Maryland has initiated a joint effort across the state to support families through the Community of Practice for Supporting Families. The Supporting Families project recognizes families as the most important group of people in our society, serving as a source of support for all its members. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) the role of family is unique, and often key in the support and care provided across the lifespan. Family members play important roles in finding and providing opportunities for their family members to participate within their community in meaningful ways and helping them access a self-determined life. Parents and other family members of people with I/DD often provide medical, behavioral, financial, and other daily supports beyond what most families provide.
The Supporting Families project will guide families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the life span, covering all of the stages of life. It will provide families with the opportunity to discover information and navigate the system, connect and network with others, and access day-to-day services and supports.
Maryland shares the same goals and vision of the Community of Practice for Supporting Families in that it recognizes that individuals exist within a family system and that families are the core of our society, serving as a source of support for all of its members.
Maryland wants to make sure that families have access to person-centered and family-centered resources, supports, services, and other assistance. These strategies are directed to the family, but in the end, benefit the individual with ID/DD, across the lifespan.
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