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AUCDigest

March 30, 2007 • Volume 7, Number 3


NEWS FROM AUCD NATIONAL OFFICE

AUCD Press Release: Senators Clinton and Allard Introduce Bill to Increase Autism Services. March 20, AUCD applauded Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Wayne Allard (R-CO) for their leadership and work to address the critical needs of the rising number of individuals with autism spectrum disorders in this country. Clinton and Allard introduced a bipartisan bill that addresses the urgent needs of thousands of individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their families for effective treatments, interventions, services, and supports.

Invitation to Participate on 2007 RTOI Peer Review Panel
AUCD is seeking members from the network who would like to become a peer reviewer for the 2007 RTOI applications in the two areas of Down syndrome/Health Education and Emergency Management. Individuals who are interested should send a detailed resume to Sue Lin, Project Director of the AUCD-NCBDDD Cooperative Agreement. Please include a short cover letter describing your area of expertise. You must include your academic credentials, complete contact information, and a description of your experience in relevant areas.

RTOI Webinar Announcement: Overview of Secondary Condition Associated with Spina Bifida and Special Look into the Role of Assistive Technology

Date and Time: May 10, 2007 3:30PM EDT (12:30PDT)

Presenter: Andrea Hart, PhD (AR UCEDD); David Morrissey, MPS (AUCD Policy Fellow); Kurt Johnson PhD (WA UCEDD); Brian Dungeon, PhD (WA UCEDD).

Discussant: Adriane Griffen, MPH (Spina Bifida Association)

Description: Adolescents and young adults with spina bifida are at risk for secondary conditions such as obesity, social isolation, depression, and lack of independence. This webinar will share the results of two RTOI studies looking at the prevalence of secondary conditions in relation to race, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic factors and the use of assistive technology in promoting health and reducing secondary conditions. Additionally, the researchers will present issues and challenges identified by youth and young adults with spina bifida in the studies as they transition from school to work, pediatric to adult health care, and home to independent living. For more information, email Sue Lin, Project Director of AUCD-NCBDDD Cooperative Agreement.

Note to UCEDD Directors: The registration form for the ADD TA Institute and the AUCD UCEDD Directors Retreat is now online! For your convenience the online registration form is used for both meetings and provides hotel information.

  • Wednesday, May 30, 2007: AUCD UCEDD Directors Retreat, a one-day meeting from 8:30am–5:30pm. There is a registration fee of $110 for this meeting. The costs of holding this meeting are covered by registration fees. You may pay online by credit card or arrange to be invoiced.
  • Thursday–Friday, May 31-June 1, 2007: ADD TA Institute, a 1.5 day meeting beginning at 8:30am on 5/31 and ending at 12 noon on 6/1/07. There is no registration fee for this meeting. The costs of holding this meeting are covered by the ADD TA contract. If you are registering for this meeting only, no payment is required.

Please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Maggie Nygren at 301-588-8252 if you have any questions.

Thoughts from the 2006-2007 AUCD Virtual Trainee
Rene Jamison of the Developmental Disabilities Center (KS LEND). I recently attended the 2007 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC. First of all, I want to say hello to everyone I met at the seminar. It was great to meet so many trainees from AUCD programs around the country! For those of you unable to attend, here are some brief highlights. The seminar was hosted by multiple organizations related to disabilities, which provided an opportunity for key players in the disability community to work together on advocating for important policy to improve the lives of these individuals. The first two days of the seminar consisted of a variety of speakers who provided rich information about current policy issues related to disabilities and realistic strategies for effective lobbying. AUCD hosted a trainee reception, which was attended by over 50 people including trainees, AUCD staff, program faculty, and AUCD Board members. I thought it was a great success and enjoyed meeting fellow trainees. I also witnessed trainees linking with program faculty making connections for future opportunities…great networking! The last day of the seminar was spent lobbying on the Hill in state groups, meeting with Congressional Representatives and Senators. This was my first time on the Hill and I felt like I was really making a difference, at a systems level. In summary, I learned more about policy, government, and making changes in these three days then I did in any government or other class in school!

Look for photos and comments from trainees who attended the policy seminar on the trainee section of the AUCD website.

 

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