UCEDDs Developing Collaborative on Disability, Religion, and Inclusive Spiritual Supports
November 30, 2011
With leadership from the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities (NJ UCEDD) and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD), development of a National Collaborative on Disability, Religion, and Inclusive Spiritual Supports is underway. The Collaborative will develop and provide coordinated training, technical assistance, research, and product development to people with disabilities and their families, clergy, congregations, and service providers (both professional and direct support staff) in the arena of inclusive spiritual supports.
Collaborating partners currently include the Human Development Institute (KY UCEDD), the Center for Leadership in Disability (GA UCEDD), Partnership for People With Disabilities (VA UCEDD), Center for Persons With Disabilities (UT UCEDD), Institute on Community Integration (MN UCEDD), Institute for Human Development (MO UCEDD), Texas Center for Disability Studies (TX UCEDD), JFK Partners (CO UCEDD), and Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (ME UCEDD). While these 11 UCEDDs will serve as founding institutions for this Collaborative, other UCEDDs, colleges and university programs, and individual scholars will be invited to affiliate with the Collaborative in various activities. In addition, the Collaborative will seek to work in conjunction with other national organizations doing similar work.
"In the last several years, a number of UCEDDs have been working with faith networks, service systems, and communities, recognizing the crucial role that spirituality and congregational supports play in the lives of many people with disabilities and their families," said Bill Gaventa, Director of Community and Congregational Supports at the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center. "For many people with disabilities and their families, faith communities can be a powerful source of natural community support and connection, as well as a doorway to other important outcomes in areas of relationships, work, community living, recreation, and service. For many others, however, their faith community has not played this role. Barriers of attitude, awareness, and accessibility remain prominent in many congregations. There is a clear need for coordinated and concerted efforts to support people with disabilities and their families in this dimension of their lives and to better equip service systems to draw on natural partners in the community."
Mirroring the overarching framework of UCEDDs, Collaborative partners will engage in research and scholarship, education and training, service and technical assistance, and dissemination. Activities will be designed to:
- Develop and support an interdisciplinary and interfaith network of scholars and leaders who are addressing the intersection of disability, religion, and/or spirituality in their work
- Foster rigorous, collaborative, and interdisciplinary scholarship, including research, policy analyses, theological reflection, and program evaluations.
- Develop educational materials, programs, and technical assistance fostering collaboration among, or building the capacity of, religious leaders, human service professionals, service providers, congregations, individuals with disabilities, and families to address spirituality and build inclusive spiritual supports.
- Produce and disseminate compelling resources based on research and state-of-the-art practice in both disability services and inclusive spiritual supports.
- Provide national and international leadership by speaking to policy initiatives, cultural developments, and other emerging issues related to disabilities, religion, and spirituality.
- Serve as a central and visible "clearinghouse" for resources, research, trainings, conferences, programs, and organizations.
- Provide an accessible and engaging link between academic, professional, and lay communities.
- Support and enhance the efforts of other organizations, faith networks, and groups carrying out work in related areas.
Next steps include the development of a Collaborative website and organizational structure, initiating and deepening discussions with seminaries, and a search for potential funding sources.
For more information on the Collaborative, contact Bill Gaventa (Director) [email protected], Erik Carter (Associate Director) [email protected], or Courtney Taylor (Director of Dissemination) [email protected].