Welcome
Welcome to the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) Website.
SCDDSN is the state agency that plans, develops, oversees and funds services for South Carolinians with severe, lifelong disabilities of intellectual disability, autism, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury and conditions related to each of these four disabilities. Our mission is to assist people with disabilities and their families in meeting needs, pursuing possibilities and achieving life goals, and to minimize the occurrence and reduce the severity of disabilities through prevention.
Please use the link below if you would like to view the DDSN website in Spanish:
(This translation is provided as an unofficial, non-binding aid only. The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs does not in any way guarantee the accuracy, completeness, appropriateness, appearance, function or any other aspect of the translated result.)
Por favor haga clic aqui para ver el sitio web DDSN en español. Gracias
Special Information
Disability Employment Awareness Month
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month
By Proclamation of South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster
New State Director Announced
Mary Poole named DDSN state director
Mary Poole has been named state director for the SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN). The SC commission on disabilities and special needs voted unanimously today in support of her selection.
Ms. Poole will direct the SC state agency that plans, develops, oversees and funds services for South Carolinians with severe, lifelong disabilities of intellectual disability, autism, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury and conditions related to each of these four disabilities. The state director is the agency’s chief executive. Appointed by the SC commission on disabilities and special needs, the state director has jurisdiction over five regional residential centers and all services provided through contracts with local disabilities and special needs boards and other service providers.
Ms. Poole has been working in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 25 years. She started her professional career as a third shift weekend direct care staff at an intermediate care facility in the upstate of South Carolina. She has been a service coordination supervisor, a residential director and a day program director at various agencies in South Carolina. Ms. Poole is the current executive director of Maxabilities of York county. She has a bachelor of science degree in sociology and a master of arts degree in business management. Ms. Poole served on the governor’s adoption and foster care task force, the SC Department of Health and Human Services final rule transition team and is one of the founding members and current chair of the SC disabilities service providers coalition. Ms. Poole and her husband are the proud parents of 10 children.
South Carolina ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) Savings Program
Advanced Training in Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Support
The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN), in collaboration with the University of South Carolina offers advanced training in Applied Behavior and Positive Behavior Support. This training opportunity includes seven (7) graduate-level courses designed satisfy the coursework requirements towards board certification in applied behavior analysis. These courses carry university credits, transcripts and the same requirements for participation, exams, purchase of textbooks, projects, and attendance as graduate-level courses provided on campus. While SCDDSN will cover tuition costs for all courses, participants are required to sign an agreement to provide services as an enrolled provider of waiver-funded Early Intensive Behavior Intervention (EIBI), Intensive Behavioral Intervention or Behavior Support in the SCDDSN system for two (2) years following completion of the course sequence and enrollment requirements. Should a participant not satisfy this service agreement, they would need to reimburse SCDDSN for the cost of the courses.
There are currently no dates identified for the next course sequence; however, interested parties are encouraged to contact Mark P. Morgan at mmorgan@ddsn.sc.gov to express interest and submit their email address for when additional information is made available.