Legislation, Leadership, and the Lives We Impact

American trust in government entities has been trending down for decades. 

While trust in local government tends to be much higher and more consistent over time, it too is declining.  

As the Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County, eitas is supported by public taxes. Our affiliation with local government is obvious, yet our role in this sphere is centered entirely on advocacy for the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (I/DD) population. 

Our mission is relational toward the people we support and educational toward the general public. As a tax-receiving entity the only ongoing work of eitas is to connect state decisions to the daily realities of the I/DD community. 

Put simply, we exist to improve the lives of the I/DD community of Jackson County. Our work is inherently human, not political.

The best way to exemplify this is to show how our work positively affects the lives of actual people in Jackson County. 

Meet Eric

Over the 18 years we’ve known Eric, he has dreamed of living on his own. Realizing independence while staying connected to friends in his local community has always been his goal. In an effort to combat the kind of isolation that is all-too-common for people in the I/DD community, Eric maintained key local connections, participating in the Jackson County Parks and Rec program, engaging in activities and sports, staying involved at work, and working with various support coordinators and his family.

Nevertheless, the complexity of the public system slowed down his progress. When his father died, we discovered Eric did not have Medicaid coverage and was transferred to eitas for support. Sam Stepp working with the Community Outreach Department at eitas, stepped in. We bridged the gap in our system and when Eric opened an ABLE Account, he received Medicaid eligibility. Eric has since changed jobs, made new friends, and found a girlfriend. As well, he is now an active member of the KC Roo People First Chapter, a self-advocacy group supported by Eitas’ Agency Relations Department. 

Thanks to the help of those at Southeast, Eric was able to participate in Disability Rights Legislative Day and take part in the events in Jefferson City. At this event, Eric met his Representative Melissa Douglass. She and advocate Amy Newport keenly noticed Eric showing discomfort in his hands. Rep. Douglass partnered with advisor Jasmine McCrary to complete a health assessment and get Eric the treatment he needed. 

It takes a community to support our I/DD friends well, and while eitas is proud to be part of this work, we are not alone. Eric is now closer to achieving his dream of living independently than ever before, and countless individuals at  eitas have proven instrumental in navigating local government systems in order to make this possible.

The Power to Effect Change

Our expertise is always directed toward our I/DD clients and our voice is always directed toward those who can help affect positive change in their lives. We understand the local systems of government and we use this expertise to make tangible, daily impacts for our local people who make up Jackson County’s I/DD community.

Learn more about the various ways we leave a positive mark on our local friends in the I/DD community.