Through a cooperative agreement with the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), ACL has launched a new center to improve support for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) who have mental health conditions.

This center will focus on capacity building by supporting state agencies with policy development, service design, and service coordination resources. Guided by people with lived experience, the center also will provide information, training, and peer-to-peer learning for people with I/DD who have mental health conditions, their families, and the professionals who work with them.

The center is currently recruiting for its steering committee, which will make important recommendations on how the center should move forward. The steering committee of 12 people will meet 4 times per year. Steering committee members and, if needed, their support staff will be paid to participate in this project.

A recruitment explainer video by NASDDDS partner Green Mountain Self-Advocates is posted on the NASDDDS YouTube channel. The three-minute video includes open captions and American Sign Language interpretation.

If you are interested in joining the committee, email snonnemacher@nasddds.org, call 570-460-3964, or fill out the interest form by March 17, 2023.