In her role as DDS Ombudsman, Shannon Jacovino works in partnership with individuals, families, state agencies, municipalities, general assembly members, and other stakeholders to help resolve complaints and challenges with DDS. The Ombudsperson serves as an independent facilitator to ensure that individuals and their families receive the support they need to live, learn, work, and enjoy life in the community. She is also charged with communicating the nature of complaints to the Council on Developmental Services, and the Commissioner of DDS to better direct the resources and to improve services.
As the niece of a strong willed, proud woman with an intellectual disability, Shannon witnessed first-hand the struggles her aunt faced in obtaining the life she wanted. Among the many lessons her aunt taught her, perhaps the most important is that every person, regardless of their level of disability, should have choices, support, and the opportunity to live a full rich life. This fundamental belief is what has motivated her throughout her entire career.
Prior to serving as Ombudsman, Shannon had the privilege to work for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families as the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy of The Arc Connecticut. Through that work, she learned a great deal about the diversity of needs, the challenges, and the resilience of the IDD community. At the Arc, Shannon worked with thousands of persons with IDD and their families, providing them with education and opportunities to obtain the supports they needed to build the lives they wanted. She developed strong working relationships with countless individuals and organizations, including DDS, other state agencies, non-profit community providers, and advocacy organizations. And through her work at the Capitol, she collaborated with legislators on both sides of the aisle to build bipartisan support for the IDD community, and to promote good public policy for persons with IDD.
Shannon’s experiences as a family member and an advocate, have given her an understanding of the challenges persons with IDD face in obtaining the person centered supports they need to live their best lives. As Ombudsperson she plans to continue and expand upon her work with individuals, families, DDS, and other stakeholders to remove barriers, increase opportunities and make Connecticut a better place to live for people with IDD.