As I have continued to run and grow the Whitehall Group for the last 38 years, I have also been devoting a good amount of my time to assisting companies and organizations with board and advisory support as well as mentoring next generation managers and leaders, hence my recent involvement in mentoring for Oakland University’s Achieve Program.
Likewise, for the last few years I have served on the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MiDDC) since I was appointed by the Governor in 2024. Let me tell you more about MiDDC and my involvement as a parent of a child with special needs and an advocate for anyone with a disability.
What Is the MiDDC?
The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MiDDC) is a 25-member body appointed by the Governor, made up of people with disabilities, family members, and professionals from across the state. The Council’s driving vision is this: Support for all people with disabilities to live self-determined and self-directed lives in a diverse and inclusive community. MiDDC advocates for positive systems change, provides education, and works to make services and supports more responsive to the real needs and desires of people with I/DD in Michigan.
The Voice of the Council
The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MiDDC) met in May to elect their at-large member of the Executive Committee. I am honored to announce that I was unanimously voted for the role, and I can only begin to express my gratitude. It is a position of trust, and one that puts me directly in the room where decisions are made about how MiDDC allocates its resources, advances its advocacy, and shapes policy for Michigan’s intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community. As a part of my commitment to serving individuals with developmental disabilities with dedication and integrity, it will be a privilege to represent the MiDDC to the leadership that guides them.
The MiDDC Five-Year State Plan Explained
Under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), every State Council on Developmental Disabilities across all 50 states and 6 U.S. territories is required to submit a five-year plan outlining how it will improve the lives of people with I/DD in their state. That plan is reviewed and integrated across every state department, council, and legislature, serving as the roadmap for the work ahead.
Members of MiDDC recently voted to approve a draft five-year state plan covering October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031. Over a full year, the plan was built from the ground up and shaped by input from approximately 300 people with I/DD, their families, providers, and advocates. They shared their obstacles, their dreams, and their ideas about what would make life genuinely better for people with I/DD in Michigan.
The Drafted Plan for 2027-2031
The 2027–2031 Draft Five-Year State Plan draft is built around three goals that reflect the priorities that stood out most consistently from community input:
Goal 1: Advocacy and Engagement
Ensuring people with I/DD and their families have the tools and opportunities to lead advocacy efforts, engage in civic life, and fully exercise their rights. This includes sustaining a statewide self-advocacy organization and building a pipeline of community leaders from within the I/DD community itself.
Goal 2: Information and Education
Focus on equipping individuals, families, and providers with the knowledge to navigate systems and live self-determined lives. It prioritizes clearer, simpler access to information about services and supports, and ensures people are prepared to navigate crises when they arise.
Goal 3: Transformation and Systems Change
Driving lasting change at the policy level. It calls for transforming laws, policies, and practices to be genuinely inclusive, amplifying the voices of self-advocates at the policy table, and building cross-sector partnerships to create change that outlasts any single initiative.
Together, these goals aim to reshape the systems, culture, and policies that define daily life for people with I/DD across Michigan. Once the draft is approved and goes into effect on October 1, 2026, it will guide how MiDDC allocates its resources, which projects it funds, and where it focuses its advocacy and education efforts all the way through September 30, 2031.
How You Can Make a Difference
The DD Act requires that the public be given 45 days to review and provide comments on any draft five-year plan. That public comment period is now open and will remain open until July 11, 2026. This is your opportunity to weigh in. If you or someone you love has been affected by Michigan’s I/DD service system, your voice matters most, and we want to hear it. A few minutes of feedback today can shape the next five years of support for Michigan’s I/DD community.
To review the draft plan and submit comments, visit the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council page.
How I Can Help You
If you have a friend or family member with a disability, or if your business could use board, advisory, or mentoring services, I’d be glad to help. Feel free to reach out by email at bione@whitehallgroupllc.com or connect with me on LinkedIn.
