The Developmental Disability Navigation Program is a community-engaged initiative in which researchers, service providers, and community members address complex healthcare and social challenges through collaboration and participatory practice. Building on formative research funded by the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities (SUCEDD) partnered with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Tucson and Encircle Families to develop a regional program to address service gaps, language barriers, and systemic hurdles faced by refugees with disabilities. Supported by the Peter and Pat Hirschman University-Community Research Partnership Fund, the project implements cross-agency training and client advocacy workshops, supporting their shared mission to create equitable access to vital developmental and long-term care services. Working alongside community partners, nonprofit leaders, and student Diversity Fellows, this project integrates research, training, and public engagement to establish a scalable Developmental Disability Navigator blueprint that drives long-lasting community impact in Southern Arizona.
Julie Armin, PhD, Principal Investigator (PI), Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine, Assistant Professor of Practice, Health Promotion Sciences, University of Arizona
Jacy Bell, PhD, Co-PI, University of Arizona
Suzanne Teeple, University of Arizona
Sommer Aldulaimi, MD, FAAFP, University of Arizona
Linda Kraemer, International Rescue Committee
Skylar Persio, International Rescue Committee