Institute for Community Inclusion

Institute for Community Inclusion
Name	Institute for Community Inclusion
Type	Research and advocacy organization
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Leader title	Director

Institute for Community Inclusion The Institute for Community Inclusion is a Boston-based research, policy, training, and advocacy center focused on disability, employment, and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It works with federal agencies, state departments, universities, and nonprofit organizations to advance competitive employment, integrated housing, and community-based services. The institute engages in applied research, program evaluation, technical assistance, and dissemination to influence practice and policy at local, state, and national levels.

History

The institute traces its roots to collaborations among University of Massachusetts Boston, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Boston University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and other New England institutions during the late 20th century. Early influences included federal initiatives such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and efforts linked to the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. It built on advocacy by organizations like The Arc of the United States, Easterseals, United Cerebral Palsy, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and state agencies in Massachusetts. The institute’s development paralleled broader movements exemplified by the Deinstitutionalization movement, lawsuits such as Olmstead v. L.C., and policy shifts influenced by reports from bodies like the National Council on Disability and commissions such as the Commission on Long-Term Care. Funders and partners over time included the Administration for Community Living, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and private foundations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation. The institute has collaborated with national networks including the National Core Indicators Project, the College Internship Program Network, and the National Gateway to Self-Determination.

Mission and Programs

The institute’s mission aligns with goals advanced by groups such as National Disability Rights Network, Autism Speaks, American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, and Association of University Centers on Disabilities. Program areas include employment services influenced by models from Project SEARCH, Supported Employment Demonstration, and Ticket to Work Program, transition services tied to provisions in the IDEA 1997 and IDEA 2004 amendments, and person-centered planning connected to tools used by The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices. Other initiatives address housing models associated with efforts by Habitat for Humanity, community living promoted in studies by Kaiser Family Foundation, and aging supports intersecting with work by the Alzheimer's Association.

Research and Publications

Research outputs have been used by entities including the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Institutes of Health, and think tanks such as the Urban Institute, The Brookings Institution, and Pew Charitable Trusts. The institute publishes reports, policy briefs, and toolkits resonant with literature from Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Disability and Health Journal. Research topics reflect priorities identified by commissions like the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities and advocacy through groups such as ASAN (Autistic Self Advocacy Network), TASH, and National Council on Independent Living. Publications address metrics similar to the National Core Indicators and analyses used in reports by Department of Health and Human Services oversight and evaluation bodies.

Training and Technical Assistance

The institute delivers training used by state vocational rehabilitation agencies, county human services departments, and school districts such as those modeled after New York City Department of Education, Los Angeles Unified School District, and regional consortia like the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center. Training curricula draw on evidence from programs such as Customized Employment Demonstration, practices recommended by College Success for All Consortium, and adult learning approaches championed by organizations like the American Association of Adult and Continuing Education. Technical assistance has been provided to networks including the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, and regional initiatives tied to Medicaid Managed Care reforms.

Partnerships and Funding

Major partnerships and funding streams have come from federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, and the Office of Special Education Programs, as well as philanthropic support from foundations such as the Lilly Endowment, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Collaborative projects have linked the institute with universities like Rutgers University, University of Minnesota, Vanderbilt University, and University of Illinois Chicago, and nonprofit partners including Goodwill Industries International, National Disability Institute, and Easter Seals. Funding mechanisms often mirror those used by initiatives supported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grants, cooperative agreements with Administration for Community Living, and contracts under Medicaid Section 1115 waivers.

Impact and Evaluations

Evaluations of the institute’s work have informed state plans for employment and housing influenced by reviews from Office of Inspector General (United States Department of Health and Human Services), analyses by the Government Accountability Office, and guidance from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Outcomes cited in evaluations are often compared to benchmarks used by National Core Indicators, Bureau of Labor Statistics, American Community Survey, and reports from Kaiser Family Foundation. The institute’s contributions have been noted in policy discussions involving stakeholders such as State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, advocacy coalitions including Disability Rights Network of Massachusetts, and national convenings hosted by The White House initiatives on disability employment. External assessments have appeared in outlets and forums ranging from conferences held by the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to briefings for committees like the House Committee on Education and Labor and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Category:Disability organizations in the United States