Over 1 million website views since 1996 – Resources for Supporting Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
allenbill There are many dimensions which shape a life of quality for members of any community. When considering how to support people with developmental disabilities in living a life of quality we need to think about those elements which add quality to our own lives. For example, a local family doctor frequently gives lectures about how … Read more
by Michael W. Smull While listening to a gathering of job coaches in Wisconsin I began to think of all of the things that people with disabilities have taught me about what they want their job coach to know and what they want their job coach to do. Some of what follows I learned from … Read more
by Helen Sanderson and Jean Balfour with Barney Cunningham and Amanda George Illustrations by Marc Archambault Positive and Productive Meetings (PPM) is a set of strategies initially developed by consultants in England attempting to steal back their own time and energy as well as that of the people they worked with everyday. Over time very simple, … Read more
An easy to use transition guide we built back in the 1994. It may be old, but it’s still used here and there. It includes a summary plan as well. What’s this all about? Your answers to these questions can help you put together a transition plan. A plan to help you reach the best … Read more
by Michael W. Smull This is a thirty year old article that’s as relevant today as ever! We give our daily rituals and habits scant conscious attention as they ease us through our days. Perhaps it is the absence of conscious attention that has led us to neglect the role of ritual in the quality … Read more
This glossary explains common terms used in the field of intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD). It is written for individuals, families, and service coordinators. Terms with special meaning in California are noted. Download here.
While regulations have certainly changed since 2000, the basic. principles of supported living have not. This is still a relevant resource for understanding supported livings services and supports. Download that guide here.
Person-centered planning in California was written in law in 1992. That was the year that the Lanterman Act was amended to require that IPPs reflect a person’s own preferences, strengths, culture, and vision for their life. To this day, individuals and families often report a difference between that promise and what happens. You can download … Read more
In March 2025, California released the Master Plan for Developmental Services: A Community-Driven Vision. It’s a big deal — the most ambitious effort in decades to rethink how the state supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. Read a summary here.
If you have been referred to a regional center in California — or if you are a family member supporting someone who has — you may have heard the words “assessment” or “evaluation” and wondered – what does that actually mean? What are they looking at? And what happens with the results? You can find … Read more