A variety of ACL programs under the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) help people with developmental disabilities and their families advocate for themselves.
Promoting self-advocacy for people with all disabilities is also a central part of the work of Centers for Independent Living.
AIDD Self-Advocacy Projects of National Significance
- National Resource Center for Self-Advocacy
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In August 2016, ACL announced the first ever National Resource Center for Self-Advocacy (NRCSA) to empower people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for enhancing their voice on issues important to their well-being and daily life. Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) is leading the effort in partnership with several organizations.
This national resource center continues the mission of developing self-advocacy resources across the U.S. It is working to:
- Compile resources, best practices, training curriculum, and success stories for an online clearinghouse accessible to the public;
- Research the history of the self-advocacy and other civil rights movements to understand their evolution, leadership, and best practices to produce a report and webinar on the findings;
- Provide training and technical assistance to new entities in addition to the more than 1,000 established self-advocacy organizations across the nation for advising, building consensus, recruiting youth, supporting grant writing, developing leaders, and more; and
- Establish a fellowship through mini-grants to disability organizations to create disability fellowships that offer leadership development and employment opportunities for fellows.
The center will collaborate with a diverse range of organizations including self-advocacy organizations, disability-related nonprofits, universities, state government agencies, and others to achieve the grant goals.
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Equal Partners Interstate Congress (EPIC)
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Award Date:
September 30, 2014Abstract:
The project includes Idaho, Alaska, Wyoming, Nevada, and Washington State. The project’s goals are:- Connecting the states of the region through technology;
- Creating an equal Self-Advocacy D.D. Network Partner;
- Establishing sustainability beyond the scope of the grant; and
- Developing methods for replication by other regions.
Project Amount
$100,000 per yearContact
Brian Dahl
Phone: 800-634-4473
Email: brian.dahl@ddc.wa.govAIDD Project Officer
Katherine Cargill-Willis
E-Mail: katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 690-5791Grantee
Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council
2600 Martin Way E., Ste. F
Olympia, WA 98506
Phone: 800-634-4473Grant Number
90DN0305Project Period
9/30/2014–9/29/2017 - Southwest Alliance Technical Assistance Center
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Award Date:
September 30, 2014Abstract:
The project includes Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The objectives of the project include:- Creating a regional technical assistance center that strengthens the participating states capacity to increase and support self- advocacy at the community level;
- Presenting four webinars and two blogs annually based on the results from states’ needs assessments, the implementation plan, and the state plan;
- Collaborating with DD Partners and community members from the four participating states to guide the project and conduct evaluation; and
- Dedicating space on a Facebook page, www.switoday.com, and www.sabeusa.org websites for the project to disseminate and publicly share States’ successes and lessons learned, training plans, and products.
Project Amount
$100,000 per yearContact
George Garcia
Phone: 480-222-8800
Email: g.garcia@swifamilies.orgAIDD Project Officer
Katherine Cargill-Willis
E-Mail: katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 690-5791Grantee
Juliana Huereña, NMT, Neurologic Certified Music Therapist Operational Manager Southwest Alliance for Technical Assistance Center Project Director SABE Voter Project, Administrative Assistant and Technology Support Southwest Institute for Families and Children
255 E. Osborn Rd, Suite 103
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Phone: 602-235-0354 X802
Email: j.huerena@swifamilies.org
Website: www.swifamilies.orgGrant Number
90DN0303Project Period
9/30/2014–9/29/2017 -
Heartland Self-Advocacy Resource Network (HSRN)
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Award Date:
September 30, 2014Abstract:
This project includes one self-advocacy group in each of the four states: Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. The project will carry out the following:- Securing funding for self-advocacy;
- Developing strategies for delivering state-to-state technical assistance;
- Providing a central hub for self-advocacy groups to come together; and
- Developing a web-based online community to share resources and provide training.
Project Amount
$100,000 per yearContact
Laura Jackson
Phone: (816) 235-5625
Email: jacksonlw@umkc.eduAIDD Project Officer
Katherine Cargill-Willis
E-Mail: katherine.cargill-willis@acl.hhs.gov
Phone: (202) 690-5791Grantee
The Institute for Human Development Institute for Human Development at the University of Missouri-Kansas City
5100 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2499
Phone: 816-235-5626Grant Number
90DN0304Project Period
9/30/2014–9/29/2017 -
Community of Practice: Focusing on Life Span Supports for Self-Advocates and Their Families
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Focusing on Life Span Supports for Self-Advocates and Their Families
October 1, 2012
Abstract
The “Community of Practice: Focusing on Life Span Supports for Self-Advocates and Their Families” project will establish a multilevel community of practice to develop a model framework for supporting families that builds on the 2011 Wingspread Family Support Summit outcomes and provides the foundation for work in five states to enhance family-related services and policies.
This community of practice will be facilitated by a project management team from the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, University of Missouri-Kansas City Institute for Human Development, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and Human Resource Services Institute. A national partnership council will lead the project and will include representatives from Parent-to-Parent USA, Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, Sibling Leadership Network, and the Association of University Centers on Disability. In each of the five states, the community of practice will: Facilitate a comprehensive assessment of policy and practice to inform the development of state-level work plans for improving them; identify existing expertise and common needs across states to promote mutual learning and collaboration; help each state to develop a sustainability plan for continuation of communities of practice both across and within states. A community of practice at the national level will also be established that will allow interested stakeholders to participate in ongoing dialogue throughout the project.
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AIDD Project Officer
Larissa Crossen
Phone: (202) 690-5999
E-mail: Larissa.Crossen@acl.hhs.govThe training and technical assistance activities for this project will be conducted in partnership with Developmental Disabilities Networks (State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, State Protection and Advocacy Systems, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities), consortia members, and relevant state agencies.
Grantee
National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services
113 Oronoco St.
Alexandria, VA 22314Grant Number
90DN0298
Project Duration
9/30/2012–9/29/2017
Project Amount
$240,000 per year
Contact
Nancy Thaler, Principal Investigator
Phone: (703) 683-4202
Fax: (703) 684-1395
E-mail: NThaler@nasddds.org