AUCD | Project

Project Description:

The mission of the Texas UCEDD, the Texas Center for Disability Studies, is to serve as a catalyst so that people with developmental and other disabilities are fully included in all levels of their communities and in control of their lives. The current budget of the UCEDD is just over $3 million, funded through various federal, state, and local contracts and grants. The challenges faced by service providers in this state are great, due partly to the geographic diversity, ethnic diversity, and high level of poverty. The result is an enormous need for education, training, and advocacy support for individuals with developmental and other disabilities. To accomplish its mission to meet the needs identified in Texas, the TCDS applies its resources toward achieving four primary goals, representing the core functions of the Center. The broad goals of the Texas UCEDD are: 1. To conduct interdisciplinary pre-service preparation and continuing education of students and fellows to strengthen and increase the capacity of States and communities to achieve the independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities as valued members of their local communities. 2. To provide community services that provide training or technical assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, professionals, paraprofessionals, policy-makers, students, and other members of the community, and to provide services, supports and assistance for people with disabilities and their families to promote their independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion. 3. To conduct basic or applied research, evaluation, and public policy analysis in areas that affect or could affect, either positively or negatively, individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to improve their lives, and to enhance the effectiveness of community-based programs and supports. 4. To disseminate information related to activities of the UCEDD, as part of a national network, to increase and support the independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities into the community. A major initiative of the UCEDD is to encourage person- and family-centered thinking by promoting learning and skill-building by families to be able to develop, implement, and maintain culturally-relevant, person-centered plans for their family members with disabilities. Families also learn to mentor other families in the person-centered process. The goal of this initiative is to enhance family participation as well as agency service delivery. Families better understand what their family member wants and needs in life, and can develop person centered plans that will effectively work toward the implementation of those needs. Family members are supported in developing and enhancing advocacy skills in their children, and supporting self advocacy in adult family members. In doing so, the family helps agencies to understand the needs of the individuals they serve and will lessen the time that service coordinators spend in developing person-centered plans. Community education, technical assistance, research and policy analysis, and dissemination activities are conducted by the UCEDD. There is a critical need for advocacy and training in the areas of special education rights and the provision of services and supports for Spanish-speaking families. The Texas UCEDD conducts training with Spanish-speaking families, and provides individual advocacy during IEP meetings on a limited basis. In addition, the materials used during the trainings will be available on the UCEDD website.

AUCD Community Inclusion

AUCD Maternal and Child Health Engagement

AUCD Public Health

AUCD Emerging Leaders Community

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Project

5.01 - UCEDD Core Grant for Texas Center for Disability Studies