A. Personal Statement

Julie J. Christensen, MSW, PhD, is the Associate Director of the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), at the University of Iowa. Prior to joining CDD in May 2016, Dr. Christensen served as the Director of Employment Programs at Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Christensen's background encompasses work in schools, not-for-profits, government and higher education. For the past 14 years, her career has centered around improving quality of life outcomes for at-risk youth, including youth with intellectual and development disabilities, through promoting employment and access to leisure and recreation opportunities in inclusive settings. She has considerable experience developing, administering, and evaluating federal, state and local grant-funded projects with an emphasis on cross-systems collaboration and systems change. She currently maintains a faculty appointment in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and an adjunct faculty appointment in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Her research is in the areas of employment, quality of life, and leisure and recreation participation of adolescents and young adults with IDD.

B.  Positions and Honors

Positions and Employment

2017-present   Director, Center for Disabilities and Development (UCEDD)

                                                University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2017-present   Assistant Professor, Research, Department of Psychiatry

                                                University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2017-present   Adjunct Professor, School of Social Work

                                                University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

2017-present   Adjunct Professor, Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

                                                University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2017-present   Training Director

Leadership Education and Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND)

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2016-2017                   Associate Director, Center for Disabilities and Development (UCEDD)

                                                University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA

2015-2016                   Instructor, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

2015-2016                   Public Policy Discipline Coordinator

Leadership Education and Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND)

University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

2014- 2016      Director of Employment Programs, Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

2012- 2014      Senior Health Project Coordinator & Project Director

NYS Partnerships in Employment Systems Change and NYS Project SEARCH^TM

Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

2012-2016                   Adjunct Professor, Department of Human Services

Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY

2010-2011                   Interdisciplinary Clinical Supervisor

Leadership Education and Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND)

University of Rochester, Rochester, NY

2008-2012                   Health Project Coordinator

                                                Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities, Institute for Innovative Transition

University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY

2007-2011                   Program Director and Consultant for After School and Summer Programs

                                                Department of Recreation and Youth Services

                                                City of Rochester, NY

2004-2007                   Program Coordinator

                                                Rochester After School Academy at Henry Hudson School 28

                                                City of Rochester, NY (in partnership with Rochester City School District)

2003-2004                   Program Coordinator

                                                Rochester After School Academy at Frederick Douglass Preparatory School

                                                Society for the Protection and Care of Children, Rochester, NY

(in partnership with Rochester City School District)

Awards

2004 – City of Rochester’s Notable Achievement in Program Construction and Implementation

2007 – Monroe County Youth Asset Builder Award

2008 – National Association of Social Work MSW Student of the Year

2011 – Rochester Business Journal Forty Under 40 Class of 2011

2013 – National Association of Persons Supporting Employment First (APSE) “Got Mike” Educational Leadership Award

2015 – Golisano Foundation Move to Include Award

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

Member                                   Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)

                                                            National Board of Directors

Co-Chair                                 Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE)

                                                            Public Policy Committee

Chair                                       Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

                                                            HCBS Advocacy Committee

Member                                   Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

                                                            Policy & Legislative Affairs Committee

Member                                   TASH (formerly The Association for Severe Handicaps)

                                                            Policy Committee

Member                       International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID)

Member                       Association of People Supporting EmploymentFirst (APSE)

                                    Policy Committee

Member                                   Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM)

Member                                   National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

Member                                   Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs (AMCHP)

Member                                   Iowa Coalition for Integration and Employment (ICIE) Core Team

 

Member                                   Employment First State Leadership Team, Iowa

C. Peer-reviewed Publications

Butterworth, J., Christensen, J., & Flippo, K. (in press). Partnerships in Employment: Building strong coalitions to facilitate systems change for youth and young adults. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 47(1).

Christensen, J., Richardson, K., & Hetherington, S. (in press). New York State Partnerships in Employment. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 47(1).

Christensen, J.J. & Richardson, K. (2017). Project SEARCH workshop to work: Participant reflections on the journey through career discovery. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 46(3), 341-354.

Christensen, J. J., Hetherington, S., Daston, M., & Riehle, E. (2015). Longitudinal outcomes of Project SEARCH in Upstate New York. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 42(3), 247-255. 

LeCuyer, E., Christensen, J., Kreher, D., Kearney, M., & Kitzman, H.  (2015). Continuity and Change in African American mothers’ self-described discipline strategies with young children from 1992 to 2012.  Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 29(1), 28-37.

Christensen, J. J. (2014). Leisure and recreation preferences of adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest LLC.

Holland, M. L., Christensen, J. J., Shone, L. P., Kearney, M. H., & Kitzman, H. (2014). Client’s reasons for attrition from a nurse home visiting program in the United States. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. 43(1), 61-70.

Christensen, J. J., Humiston, S. G., Long, C. E., Kennedy, A., DiMattia, K., & Kolasa, M. (2012). Assessing the acceptability and feasibility of a school-located vaccination for influenza program in elementary schools. Journal of School Nursing, 28(5), 344-351.

LeCuyer, E. A., Christensen, J. J., Kearney, M. H., & Kitzman, H. (2011). African American mothers’ self-described discipline strategies with youth children. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, 34, 144-162. 

D. Research Support

Evaluation of a Peer-to-Peer Health Curriculum in a High School Transition Program for Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2017 – present), Co-Investigator

Funded by the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Planning Council for $100,000. The aim is to provide a general model for introducing health and fitness education into high school transition, a critical life stage for establishing patterns and habits for healthy and successful adult life.

Transition to Medication Self-Management for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder & Co-Occurring ADHD (2015 – present), Co-Investigator

Funded by National Institute of Health (R34) (Project #5R34MH104231-03). Development and evaluation of a manualized curriculum aimed at arming youth with the skills and tools they need to navigate the healthcare system and successfully transition to self-management of medications.

Evaluation of OPWDD’s Pathway to Employment Service (2015-2017), Principal Investigator

Funded by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities for $225,000. An evaluation of the implementation and outcomes associated with a new service offering designed to assist individuals with significant disabilities to prepare for competitive, integrated employment. 

Project of National Significance- Partnerships in Employment Systems Change (2011-2016), Principal Investigator

Funded by the federal Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for $2.3 million. One of 6 funded states to lead and coordinate state agencies involved in the employment of young adults with disabilities to double the number of those competitively employed in integrated settings.

Project SEARCH^TM Youth Transition and Employment Demonstration (2009-2011), Co-Principal Investigator

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