Rhode Island Department of
Behavioral Healthcare,
Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Community Newsletter
June 2017 Newsletter

Quarterly DD Family Forum Recently Held in Newport

The Quarterly DD Family Community Forum was held on May 2nd at the Newport Campus of CCRI.

Developmental Disabilities Director Kerri Zanchi and her leadership team attended the forum to introduce themselves and to answer questions at the forum.

Many topics were discussed, including Person Centered Thinking and Planning and the re-writing of many of the BHDDH regulations. You can read about the forum here.

The next DD Quarterly Family Forum will be held on Tuesday, August 8th at the Coventry Department of Human Services and Senior Center, 50 Wood St. in Coventry from 4:00 – 6:00 pm.
*The August DD Quarterly Family Forum is accessible to individuals living with a disability. Any individual requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this meeting should contact Thomas Mannock, Ph.D. at 401-222-6377 (voice) or #711 (R.I. Relay) at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.
     The Director's Corner  
Hi folks,
I want to personally thank everyone who supported my nomination as BHDDH Director.  I was honored to be nominated as Governor Raimondo’s Director of the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals.

Having served in the Department for 12 years as the Director of the Behavioral Health Division and Deputy Director, the Governor appointed me to serve as Acting Director of the Department in June of 2016. It was a privilege to be confirmed by the State Senate two weeks ago.

The experience has been humbling and I am truly grateful for the generous support I received. Tom Kane offered to speak on my behalf at the Senate Health and Human Services Committee Nomination Hearing; I remain appreciative of his kindness, as well as the kindness of others who also spoke before the Committee.

As I settle into my role as the permanent Director of the Department, I am confident in my team of DD leaders as we work together to create a system of care for those who count on us. Kerri Zanchi is certainly at the top of that list! 
Best wishes for a wonderful summer--

Sincerely,
Becky
Rebecca Boss
BHDDH Director 
BHDDH Welcomes Joni Martell!

The Division of Developmental Disabilities welcomes our new Residential Coordinator, Joni Martell.  Joni comes to DDD with a depth of knowledge of developmental disabilities and  residential services from her more than 30 years experience in the DD Community. 

Most recently, as an Assistant Vice President of Adult Services at Seven Hills Rhode Island, Joni worked to reorganize residential programs while enhancing the quality of services for individuals receiving these supports.

In her new position, Joni will  work with the DD  Leadership Team to enhance residential services to best meet the needs of the individuals we serve.  Joni will be responsible for working with individuals, families, staff, and providers to promote person-centered planning and services. This will also include developing plans to build capacity for more integrated settings in order to ensure the right match for individuals based on their preferences and needs.

Joni will be at our next DD Quarterly Family Forum in August and she looks forward to listening and learning about the interests and ideas from the community!

Upcoming Person Centered Thinking  
and Planning Sessions

The next scheduled session to discuss Person Centered Thinking and Planning is for  our DD providers. It is scheduled for Wednesday, June 14th from 12:00 - 2:00 pm at the Sherlock Center.

Family sessions will be scheduled for smaller groups during the last two weeks in June. Look for a newsletter from us with the dates and times. We will also post the information on the BHDDH website and social media. We hope that you will join us.

 Finally, Advocates in Action will host some additional sessions, which we will post on our website and social media.

We hope you come out to at least one session and learn more about how the process will help you reach the goals that matter most to you in order to help you live the life you want.
Remember, if you have any questions or comments about the DD Division,
please send them to BHDDH.AskDD@bhddh.ri.gov. This email box is checked daily.
RI Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals
(401) 462-3201

Questions about -

Authorizations:  (401) 462-1833

Transportation issues:  (401) 462-2766

Social Services:  (401) 462-3421
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