Dedicated to Positive, Systematic Change to Support Families

The Community of Practice for Supporting Families of Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities exists to enhance and drive policy, practice, and system transformation to support people with intellectual/developmental disabilities within the context of their families and communities. Nineteen member states are committed to developing systems of support for families throughout the lifespan of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their family, and receive technical assistance, products, opportunities for shared learning, and support from a National Team to integrate innovative practices into existing and ongoing state systems change efforts.

What began as a five year grant (awarded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD) in October 2012), with six original state members has continued to expand and now includes nineteen state teams. Teams are comprised of both public state agencies and grassroots stakeholders from each state, who are individually and collectively influencing and supporting sustainable transformation to support good lives for people with disabilities and their families.

Innovations of CoP Member States

By infusing the values-based framework of Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC), CoP member states ensure supports to the person within the context of the family are anchored into various innovation areas. Member states choose their area of focus, based on existing and ongoing system change work and priorities. Member states may choose one or more of the innovation areas, and below is a representation of where states are focusing their efforts and energies.

Family and Self-Advocacy Engagement

Strengthening Support Coordination and Person Centered Planning

Continuous Quality Improvement Measures and Processes

Collaborating Cross Systems to Improve System Navigation

The CoP for Supporting Families is a Partnership of: