The Institute for Disability Studies

IDS is Mississippi's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Research, Education, and Service.

Core funding for UCEDDs is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Developmental Disabilities. IDS is housed at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Satellite offices are located in the capitol city of Jackson and at the Gulf Park campus.

The mission of IDS is to positively affect the lives of Mississippi citizens with developmental and other disabilities and their families across the life span and to work toward increasing their independence, productivity, and integration into their communities.

IDS has a variety of programs to assist individuals with disabilities and their families with priority areas such as housing, early intervention, inclusive child care, assistive technology, recreation, health, education, and family support.

IDS is a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), a network of 67 interdisciplinary centers in the United States and its territories working to advance policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.

	How did AUCD get started? View AUCD's history when JFK set it in motion.