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IHDD Director’s Note: Fall 2026
Dear IHDD Community,
The fall quarter has started with a rush! As usual, I’m scrambling to keep up after a pleasantly slow September. Thankfully, we start the quarter with good news. The LEND received notice of funding! This gives us hope that, for the next five years, our interdisciplinary, team-based, person- and family-centered training program will have financial support. The LEND is funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Many thanks to PI and Director Kathleen Lehman and her team for the effort that went into writing the proposal under a short timeline.
Other IHDD programs also received good news. The NW ADA Center and the ADA Knowledge Translation Center received award notices and will have three more years of funding. Funding comes from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). These centers are part of the ADA National Network, which provides technical assistance and training to support equal opportunity for people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Although the funding notices came later than expected, it is genuinely exciting to see support for these longstanding, important programs.
I’m happy to report that we also continue our relationship with the philanthropic foundation, foundry10. For the past two years, they have funded our IHDD Pilot Grants, and they will continue for a third year. Look for application information in the late fall quarter. They also funded our family support program last year, which allows us to provide financial assistance to families with needs related to housing, transportation, food, or utilities. They will continue to fund this program in 2026-27. We are so grateful for this continued support.
Looking ahead, we’re excited for the 2026 IHDD Fall Lunch and Learn on October 19th. The event will focus on adult services and will showcase presentations on the past and present of employment, health, and education-related services, along with a panel looking ahead to what needs to be done to improve access to services for people with IDD and their families. A presentation by people with lived experience will help us understand the challenges faced by people with IDD and their families as they attempt to access adult service systems. The agenda and registration can be found at the link above. Space is filling up quickly, so please register soon if you are interested.
Best wishes for a great fall quarter.
Mark
IHDD Director’s Note: Fall 2026
Dear IHDD Community,
The fall quarter has started with a rush! As usual, I’m scrambling to keep up after a pleasantly slow September. Thankfully, we start the quarter with good news. The LEND received notice of funding! This gives us hope that, for the next five years, our interdisciplinary, team-based, person- and family-centered training program will have financial support. The LEND is funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Many thanks to PI and Director Kathleen Lehman and her team for the effort that went into writing the proposal under a short timeline.
Other IHDD programs also received good news. The NW ADA Center and the ADA Knowledge Translation Center received award notices and will have three more years of funding. Funding comes from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). These centers are part of the ADA National Network, which provides technical assistance and training to support equal opportunity for people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Although the funding notices came later than expected, it is genuinely exciting to see support for these longstanding, important programs.
I’m happy to report that we also continue our relationship with the philanthropic foundation, foundry10. For the past two years, they have funded our IHDD Pilot Grants, and they will continue for a third year. Look for application information in the late fall quarter. They also funded our family support program last year, which allows us to provide financial assistance to families with needs related to housing, transportation, food, or utilities. They will continue to fund this program in 2026-27. We are so grateful for this continued support.
Looking ahead, we’re excited for the 2026 IHDD Fall Lunch and Learn on October 19th. The event will focus on adult services and will showcase presentations on the past and present of employment, health, and education-related services, along with a panel looking ahead to what needs to be done to improve access to services for people with IDD and their families. A presentation by people with lived experience will help us understand the challenges faced by people with IDD and their families as they attempt to access adult service systems. The agenda and registration can be found at the link above. Space is filling up quickly, so please register soon if you are interested.
Best wishes for a great fall quarter.
Mark
