About the Center for Disabilities

About the Center for Disabilities

The Center for Disabilities is South Dakota's federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). As part of a national network authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), we work to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families while strengthening the workforce, systems, and communities that support them. The Center for Disabilities provides leadership in education and training, clinical services, research, information dissemination, policy advocacy to advance and quality of life for all South Dakotans.

Since 1971, the Center for Disabilities has partnered with individuals with disabilities, family members, state and federal agencies, healthcare organizations, schools, community organizations, and policymakers to create meaningful and lasting change. Through these partnerships, we help develop innovative solutions, build workforce capacity, and improve access to services and supports across the state.

Our work covers the lifespan and supports individuals with disabilities in achieving meaningful participation in education, employment, healthcare, community living, and civic life. In addition to serving individuals and families, we are committed to systems-level change, working across healthcare, education, behavioral health, employment, and long-term support systems to improve policies, practices, and outcomes. By bringing together stakeholders from multiple sectors, we promote coordinated approaches that strengthen service delivery, address emerging needs, and create more inclusive communities where all people can thrive.

As South Dakota's UCEDD, the Center for Disabilities serves as a catalyst for innovation, collaboration, and systems transformation, ensuring that individuals with disabilities and their families have a voice in shaping the programs, services, and policies that affect their lives.

Community Advisory Council

The Community Advisory Council (CAC) provides guidance to the Center for Disabilities, ensuring what we do is responsive to the needs and interests of people and communities across South Dakota. The CAC is made up of:

• Individuals with developmental and related disabilities
• Family members of individuals with developmental disabilities
• A representative of the SD Protection and Advocacy agency, Disability Rights SD
• A representative of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities
• A representative of a self-advocacy organization
• Representatives of organizations that may include parent training and information centers, entities carrying out the Assistive Technology Act, and other stakeholder groups serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

As part of their commitment, CAC members:

• Consult with Executive Director
• Review training, research and informational resources
• Participate in the annual review of five-year plans
• Meet quarterly, twice in-person and twice by telephone or videoconferencing

To learn more about becoming a CAC member, contact [email protected].

Association of University Centers on Disabilities Network

We belong to the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), AUCD is a national association that supports Network members in their research, training, education, and service so that together, AUCD and Network members can promote the quality of life, health, and well-being of people with disabilities. Network members consist of:

• 68 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)
• 60 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Programs
• 15 Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Centers (IDDRC)

These programs serve and are located in every U.S. state and territory and are all part of universities or medical centers. They serve as a bridge between the university and the community, bringing together the resources of both to achieve meaningful change.

South Dakota Developmental Disabilities Network

Through our partnership with the South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities and Disability Rights South Dakota, our three organizations make up what is known as the South Dakota Developmental Disabilities Network. Our collective work together with other stakeholders strive to ensure to carry out the plans and requirements of the DD Act of 2000.

The Developmental Disabilities Network is supported by the Administration on Community Living, at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Disability Rights South Dakota

Disability Rights South Dakota is a Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&As), which works at the state level to protect individuals with disabilities by empowering them and advocating on their behalf. There are 57 P&As in the United States and its territories, and each is independent of service-providing agencies in their states. Disability Rights SD is dedicated to the ongoing fight for the personal and civil rights of individuals with disabilities. It provides legal support to traditionally unserved or underserved populations to help them navigate the legal system to achieve resolution and encourage systems change. P&As ensure that individuals with disabilities are able to exercise their rights to make choices, contribute to society and live independently.

South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities

The South Dakota Council on Developmental Disabilities (DD Council) is a federally funded, self-governing organizations charged with identifying the most pressing needs of people with developmental disabilities in the state. The DD Council is committed to advancing public policy and systems change that help these individuals gain more control over their lives. It works to address identified needs by conducting advocacy, systems change, and capacity building efforts that promote self-determination, integration, and inclusion. Key activities include conducting outreach, providing training and technical assistance, removing barriers, developing coalitions, encouraging citizen participation and keeping policymakers informed about disability issues.