Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities

05/04/2026

Explore tools that make everyday life more accessible!

Join us for a Low Vision Open House at Wendell Foster’s Assistive Technology Center, where you can explore assistive technology designed to support individuals with low vision in daily life, education, and work.

This event offers hands-on opportunities to try devices, ask questions, and learn how these tools can increase independence and accessibility. It is open to individuals with low vision, family members, educators, and professionals.

Location: Wendell Foster’s Green Therapy Building (815 Triplett Street, Owensboro, KY)
Date: May 13, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

You’ll have the opportunity to explore:
▪️ Video magnifiers
▪️ Portable handheld magnifiers
▪️ Devices with OCR (text-to-speech) that read printed text aloud
▪️ DaVinci Pro HD/OCR
▪️ Odyssey Reader
▪️ Humanware devices
▪️ Wearable technology, including OrCam MyEye glasses

Have questions or need more information?
Contact Kassandra Hester
Email: Kassandra.Hester@wendellfoster.org
Phone: 270-852-1487

05/04/2026

April is Autism Acceptance Month. Acceptance is a practice for better mental health.

05/04/2026

This is an incredible, FREE opportunity for continued training.

Thank for your interest in participating in the CAMP +U Postsecondary Training Project on Inclusive Practices. This project is funded by the Oak Foundation and supported through the UH Foundation. Please complete the registration form below to participate in the 5 module self-paced online course on....

05/01/2026

This is a great opportunity to talk about accessible transportation!

Save the date! Join us to talk through updates to the Lextran Wheels Rider Guide.

Public Meetings
Monday, May 11th from 12:30-1:30 PM at the Lexington Senior Center (195 Life Lane)
Tuesday, May 12th from 5-6 PM at the Bob Brown House (507 Rogers Road)
Wednesday, May 13th from 12:3-1:30 PM at McLeod’s Coffee House (376 Southland Drive)
Thursday, May 14th from 9:30-10:30 AM at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (2358 Nicholasville Road)

More information coming soon.

05/01/2026

04/28/2026

The Kentucky Respite Connection Coalition is a cross-sector partnership led by the Department for Aging and Independent Living, bringing together community members as well as agencies and organizations dedicated to strengthening Kentucky's respite infrastructure. If you’re interested in helping, please visit the following link: https://forms.office.com/g/uCs35uJSq9

04/22/2026

All of the national and state talk about paid family caregivers is spreading a lot of misinformation! Please check out this document for education and then to share with others the truth about why some families cannot function without waiver funding!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qZGUJno-kDpPjKmm3xlsmyrYl8oCz0-2ZM_VzpXefH4/mobilebasic?fbclid=IwZnRzaARTJiVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7LpfEkw_JuLOs54QcFqqfxiI6bt-dawu2HAvEDsU3LSOx7eD4x4RJfteBQ0g_aem_GSZOJJAnXAgSkiylgTBMYA

How to Explain Paid Family Caregivers Message 1: This is Not a Left or Right Issue • Challenge: Discussions around Medicaid often get stuck in political echo chambers. Allowing children and adults access to their services and family members access to these jobs is popular and bipartisan. • Avo.....

04/22/2026

We are proud of our partners who do such good work!

To our community,

My name is Amanda Mobley, and I have the privilege of serving as Executive Director at CAL. Every day, our work is guided by a simple but important mission: supporting individuals with disabilities in living independently and fully participating in their communities.

At CAL, our focus has always been on the people we serve. Across Kentucky and throughout the country, Centers for Independent Living provide core services designed to empower individuals with disabilities, while also offering additional programs that meet the unique needs of local communities. For many, these services have been life-changing—opening doors to employment, housing opportunities, benefits navigation, and connections to vital community resources.

We also recognize that accountability matters. Organizations like ours operate under strict federal and state guidelines, including regular audits and oversight, to ensure transparency and responsible use of resources. Just as importantly, we remain committed to listening, learning, and improving.

Advocacy is another cornerstone of this work. For decades, CAL and our partners have worked alongside the disability community to advance meaningful change—whether that’s improving access, expanding services, or supporting policies that strengthen independent living. This work doesn’t happen in isolation; it happens through collaboration, persistence, and the voices of the people we serve.

We are incredibly proud of the impact that has been made, but we also know there is always more to do.

Constructive conversation is essential to progress. We welcome those conversations and encourage anyone with questions, concerns, or ideas to connect with us.

Our door is always open.

— Amanda Mobley
Executive Director, Center for Accessible Living
Alt Text: A map of KY showing 3 CIL's and the coverage of each one.

04/21/2026

Do you have a disability and would like to make a difference in Kentucky? Apply to be on the council!
https://governor.ky.gov/services/application-for-boards-and-commissions

We have openings on the Council! We would love to have you.

04/20/2026

Attention nonprofits in the Ashland and Morehead area: KNN is coming to see you on May 11 at 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m! Join us to connect with your nonprofit colleagues and learn more about a potential new advocacy alliance of nonprofits for the region.

KNN's FREE Regional Forum provides you with an opportunity to discuss the latest issues and opportunities facing the sector, including federal, state, and local public policy issues; connect with other nonprofit leaders; and share what’s impacting your organization and community. Plus, if you are interested in learning more about a potential regional coalition for the Morehead/Ashland region (including surrounding counties), you're invited to stay after the forum for this discussion.

To view the agenda and register, visit https://heyor.ca/Vu4Vvy.