What are RICCs?
RICCs (Regional Interagency Consumer Committee on Developmental Disabilities) are local groups of people with disabilities, family members, advocates and service providers. They meet every 1-2 months to help resolve local problems and help people acquire supports and services. RICC chairpersons meet most months to stay informed on state-wide issues and to help meet Council objectives. Locally, they seek to increase opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to become more independent, productive, and to more fully participate in the community.
Membership
All RICCs must have consumer members. A Consumer is a person with a developmental disability, or an advocate. Membership also includes local representatives of service agencies and organizations concerned about developmental disabilities.
Funding-Certification
Michigan's network of certified RICCs each receives an annual Council grant of $500 for operational expenses. They can each access an additional $3,500 for projects related to Council goals and to increase cultural diversity. Additional grants of up to $8,000 are available annually on a competitive basis.
Technical Assistance
The Council provides field staff to assist RICCs and to help persons interested in forming one. Certified RICCs serve 50 Michigan counties. If there is not a certified RICC in your area and local citizens are interested in developing one, call the RICC field consultant at the Council office in Lansing.
What are the Council's Priority Areas?
The Michigan Developmental Disabilities State Plan Identifies priority areas through which the council pursues advocacy, grant, and interagency coordination activates, including RICCS. They are:
I. Community Living
Activities to assist persons with developmental disabilities to develop or maintain suitable residential arrangements and supports in the community. This includes activities to increase the availability of housing with supports for independent living, transportation and family support.
II. Education
Activities to promote the inclusive education of students with disabilities with the supports they need and to improve outcomes for students with disabilities as they move from school to adult life.
III. Employment
Activities to increase the independence, productivity or integration of people with developmental disabilities in work settings.
IV. Leadership Development & Civil Rights
Activities to increase the number of people with disabilities and family members who design and control the services and supports they use, advocate for themselves and participate in the political process
V. RICCs
Activities to develop and support the state-wide network.
What is the Oakland County Regional Interagency Consumer Committee (OCRICC)?
The Oakland County Regional Interagency Consumer Committee is established to address issues concerning persons with developmental disabilities by planning, evaluating, advising and coordinating efforts deemed necessary within the county. The committee operates under broad philosophical principles which reflect the dignity of persons with developmental disabilities and a consumer responsiveness approach to service delivery.
The Committee is comprised of consumers and/or their families or caregivers, providers of services and representatives of primary public and private service agencies. The OCRICC is the only committee of its kind in Oakland County that brings together such a broad group of people to coordinate efforts of the State Planning Council on Development Disabilities.
Subcommittees of OCRICC
There are several subcommittees of the OCRICC which focus on the specific areas of concern.
Empowerment
The purpose of the empowerment committee is to promote activates for the dissemination of information on self advocacy and empowerment to persons with disabilities and their families.
Minority Outreach/Publications
The purpose of the Minority Outreach Committee is to enhance advocacy Efforts by increasing the knowledge, awareness and access to resources and services for minority persons with development disabilities and their families. The committee also focuses on recruitment of members of minority, ethnic or cultural groups to become members of the OCRICC and/or other community boards.
Legislative Affairs
The purpose of the legislative Affairs committee is to provide timely and accurate information on pending legislative initiatives at the federal, state and local levels affecting persons with disabilities. The committee influences public policy and provides input and testimony on actions and strategies to remedy problems facing people with disabilities and their families.
Residential/Housing
The purpose of the Residential/Housing Committee is to gather and share information relevant to current housing systems and work to seek out and support innovative and creative housing approaches in order that persons with disabilities and their families with have the widest variety of housing support options and choices available.
Vocational/Educational
The purpose of the Vocational/Educational Committee is to gather and analyze information and to make recommendations relevant to vocational and educational issues that will have an impact on persons and development disabilities.
Transportation
The purpose of the Transportation Committee is to inform members of the OCRICC of transportation policy changes and issues.
OCRICC's Work Plan 975K