The IDD Paradigm of Shared Citizenship: Its Operationalization, Application, Evaluation, and Shaping for the Future

Diffusion of the Shared Citizenship Paradigm: Strategies and Next Steps

The field of disabilities is being challenged to adopt a paradigm that can be used to guide the transformation of services, supports, and research practices to ensure and enhance the personal autonomy, rights, and community inclusion of people with disabilities. This article describes strategies associated with the systematic diffusion and sustainability of an innovation such as the emerging Shared Citizenship Paradigm (SCP), which has the potential to guide the transformation. The systematic diffusion process incorporates five components: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. The systematic process also addresses the risks of dissonance, backlash, unintended consequences, and backsliding that can emerge when the sustainability of a paradigm is not supported. Throughout the article, we stress that meaningful change in organizations and systems requires use of a paradigm such as the SCP and its principles and foundation pillars to guide the change, and a systematic process such as that described in this article to bring about and sustain the change.

Developing and Evaluating the Fidelity and Understandability of Plain Language Summaries of Position Statements

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) and The Arc of the United States (The Arc) have a long history of taking jointly held positions on matters of public policy that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This article describes the methods used to develop and evaluate the understandability and fidelity of written plain language summaries of the organizations' joint position statements for an audience of people with IDD who read. Implications for adapting source material for nonreading audiences are discussed.

A Systematic Approach to Implementing, Evaluating, and Sustaining the Shared Citizenship Paradigm in the Disability Field

The disability field continues to face challenges in transforming and implementing meaningful and effective changes in person-centered services and supports aligned with the principles of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To guide this transformative process effectively, a paradigm must be operationalized through a systematic approach. This article outlines such a systematic approach, consisting of two components: (a) aligning the paradigm's foundational pillars to the elements of an explanatory/implementation model (the Quality of Life and Supports Model) to facilitate the paradigm's operationalization, acceptance, and application and (b) aligning implementation, evaluation, and sustainability strategies with ecological systems, implementation targets, and the paradigm's foundational pillars to drive change across systems. The synergy and alignment between these components underscore the importance of linking public policies with professional and organizational practices to promote social inclusion and enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities. We provide practical examples highlighting the collaborative potential of this synergy and emphasize the significance of evidence-based and person-centered practices in promoting equal rights and social inclusion for people with disabilities.

The Quality of Life Supports Model as a Vehicle for Implementing Rights

The Quality of Life Supports Model (QOLSM) is emerging as a new framework that is applicable to people with disabilities in general, but specially to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The aim of this conceptual paper is twofold. Firstly, it aims to show the overlap between the QOLSM and the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), highlighting how the former can be used to address many of the goals and rights embedded in the latter. Secondly, the article seeks to illustrate the connection between these two frameworks and highlight the importance of acknowledging and measuring the rights of people with IDD. Therefore, we posit that the new #Rights4MeToo scale is ideal for: (a) providing accessible means and opportunities for people with IDD to identify and communicate their needs regarding their rights; (b) enhancing the supports and services that families and professionals provide to them; and (c) guiding organizations and policies to identify strengths and needs in relation to rights and quality of life. We also discuss future research needs and summarize the main findings of this article, highlighting its implications for practice and research.

The intellectual and developmental disability shared citizenship paradigm: its cross-cultural status, implementation and confirmation

BACKGROUND

Dramatic changes in societal approaches to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and the services and supports they receive are reflected in a new paradigm that we name the shared citizenship paradigm. The shared citizenship paradigm (1) incorporates an updated and contemporary set of values and beliefs about people with IDD and their right to participate fully in all aspects of life and society; (2) is characterised by a holistic approach to IDD, a contextual model of human functioning, disability rights principles and person-centred implementation strategies; (3) incorporates the exponential growth in knowledge about the causes and characteristics of IDD and factors influencing the elimination of barriers to positive outcomes for people with IDD; and (4) is reflected in international covenants, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCRPD), and in international policy goals and associated personal outcome domains.

METHOD

We conducted a preliminary survey on the cross-cultural status of the shared citizenship paradigm with a small purposefully sampled international group of professionals known to have extensive knowledge, experience, and publications regarding their country's current IDD-related policies and practices.

RESULTS

One or more paradigm components were evident to a moderate degree in the respondents' countries, and the paradigm is being used to provide individualised services and supports, to guide organisation transformation and systems change, and, to a lesser degree, to frame evidence-based inquiry.

CONCLUSIONS

Core components of the shared citizenship paradigm are present internationally. To further enhance implementation and confirmation of the paradigm, we propose implementation strategies and confirmation techniques.