Featured Archives

From Being Misunderstood to Being Heard – Dennis Tran’s Story

"I want to build health systems that recognize disability as part of human diversity and treat every person with respect, cultural understanding, and humanity." - Dennis Tran, IEC

Dennis hopes for a future where people with IDD lead change at every level of healthcare, and where no one is overlooked or dismissed for their disability.

System Change, by BJ Stasio

System Change System change is not comfortable.It is born from voices that were ignored,from people who were told to wait,to settle,to accept less than dignity.Advocacy begins when silence is no longer an option.When lived experience becomes expertise.When pain is transformed into purposeand stories become strategy.Systems do not change because they want to—they change because people […]

Thank you for standing with IEC in 2025

"We could not have achieved so much in such a short time without our many steadfast partners, the input from our self-advocates, and your generous support!" - IEC

A brief look at IEC’s 2025 impact, and our goals for the next year 2025 has been a year like no other. Like many organizations, IEC has had to adapt to rapidly changing economic and policy conditions. Through it all, we have been inspired by IDD self-advocates, family members, and dedicated healthcare leaders. Their experiences kept […]

Stronger Communication. Safer Care. See IEC’s New CE Course for Clinicians.

We are excited to announce a new opportunity for clinicians to earn continuing education credits: Positive Discourse: Communication Disabilities 101 for Healthcare Professionals.

IEC Champion of Change 2025: Regina Erickson

We’re excited to announce Regina Erickson as the IEC Champion of Change for 2025!

Announcement: Launching Test of the Always Uniquely Me App

Institute for Exceptional Care (IEC) is excited to share that we have started testing for the Always Uniquely Me app in partnership with Northwell Health on Long Island, NY. We are looking for up to 1,200 people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) on Long Island to join us in this important project. What is […]