LEND Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

2011

PROJECT ABSTRACT Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities/autism spectrum disorders (NDD/ASD) are underserved. Innovative leaders require evidence-based skills, training interdisciplinary planning and support, and cultural competence. Leaders must understand barriers of health care disparities, develop skills in interdisciplinary functioning, establish professional-community partnerships, and understand innovative practice models to change outcomes. Traditional professional training does not prioritize these issues. The MN LEND program brings together an interdisciplinary faculty from the University of Minnesota, to design, implement and evaluate a comprehensive training and education program for health and allied professionals who provide service to children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities/autism spectrum disorders and their families. A particularly important component of this proposal involves training staff in the areas of cutting edge research, policy and service delivery for persons with ASD. This population increasingly is providing dramatic challenges to the medical and educational service delivery systems and requires a well trained interdisciplinary cadre of research, clinical, and educational personnel to create, validate and instantiate progressive service to this population. The MN LEND Project is a partnership between the Medical School/ Department of Pediatrics, the College of Education and Human Development/Institute on Community Integration (UCEDD), the College of Liberal Arts, and collaborates with other MCH funded projects in MN to address the goals identified in Healthy People 2010 and the Combating Autism Act 2006. A comprehensive curriculum has been designed to address these goals. Youth, parent, family and University faculty from over 15 disciplines have committed to assisting with this important educational program. This curriculum includes: 1) A 32-week seminar that includes core lectures, mentored discussion and reflections; 2) A 32 week set of mini-courses including (a) Introduction to Leadership in NDD/ASD (b) Autism Spectrum Disorders (c) Cultural Competency and Health Disparities, (d) Transitions to Adulthood, (e) Communicating and Teaching, (f) Family-Centered Care, (g) Disability Public Policy and Law (h) Health Systems Management; 3) A quarterly MN LEND Forum, including speakers of national reputation; 4) Opportunity for trainees to complete Regent recognized certificates in ASD and/or Disability policy and Practice; 5) A set of individualized inter-disciplinary clinical practicum and technical assistance activities; and 6) Research seminars and projects. An evaluation program has been established to meet both internal and external accountability and reporting requirements and uses both formative and summative evaluation methods. Visit the LEND Web site at http://lend.umn.edu/index.htm.

Autism, ASD, Leadership, Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

Training Trainees, Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information

Education & Early Intervention, Child Care-Related Activities, Health-Related Activities, Other - Cultural Diversity, Other - Leadership

Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Specific Groups

State

Federal

N/A