Mission Statement

The Center on Disability and Community Inclusion (CDCI), in collaboration and coordination with individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and communities, will promote opportunities for these valued life outcomes for individuals with disabilities of all ages in all facets of community life:

• meaningful relationships,
• personal choice and control,
• meaningful activities,
• safety and health, and
• living in a home and community.

How Do We Achieve Our Mission?

We strive to achieve our mission by providing:

• Interdisciplinary Preparation,
• Community and Outreach Services,
• Family and Consumer Services,
• Research and Evaluation, and
• Dissemination of Information,

in partnership with the programs and activities of university, agencies, and organizations.

The values that form the foundation for the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion are found throughout all of our activities. These values are articulated in the statements below:

• We believe that all services and supports for children and youth should be family-centered. In the same vein, we believe that all services and supports for adults should be person-centered. That individuals and families should have personal choice and control over their lives.
• We believe that all children should live in safe homes with their families and that as individuals mature they should have the opportunity to live in homes of their own with appropriate community supports.
• We believe that all supports should be within the community and that individuals and families needing supports should exercise control over funding, delivery and quality of supports.
• We believe that everyone should have access to places and activities meaningful to each individual and that opportunities should be available for developing networks of meaningful relationships.
• We believe in a strengths approach to assessment and support rather than a problems approach.
• We believe in prevention rather than in crisis intervention.
• We encourage diversity throughout our community, in our classrooms, neighborhoods, market-, play- and workplaces.
• We believe that communities should be fully accessible for every citizen.