Who We Are:

The Institute was founded in 2010 as a collaborative partnership between the Texas Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University.Both are a part of a larger network of 67 Centers throughout the United States that are Universities Centers of Excellence in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. (UCEDDS)

The Institute has a national reach with experienced Person-Centered Thinking Trainers and Mentor Trainers who bring different approaches to the training content based on their experiences.
 

The Institute has the capacity to certify Person-Centered Thinking trainers bringing person centered practices into the framework of how these organizations provide training.

 The Institute has experience training across multiple states using a person-centered framework to assist people with a range of support needs to have positive control over their lives.  Our partners represent a diverse group of individuals, family members and service organizations.
 

In order to facilitate learning and development, the Institute established a Community of Practice bringing together more than 30 certified trainers from Texas to learn from one another.   The Institute collaborates with Oklahoma to host the Texas Gathering & Our Southwest Friends, a three-day event bringing together trainers, trainer candidates, family members and people with disabilities to exchange ideas, learn about national emerging trends from an international perspective.
 

The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices. (TLCPCP) developed the training curriculums used by the Institute.  TLCPCP began this work in the 1980's and has continually developed improved and incorporated innovative ideas and methods to facilitate community life for people who have been marginalized in their communities.
 

One of our founders, Dr. Shelly Dumas, was actively involved in establishing the TLCPCP. Two of our founders served on the TLCPCP Board of Directors.

The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices developed the training curriculum used by the IPCP.  They began this work in the 1980’s and have continually developed, improved, and incorporated innovative ideas and methods to facilitate community life for people with developmental and other disabilities.  Originally called the Essential Lifestyle Planning (ELP), person-centered practices have found their way from the US to Canada, the UK, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and more. The Learning Community is the leader in person-centered practices development. All IPCP mentors and trainers are certified by The Learning Community.