Institute for Disability, Research, Policy & Practice

The Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (IDRPP) at Utah State University is Utah's federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). The Center for Persons with Disabilities (CPD) was established in 1972 by Dr. Marvin Fifield, and was the first UCEDD in the nation to be housed within a College of Education, and the first UCEDD focused on rural health and disability issues. We are proud to be a leading research and outreach center in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at USU.

In July 2021, the CPD was renamed, the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (IDRPP). Over its 45-year history, the IDRPP has grown into one of the largest UCEDD programs in the nation and is recognized as a pioneer in research, interdisciplinary training, technical assistance and services for people with disabilities and their families. We are part of a network of 67 other UCEDD programs in every U.S. state and territory. We serve as a bridge between the university and the community, by ensuring that state and local government agencies, community providers, nonprofit organizations, schools, professionals, families, and most importantly, individuals with disabilities have access to the most up-to-date, evidence-based education, research, technical assistance and services.

We cultivate a lively, entrepreneurial culture that keeps us at the forefront of state and national issues related to disability services and supports. We are primarily funded through grants, contracts, and fee for service programs. The IDRPP administers over 90-100 different research, training, technical assistance, and service programs every year in Utah and across 41 other U.S. states.