Washington County staff recommend appointments to Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council

Health and Human Services staff recommended Friday that the Washington County Board of Commissioners appoint Eddie Plourde and reappoint five current members to the countyDevelopmental Disabilities (DD) Advisory Council.

Kirsten Oster, program manager for the countydevelopmental disabilities division, told the board the council is a 15-member advisory body that provides input on program development, planning, monitoring and funding for county DD services. "The DD Council is a 15 member council that serves in an advisory capacity to the Washington County Department of Health and Human Services," Oster said.

The department asked the board to schedule formal approval of the recommended slate at its June 3 regular meeting. Staff said there are eight vacancies this recruitment period and six applicants; five applicants seek reappointment. The department recommended appointing Eddie Plourde, who currently lives in an adult foster care home and serves as a governor-appointed member and co-chair of the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities, and reappointing Dan Pesha, Angela Braddock, Beck McShane, Lucia Benavides and Jenny Cisneros.

Oster summarized each candidate's background for the board. She said council membership includes people accessing DD services, family members, provider representatives and advocates, and that recent council priorities have included housing, safety, equitable access to services and outreach to Spanish-speaking families. Oster added the council meets once a month, typically by Microsoft Teams, with capacity for two hybrid meetings per year.

Mirissa Mantle, director of Health and Human Services, said staff have been expanding outreach and intentionally designing promotional materials to recruit people who access services. Staff noted that many potential applicants are prioritizing employment, housing and basic needs and that the division is working to make participation feasible for those individuals.

Commissioners praised the diversity and experience of the applicants but did not vote during the work session. The board is slated to consider the appointments at its June 3 regular meeting; staff said invited applicants have attended recent council meetings and participated in outreach activities.

The county did not provide an estimated number of people affected by council decisions; departmental staff said funding sources and specific program changes would be discussed through regular budget and program processes.