About Us
Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County - eitas is a subdivision of the Jackson County government primarily funded through a property tax placed on the citizens of Jackson. As a statutorily created taxing authority of Jackson County, Missouri, we provide funding and services for Jackson County citizens with developmental disabilities.
Our History
In 1969 a state statute was enacted that allowed the citizens of Missouri counties to vote on a tax levy to support various local services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The tax levy passed and the state boards created became commonly known as “SB 40 Boards” after the Senate Bill that created them. The voters of Jackson County approved adopting a “SB 40 Board” in 1976, and eitas’ first Board of Directors was appointed in 1977. First known as the Jackson County Board of Services for the Developmentally Disabled, the Board voted in 2007 to change the name to Developmental Disability Services of Jackson County – eitas. In 2018, the Board approved a new logo and the organization name was shortened to just eitas.
Our initial charter was to provide supports for sheltered workshops and residential group homes for the persons who were employed by workshops, but since 1976, the needs and supports for individuals have tremendously changed. Over the years, the SB 40 statutes (Missouri Revised Statutes 205.968 to 205.972) have been modified several times to allow for these changes. Today we support a variety of services and programs, in addition to employment and residential services, that benefit thousands of people each year.
Our Value Statements
At eitas we:
will advocate for a wide range of services and funding to meet the needs of persons with developmental disabilities.
will promote a culture of inclusion and individualized supports.
will support individuals with developmental disabilities through cutting-edge programs and empowered staff and providers.
will provide the highest quality of supports and services by listening to the people it supports and the people who know them best.
will support people to be active, full members of their communities.
will be a Missouri leader in developing, supporting and furthering a community free of attitudinal and physical barriers and where persons with developmental disabilities participate in the full, rich life of their community without fear and prejudice.
will conduct itself with integrity, propriety and honesty in carrying out the Board’s mission, values and responsibilities.
will seek to insure the health, safety, and quality of life for the persons we support through proactive oversight of the programs we fund.
will, whenever possible, leverage its resources to enhance funding and forge local, state and federal partnerships to expand available funding and services for individuals with developmental disabilities.