• Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) is one of 63 university centers for excellence in developmental disabilities, UCEDD for short, in the United States. Each state now has at least one UCEDD; all UCEDDs are affiliated with universities and receive funding from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, US Department of Health and Human Services. UCEDDs share the common university goals of teaching, research, and service, but have a specific interest in persons with disabilities, and broaden to teaching research and service goals beyond the campus to the community at large.

  Wyoming was the last state to be granted funding to develop a UCEDD. Although efforts were made as early as 1986, planning for WIND as it exists today started in 1993 with a Feasibility Study. The initial application for funds for a Wyoming university affiliated program, as UCEDDs were called at the time, was submitted in early 1994. WIND officially became a university affiliated program in October 1994, by January 1995, the administrative staff was hired and WIND began the programs, supports and training that, to this day, extend well beyond the University of Wyoming campus.

As are all UCEDDs, WIND is committed to assisting individuals with developmental and other disabilities and their families to achieve their desired quality of life by promoting and supporting full community inclusion, community membership, independence, productivity and social participation.

To assure that WIND holds to this course, it is guided in its actions by the following Mission Statement:

"The mission of the Wyoming UCEDD is to assist individuals with developmental and other disabilities and their families to achieve their desired quality of life by promoting and supporting full community inclusion, community membership, independence, productivity and social participation."

WIND emphasizes the importance of community training and technical assistance for or with individuals with developmental disabilities, family members, professionals, paraprofessionals, students and volunteers. Community service providers can have significant impact on a community's ability to develop the necessary supports for an individual with a disability. Therefore, in working to develop a community's capacity to provide appropriate services, WIND engages in a variety of service and training programs through our two-track approach of delivering support through Community Education and Community Support.

Community Education - WIND provides education about disabilities and for individuals with disabilities and their families, friends, and service providers throughout Wyoming. Community Education staff members are trained to provide disability education to diverse groups that include residents; University of Wyoming students, faculty, and staff; professionals; educators; and residents. Some community education staff members have expertise in assistive technology, aging, and outreach to the ranching communities.

Community Support - The focus of Community Support is to tie together all supports and services inside Wyoming communities in a coordinated and integrated manner and underscore the importance of allowing people needing those supports and services are defining their own needs, according to their desires for community living. Community Support includes personal support, support needed for recreation and for vocational choices. All Community Support grant components involve holistic approaches using local resources to ensure full community inclusion.