The Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities is seeking applications from people with developmental disabilities and parents of children with developmental disabilities to serve on the 25-member Council. Applications are due before Dec. 1, 2001.

Council meetings are held on the first Wednesday of even-numbered months at the Earle Brown Center, University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus.

The Council is a federally mandated and funded advisory group charged with providing information, education and training that will enable people with significant disabilities to become independent, productive and included in community life. Council members are appointed by the Governor.

A developmental disability is severe, chronic disability that:

• Is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental or physical impairments;
• Is manifested before the individual attains age 22;
• Is likely to continue indefinitely;
• Results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following major life activity areas:
  • self care
  • receptive and expressive language
  • learning
  • mobility
  • self direction
  • capacity for independent living
  • economic self sufficiency;
• Reflects the individual’s need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic services, supports, or other assistance that are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated;
• Expect that such term, when applied to infants and young children, means individuals from birth to age 9, inclusive, who have substantial developmental delay or specific congenital or acquired conditions with a high probability of resulting in developmental disabilities if services are not provided.

A one-page application form is used for all Governor appointments. The form is available by writing to Secretary of State, Open Appointments, 180 State Office Building, 100 Constitution Ave., St. Paul, 55155-1299; by calling the Secretary of State’s Office at 651/297-5845; or by completing and submitting an application on line: www.sos.state.mn.us, go to "Open Appointments" and then "Forms."

For additional information about the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, contact Colleen Wieck, Executive Director, 651/296-9964; 877/348-0505 toll-free; 651/296-9962 TDD; e-mail: colleen.wieck@state.mn.us; or visit the Council’s web site at www.mnddc.org or www.mncdd.org.