Expanding Disability Networks’ (UCEDDs) Access to COVID-19 Vaccines
The University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS), Maine’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help increase COVID-19 vaccinations among people with disabilities and the people who support them.
Funding for the 18-month project, Expanding Disability Networks’ (UCEDDs) Access to COVID-19 Vaccines, was made possible through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Community Living (ACL). These grants to the Developmental Disabilities Networks in every U.S. state and territory will help provide critical services to overcome barriers that are preventing millions of those most at risk for serious illness and death from COVID-19 from receiving vaccines.
CCIDS is partnering with its Maine Developmental Disabilities Network partners: the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council; Disability Rights Maine; and Speaking Up for Us of Maine; on some of the project activities: education about the importance of receiving a vaccine; identification of people unable to independently travel to a vaccination site; assistance with scheduling a vaccine appointment; arranging or providing accessible transportation to a vaccination appointment; providing companion/personal support; reminding people with disabilities of their second vaccination appointment, if needed; and/or providing technical assistance to local health departments or other entities on vaccine accessibility.
Photo credit: Image by Bihlmayer Fotografie (istockphoto.com) Standard license.
Funding Source
US Department of Health and Human Services, through a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administration for Community Living. Award # 90DDC50040-01-00.
Video Public Service Announcements (PSAs) Produced with this Funding
The following four PSAs feature two residential managers and a direct support professional from Group Main Stream in Westbrook, ME:
The following three PSAs feature two individuals from Maine who live with a disability:
Funding Period
April 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022
Project Personnel
Pamela O’Brien – Project Officer
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Administration for Community Living
330 C Street SW
Washington, DC 20201
Alan Cobo-Lewis, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
University of Maine
Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (UCEDD)
5717 Corbett Hall, Room 230
Orono, ME 04469-5717
207.581.1084
800.203.6957
207.581.1231 (Fax)
TTY users call Maine Relay 711
alanc@maine.edu