Overview
The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC) is an independent agency funded through federal grant programs under Subtitle B of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (Federal Public Law 106-402). MDDC was established in accordance with Executive Order 512, signed by the Governor in 2009. It is made up of 14 members appointed by the Governor, as well as representatives from state agencies and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Network.2 According to its website,
MDDC is an independent agency, funded by the federal government, dedicated to empowering people with developmental disabilities and their families to enjoy full productive lives by promoting self-sufficiency, community inclusion & opportunity.
During the audit period, MDDC received federal funding of approximately $1,282,120 in 2020 and $1,192,317 in 2021. MDDC, located at 108 Myrtle Street in Quincy, is led by an executive director, who manages its 14 employees.
State Plan and Goals
Under Subtitle B of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, MDDC is responsible for developing a five-year state plan that outlines its goals and planned activities (e.g., trainings and meetings). MDDC submits its state plan to the Administration for Community Living within the United States Department of Health and Human Services for review and approval. MDDC, in an effort to accomplish its goals, contracts with external organizations to set up and provide trainings for individuals with disabilities and their families. MDDC awards grants to organizations that apply and meet the requirements outlined in its Notice of Funding Available.3
MDDC is required to monitor its state plan implementation and report its progress at least once per year. To meet these reporting requirements, MDDC does the following:
- MDDC submits its own Annual Program Performance Report to the Administration for Community Living. (See Appendix for examples of MDDC’s objectives and performance measures for fiscal year 2021.) The Administration for Community Living then reviews the Annual Program Performance Report, provides feedback about the strengths and weakness of MDDC’s trainings, and approves the Annual Program Performance Report.
- MDDC requires its grantees and council members to submit quarterly reports regarding the progress of their trainings and/or activities. MDDC’s Notices of Funding Available include a stipulation about monitoring and reporting requirements. The following is an example of some requirements included in MDDC’s Notice of Funding Available:
MDDC Grantees submit periodic and final reports. . . . Periodic program reports will summarize project activities, project participant demographic data and performance measures. Grantees will submit a final program report with an overview of the grant project activities and accomplishments, output, outcomes and federal performance measure data. Addenda to be submitted with the final report will include grant products, deliverables, survey copies or summary information and evaluation documents. . . . Grantees will distribute the MDDC participant surveys to project participants with developmental disabilities and family members, provide survey copies and report survey summary data to the MDDC. . . . Final drafts of any training materials, publications, videos, websites or other products shall be reviewed and approved by the MDDC prior to dissemination to the general public.
Individuals with Limited English Proficiency
MDDC’s 2020 Annual Report to the Citizens of Massachusetts highlighted significant barriers to reaching individuals with developmental disabilities who also have limited English proficiency and these individuals’ families. MDDC is subject to Section 1385.3(1)(ii) of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which requires it to offer assistive aids to ensure that all individuals with disabilities, including those with limited English proficiency, understand their rights and can access MDDC’s trainings and other resources.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth’s Pandemic Response Guidance
On September 30, 2020, the Office of the Comptroller of the Commonwealth provided guidance in response to the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for state agencies. The guidelines helped state agencies experiencing significant changes to their business processes to identify their goals, objectives, and risks associated with COVID-19. Objectives could include telework; return-to-office plans; a risk assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on state agency operations; changes to the business process; safety protocols for staff members and visitors; and tracking of COVID-19–related awards and expenditures, which were tracked separately from other federal, state, and local expenditures. The guidance also stated that Commonwealth agencies experiencing a significant impact should draft separate COVID-19 Pandemic Response Plan Appendixes to their internal control plans.
Cybersecurity Awareness Training
The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) has established policies and procedures that apply to all Commonwealth agencies using EOTSS-managed information technology infrastructure, such as email, websites, etc. EOTSS’s Information Security Risk Management Standard IS.010 requires that all Commonwealth personnel are trained annually in cybersecurity awareness. According to Section 6.2 of EOTSS’s Information Security Risk Management Standard IS.010, “The objective of the Commonwealth information security training is to educate users on their responsibility to help protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of the Commonwealth’s information assets.”
| Date published: | June 23, 2023 |
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