Growing Your Social Network

This video gives an overview of how people with IDD can grow and build their social network throughout their lives, including stories from self-advocates about who is in their social network and how they have grown it throughout their lives.

Dealing With Grief, Loss, and Other Big Changes

This video talks about the many changes or losses people may have in their lives and how to prepare for losses that they may experience, including stories from self-advocates about how they have dealt with losses in their lives.

Building Good Relationships

This video provides an overview about how people can build good relationships in their lives and leave bad relationships when they occur, including stories and advice from self-advocates on how people have built good relationships in their lives.

Urgent Need

This webpage gives an overview of people to contact if you have an immediate need for temporary or permanent support as a result of a caregiver no longer being able to provide support.

Strengthening Disability and Cultural Competence in Information and Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Work with People with IDD and their Families

People with IDD and their families may experience several challenges over the course of their lifespan, and these challenges must be navigated in a manner that respects how each person’s and family’s cultural values may impact their experiences and understanding of disability. The course offers strategies that staff and providers may use to integrate cultural and disability competence into their work with people with IDD and their families, strengthening access to the support system for this diverse group nationwide.

The course will assist I&R/A professionals to define intellectual and developmental disability (IDD); recognize barriers experienced by people with IDD and their families; describe the many ways that culture impacts how a person and family experiences disability; and identify best practices to serve people with IDD and their families.

This course was developed by The Arc in partnership with NASUAD to support the professional development of I&R/A specialists.
To access this free, online training course, visit NASUADiQ. If you are new to NASUADiQ, you must create an account for yourself to be able to access this course.

National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities

NASUAD represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities and supports visionary state leadership, the advancement of state systems innovation and the articulation of national policies that support home and community-based services for older adults and individuals with disabilities. NASUAD releases publications, provides technical assistance to agencies, and develops initiatives to support state agencies to better support people with disabilities and families.

Family Support Research and Training Center

The main objectives of the FSRTC are to define the state of science in family support; generate new information in critical policy areas of self-direction and managed care and in culturally competent peer supports, and to share promising practices in family support nationally.

The Arc’s Center for Future Planning

The Center provides reliable information and assistance to individuals with IDD, their family members and friends, professionals who support them and other members of the community on areas such as person-centered planning, decision-making, housing options, and financial planning.

Build Your Plan Tool: The Arc’s Center for Future Planning

Planning for the future is important for all families. You can’t do it just once. It’s an ongoing process. The Build Your Plan ® tool helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) think about and plan for their future. The interests, preferences, and skills of the person with IDD are the main focus. The tool guides you through important topics, including:

  • Expressing wishes for the future in writing
  • Deciding where to live and how much support is needed
  • Paying for basic and other needs
  • Getting a job and other daily activities
  • Making daily and major life decisions
  • Making friends and having good relationships

Click on Build Your Plan to get started. You can see your plan and make changes at any time.

Resource Directory: The Arc’s Center for Future Planning

This database is searchable by profession and by state.