Utah Disability Today

IDRPP’s Place in Disability Research, Policy & Practice

For everyone who has wondered: Why is IDRPP involved in policy? What history led us to where we are now? And what is a UCEDD (University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities), anyway? Our executive director Matthew Wappett, Ph.D, breaks it down and explains why the work we do is critical. Read a summary or watch the video of his Blue Plate Research presentation.

Pictured: USU President Brad Mortensen, CEHS Associate Dean for Research Stephanie Borrie, Matthew Wappett and USU Associate Vice President for Research Alexa Sand

Panelists Share Experiences with Inaccessibility

Panelists Mary Ellen Heiner, Autumn Cuellar and Kelie Hess shared their thoughts on accessibility--or the lack of it--in health care. You can click on their names for a short video from each of them, or read a summary and watch the entire presentation on our blog.

WebAIM's new AI powered accessibility tool

Introducing WebAIM's new AI tool AIMee – an easy-to-use, AI-powered conversational chatbot focused on accessibility. AIMee has been designed to be highly accessible to users with disabilities. Ask accessibility questions to get quick answers and guidance.

Here are some examples of the types of things you can ask AIMee:

• Paste in code that has accessibility issues and ask AIMee to provide recommendations for code fixes.
• Provide a description of your organization and ask AIMee to generate a draft accessibility policy.
• Ask AIMee to explain or summarize an accessibility concept or a WCAG success criterion.
• Ask AIMee to provide a list of resources on a particular accessibility topic.
• Provide an accessibility technique and ask AIMee to generate a checklist for testing or implementing it.
• Ask AIMee to test your knowledge by generating a list of questions about WCAG or some other accessibility concept.
• Ask AIMee to generate an easier, more understandable version of text you provide.

Try out AIMee today!

USU's ASSERT Program is Hiring Students

Utah State University students have an exciting opportunity to learn how to work with young children with autism. The program is currently interviewing undergraduate students, including incoming freshmen, for training positions. For more information, email at the button below.

May 2026 Utah Assessment Selection Project

The Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) is hosting online listening sessions. Feedback from the sessions will be used to create recommendations to the Utah Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) on an assessment tool.

Sessions

• Monday, May 18th from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Mountain Time: Service Providers
• Tuesday, May 19th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM Mountain Time: People with Disabilities, self-advocates, families, and advocates
• Thursday, May 21st from 1:30 to 3:00 PM Mountain Time: Support Coordinators

What is this about? The DSPD has hired HSRI to help research and choose an assessment too. The assessment tool will be used to figure out the level of support people with disabilities need. The assessment tool may be used to guide budget, payment rates, and how services are planned and provided.

During these listening sessions, staff from HSRI will:

• Provide a detailed overview of the project and process.
• Ask questions about what matters most to you about assessments.

Join the session on Zoom.

If you can't make it to the sessions, you can submit feedback online.

Send your questions, comments, and accommodation requests to Jasmine Hepburn: jhepburn@hsri.org

June 2026 Utah Assessment Selection Project Workgroup

The Human Services Research Institute (HSRI) is hosting online listening sessions. Feedback from the sessions will be used to create recommendations to the Utah Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) on an assessment tool.

The HSRI is looking for 6-10 people with disabilities or families to help review the assessment tools. There are three meetings workgroup members will need to attend, they are virtual and in-person.

What does a workgroup member need to do?

To be a workgroup member, you must:

• Be a person receiving services from DSPD, or be a family member of a person receiving services form DSPD
• Be available to participate in three workgroup meetings

The workgroup meetings are on:

• Thursday, June 4th from 12 to 1:30 pm: virtual meeting on zoom
• Tuesday, June 9th from 9 am to 5 pm: in-person meeting with lunch provided
• Wednesday, June 10th from 9 am to 5 pm: in-person meeting with lunch provided



The in-person workgroup meetings will be held at the Utah State University Salt Lake Center in room 142. The address is 920 Levoy Dr, Taylorsville 84123. This location is accessible by Trax and public transportation. If you need help traveling to the in-person meetings, please let us know so we can hel you explore your options.

Will I get paid?

Workgroup members who are not already being paid through an employter to participate in the workgroup will be paid $300 total for being a part of all three workgroup meetings.

If you need someone to support you at the meetings, they are welcome to come but only you will be able to receive the $300. We'll also provide free lunch at the two in-person workgroup meetings for everyone.

Interested in joining the workgroup? Contact Saska Rajcevic at srajcevic@hsri.org or call her at 617-844-2343 by May 25th.

Fifth Annual Northern Utah Conference to End Violence

The fifth annual Northern Utah Conference to End Violence is one month away. Join Utah State University, in cooperation with Capsa, on Tuesday, June 9th at the Riverwoods Conference Center in Logan, Utah. It features IDRPP's own Alex Schiwal, who will present, "Underreported and Unprepared: Disability and Sexual Abuse." 

A full agenda of the event is available. Registration is open through May 18th. Register for the conference.

Have questions about the conference? Reach out to Jenny Erazo at jenny.erazo@usu.edu

Golden Key Scholarship

Disability:IN Utah is offering the Golden Key Scholarship to students in Utah with disabilities ages 17 to 21. Disability must be verified. Eligable students must be receiving, or have received their High School Diploma, GED, or Certificate of Completion and be transitioning or transitioned to another education program after high school.

Applications are open now and close on June 12th. Email leahlobato@utah.gov with questions or accommodation requests.

Apply to the Golden Key Scholarship

LINKS FROM THE FIELD

Addressing Disability Support and Safety in Utah, Featuring Matthew Wappett and Aubrey Snyder

(Good Things Utah)

"A Question of Life or Death": How Understaffing Affects Care in Utah's Nursing Homes

(Fox 13 News)

Older adults are growing more interested in cannabis edibles, researchers say — here’s why

(Utah News Dispatch)

Health Care Costs Top of Mind for Voters

(Utah News Dispatch)

For a look at past IDRPP trainings, visit our YouTube channel.

NEWS FROM AROUND IDRPP

It was great re-connecting with Gina Cook! She and many others from the early childhood field gathered at the Hope in Every Hand gala, hosted by our Cache County Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. Gina was awarded the Spark Early Childhood award from MIECHV. Other award recipients from that night were: Jayde Thomas of Cache County MIECHV; Viridiana Trejo of Centro de la Familia de Utah; and Angela Ward of Elevate Early Childhood. Congratulations, home visitors!