UCEDD Success Stories
- Highlights From the 39th Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
On February 27th, the Center on Disability Studies (HI-UCEDD) welcomed over 750 attendees representing 12 countries from across the globe to Honolulu, Hawaiʻi to the 39th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity both online and in-person. In celebration of the conference theme, Beyond Access: Building a Culture of Belonging we aimed to explore how we all live to belong, to be part of something greater than ourselves. - Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities: Removing barriers to vaccine access with rural Spanish speakers with disabilities
The Administration on Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are funding local trusted disability and aging partners to build vaccine confidence. In Montana, ACL/CDC funding supports the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities, the Montana Developmental Disabilities Council, Disability Rights Montana, Montana Centers for Independent Living, Area Agencies on Aging, and Aging and Disability Resource Centers. These funded partners are coordinating activities to connect people with disabilities and older adults to vaccination resources. - AUCD Emerging Leader: Blake Warner
Honoring the theme of the AUCD Annual Conference, this edition of ExceLens is excited to feature AUCD Emerging Leader Blake Warner. Blake has previously completed two years of SD LEND and is currently serving as a UCEDD trainee and completing a predoctoral internship at the UCLA Tarjan Center. Blake is passionate about advocacy and policy reform efforts, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals in the disability community. The AUCD Community Inclusion Team was able to sit down with Blake and learn more about his interests, goals, and experience so far as an AUCD Emerging Leader. Please read on to see the highlights from Blake’s interview! - The Ohio State University (OSU) Nisonger Center: All Smiles in Ohio: OSU Nisonger Center Dental Clinic
The University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary program within the Center for Human Development and Disability and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the School of Medicine. Their work is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other funding sources. - University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies: Addressing Hesitancy and Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccines for Everyone
The University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary program within the Center for Human Development and Disability and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in the School of Medicine. Their work is supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and other funding sources. - UCEDD Network Celebrates Pride
June is Pride Month and the UCEDD Network has been excited to share their support as well as a variety of resources through social media. We encourage you to engage with this content and learn more about our Network’s work with the LGBTQ+ community - Sonoran UCEDD at University of Arizon - Community Tribal Engagement Efforts
At the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Wendy Parent-Johnson and Jacy Farkas strive to continue to find impactful ways to best partner with and support native communities. Fostering relationships with community partners, utilizing person-centered practices, and setting organizational goals to build on existing projects are just a few ways in which they have made an impact. The AZ Developmental Disabilities Council was interested in creating a Native Center for Disabilities similar to Oyate' Circle developed in South Dakota by Wendy Parent-Johnson and Jimmy Warne, a consultant with the Sonoran Center. This new project would reflect Arizona’s culture and the 22 sovereign nations within the state. Oyate Circle serves as a resource, education, outreach, and training effort for Native Americans with disabilities*. - Kennedy Krieger Institute - Community Services: Model Services
Located in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region, Kennedy Krieger Institute is internationally recognized for improving the lives of tens of thousands of children, adolescents and adults with neurological, rehabilitative or developmental needs through inpatient and day hospital programs, outpatient clinics, home and community services, education, and research. -
University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development: Information Dissemination
The mission of the UAA Center for Human Development (CHD) is to improve the quality of lives for people who experience disabilities and their families, across the life span, through interdisciplinary training, technical assistance, exemplary service development, applied research and dissemination of information. The goals and activities of CHD are guided by the values of integration and inclusion, self-determination, individual and family empowerment, cultural sensitivity, diversity, community referencing, independence, and productivity. - University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities: Research and Evaluation
Based on the University of Montana campus in Missoula, the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities partners with advocates and communities to serve, train, research, develop and evaluate services that improve the quality of life of people with disabilities. Their focus is building and supporting their ability to provide education, services, research, and evaluation. - Sonoran UCEDD at University of Arizona - Community Services: Model Services
Adults with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) have the right to access competent, accessible care in their own communities. Lack of primary care practices that provide this care contributes to health disparities in adults with IDD. Models of care for primary care practices must be developed and disseminated, and health care providers must be educated, in order to improve access to competent care and reduce health disparities for adults with IDD in Arizona (AZ) and in the nation. - Sonoran UCEDD at University of Arizona - Community Services: Demonstration Services
The Transition AHEAD Roundtable is a day-long, one-on-one set of activities. It is designed to purposefully engage both the young adult and their family in collaborative activities with Sonoran UCEDD staff and staff from outside agencies and organizations. - Sonoran UCEDD at University of Arizona - Community Services: Research and Evaluation
The Transition Exploration Study funded by the AZ Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, focused on completing a statewide assessment of the current state of transition services in Arizona to identify exemplary practices, areas of need, and recommendations for improving post-school employment rates for youth with disabilities. A comprehensive qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized to gather information from multiple stakeholders involved with transition services for the purpose of contributing to data-informed policy and programmatic decision-making. - Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the UC Davis MIND Institute: Research and Evaluation - Community Services: Model Services
The Transition Exploration Study funded by the AZ Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, focused on completing a statewide assessment of the current state of transition services in Arizona to identify exemplary practices, areas of need, and recommendations for improving post-school employment rates for youth with disabilities. A comprehensive qualitative and quantitative approach was utilized to gather information from multiple stakeholders involved with transition services for the purpose of contributing to data-informed policy and programmatic decision-making.
About
University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) aim to positively affect the lives of people with disabilities by building and strengthening systems that support full community participation. The ExceLens series highlights the valuable work of the UCEDDs within university systems, the community, and in the lives of people with disabilities across the lifespan and their family members.
UCEDD success stories will highlight the impact of the implementation of the UCEDD Core Functions in the community in the areas of:
- Interdisciplinary Training: Understanding pre-service preparation and continuing education activities.
- Community Service: Understanding community Training, technical assistance, and model demonstration services.
- Information Dissemination: Understanding information dissemination to ensure to UCEDD is a local, state, and national resource.
- Research & Evaluation: Understanding research and evaluation activities.