In 1987, Ronald Reagan proclaimed March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. For the past 36 years, this month has been a time for the American public to consider how to meaningfully include individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) in all facets of life.
For an even longer period, the Munroe-Meyer Institute has focused on efforts toward meaningful inclusion. The first federal legislation related to DD was enacted in 1963 and established University Affiliated Facilities (UAF). Federal funding for UAFs was made available in 1970, and MMI was one of the first UAFs to receive funding in 1971.
The early focus of UAFs (and MMI) was on providing clinical services for individuals with DD and providing interdisciplinary personnel training. This federal legislation evolved over time and UAFs became University Affiliated Programs (UAPs) in 1987. The focus of UAPs emphasized inclusion, not just rehabilitation, as a goal of services.
The last federal legislation amendments occurred in 2000 with the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (often referred to as the “DD Act”). The DD Act changed UAPs to University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) and added research as a core function of UCEDDs.
UCEDDs such as MMI have four core functions:
- Interdisciplinary personnel training and education;
- Community services and technical assistance;
- Research; and
- Information dissemination.
UCEDDs serve as a liaison between the university and public on issues related to developmental disabilities and leverage our federal funding to expand and enhance implementation of our four core functions. Currently, there are 67 UCEDDs across all U.S. states and territories.
MMI UCEDD collaborates as part of a DD network with two other programs established by the DD Act: the Nebraska Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCDD) and Disability Rights Nebraska (DRN). The NCDD focuses on improving systems of support for individuals with DD and their families with emphasis on independence, productivity, integration, inclusion and self-determination. DRN is Nebraska’s protection and advocacy system focusing on advocacy, support, and promotion of rights for individuals with disabilities.
Together, the Nebraska DD Network Partners work toward the stated purpose of the DD Act which is to “assure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of and have access to needed community services, individualized supports, and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life …”