Center for Planning and Policy Studies

Mission

The mission of the Center for Planning and Policy Studies is to promote systems change that helps communities and organizations include, support, and empower people with disabilities. The Center accomplishes this by facilitating collaborative planning and by advocating policies that result in full participation of people with disabilities in community life.

Typical Center Objectives

The Center is involved in a variety of public policy and planning activities. Center staff work directly with various state and local agencies, parent groups, and consumer organizations to improve programs and policies that affect persons with disabilities. In addition, the Center's research interests focus on consumer-generated models of policy development.

Typical Activities Include

• Gathering consumer input for Indiana's Disability Plan through needs assessments, town meetings, and focus groups;

• Collaborating with ADA-Indiana to provide training and resources that help Indiana businesses and communities meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);

• Conducting the annual Indiana Disability Poll to gauge and publicize the opinions of people with disabilities and their family members about various public policy issues;

• Conducting other statewide surveys to identify public policy priorities, an Indiana "Report Card" on ADA implementation, and needs for Vocational Rehabilitation services;

• Supporting people with disabilities to participate in the electoral process and other public policy activities; and

• Providing technical assistance to human service organizations and community coalitions as they develop plans for more inclusive communities.

A unique resource of the Center is its Collaborative Work Lab. The CWLab is an electronic meeting technology that assists groups in planning, policy development, and decision-making. It is the only one of its kind in the country dedicated to serving human service and disability-related organizations.

Center staff use innovative computer software to convene focus groups, handle online surveys, and conduct futures planning meetings. The software and Center facilitation help people brainstorm ideas, see multiple perspectives about problems, identify possible solutions, and express preferences and priorities. The CWLab is used by community and state agencies, parent and disability groups, businesses, and university faculty and students.