Over the past 16 years the University of Arizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, part of the Department of Family and Community Medicine in the College of Medicine – Tucson, has been hard at work to make its vision a reality – to ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the supports they need to fully participate in the vibrant life of our community. To accomplish this goal, the Sonoran Center has focused on capacity building, infrastructure development, and fostering leadership to establish itself as a recognized leader in disability within Arizona and across the nation. University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) like the Sonoran Center exist in every state to serve as a resource for people in the areas of education, research and service relative to the needs of people with developmental disabilities. Authorized by the Developmental Disabilities and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 and funded by the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are 67 UCEDDs in the United States and its territories. To learn more about the network of UCEDDs, see the Association of University Centers on Disabilities' website.
