National Community of Practice (CoP) for Substance Use (SU) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism (IDD/A)

Hello,

We are excited to invite you to join the National Community of Practice (CoP) for Substance Use (SU) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism (IDD/A), a collaborative workgroup led by Dr. Robert Fletcher with Drs. Lori Ann Eldridge and Lisa Najavits as co-leads.

An introduction meeting will be held on January 28, 2026, from 1:00–2:00 PM (EST).

You are warmly invited to attend this introductory session to learn more about the Substance Use (SU) & IDD/A CoP and explore whether you would like to participate further.

This National SU & IDD/A CoP brings together thought leaders, practitioners, researchers, family members, advocates, individuals with lived experience, and others passionate about improving care and outcomes for individuals with co-occurring SUD and IDD/A.

The SU & IDD/A CoP serves as a collaborative space for sharing information, best practices, and innovations related to the intersection of SU and IDD/A. Together, members will:

Generate new knowledge and foster shared learning
Bridge research, policy, and practice
Build a community of collaboration that sparks innovation and systems change

The goals of the SU & IDD/A CoP:

Build a sustainable national learning community focused on SU & IDD/A
Share best practices and innovative models across states and systems (SUD/MI/IDD/A)
Strengthen advocacy and policy alignment to improve equitable access to care
Reduce stigma and expand public and professional awareness

The SU& IDD/A CoP’s goals will continue to evolve over time, and will be informed by member input, evaluation findings, and emerging priorities in the field.

The SU & IDD/A CoP will engage members through online discussions, training sessions, shared resources, and collaborative digital spaces (e.g., web links, articles, and digital stories). Together, we will explore effective ways to identify, integrate, prevent, and support individuals with co-occurring SUD & IDD/A.

The SU & IDD/A CoP Workgroup anticipates meeting monthly (at least for the first year), based on member needs and topic areas.

Please confirm your participation by January 25th and register using the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdw1tABGnLLt7nKdYg_vIXBNSe25COcrPPa-gTtnb9S8lUK5Q/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Feel free to share this invitation with others in your network who may be interested in joining.

We look forward to connecting with you and advancing this vital work together.

The SU–IDD/A Project Team
Renea Snyder
Dr. Lori Ann Eldridge
Dr. Robert Fletcher
Dr. Lisa Najavits