Speaking out for People with
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The vast majority of VOR's members are involved in this organization because someone they care about has intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this section, we will regularly share their stories. Their own stories in their own words explain WHO VOR represents and WHY we do, better than we ever could.
Do you have story to share? We welcome your submission. Send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call toll free 877-399-4867.
Click here to view the interview between Jill Escher, President of the National Council on Severe Autism and Hugo Dwyer, Executive Director of VOR.
Click here to listen to the podcast interview between NCSA's Jill Escher and VOR's Jill Barker.
Spread the True Meaning of Olmstead: Preserving Choice and Opportunity
Recently, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) issued press releases celebrating the 17th Anniversary of the Olmstead decision. VOR shares their view that there is much to celebrate in opening doors to community living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are able and wish to take advantage of such opportunities. Unfortunately, their ideological preoccupation with one key part of Olmstead, community integration, at the expense of the other key part, choice, has reduced options for all people with I/DD. This crimped and, VOR would submit, inaccurate application of the plain language of Olmstead has done significant harm to many of our most disabled citizens.
By insisting that all people with I/DD live and work in the community, the DOJ and ACL are treating people with I/DD as a monolithic group, not as the individuals they are. DOJ and ACL are substituting the wishes of the government for that of the person with I/DD or, where relevant, the legal guardian. While their policies have opened doors for the less severely disabled, they have closed important doors for the more severely disabled. Many of these individuals have lifelong needs that require higher levels of care, the kind often found only in public and private Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs/IID), sheltered workshops and facility- based day programs.
For over 30 years, VOR has advocated for high quality care and human rights for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). VOR is the only national advocacy organization which supports the full continuum of care - from large and small Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) to community based settings, from sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs to competitive employment opportunities. We recognize that there is a diverse range of intellectual and developmental disabilities and that individuals and families need to have an array offerings available to them in order to support their unique needs.
What We Do
