A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTORS
Fiscal Year 24 (FY24) was a year marked by tremendous growth for the Oklahoma State University Center for Developmental Disabilities (OSUCDD)! As you will read in the following pages, the work of OSUCDD continues to further the mission of our land grant university and contribute to a campus community that values and respects individuals
MISSION, VISION, & VALUES
MISSION
The Center for Developmental Disabilities (OSUCDD) elevates the land grant mission by learning from and working alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and supporters to enhance the quality of life for all.
VISION
Live in a world that supports everyone to pursue and experience their best life.
VALUES
OSUCDD upholds the following values: Centering the voice of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is a RESPONSIBILITY embedded in our work to empower persons with disabilities and assure accessible and inclusive processes and outcomes.
Modeling acceptance, dignity, and respect through our work leads to BELONGINGANDCOMMUNITY.
Creating equitable opportunities and support for individuals to experience their best life is a passion and purpose that drives our DETERMINATION.
Working alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities creates opportunities for lifelong GROWTHANDDEVELOPMENT for all.
Achieving EXCELLENCE can only be accomplished through our teamwork and collaboration.
OBJECTIVES
Provide education and training to students, professionals, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and family members.
Promote social and community inclusion by increasing opportunities for mutually beneficial relationships between individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the inherent value, complexities, and diversity of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their family members.
WE ARE LAND-GRANT
CREATING THE IDEAL GRADUATE
In addition to providing instruction to OOS students, OSUCDD provides internship and research practicum opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to gain real world experience and knowledge under the direct supervision of OSUCDD leadership. In alignment with OSU’s Ideal Graduate competencies, OSUCDD trained 27 student employees and 8 OOS students across FY24 in best practices for inclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
TRANSLATION & EDUCATION
OSUCDD embodies the land-grant mission by educating our communities, actively engaging in public policy, and sharing our experience and knowledge from working alongside individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
InFY24,OSUCDDteammemberswereinvitedto:
Sharethepowerfulimpactofinclusivepost-secondaryeducationatan
ParticipateinthedevelopmentoftheNationalGoalsonHealthEquityfor individualswithintellectualanddevelopmentaldisability
Serveoncity,state,andnationalworkinggroupsadvocatingforequityinhealth careandimprovedqualityoflifeforindividualswithintellectualand developmentaldisabilities
Educatepractitionersandprofessionalsonbest-practicesinthefield
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
OSU UNIFIED
Established in Fall 2022, OSU Unified was the first Special Olympics Unified program at an Oklahoma college. OSU Unified provides weekly opportunities for adult Special Olympic Athletes to compete alongside Unified Partners who are OSU students, staff, and faculty in sporting events hosted by OSU Intramurals. OSU Unified is a collaboration between OSUCDD, OSU Unified Sports Club, and OSU Department of Wellness.
In FY24, OSU Unified experienced record attendance with more than 85 Athletes and Partners competing in cornhole, bowling, and bocce tournaments as well as flag football, basketball, and kickball leagues.
Our All-Star flag football team also competed in the 2023 NIRSA Flag Football National Championship playing against other Unified college teams from across the country including Purdue, Toledo, Nebraska, Georgetown and Florida.
Our OSU Unified athletes, partners, and coaches also braved the water for the 3rd annual Chilly Cowboy. We appreciate the funds we receive from Special Olympics Oklahoma and Chilly Cowboy that help support OSU Unified’s growth and success.
SELF-DETERMINATION TRAINING
OSUCDD provides training for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn the skills needed to enhance selfawareness and self-determination.
Facilitators lead participants through a series of lessons designed to develop the skills necessary to set and achieve their personal goals. In FY24, 8 adults with intellectual disability participated in group trainings either virtually or in-person on the OSU campus.
BOOK CLUBS
Thanks to a team of dedicated community volunteers, OSUCDD continues to organize and host Next Chapter Book Clubs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and community members. In FY24, book clubs met online once a week to read, learn, and develop relationships with other club members.
OPPORTUNITY ORANGE SCHOLARS
OPPORTUNITY ORANGE SCHOLARS
Opportunity Orange Scholars (OOS) is a full-time, on-campus certificate program for students with intellectual disability. Building on the land-grant mission to make college education more accessible and inclusive, this academic program provides learning opportunities and individualized supports across four program cornerstones: 1) academic coursework, 2) interdependent living, 3) community engagement and belonging, and 4) career exploration and preparation. Graduates of the program earn an OSU certificate in Career and Community Studies.
FY24markedmanynewmilestonesforOOS:
The inaugural cohort of 3 OOS students graduated on May 11th. Graduates participated in the OSU College of Education and Human Sciences commencement ceremony. All 3 graduates have been offered a competitive job andliveintheircommunities.
Students in the second OOS cohort successfully completed their first year of the programandall5studentswillreturninthefall.
We are excited to welcome 5 new students for the incoming fall 2024 OOS cohort. Incoming students participated in OSU New Student Orientation and attended CampCowboythissummer.
Over the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters, OOS partnered with the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce to develop mutually beneficial work-based learning opportunities for OOS students and the Stillwater business community. OOS students job shadowed at eight different businesses and completed internships at threeStillwaterbusinesses.
RESEARCH
OKLAHOMA NATIONAL CORE INDICATORS
Since 2013, OSUCDD has contracted with Oklahoma Human Services Developmental Disabilities Services to collect the National Core Indicators®-Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI®-IDD) data for the state. NCI®-IDD represents a national effort to measure and improve the performance of state developmental disabilities service systems. Each year, a team of OSUCDD faculty, staff, and trained undergraduate and graduate research assistants gather standard performance and outcome measures across three surveys:
The In-Person Survey is an interview-based survey of adults (age 18 and over) with intellectual and developmental disabilities receiving Home and Community-Based Waiver Services. Data collected from this survey showcase the voices of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and inform needed changes in supports and services in Oklahoma and nationwide. In FY24, a team of 6 undergraduate and graduate research assistants traveled to across the state to conduct NCI In-Person Survey interviews alongside a representative, random sample of 400 Oklahomans withintellectualanddevelopmentaldisabilities.
The Adult Family Survey is a mailed survey for family members who have an adult family member (age 18 and over) with intellectual disability who receives Home and Community-BasedWaiverServicesandlivesinthefamily’shome.Thissurveyhelpsus better understand how families feel about their experience with state services and supports. In FY24, OSUCDD collected and entered Adult Family Survey data from 409 familymembers.
The State of the Workforce Survey is an online-survey completed by provider agencies across the state. This survey provides important information on the wages, benefits and turnover of the direct care professional workforce supporting individuals receiving HCBS services in Oklahoma. In FY24, OSUCDD collected State of the WorkforceSurveydatafrom43of111agenciesacrossthestate.
RESEARCH
WEARABLES FOR WELLNESS
OSUCDD is leading participant recruitment and data collection for a two-year pilot study of the feasibility and outcomes associated with implementation of wearable health technology (e.g., fitness trackers, blood pressure monitor, biosensors) among adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. In collaboration with Oklahoma Human Services - Developmental Disabilities Services, Developmental Disabilities Council of Oklahoma, Oklahoma ABLE Tech, and Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities, data from the study will be analyzed to determine the accessibility of wearable health technology data for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and to establish utilization and implementation standards for future use of wearable technology among this population.
In FY24, OSUCDD faculty and staff led the development of ethical and culturallysensitive research protocols for participant recruitment and engagement that were approved by OSU Institutional Review Board and recruited more than 133 potential participants interested in the project. OSUCDD research team members engaged and assisted 63 (with consent, 56 have followed through with goal setting) consenting participants to set a personal health goal. Personal health goals will be tracked over the next year as participants are matched with and trained on using a wearable health tech device that supports them in achieving their health goals.
FINANCIALS
GRANTS, CONTRACTS, AND PARTNERSHIPS
OSUCDD community engagement, inclusive postsecondary education, and research is made possible through funding from and collaboration alongside our valued community partners and donors.
FY24 Funding: $892,567
Community Engagement OOS
Research
TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF OSUCDD
MEET THE TEAM
