Under One Month Left to Have Your Voice Heard
By The Arc
In 2010, The Arc and the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center on Community Living conducted the Family and Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) Survey, a groundbreaking and needed examination of the supports that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) receive across the country. The research team received nearly 5,300 responses from parents, siblings and other caregivers detailing their perspectives on the needs of their loved ones in education, employment, community living and other lifespan activities.
The results of this survey, highlighted in a summary report published by The Arc in 2011, revealed that many people with I/DD were failing to receive the supports needed to live independent and fulfilled lives. This valuable data has been used since to inform national and state policy agendas and programmatic interventions aimed at addressing these critical gaps in service.
In an effort to remain informed and responsive to the challenges facing today’s disability community, The Arc and the University of Minnesota are conducting the 2017 FINDS survey. This survey comes at a critical time for many within our community, as recent political and legislative changes have cast doubt on the future of many of the funds and support services that people with I/DD currently benefit from.
The survey seeks paid/unpaid family caregivers aged 18 and over, who provide frequent, primary support to an individual with I/DD to share their experiences. This survey is not for direct support professionals – we need the perspective of family caregivers, paid or unpaid. The deadline to submit a completed survey is March 30, and we’re still working toward reaching our target number of responses. Please click on this link to fill out a survey or forward the link to a friend!