• Safety First

    One year later into the Covid-19 pandemic and we remain vigilant with safety protocols.

    Covid-19 Information

  • Music therapy student and participants

    Experiential learning

    Our center provides students with an opportunity for innovative learning and discovery in the field of disabilities through internships, volunteering and student employment.

    Get involved

  • Student employee helping a client

    Advocacy in action

    Community living services staff provide extensive, daily ongoing training and support required for individuals to participate and live in their community.

    Get training and support

  • WMU student and participant painting together

    Meaningful activities

    Student staff members work with participants each day to provide enriching activities and volunteering opportunities within the community.

    Apply for a student job

Welcome to the Center for Disability Services

For over 40 years, the Center for Disability Services has been providing services for people with disabilities. Today, the center is a multi-service agency that provides more than two hundred thousand hours of service annually to over 250 individuals. The center operates as a community service under the auspices of the College of Health and Human Services. The range of services for adults includes Community Connections, Supports Coordination, Community Living Services, and Adult Wellness Programs. We are particularly proud of our experience and orientation toward respecting the individual, and promoting their well-being. The center also provides WMU students with an opportunity for innovative learning and discovery in the field of disabilities through internships, field experiences, volunteering and employment.

Learn more View our brochure

News

  • Photo of Andrea Perez

    CDS Coordinator and Faculty Member Earns Ph.D.

    Congratulations to Dr. Andrea Perez, Faculty Specialist and Coordinator of Community Connections at the Center for Disability Services, who successfully defended her dissertation in March.

    Read more

  • Gold and blue CARF logo

    Center for Disability Services awarded accreditation

    Western Michigan University's Center for Disability Services received the highest level of accreditation from a national organization that promotes quality, value and optimal outcomes of services for people with disabilities during an accreditation visit in November, 2020.

    More about CARF

  • A masked student rides a bike on campus.

    COVID-19 at Western: One year later

    KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A lot can happen in a year. On March 16, 2020, amid a growing public health crisis, Western Michigan University began distance education. Students, faculty and staff worked quickly to find new ways to learn, teach and create, facing challenges head-on as they traversed uncharted territory sparked by the global pandemic. At the same time, Broncos stepped up to support the community, creating and donating personal protective equipment for front-line workers and banding together to feed students in need.