Rose F Kennedy UCEDD at Montefiore Partners with Bronx Developmental Disabilities Council for 13 Annual Health Services Conference

December 1, 2016

The Rose F Kennedy UCEDD (NY) at Montefiore partnered with the Bronx Developmental Disabilities Council for its 13th Annual Health Services Conference on November 18, 2016, entitled Physical and Behavioral Health Care for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.  For years the RFK UCEDD has worked collaboratively with the Council, an association of parents, advocates and professionals that is advisory to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

This year's conference under the leadership of Joanne Siegel, LCSW, Associate Director of the RFK UCEDD and along with parent advocate, Dorothy Stone, MA, Co-chairs of the conference planning committee, included a variety of topics including the importance of advocacy with a parent presentation of the video Ladies in Red - Five Bronx Women: Mother Advocates who Changed the System for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities http://www.einstein.yu.edu/video/?VID=1002&categoryID=985&ts=about&tsp=related#top. Other timely topics included behavioral health and trauma in the lives of children with a presentation by Anne Murphy, PhD, Clinical Director of RFK Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation on trauma and abuse in the lives of very young children at risk of developmental delay.  Ted Kastner, MD, Director, RFK UCEDD gave an update on the Zika Virus and his work with the New York City Department of Health on follow-up with families who have been exposed to the virus.  Other topics included positive psychology to help support caregivers, transition and life planning as a person becomes an adult, physical changes in an aging population, and aging at home with individual supports, dignity and grace.

With more than 230 conference registrants, the overall response of those in attendance was very positive.  Those in attendance received a hard copy of the 2016 Directory of Health Services for Bronx Residents with Developmental Disabilities www.einstein.yu.edu/uploadedFiles/Centers/CERC/2016-directory.pdf, an RFK UCEDD biannual publication.