Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is a membership organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs. Network members consist of:

• 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), receiving core funding from the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD)
• 43 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Programs receiving core funding from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)
• 15 Intellectual and Developmental Disability Research Centers (IDDRC), receiving core funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Development (NICHD)

These programs serve and are located in every U.S. state and territory and are all part of universities or medical centers. They serve as a bridge between the university and the community, bringing together the resources of both to achieve meaningful change.

AUCD supports this national network through:

• Leadership on major social problems affecting all people living with developmental or other disabilities or special health needs
• Advocacy with Congress and executive branch agencies that fund and regulate programs used by people with disabilities
• Networking and partnering with other national organizations to advance the network's national agendas
• Promoting communication within the network and with other groups by collecting, organizing, and disseminating data on network activities and accomplishments
• Technical assistance provision on a broad range of topics