Center for Disabilities and Development

The Center for Disabilities and Development at Stead Family Children’s Hospital is dedicated to improving the health and independence of people with disabilities and creating a life with opportunities for everyone.

Request an Appointment

For all requests:

1-877-686-0031

For all other requests:: 1-888-573-5437

Patient and Family Resources
Community Supports and Services

About Us

The Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) at Stead Family Children’s Hospital is dedicated to improving the health and independence of people with disabilities and creating a life with opportunities for everyone. People who come to CDD’s clinics often have complex needs, which is why we use a team approach, bringing together the right experts to help families find answers. At the heart of each team are the patient and family.

In addition to its clinics, CDD is home to three federally funded programs that are administered through AUCD, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities. This includes Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), its Leadership in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program (ILEND), and the Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (Hawk-IDDRC).

CDD strives to be the state's most trusted resource for health care, training, research, and information for people with disabilities.

Dr. Lane Strathearn, Director, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

Our Services

Clinical Services

Audiology, Dentistry, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Education, Nursing, Nutrition, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Psychology, Social Services, Speech-Language Pathology

Our teams work with patients who have:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Behavior Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Cognitive Disorders, Communication Disorders, Down Syndrome, Fragile X, Spina Bifida

Additional Programs and Services

Patient and Family Resources

Preparing for your visit to the CDD

Patient Forms

Community News Sources

Community Supports and Services

Conner Training Connection

The Conner Training Connection’s mission is to support Iowans with disabilities to live as fully participating members of their communities through the provision of training resources and technical assistance to consumers, their family members and service providers, and other disability advocates. The mission in short, advancing community living.

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Iowa Compass

Specialized Information and Referral

Iowa Compass has information about programs and services for Iowans with disabilities, their families and service providers. Access thousands of local, state and national programs for people with health-related conditions and disabilities. Call, email, chat, text or search the website for answers to your disability-related questions.

Learn more about Iowa Compass services and resources

Iowa EPSDT

Iowa EPSDT Care for Kids are the state's federhttps://www.disabilitytraining.org/ally mandated Medicaid benefits for children and adolescents. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits were created by Congress in 1967.

The role of EPSDT is to promote the physical, mental, social, emotional and behavioral health of children from birth to age 21. The EPSDT program emphasizes the use of a regular schedule of recommended well-child health visits and screenings to provide preventive health care and to identify medical, developmental and social-emotional concerns. The EPSDT program requires that Medicaid pay for any medically necessary diagnostic and treatment services for problems detected as part of a well-child screening exam.

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