that that change that's needed.
Mackenzie Jones:
Earlier you mentioned the DD act what is the DD act and a little bit more detail and how does the council play a role in ensuring the DD act is actualized in Montana.
Greg Zadina:
This is the tough one D act you know is hefty came about through multiple elevations and and and decades of civil rights law and really the D act as a federal civil rights law that that exists to to make sure people with. And. Not mental disabilities can can live work and participate fully in their communities on their own terms it's built around the idea that disability really is a natural part of human existence and doesn't lessen a person 's right to independence choice community inclusion. It acts core purpose I think I said to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and their families have a voice and help design and have real access to the community services individual supports that they need in order to fully actualize. I said self-determination and independence productivity integration and and inclusion and just just in all areas of of their life. At its heart I think that that the DA. Makes. Sure that decisions that affect people with developmental disabilities and their families are made with their input upholds their legal and human rights and so to accomplish this rather than directly funding individual services that the D act funds state and community systems funds councils protection.
And. Leader.
Greg Zadina:
An advocacy systems and and university centers. That that worked at safeguard lights support advocacy and and improve. Service systems build leadership among people with with developmental disabilities and their families the Montana council helps to bring. Those principles. Concepts to life by identifying barriers investing in innovative solutions supporting leadership development advising policymakers. Helping improve systems that affect people with with developmental disabilities across the state and ultimately we're asking I think and and and working to to solve really a a simple question how do we create a Montana where everyone has the opportunity to contribute and and belong.
Mackenzie Jones:
Would I remember from the DDCT is that it led to the 3 sisters and I think you started to talk about those would the council is one of them and then you have the university centers on developmental disability which is in Montana the rural institute on inclusive? Communities housed at the University of Montana and then there's disability rights Montana and like all 3 states have these 3 entity. Fees that then support 3 aspects of ensuring that people with developmental and intellectual disability can live work play participate all of the above in the community as they wish.
Greg Zadina:
Yes yes absolutely and and we kind of call it you know the 3 legs to the stool there and and so those are the the 3 sister programs and. Advocacy is is where each of us has some overlap and then we kind of all have our our areas of of focus and that's our designed to come together and and work together for that full systems approach to support.
Mackenzie Jones:
So as the executive director of the council you've updated your strategic plan recently. Tell us about that process how did you ensure disability voices were prioritized.
Greg Zadina:
Yes we we did we are we are just rolling into a new 5. Year plan here. And one of the things that I'm. Most proud of. Since again my rather short tenure here is you know that. That we as the council we didn't start by deciding you. Know. What? Am I as the executive director want to do or that that the council member even given their broad lived experience you know wanting to do or or found meaningful we really started by asking montanans what they needed and so it kind of started as a. A couple of events over the last couple of years that had some some workshops and some survey and and we're able to to pull some feedback and and some data from from those areas. We spent several months listening to self advocates families providers partner organizations and and different folks across the state we were following those conversations and and multiple surveys the the council members then work together. Validate and refine the data that we received over a series of of work sessions to refine and and and shape what is. The next 5 year plan guiding guiding the council 's work and so that that process led us to the 3 pretty broad priorities area one is is strengthening self advocacy and leadership area 2 helping people remain in their home communities. I'm with the supports that they need and area 3 improving statewide systems through collaboration and and innovation and. Those. Priorities. Came directly from what we heard like I said not not assumptions by myself or the council or. A group of folks. That were conveniently here in Helena but the the process yielded a a long list of of some very specific needs that the the council had to interpret and then consolidate into more. Broadly focused priorities of of high impact and. These priorities being. Broad allows us to to better support individual areas of the state or or communities specific needs such that like I said before that things that are are. You know concerns that are are in Bozeman differ from from those and and frontier communities and and so we needed to design a plan that allowed us that was broad enough to allow that flexibility to support both those communities and their individualized needs.
Mackenzie Jones:
So it sounds like. A lot of the similar effort that the Montana Department of Public Health and Human services recently did with the state health improvement plan and reaching out to communities far and wide having specific listening sessions to ensure that they captured the voices of people with disabilities. The tribal communities with frontier communities and really dedicating work sessions to ensuring that the voices weren't. Overrun by louder voices or. Majority voices and so making sure that the priorities that are set are really meeting the needs of the community.
Greg Zadina:
Yeah yeah absolutely and. It's quite a challenge to do in a meaningful way it's very intentional and and relatively methodical to to get that meaningful feedback.
Mackenzie Jones:
Well this is a podcast focused on community stories about health and Wellness we haven't explicitly talked about health but that doesn't mean that health isn't a priority for the council and as someone who works within the Montana. Disability and health program I I recognize that more than anything that really health is an umbrella for everything that we're doing. But how do you define health and Wellness as it relates to the council 's mission.
Greg Zadina:
Reflecting back on the last decade plus of of work and the tribal health system in Alaska and sitting at that executive table and those those planning tables and you know you kind of you get a a couple of different kind of. Groups are settings you get that very. Medically driven perception of of health and and healthcare and then you have the the mental health focus of of of healthcare and and then usually there's a a 3rd cohort that's talking on the measure you know typically your social services folks that are talking about more of a a Wellness and and what. What about? Wrap around health is and and so when you get all of them at the table and those conversations start to commingle you start to get a a much bigger picture and understanding of of health and it's much bigger than than just healthcare you know it becomes about whether someone has meaningful relationships. Stable housing and transportation employment opportunities to participate in their community and the ability to make choices about their own life contributes greatly to.
OK.
Greg Zadina:
The ones health and and Wellness and those those social factors are social determinants often influence health you know just as much as traditional healthcare doctor's appointment if you will but but traditionally have received less attention when when speaking about a person 's health and so. In that vein everything that that we do at the the the council has a health connection through those social factors those social. Terminates when someone has a job they enjoy social and community connections safe housing and emergency plan in place their physical and and and mental health improves along with their their physical and and more traditional sort of views of of health. And so our our work is really about creating the conditions that allow people to live healthier more inclusive more independent and and productive lives.
Mackenzie Jones:
Thinking about the social determinants of health and. The factors that impact health as you were talking about what future projects do you hope to take on with the council. And how could each of these projects impact the health of people with developmental disabilities.
Greg Zadina:
Future projects you know we're excited to be able to support and and several initiatives that. Are that are ongoing and they really do all you know? Connect back to that. Improved quality of life and.
One of those.
Greg Zadina:
Is we'll say we call it disaster preparedness or emergency preparedness during the the disability inclusive health summit in in Missoula we heard pretty clearly that emergency preparedness for people with with disabilities and? More specifically intellectual and developmental disabilities remains a significant gap. Last. Really across numerous areas and and various types of of emergencies whether it's wildfires flooding severe winter weather or extended power outages planning ahead can literally save lives and so. One of the things I think will see increased activity from the council and over the next year or 2 is identifying ways that we can help communities better you know become better prepared before disasters happen whether that's from. One individual provider you know infrastructure point of just having the backup generators or or equipment necessary or whether that's an individual and and and family planning aspects really kind of identifying which community needs what supports. And and and and working to help them all be better prepared in their in their own right another initiative where we're. Really excited to. Be part of is is montanas 's employment first work. And so it's. You know really about. Much more than than a than a paycheck it's it's you know about that that inclusion and and I think I think contribution to community and. Maybe I speak. More for myself but I I I think that uh. People you know we had a a a sense of purpose we get friendships confidence independence you know all of which have have have better outcomes and and so rather than just paying our bills employment is is really important for for many of us and that. Kind of sold sold. Of. And so again that brings the council into this Montana 's employment first efforts it's a it's a it's a large collective lift by the state of Montana to to help build a system where competitive integrated employment becomes the expectation rather than the exception and and. And by competitive integrated employment what we mean is. So that that jobs for folks with disabilities look like they do for anyone else that it's a a market based competitive wage it's it's integrated in there and and the the typical setting that anyone else is it really brings about. Multiple departments and divisions of the the state to come together and to understand everyone's data their services their impacts and then identify where those gaps right across the state to. Uh. Again make sure that this competitive integrated employment is is Montana 's expectation rather than the exceptions that it's historically been. Another issue is that we have I I kind of listed it is you know isolation and and community connection and then I think that that community connection you know can come with that employment but but I I think we heard a lot about isolation really in 2020 when when COVID was was really ramping up and. All the way through the the next couple. Of years and you know isolation for. Folks with with disabilities. Intellectual and developmental disabilities has always been a concern provider and a family perspective isolation became more of a nationally recognized concern. Through the COVID. Because I think you know everybody who would never maybe not everybody but but you know broad slaws. Of communities that had never experienced isolation or experiencing isolation and so we were talking about it more we're talking about it more and you know the the benefit of of that conversation is that. There are a lot. Of really innovative solutions out there for bridging that that isolation. Too many people. Experience loneliness simply because you know the opportunities for connection are are limited and so building stronger communities where everybody belongs that that's. Inclusion that I was speaking about it sounds simple but it has a tremendous impact on on mental health and physical health on on overall of quality of life. I think one area of focus that was is in our our new 5 year plan and and will continue to stick with us long term that the council can support in this this isolation connectedness is through reinvigorating self advocate groups and leadership development for for self advocates. And family advocates not only in in individual communities or regions of the the state but supporting those groups that. That connectedness and that leadership all the way across the state so those are those are kind of 3 off the the cuff here that that I'm I'm excited about the at the surface sound pretty pretty straightforward and linear and and then there are multiple layers of of complexity in there that. We'll we'll give us plenty of work to do.
Mackenzie Jones:
I had some clarifying comments so that the 3 projects that you chose to talk about were one disaster preparedness or disaster management.
Right.
Mackenzie Jones:
To employment first or competitive integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 3 isolation and how that impacts health long term when you were talking about disaster preparedness. You mentioned the inclusive health summit and as. One of the planners for that Montana disability and inclusive health summit this past spring I wanted to give a little background on what that was and how it led to some of these conversations about gaps within disaster management. Around including people with intellectual and developmental disability but the summit itself brought together public health professionals. Developmental disability agencies self advocates family advocates the council northwestern energy developmental disability service providers all coming together as well as emergency planners and managers all coming together to talk about the current environment of what emergency preparedness. Looks like and. What developmental disability agencies are doing now and what's stood out to me was how isolated they are from the realm of Emergency Management and the professionals is in Emergency Management where the developmental disability professionals are like we know our people this is our plan? This is what we would do in case of emergency and we help each other across the state and I think that was shocking to the emergency. Professionals to to know that they're not a part of that planning and that process and so if something were to become so dire that additional resources were needed there's not a plan in place and that could be a chance for the council comes in and makes that bridge and helps. Helps fill those gaps.
Greg Zadina:
Absolutely uh mackenzie it's you know spot on and and I I think what we found is that. Those D providers were. They have their own network and their own relationships that they interact with and engage with for obvious reasons and and common grounds on a regular basis. Most of us don't interact with our disaster and emergency services you know personnel or resources until there's an emergency and and then you know we often aren't familiar with who they are or what they do or you know if there's a a rally point or if we're on the notification system or. Umm just a number of little nuances. I think what people in in Montana can appreciate and recognizes is that in those rural spaces relationships are everything it's it's often less about what services available but it's about you know who the person is that's at. Place a B or C and and so one thing that we've been encouraging those those providers to do is to reach out and get to know their. Their local disaster and emergency services they're officers their personnel their directors all of your first responders and and make sure that everyone's a known quantity and and really start from a relationship basis. To to do that planning.
Mackenzie Jones:
And then the second one 's talking about employment first. I feel like when people talk about employment they they start to think OK well what's the percentage of people that are employed and the percentage of unemployment and so I looked up some numbers but I think it was Montana adults with disability in general so not just developmental disability. But curious if you had more knowledge about the 46.1% of Montana and adults with disability that are employed. Compared to the 6.7% unemployment rate or the 7.6% of adults not working but actively seeking employment so I think there is a misconception that people with disability don't work but these numbers. Shake that up.
Greg Zadina:
Yeah absolutely and and I think that growing up in a very rural community and employment and and that work is a great sense of identity and and and I think that that's probably true for a lot of montanans and so the 46% of of. Nearly half of montanans with developmental disabilities. Working as it might seem low but I I think I saw the statistics with the Bureau of Labor statistics and that compares to something more like you know 25 to 35% of persons with developmental disabilities across the United states so I think that there's more work that we can do and we can. We can build on that but I think that that can be a point of of pride for for Montana that we're on the right track and we can we can continue to do more and and increase that percentage but when you look at it nationally I I think we're. We're we're on the right course.
Mackenzie Jones:
In October is national disability employment awareness month and what could employers do to improve. Their system to support people with developmental disabilities becoming employees.
Greg Zadina:
I think that it will depend a little bit on. Of businesses or business owners or you know managers background and experience and working with persons with developmental disabilities and you have that experience you know then then just embrace the talent that that is right there in your your community if if you're not sure there's some wonderful folks. At montanas UM vocational rehabilitation services their support from case managers job coaches. And and folks that are are really experts in identifying good fits and then helping businesses support whether it's accessibility or or you know environmental factors to support their their community members and employees that are experiencing disabilities.
Mackenzie Jones:
So the council seems like a wonderful organization. How can the community or individuals get involved?
Greg Zadina:
You know I always encourage folks to to check out our website one because it's it's new got a little facelift there's some more information there you can learn a little bit more about what the council does what our background is. And then you know really. I encourage folks to get involved at their at their local level the the council is not necessarily in your community daily and weekly doing this work but. But you are and the people of the the community are. You know the things we we have opportunities for that we put out surveys there's feedback right through the last several months available on our website about our state plan you can find information on applying for a council membership following their work on social media share with us your experiences. And and help keep us informed of of what is is happening across Montana and what people are experiencing and and seeing so that we know that our efforts are maximized and focused in the right areas. But you know really systems improve when the people affected by those systems speak up and and have a voice so folks can you know connect with their local organizations or businesses to bring my hands with with disabilities or become one of those businesses. Like we were we were just speaking about reach out to the council anytime volk rehab is another great one the Montana 's DP department is is is great as well. If you have questions about how you might be able to do that how you might be able to get more involved or become one of those those businesses or organizations supporting montanans? With with. Disabilities.
Mackenzie Jones:
And volk rehab stands for vocational.
Greg Zadina:
Rehabilitation yes thank you and and and DP is the developmental disabilities program. At the at the state level.
Mackenzie Jones:
Thanks Greg for providing those additional resources that our listeners might connect to those will be included where you are listening on our website. What else would you like to share with us?
Greg Zadina:
You know I think I'd I'd probably just leave listeners with. With the thought that everyone has something valuable contribute and everyone can can start maximizing that opportunity you know in their own communities at at the local level disabilities a natural part of of human experience whether through aging illness injury something that we're born with disability. Touches nearly every family at some point. So building communities that are are more accessible more inclusive more welcoming doesn't you know benefit only one group it benefits all of us in time. And so that that. Montana council exists because we believe every montanan should have the opportunity to live work contribute and and belong in the community that they call home. And I think that that worked. Really is is something that everyone can be a part of right right in their own neighborhood and coming. Ready.
Mackenzie Jones:
Thank you for listening to the talking health in the 406 podcast where we are one community under the Big Sky I am your host mackenzie Jones and I'd like to thank our guest Greg zejna for sharing how the Montana council on developmental disabilities shapes change across Montana if you would like more information on what you heard today visit our website. Talking health and the406.mt.gov if you haven't already Please remember to review and subscribe thank you and have a wonderful rest of your day.