Florida Center for Inclusive Communities-UCEDD
Centers & Initiatives
Funding Source:
Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
This federal grant establishes a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD) at the University of South Florida. The Florida Center for Inclusive Communities will augment on-going efforts of the Institute's Division of Applied Research and Educational Support (DARES), Department of Child and Family Studies, aimed at improving the quality of life for persons with disabilities and their families in Florida and throughout the nation.
UCEDDs are established at major research universities in every state and territory of the United States through funding by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD). Innovations that emerge from individual UCEDDs are then shared through the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), allowing best practices to be adopted in communities across the nation.
UCEDDs provide services and supports to assist in minimizing disparities in health care, enhance educational opportunities, develop work skills, and enrich daily living for people with disabilities, their families, and communities. Center staff will work with individuals with disabilities, members of their families, state and local government agencies, and community providers in projects designed to increase independence, productivity, and community integration for children and adults with developmental disabilities.