National Community of Practice

A national home for the intersection of substance use and IDD/A.

We connect clinicians, direct support professionals, self-advocates, families, researchers, and system leaders who are building better care for people living at this intersection — together, in the open, and across state lines.

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Why a community of practice

The expertise is scattered. We're bringing it together.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autistic people experience substance use — and substance use disorders — at rates comparable to or higher than the general population. Yet the workforce trained to support them sits in two siloed systems that rarely talk to each other.

A community of practice is how field-builders move faster than any single agency can. Members teach each other, surface what the evidence base still misses, and translate practice wisdom into shared tools the whole field can use.

What we do

Four pillars of the work.

Peer learning

Monthly virtual convenings where members share what's working — adapted screeners, harm reduction protocols, family engagement scripts — and troubleshoot what isn't.

Case consultation

Structured, de-identified case reviews with an interdisciplinary panel: addiction medicine, IDD/A clinicians, behavior support, self-advocates, and family partners.

Shared library

A living repository of plain-language tools, visual supports, training videos, and policy templates contributed by members and vetted by the editorial team.

Policy & advocacy

A collective voice for funding, workforce, and regulatory change so that people with IDD/A can access the full continuum of substance use care.

Who's in the room

Built to be cross-disciplinary on purpose.

The whole point is to mix people who don't usually share a table. Lived expertise sits next to clinical expertise sits next to systems expertise.

Clinicians

Addiction medicine, primary care, psychiatry, behavioral health, nursing.

Direct support professionals

Residential, day program, and supported-living staff.

Self-advocates

People with lived experience of IDD/A and/or substance use.

Families & caregivers

Parents, siblings, guardians, and chosen family.

Researchers & educators

Investigators, faculty, and trainees building the evidence base.

System leaders

State agency staff, payers, and program directors shaping policy.

2026–2027 convenings

15 monthly sessions, third Tuesdays.

Recurring on Zoom at 1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 10:00 AM PT. Odd months are discussion-topic led; even months feature a speaker lead.

Past Upcoming

Tuesday, July 21, 2026 @ 1:00 pm

July

Upcoming

Discussion Topic Lead

Third Tuesday monthly convening — 1:00 PM ET / 12:00 PM CT / 10:00 AM PT.

A national home for the intersection of substance use and IDD/A.

The expertise is scattered. We're bringing it together.

Four pillars of the work.

Peer learning

Case consultation

Shared library

Policy & advocacy

Built to be cross-disciplinary on purpose.

15 monthly sessions, third Tuesdays.

Membership is free and open.

Let us know you're interested.

Propose a speaker or topic.

Help shape our sessions