The Development
al Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act) is a U.S. federal law that promotes the rights and inclusion of individuals with developmental disabilities by funding state councils, advocacy programs, and university centers to support community-based services and systemic change. In every state and territory, programs authorized by the DD Act empower individuals with developmental disabilities and their families to help shape policies that impact them. Programs authorized by the DD Act and overseen by ACL’s Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities include:
- State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (Councils)
- State Protection & Advocacy Systems (P&As)
- University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research & Service (UCEDDs)
- Projects of National Significance (PNS)
To read the law, you can download the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (PDF, 356KB) here.
It also available in Spanish (PDF, 787KB) and can be accessed here.
July 2025