Consumer Advisory Orientation Curriculum

Instructor’s Manual

Module II:

How are UCEDD’s Connected?

Goal of Module: The goal of this module is to give CAC members an understanding of how UCEDDs are connected at the national level.

Objectives of Module: At the completion of this module, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe the mission of AIDD in general terms
  2. Name the Federal Agency in which AIDD is housed
  3. Give a brief description of the role of the Commissioner of AIDD
  4. Name the three types of members of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities
  5. Describe one function of the AUCD’s Council on Community Advocacy

Notes for Instructor: If you have internet capabilities, it would be helpful to go to the websites for AIDD, AUCD, and COCA as you go over each topic.

  • AIDD:
  • UCEDD page on AIDD’s website:
  • AUCD:
  • COCA:

Module Outline

Introduction (10 min.)

Topic 1 The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD)(10 min)

Topic 2The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) (10 min.)

Topic 3AUCD’s Council on Community Advocacy (COCA) (5 min.)

Summary (<1 min.)

Questions & Comments from Participants (10 min.)

Criterion Check (5 min.)

Preparations:

Materials for Module II:

  • Note paper
  • Pens
  • Copies of the PowerPoint slides
  • Flip chart paper
  • Criterion Checks (“How Did We Do?”)

Administrative Details:

  • Review content of module and make notes for yourself
  • Review agenda and time line for module
  • Discuss criterion checks, instructor, and module evaluations

Hand Outs:

  • Copies of the PowerPoint slides
  • Criterion Checks
  • Print out of full slide of the map of the network of UCEDDs (Slide #19)
  • Print out of full slide of the map of the AUCD network (Slide #20)
  • Additionally, if your state has a LEND or DDRC, obtain or prepare a fact sheet (Slide #18)

Begin Slides.

Introduction

Slide # / Notes
1-3 / Introduction of purpose of the module.
  • Explain that the following slides will go over the ways UCEDDs are connected at the National level.
  • Do introductions.
  • Briefly state you will be going over these topics:
  • The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD)
  • The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), the national association of UCEDDs, LENDs, and DDRCs.
  • AUCD’s Council on Community Advocacy (COCA).

Topic 1 The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD)

Slide # / Notes
4 / The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD):
  • Explain the next set of slides will provide detailed information about AIDD.

5 / What is AIDD?:
  • If you have reviewed Module I, The Basics, refer participants back to the part of the presentation where ADD was introduced.
  • Explain that AIDD has responsibility for all the grant programs authorized by the DD Act, including the DD Councils, the P&As, the UCEDDs, and PNS grantees.
  • AIDD is the only government agency that focuses on developmental disabilities.
  • AIDD also administers the Help America Vote Act (HAVA).

6 / What is AIDD?:
  • Explain that each year, Congress and the President identify the amount of money that all UCEDDs will get.
  • AIDD is responsible for making sure that UCEDDs get their money.
  • The money does not pay for projects. The money is used to pay for people’s salaries, equipment, supplies, and CAC activities.

7-8 / Where is AIDD located?:
  • Explain that AIDD is part of the federal government and is not located in the State.
  • Explain AIDD administers programs that are located in each state and territory.

9 / What is AIDD’s Mission?:
  • Use the slide to share with participants AIDD’s mission.

10 / What is ADD’s organizational structure?:
  • Use the slide to show how AIDD is organized.
  • AIDD has an Office of the Commissioner.
  • There are two operating offices:
  1. Office of Operations and Discretionary Grants, which oversees the UCEDD and PNS grants.
  2. Office of Programs, which has the DDCouncils and P&As.

11 / What is the role of the Commissioner?:
  • The Commissioner changes when the President changes
  • The Commissioner is the boss of AIDD.
  • The Commissioner sets the priorities for AIDD and its grantees.

12 / What are the functions of AIDD?:
  • Use these slides to explain the operational aspects of AIDD.

13 / How does AIDD monitor its grantees?:
  • Use this slide to show the different ways in which AIDD monitors its grantees.
  • Explain how the UCEDD has to provide evidence to AIDD that they are meeting the requirements of the DD Act.
  • Explain how your UCEDD does this and consider sharing a copy of your Annual Report with the participants.

14 / What is the MTARS?
  • Explain that the MTARS is a more in-depth monitoring activity.
  • AIDD used MTARS to closely examine how a program is meeting the requirements of the law.
  • ADD considers issues of compliance. Compliance means following the rules in the DD Act.
  • Explain that this an intensive and time consuming process.
  • If you know if you have an MTARS coming up, let the participants know.

15 / What is the role of the CAC in MTARS?
  • Explain that the CAC can play an important role in the MTARS.
  • ADD likes to interview all members of the CAC so making every effort to attend the interview will be very helpful.
  • If you cannot participate in the face-to-face meeting with ADD, consider writing a letter or an email to ADD to share information about the UCEDD.

Topic 2The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

Slide # / Notes
16-17 / Suggested script:
All UCEDDs voluntarily belong to the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) connects the UCEDDs. Each UCEDD pays membership dues. The organization is coordinated by a central office nearWashingtonDC. The Association is governed by a board of directorswho are elected leaders from their membership.
18 / Notes for Instructor:
If your state has a LEND or IDDRC either obtain materials from that program or prepare a fact sheet/profile to hand out to participants.
Suggested script:
AUCD has 3 member networks. In addition to the UCEDD network, the two other networksare the LENDs and IDDRCs.
(Explain what these acronyms mean):
LEND: Leadership in Early Neurodevelopment Disabilities
IDDRC: Intellectual andDevelopmental Disabilities Research Centers
Talking points for LENDs:
  • The Maternal and Child Health Bureau provides core funding for the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) programs.
  • LEND programs provide long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training to health professionals.
  • The purpose of LEND is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents who have, or are at risk for developing, neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities.
  • LEND programs work toward this goal by preparing trainees from a wide variety of professional disciplines (nursing, social work, pediatrics, etc) to assume leadership roles and to ensure high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence.
  • LEND trainees graduate with an ability to care for children with developmental disabilities by looking at many different approaches instead of the old model which just looked at the medical model approach of fixing the disability.
Talking points for IDDRCs:
  • The National Institutes for Health provide core funding for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs).
  • IDDRCs are a national resource that grew out of Congress’ mandate in 1963 to establish centers of excellence in mental retardation and developmental disabilities research.
  • IDDRCswork to prevent and treat disabilities through biomedical and behavioral research.
  • IDDRCs are located within research universities and/or are affiliated with major medical centers.
  • IDDRC activities represent a multidisciplinary, vigorous, and innovative research agenda on developmental disabilities.
  • Investigators in the IDDRC network are also working to train the next generation of scientific investigators and clinicians.

19 / Show map of UCEDDs.
20 / Show map of all 3 networks.
Some universities host a UCEDD and a LEND, and some host a UCEDD, LEND, and IDDRC.
21 / Use talking points on slide to describe how the 3 AUCD networks compliment each other.
22 / AUCD helps programs in the network share information and practices with each other.

Topic 3AUCD’s Council on Community Advocacy (COCA)

Slide # / Notes
23 / Notes for Instructor:
If you have a CAC member that has experience with COCA have them present this section with you.
24-27 / Use talking points on slides.

Summary

Questions & Comments from Participants

Criterion Check

It is suggested that participants complete a brief questionnaire regarding the topics discussed in this module. This is a way to make sure participants have learned the basic content and gives both the instructor and participant a chance to go over what might have been unclear or over-looked.

Emphasize that these surveys are to help the participants and the instructors determine if they have learned new information from this session and to assist the instructors in improving their presentations and curriculum. You can conduct the criterion check in a way that works best with your participants. Some suggested uses:

  • Make a game out of it (like a quiz show).
  • Ask for each participant to volunteer an answer for each question then write the answers on a flip chart and go over what people feel they have not fully understood.
  • Have people work in small groups to answer the questions.

Make sure each participant has the tools to participate. For example, someone might need a large print version or the questions read out loud to them.

Module II Criterion Check

“How Did We Do?”

Topics:

  • The Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD)
  • The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)
  • AUCD’s Council on Community Advocacy (COCA)
  1. Describe the mission of AIDD in general terms:
  1. Name the federal agency in which AIDD is housed:
  1. Give a brief description of the role of the Commissioner of AIDD:
  1. Name the three networks that are members of AUCD:
  1. Describe one function of the AUCD’s COCA:

Module II, Page 1