Since being recruited to the faculty of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in 2010, my intervention research program and lab, SENSE Theatre and SENSE Lab, respectively, have significantly benefitted from the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). SENSE TheatreÒ is a peer-mediated, theatre-based efficacious treatment for children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through the help of UCEDD and the National Institute of Health (NIH), we have provided no-cost diagnostic evaluations and treatment to over 450 autistic individuals between 6 to 40 years of age. While most of the participants live in Tennessee, families have come from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, New, York, Illinois and Utah to benefit from our translational clinical research. Moreover, the program has employed and provided career opportunities to autistic adults and their families. Our original plays performed for the public have highlighted the talent, experiences and aptitude showing what individuals with ASD and developmental disabilities can do. In SENSE Theatre, our accompanist, music director and several lead actors who are on the autism spectrum have been supported.
UCEDD partnerships have allowed us to collaborate with the Academy of Country Music, several recording studios and multiple venues to create our programs for autistic youth. Moreover, UCEDD has been instrumental in recruitment, education, and community connection as clinicians and scientists. As the name UCEDD indicates, the University programs align with the academic and research mission of Vanderbilt, the Center is the heart of clinical and community outreach, Excellence highlights the superior standard and commitment to individuals with Developmental Disabilities and their families. I urge you to support the vital and long-standing role that the VKC UCEDD plays in Nashville, throughout Tennessee and the world of intellectual and developmental disabilities by urging continued funding for this remarkable, life-enriching, foundational program.
Written by Blythe Corbett, PhD
Dr. Blythe Corbett is an associate professor at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology and Investigator with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and Center for Cognitive Medicine. Dr. Corbett is the Director of the Social Emotional NeuroScience Endocrinology (SENSE) lab, a translational research program focused on reciprocal social functioning and stress responsivity of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Her lab uses neuropsychological, physiological and neuroimaging techniques, which are often implemented in natural settings, such as playgrounds.
