Each year brings new challenges and opportunities, and this past year has been no exception. Across Indiana and the nation, we’ve seen continued momentum in rethinking how public systems serve people with disabilities. Yet, we’ve also witnessed a shifting policy landscape that demands both vigilance and adaptability. At the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, we remain grounded in our mission and resolute in our commitment to the people and communities we serve.
This year, our work has been shaped by both progress and pressure. We’ve responded swiftly to external mandates that required us to reassess how we communicate our values and commitments. These moments have tested our agility and reaffirmed our purpose. We’ve taken deliberate steps to protect our mission while continuing to serve Hoosiers with integrity and resolve.
Our teams have continued to lead and support systems change across early childhood, K–12 education, transition services, employment, and community living. We’ve expanded our research and evaluation efforts, strengthened our partnerships, and deepened our engagement with communities across the state. We’ve also invested in our internal capacity through strategic planning, innovation in IT, and a renewed focus on accessibility and responsiveness.
Looking ahead, we are excited to dive into new partnerships and technologies that will shape the future of our work. The integration of HANDS in Autism® into the Institute marks a significant step forward in our ability to address behavioral challenges across the lifespan. Their expertise will help us build stronger supports for individuals, families, and professionals navigating complex behavioral needs in schools, healthcare, and community settings.
We are also proud to be leading in the space of accessible artificial intelligence. Through ID8, we have launched a trusted tool that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their allies access reliable disability information. ID8 is one product in a broader strategy. We are actively investing in the development of additional AI tools and approaches that will expand how we deliver knowledge, training, and support. Our goal is to ensure that the vast information and resources housed at the IIDC are not only available, but truly usable and meaningful to the people who need them most across Indiana and beyond.
At the same time, we must acknowledge the serious threats facing our field. The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), the very foundation of our work, is under threat. Proposals to eliminate or significantly reduce federal funding for University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) would have devastating consequences. These cuts would directly reduce our ability to meet the needs of Hoosiers with disabilities and their families. We cannot afford to be passive. We must be vocal, united, and unwavering in our defense of the values and infrastructure that have made progress possible.
But we know that progress is not linear. The path forward is long, and the work ahead remains substantial. We must continue to ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, and push for systems that are not only more flexible and individualized, but also more responsive and effective.
As we look to the year ahead, I invite our partners - self-advocates, families, professionals, and policymakers - to join us in this charge. Let us recommit to the vision of a state where all people have the opportunity to thrive in their communities. Let us lead with courage, act with compassion, and never lose sight of the future we are building together.
Sincerely,
Derek Nord, Ph.D.
Director, Indiana Institute on
Disability and Community (IIDC)
