Community Services
The Institute on Disability and Human Development partners with over a hundred community, national, and international groups to achieve its mission of breaking down barriers for persons with disabilities in society. Initiatives include the following:
- training and technical assistance programs for community agencies,
- participation by community leaders in the IDHD's consumer advisory committee,
- collaborative student internships with local service providers,
- assisting community agencies in leveraging grant monies,
- and evaluation of local disability programs.
Programs and Services
Assistive Technology Unit (ATU) designs special technology to help people with disabilities be more independent. The ATU can work with a person at their home or worksite to make the space better for that person to live and work in. Technologies include augmentative communication devices, computers, and wheelchairs.
The Center for Capacity Building for Minorities with Disabilities Research (CCBMDR) seeks to increase the capacity of State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies and community-based organizations to document the impact of their programs and develop culturally competent services. CCBMDR also houses the Advocacy and Empowerment for Minorities with Disabilities Program (A&E) which seeks to better understand the unique needs of ethnic minorities with disabilities and develop and empirically evaluate supportive programs.
The Community Support Program focuses on ways to improve the community for people with disabilities. This program provides support to meet the needs of the disability community throughout Illinois.
DBTAC: Great Lakes ADA Center provides information, materials, technical assistance, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Topics addressed include non-discrimination requirements in employment - obligations of state and local governments and business to ensure that programs, services, and activities are readily accessible to and useable by people with disabilities. This includes access to information technology used by these entities such as web sites, software, and kiosks.
The Family Clinics provide interdisciplinary diagnostic and treatment services to children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities. Its specialty programs include early childhood, school age, and adult services, bi-cultural Hispanic services, and autism programs. The clinics also offer social skills groups and individual and group therapy.
The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Program. This one year interdisciplinary training program incorporates both didactic and experiential learning in clinical and community-based settings. The Illinois LEND program is part of a national network of interdisciplinary university-based programs. The LEND aims to prepare future leaders who will serve children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (including related disabilities and autism) and their families through coordinated, culturally competent, and family-centered care, as well as public health services and policy systems change.
Center on Health Promotion Research for People with Disabilities (CHP) is recognized nationally and internationally for its leadership in research, education, and training on the health benefits of physical activity for people with disabilities. The CHP is home to a variety of health promotion projects including two national centers:
The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities (RRTC/ADD) conducts research and serves as a national and international resource on the health and function of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families as they age. Its research focuses on ways to improve health, enhance supports, and reduce environmental barriers to community participation.
