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South Dakota DD Council ratifies executive committee actions, approves budget items and state plan goals
Summary
The Developmental Disabilities Council ratified executive‑committee funding actions, approved an additional website work authorization, passed several grant RFPs and adopted five‑year state‑plan goals and objectives after public comment and edits to training targets.
The South Dakota Developmental Disabilities Council on Friday ratified a set of actions taken earlier by its executive committee, voted to approve additional website work and adopted the council's five‑year state plan for fiscal years 2027–2031 after amending training targets.
The council ratified sponsorship and grant decisions that the executive committee had already approved, including a late mini‑grant to support an event and authorization for a family travel assistance application. The council held a roll‑call vote to ratify funding decisions because the items involved money; members recorded multiple “aye” responses and the motion passed (one abstention was noted where applicable).
Executive director Jessica Lamb told members the council's contractor, Epicosity, estimated approximately 120 hours of work to populate the new council website. The director initially referenced a contractor estimate of $7,500 for that extra work; later in the meeting a motion was made and recorded at the podium as approving an additional website cost of $70,000 and that motion passed. The council approved paying the extra cost from FY26 funds if needed and said the director would direct the contractor to begin work immediately.
Council members also voted through several routine RFPs and longstanding grants: the education and training mini‑grant (maximum awards of $5,000), a USD public‑information grant (noted in the packet at $23,000), and the Partners in Policymaking/self‑advocacy grant (federal funds not to exceed $210,000). Members amended and delayed issuance of the Native American advocacy/Oyate Circle RFP until October to allow staff to consult with tribal partners about expanding the program’s reach to additional reservations.
By mid‑afternoon the council heard public‑comment feedback on draft goals and objectives gathered via SurveyMonkey and proposed a modest change to a training objective: members increased the five‑year training target from 100 to 200 South Dakotans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families and professionals. After discussion the council voted to adopt the goals and related objectives.
What happens next: staff said the council will finalize the state‑plan submission for the federal Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and begin year‑one key activities, including hiring a coordinator for the statewide community‑of‑practice supporting families and continuing outreach and RFP work.
