Ann L. Riley, MSN, Deputy for Administration at Iowa's UCEDD Joins National Advisory Board for Workforce Development

October 25, 2011

Ann Riley

Most people who work at Iowa's UCEDD wear a variety of hats, and UCEDD Deputy for Administration, Ann L. Riley, is no exception. Recently, Ann has been wearing a new hat since she was recruited to join the National Board of Advisors for the College of Direct Support (CDS), an internet-based curriculum for direct support professionals. She joins representatives of other UCEDDS and organizations from around the country who serve on the National Board of Advisors to provide guidance to CDS in the development of new courses and tools for training and retaining the direct support workforce. This new role for Ann provides another opportunity for Iowa's UCEDD to work with local, state and national partners toward achieving the goal of a life in the community for every Iowan.

Since 2009, Ann has supervised a pilot program in Iowa, which provides unlimited access to the CDS online curriculum and learning management system for agencies and individuals participating in the State's Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration grant, which supports the transition of individuals with complex needs from intermediate care facilities to community settings of their choice. The CDS pilot program is intended to build the capacity of Iowa's direct support workforce to provide home and community-based services by filling training gaps identified by community providers, such as the need to teach frontline workers how to understand and prevent challenging behaviors. Originally funded through the State's Real Choices Systems Transformation grant, the program is a good example of the Iowa UCEDD's efforts to leverage resources that promote the success of complementary programs, such as MFP and Real Choices, and support implementation of the State's Olmstead Plan.

When Ann Riley began working at Iowa's UCEDD in 2005, she had spent the previous 25 years serving as the director of Handicare, Inc., an inclusive child care provider and preschool she founded in 1981 to offer all children, including those from diverse backgrounds, or with developmental disabilities or special health care needs, a place to learn, play and grow alongside their typically developing peers. As the UCEDD's deputy for administration, Ann continues to supervise or participate in a variety of grant activities that foster full community participation, including Iowa COMPASS, the State's information and referral service for disabilities, CDC-funded Disability and Health initiatives, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, and the Family to Family Health Information Center managed by the Iowa's Child Health Specialty Clinics.

In addition, Ann continues to serve on Iowa's Direct Care Workforce Advisory Council, as a member of both its governance and curriculum committees. Her work on the Council has contributed to the development of a statewide training and credentialing system that shares the goal of building the capacity of Iowa's direct support workforce so that all Iowans can receive the services they need in the communities of their choice.

Those in the national network who would like to know about disability and inclusion activities in Iowa may contact Ann at [email protected].