Since 1968, the Vocational Development Center, or VODEC, has provided vocational training to persons with disabilities, primarily developmental disabilities. We began as an affiliate of the local Area Education Agency and became a private non-profit corporation in the early 1970’s. For close to 40 years, we have worked with thousands of clients with a focus on giving them a real work environment and teaching proper work habits. During the past ten years, we have grown to include three work centers (one in Council Bluffs, one in LaVista, Nebraska and one in Omaha, Nebraska), two adult day-habilitation centers (ELM) in Omaha and residential services in Council Bluffs and Omaha.

Our long-time record of service to the community is featured in the book Silent Hills Speak: A History of Council Bluffs (William E. Ramsey and Betty Dineen Shrier, Barnhart Press, Council Bluffs Library Foundation, publishers, 2002).