Developmental Disabilities

The Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (GUCCHD) is the federally-designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) for the District of Columbia.  The mission of the GUCEDD is to advance self-determination among the diversity of people with developmental and other disabilities and their families, throughout the life course, and advocate for their full participation in all aspects of community life. Guided by its Advisory Council (GAC), we conduct four core functions in fulfillment of our mission:

  1. interdisciplinary Pre-Service Training and Continuing Education,
  2. community services (i.e. community education, direct services, and technical assistance),
  3. research and evaluation, and
  4. information dissemination.

For close to fifty years, the GUCEDD has been addressing the broad spectrum of interests and needs of individuals with developmental and other disabilities across the life span. We support individuals with developmental and other disabilities to receive an education, share friendships, seek and maintain meaningful employment, engage in recreational and leisure pursuits, and live in homes and communities of their choice. The majority of the GUCEDD’s resources are devoted to the diverse population of people with developmental disabilities, their families, and the systems that serve them in the District of Columbia. While maintaining a strong local commitment, the GUCEDD has an extensive national presence and an expanded international reach focused on initiatives to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.

The GUCEDD is funded by the Administration for Community Living, Administration on Disabilities, Office of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The GUCEDD collaborates extensively with two AIDD-funded partner organizations, The DC Developmental Disabilities Council and University Legal Services Protection and Advocacy Program, address the interests and needs of the District of Columbia’s residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

Family

Selected Activities

Community and Clinical Services

Research and Evaluation

  • Re-hospitalization Rates for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the District of Columbia. This study will provide more information on how these rates compare to adults without diagnosed IDD; factors that contribute to hospitalizations; and the percentage of observed re-hospitalizations that are preventable.
  • Health Screening for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities. Overall findings showed that with clear guidelines and a fairly simple tracking process, it is possible to assure that individuals with ID in public care receive most recommended preventive health screens, and at higher rates than the general population.  Brown, M., Jacobstein, D., Yoon, I. S., Anthony, B., & Bullock, K. (2016). Systemwide Initiative Documents Robust Health Screening for Adults With Intellectual Disability. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities54(5), 354-365.

Workforce Developments

girl & grandpa

Selected Resources

In addition to resources highlighted below an array of GUCEDD are available at:
https://ucedd.georgetown.edu/resources/

Community and Clinical Services

Research and Evaluation

Workforce Development

Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development is a designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.