Disability Services Boards
History of the Virginia’s Disability Services Boards
A partnership of consumer, local government, and business working to increase access and develop consumer-oriented, community-based services for persons with physical and sensory disabilities.
In 1992, the General Assembly legislated the development of the Disability Services Boards (DSBs) to assist localities in identifying and addressing the needs of persons with physical and sensory disabilities in their communities. The Disability Services Boards and their grant program, the Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund, originated in a 1992 report of the Disability Commission. Community involvement is a major theme of the report. In studying services for people with physical and sensory disabilities, the Commission found that planning for programs and services had traditionally been developed at the state level and implemented locally. In response to this finding they created local Disability Services Boards as the infrastructure for locally based assessment and planning. The DSBs provide a bottom-up approach to service planning which is different from the prevalent top-down planning.
The Boards are a vital part in the development and expansion of services to improve access for citizens living in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Local government appoints the board members to fulfill this charge by the General Assembly. Membership is comprised of local government representatives, business representatives, and individuals with physical or sensory disabilities or family members of people with physical or sensory disabilities. A DSB may have up to 15 members. 30 % of the membership must represent a physical or sensory disability and have two business representatives. The Boards advise state and local government and agencies and, through incentive grants, leverage private and public dollars to improve service delivery and public awareness. Over 500 individuals serve on Virginia’s 40 Disability Services Boards, representing every political jurisdiction in the Commonwealth.
Boards are responsible to the governing body or bodies of the county or city or combination thereof, which established the Board. Term limits are set by the local governing body and not by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Duties
- Develop and make available for public comment an assessment of local needs and priorities of people with physical and sensory disabilities, updated every three years;
- Administer the Rehabilitative Services Incentive Fund and serve as a catalyst for the development of public and private funding sources;
- Provide information and resource referral to local governments regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act;
- Exchange information with other local boards regarding services to persons with physical and sensory disability and best practices in the delivery of services; and
- Provide such other assistance and advice to local governments as may be requested.
About the DSBs
A partnership of consumer, local government, and business working to increase access and develop consumer-oriented, community-based services for persons with physical and sensory disabilities.
- 2007 DSB Handbook
- 2006 Needs Assessment Summary
- Listing of Virginia's Disability Services Boards (Word)
- Disability Commission
For more information, please contact Richard Kriner or call 1-800-552-5019 (voice) or 1-800-464-9950 (TTY)
