About

The Alaska Association on Developmental Disabilities (AADD) is a statewide network of organizations and care coordinators dedicated to advancing high-quality, individualized, community-based services for Alaskans with developmental disabilities.

Founded more than 30 years ago, AADD was created to unify the voice of providers—to share expertise, develop best practices, and advocate for a strong, person-centered service system that supports individuals to live the lives they choose in their home communities.

Today, AADD is the largest network of organizations serving Alaskans with developmental disabilities, representing over a hundred member organizations across the state. We build strategic alliances with providers, community partners, national associations, the State of Alaska, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, and—most importantly—the people we serve and their families.

AADD is proud to be an active partner in Alaska’s Shared Vision, working collaboratively with other members of the Shared Vision Collaborative to create a more inclusive, person-directed system of support. We are also a longstanding member of the Key Coalition of Alaska and actively participate in the annual Key Campaign, ensuring the voices of people with disabilities and their supporters are heard in Alaska’s Capitol.

In addition, AADD elevates the voices of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) by supporting the work of the Alaska Alliance of Direct Support Professionals (AADSP) and advancing shared efforts to strengthen, recognize, and professionalize Alaska’s DSP workforce.

Together, we are building a system rooted in community, collaboration, and respect—one that empowers Alaskans with developmental disabilities to thrive.

History

Starting in the early years of the United States, people with developmental disabilities were often placed in large institutions, far from their families and communities, with little choice or control over their lives. Before Alaska became a state in 1959, individuals with developmental disabilities were often sent to Morningside Hospital in Oregon because a local option did not exist. During the transition to statehood, Congress passed the Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956, paving the way for Alaskans to return home. Harborview Hospital in Valdez was repurposed as Alaska’s first in-state institution, and many Alaskans were relocated there from Oregon.

In the 1960s and 1970s, national exposés by Geraldo Rivera and Dr. Burton Blatt revealed widespread mistreatment in institutions, sparking the growth of family advocacy and the first community-based services in Alaska. Families began forming organizations to provide respite, employment, and day activities. Landmark laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) helped establish that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else—to live, work, and participate fully in community life. In 1974, the first self-advocacy group—People First—was founded, giving individuals with disabilities a stronger collective voice. The State of Alaska began funding limited community programs through grants, and as provider organizations grew, more people were able to leave Harborview, which ultimately closed in 1996. Around the same time, Medicaid waiver programs were introduced, allowing states to use Medicaid funding for home- and community-based services instead of institutional care.

Although AADD had been operating informally as a provider network throughout the 1990s, it incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in October 2003.

In 2018, Alaska took another major step forward when Alaska’s Shared Vision—affirming that “people live the lives they choose with the supports they direct”—was signed into state statute. AADD continues to play a key leadership role in advancing this vision, strengthening services statewide, and ensuring that every Alaskan with a disability can belong and thrive.