Understanding Integrated Supports for Community Living and Participation Among Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) and Their Families - Vanderbilt University in partnership with the California State University at Long Beach proposed to conduct a three-year project with the goal of exploring the use of integrated supports (i.e., formal and natural supports) among adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. Our team is entirely comprised of individuals with disabilities and family members of individuals with IDD. We propose three studies that are consistent with The Rehabilitation Act and the long-range plan of NIDILRR. Across these studies, our objectives are to: (1) explore the lived experiences of adults with IDD and their families in using integrated supports, (2) examine the use of integrated supports among grassroots disability organizations, and (3) identify the individual, family, and social-ecological correlates of integrated supports among adults with IDD and their families. Anticipated outcomes include identifying the ways in which adults with IDD and their families develop and access integrated supports. Our products include: peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations, user-friendly materials about how to create integrated supports, and policy briefs to inform legislation. In addition, this project should yield a new measure of integrated supports that can be used by adults with IDD, their families, and practitioners. Further, from its fruition until the end of the project, every step of each study is guided by the Advisory Council—a committee of 10 individuals (5 adults with IDD and 5 family members of adults with IDD) who reflect various areas of the United States and diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
