Strategic Plan

Our four strategic priorities will guide the Institute on Disability (IOD) towards a future where all people, including individuals living with disabilities, are fully engaged and supported members of their communities. This plan will guide and inform the IOD’s work for a five-year cycle from 2023 to 2027.

Using feedback from IOD employees, stakeholders, and individuals with lived disability experience, IOD's four strategic priorities include initiatives that will increase our organization’s impact in key areas by 2027. Although the following list of initiatives does not encompass all IOD work, it dedicates attention to several efforts designed to ensure that we will continue to meet our mission and the relevant needs of our stakeholders in New Hampshire and beyond.

IOD’s Four Strategic Priorities

  1. Expand access to person-centered employment opportunities.
  2. Advance evidence-informed mental health and substance use disorder services.
  3. Improve the health and wellness of people with disabilities.
  4. Further accessible, inclusive, culturally relevant early childhood services and education.

Expand access to person-centered employment opportunities

Aspiration

The IOD will become a state leader in preparing students with and without disabilities to thrive in employment. They will be prepared to pursue, achieve, and maintain fulfilling, competitive integrated employment. The IOD will expand and respond to workforce needs by engaging employers, university partners, and service providers.  

Initiatives
  • By 2027, increase the number of people that the IOD prepares to pursue, achieve, and maintain fulfilling and  competitive integrated employment by 25%.
  • By 2027, increase the number of resources accessed that raise awareness of research and policies to improve the financial well-being of workers with disabilities by 20%.
  • Increase the number of research and evaluation projects (grants or contracts) that improve employment policies and practices to promote competitive integrated employment of people with disabilities by 5%.

Advance evidence-informed mental health and substance use disorder services

Aspiration

The IOD will work to support everyone in addressing barriers to mental health and substance use supports. The IOD will provide individuals, families, schools, communities, clinicians, and others in the field with the information and tools they need to incorporate evidence-based practices into their settings.

Initiatives
  • Increase the number of NH mental health and substance use service providers that provide accessible and culturally responsive services for underserved and underrepresented populations by 5%.
  • Increase the number of resources (tools, trainings, reports, etc.) accessed to raise individual and community awareness of, and reduce stigma associated with, mental health and substance use disorders by 10%.
  • Increase the total number of people with lived experience in mental health and substance use as partners and co-researchers in the IOD’s mental health and substance use research, evaluation, and policy analysis.
  • Increase the number of professional development and training opportunities for providers who deliver mental health and/or substance use treatment by 5%.

Improve the health and wellness of people with disabilities

Aspiration

The IOD will be seen as a national leader in implementing best practices for promoting health and wellness for people with disabilities across the lifespan. The IOD will ensure equitable access to critical resources and services that support health-related decision-making for people with disabilities.

Initiatives
  • Increase the number of people who access resources and information to support health-related decision-making for people with disabilities or genetic conditions across the lifespan by 25%.
  • Increase access to the number of research and evidence-based practices related to disability health and healthcare by key communities by 5%.
  • Increase the number of research and evaluation projects that improve access to health and health equity by 5%.
  • Each year, teach at least 500 caregivers, professionals, and people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds on best practices in person-driven health and healthcare.

Further accessible, inclusive, culturally relevant early childhood services and education

Aspiration

The IOD will enhance efforts to promote early childhood services and education that are inclusive, culturally relevant, and equitable in New Hampshire and beyond. The IOD will help ensure that all children will have access to supports and services that meet their physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional needs.

Initiatives
  • Increase the access to and use of universal design for learning (UDL) practices and assistive technology for people from birth to 21 by 10%.
  • Increase the number of resources (tools, trainings, reports, etc.) accessed by educators that support the physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional needs of students from preschool through high school by  10%.
  • Increase the number of research and evaluation projects that improve access to inclusive early childhood services and educational settings by 5%.
  • Increase the number of research-based trainings provided to elementary and high school staff to improve the mental health and wellness of students and school staff by 10%.