Center on Developmental Disabilities (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities) - The Center on Developmental Disabilities (CDD), Tennessee’s first University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), serves a region where individuals with disabilities and their families face complex problems for living productive, integrated, and independent lives. This five-year plan is designed to meet the needs of people who have disabilities and is based upon collaborative direction from the statewide CDD Community Advisory Council, the Tennessee Developmental Disabilities Network, and CDD consumers. Four project Goals closely align with the four UCEDD core functions and are accompanied by outcome-based Objectives, related Activities, and evaluation indices. Seventeen outcome-based Objectives with 65 related Activities provide the framework to accomplish these Goals. All objectives are cross-referenced with documented needs. Each objective and activity within the proposed goals represents a community-engaged process whereby all stakeholders are involved in the project's development, implementation, review, and dissemination phases. Furthermore, objectives and activities were designed to be person-centered, increase autonomy, and increase self advocacy among those participating in these processes. Expected outcomes include an increased awareness of disability services and skills among new professionals, existing providers, employers, and educators, improved coordination of health services, reduced service barriers, improved quality of life and health, and increased workforce development and employment for individuals with disabilities. The plan supports several model projects, including the Shelby County Relative Caregivers Program, Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders, Students Tackling Autism-Related Syndromes, and five interdisciplinary specialty clinics across urban, suburban, and rural locations in Memphis and the Mid South.
