AUCD360 - October 2017
October 11, 2017
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On August 1, the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD, LEND, IDDRC) welcomed a new director to lead the Center in addressing its mission of facilitating discoveries and best practices that make positive differences in the lives of persons with developmental disabilities and their families. Jeffrey Neul, M.D., Ph.D., comes from the University of California San Diego where he was the division head of Child Neurology and vice chair for Developmental Neurosciences. 
Ronda Jenson, PhD accepted the offer to a tenured, Associate Professor position with the AzUCD, Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University. With that academic rank, she also accepted the title of Research Director. Dr. Jenson comes to the AzUCD from the Missouri UCEDD where she served most recently as the Associate Director of University Partnerships. She has also served in the positions of Director of Research and Director of Interdisciplinary Training while at the Missouri UCEDD. 
Stephen F. Gilson, Ph.D., Coordinator and Professor of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies and Professor of Social Work, has been awarded a University of Maine Trustee Professorship for 2017-2018.Gilson's research, Social Practice Art: Countering Cultural Violence Against Aging, Disabled Populations, will be conducted over the 2017-18 academic year. 
Jonathan recently joined the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities staff after a successful year in Project SEARCH. Jonathan splits his time between the University of Rochester UCEDD and the Levine Autism Clinic in the Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Besides general office work, in his time with the UCEDD Jonathan serves as a peer mentor for both our Project SEARCH class at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the Job Club pilot through the Rochester Regional Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders. 
The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (CZBG), in partnership with the Cincinnati Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program, was recently awarded a Museums for America grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to advance its goal of becoming one of the nation's most welcoming, accessible, and inclusive zoos for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. 
The University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development sent six members from the Project Self-Advocate Leadership Training (SALT) Team to the Family Café, from June 16th to June 18th of 2017: Shelly Baer, LCSW and founder of Project SALT, Joanne Palenzuela, co-founder of SALT; Damian Gregory, advocate and speaker; Denise Prehay, advocate and SALT Trainer; Tracy Seaton, advocate, Special Olympics athlete and assistant SALT Trainer; and Jairo Arana, advocate and SALT Trainer. 
Dr. Sumi Kato, a Professor from Aomori Chuo Gakuin University and the Research Center for Child Mental Development at the Hirosaki University School of Medicine, visited the Montana and Idaho UCEDDs in September. She is seeking U.S. research partnerships to investigate the similarities and differences of linguistic behavior in autistic children and adults. 
The RTS-OKI (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana) group gathered at the Cincinnati Zoo for a day of education, games and activities and two special animal guests. This was a great opportunity for RTS families to come together and gave the Cincinnati Zoo an opportunity to showcase the work they've been doing to make the zoo more inclusive and accessible. One of the LEND projects at the University of Cincinnati UCEDD this year was to work with the Cincinnati Zoo to identify potential supports and barriers for families and individuals with developmental disabilities who visit the zoo. 
The Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD). Iowa's UCEDD, in partnership with Iowa's Division of Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) produced and presented a webinar series on Employment First Concepts and practice. Last winter, a survey was sent to the regional leadership asking what training or information was needed to continue to make progress towards Employment First for Iowan's with Mental Illness and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. 
Sandy Smith has been in education for over 20 years and has had the pleasure of being involved with teaching behavior management at the elementary, secondary, and adult level. Currently she is pursuing her doctorate in Special Education (Academic and Behavioral Supports) at Texas A&M. Her research interests include Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and coaching classroom management.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is implementing a national Project ECHO® (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) for Transition, through a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Health and Human Services Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). The AAP, in partnership with Got Transition, is excited to launch AAP Transition ECHO in the next few weeks. Please consider joining as well as sharing the information with your colleagues/network. Sessions will occur from October -November 2017 and will last one hour. The frequency of the session is to determined. 
AUCD ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY CENTERS ON DISABILITIES Research, Education, Service
A network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for and with individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities.