National Network of University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research & Service
The University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDDs) are unique among Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) program grantees in that they are affiliated with universities. This connection enables the 68 UCEDDs located throughout the United States and its territories to serve as liaisons between academia and the community.
UCEDDs receive a discretionary grant that is awarded to interdisciplinary education, research, and public service units of universities, or public or nonprofit entities associated with universities. AIDD funding is used to support the organizational foundation of UCEDDs, which allows the grantees to pursue other sources of support to conduct various activities. UCEDDs leverage funding from a variety of sources, including federal, state, and local agencies; private foundations; donations; and fee-for-service earnings.
Addressing Issues, Finding Solutions, Advancing Research
UCEDDs are a nationwide network of independent but interlinked centers, representing an expansive national resource for addressing issues, finding solutions, and advancing research related to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
Four core functions frame the UCEDD program:
- Interdisciplinary pre-service preparation and continuing education
- Research, including basic or applied research, evaluation, and public policy analysis
- Information dissemination
- Community services, including direct services, training, technical assistance, and model demonstrations
Representing a broad range of disabilities, UCEDDs support activities that address various issues, from prevention to early intervention to supported employment. Additional grants may be awarded to UCEDDs to conduct national training and other initiatives. Current training initiatives are funded to support post-secondary education opportunities for people with developmental disabilities and to enhance self-determination skills, and two grants focus on partnerships with minority serving institutions.
