cover
TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Alex Voigt, Asst. Chief of Staff
DATE: October 3, 2018
SUBJECT:
An Ordinance establishing the "Advisory Commission on Disabilities".
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this proposed amendment is to formalize the efforts of the "Fox Valley Area Special Needs Steering Committee" (FVASNSC) into a commission supported by the City of Aurora.
BACKGROUND:
In 2016, the Mayor's Office was contacted by an Aurora resident looking to create a group for parents of young adults with special needs. The concern was the apparent lack of resources and opportunities available to families with young adults, who may soon graduate, have aging caregivers and be unable to care for themselves. The Mayor's Office, in partnership with Community Services, the Fox Valley Park District and the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, called a meeting of local non-profit agencies and parents of children with special needs to discuss what resources and programs may be available, and how to better bring this information to the community.
The meeting turned into an informal steering committee with smaller task forces dedicated to three specific areas of need identified by the group: housing, employment and transportation. Each group would meet individually to identify resources and then the group as a whole met to discuss and distribute the information. One of the parents suggested the City of Aurora would benefit from hosting a resource fair to bring all of the parties together in a common space to increase awareness and communication. In October of 2017, the inaugural "Fox Valley Area Special Needs Resource Fair" was held at the Vaughan Athletic Center. The fair sought to bring together resources for individuals with both physical, intellectual or developmental disabilities. The goal of the commission is to incorporate some of the work this group has done into the mission.
Outside of the steering committee, questions or needs raised by individuals with mobility ...
Click here for full text