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TCDD has issued Requests for Applications (RFA) for two new grant opportunities. These grants will support projects to increase choice-making skills among youth with developmental disabilities (DD) from birth to age 14 and promote self-determination for people with DD so they can better navigate their health care. The deadline to apply for both RFAs is 11:59 p.m. Central time on Friday, Aug. 23.
To learn more about these opportunities, see our Funding Available webpage. You can find more information about our grant application process on our How to Apply webpage.
Choice-Making Among Youth (Birth-14)
This project will increase choice-making skills among youth with DD, from birth to age 14, and among their parents and caregivers. TCDD has approved funding of up to $300,000 per year for one organization for up to five years.
Choice-making empowers children with DD by fostering a sense of responsibility and autonomy, enhancing children’s communication abilities, and contributing to overall community safety through reducing abuse and neglect. By promoting choice-making in children at younger ages, they will be in a better position to make self-determined choices as adults.
The project will develop and demonstrate innovative and replicable models for children with DD, families, educators, and support providers to promote opportunities for self-advocates to better say what they want and need. The project should compile evidence-based practices for building choice-making skills among children at all developmental levels. This may include a review of existing literature and programs as well as the collection of new data through conversations with children with DD, their parents, educators, and providers.
Self-Determined Health Care
This project will promote strategies of self-determination to help people with DD communicate with medical providers and navigate the health care system. TCDD has approved funding of up to $125,000 per year for one organization for up to five years.
Self-determination among people with DD includes understanding one’s own needs, knowing the type of support that can help, and communicating this information to others. Some examples of self-determination strategies in health care include understanding a diagnosis or treatment plan; following instructions for medication use, testing, or screening; and communicating accommodation needs.
The project may include components on understanding health care-related rights and finding support with peers. The project may also develop tools to help people with DD articulate their health care preferences and to help identify when a person with DD needs additional support in the health care system.
