February 2026 Leadership in IDD

 

Perspectives Commentary from the field  Integrated Supports   Meghan Burke, PhD, FAAIDD Vanderbilt University   People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often rely on formal (paid) services and natural supports (unpaid support from family, friends, and community members). Researchers, policymakers, and others are recognizing the interrelatedness of these supports and the importance of understanding how they are balanced.   Two issues warrant our attention. First, do the terms “formal” and “natural” resonate with the IDD community? These labels may oversimplify the complexity of supports. The Charting the LifeCourse framework identifies five support types: technology, community-based supports, eligibility-specific supports, relationships, and personal strengths and assets. Research is needed to determine whether more nuanced word choices better describe supports.   Second, context matters. Support systems vary widely across countries in structure, availability, and adequacy. The Balancing Act project, currently underway, examines integrated supports across six countries. The project’s insights into the ways culture, policy, and context shape support systems can inform future research, practice, and policy. Notables  Recent awards, accolades, appointments, and other honors. Julie Bershadsky, PhD, FAAIDD, started a new position as Associate Co-Director for Research at the Institute on Community Integration  at the University of Minnesota Jason Rechtman, MA, MBA, joined the NADD Board of Directors Renáta Tichá, PhD, FAAIDD, started a new position as Associate Co-Director for Research at the Institute for Community Integration at the University of Minnesota and named Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Intellectual Disability Research AAIDD 2026 Fellows Individuals who have had at least seven years of continuous, active membership in the Association. To be selected for the honor of fellow of the AAIDD, members must have made meritorious contributions to the field and the Association. Julie Bershadsky, PhD University of Minnesota        Katherine Brendli Brown, PhD Cornell University         Lauren Clark, PhD University of California Los Angeles           Holly Hohmeister, MS HH Strategies, LLC         Colleen Kidney, PhD Human Services Research Institute         Chung Eun Lee, PhD Sungkyunkwan University         Yvonne Miller Nixon Evergreen Life Services         Kelly Nye-Lengerman, PhD University of Maryland             Sheida K. Raley, PhD University of Arkansas       Angela John Thurman, PhD University of California Davis         Kathleen (Kathy) Varner AAIDD          A call for Fellow nominations is issued in the fall of each year and those preferred to Fellow of the AAIDD will be recognized at the 150th AAIDD Annual Meeting taking place June 22-24, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. AAIDD is looking to feature notables and perspective pieces from our members in the field! Send us your commentary to be featured in a future Leadership in IDD Newsletter. Click here to submit your work to be featured. Produced by AAIDD, this monthly digest features the recent (first made available within last 3 months) and emergent (will be available within the next 4-6 weeks) work of AAIDD members only. Journal articles, while important, are not featured in this publication.    View the archive of the Leadership in IDD newsletter here.