News / Document Search Results
4/16/2021
Advocates in the Making
While on the path to adulthood, all young people need to learn to advocate for themselves. In other words, they need to find their voices. For young people with disabilities, learning to advocate for themselves is crucial in becoming more independent and reaching their life goals. The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) Transition to Adulthood Programs have recognized the need to have advocacy at the core of all curriculum and services.
4/16/2021
AUCD Professional Fellows Alum Wins United Nations Award for Inclusive Education TV Show
AUCD Professional Fellows alumna Maria Omare from Nairobi, Kenya, has won a grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for her work on Somesha Stories, a TV series she created that delivers accessible and inclusive educational content to children in East Africa. Somesha Stories is a weekly program that promotes early literacy and is one of the first children's TV series in East Africa to use closed captioning and sign language in all episodes. The series uses interactive storytelling to foster inclusive values and educate children about diverse topics, including science, community, mental health, COVID-19, and interacting with peers.
4/16/2021
Building Resilience in Families with Young Children
The Act Early COVID-19 Response Teams are working to bolster the 4 steps of early identification of developmental delays and disabilities and to improve resiliency among families with young children during COVID-19 response and mitigation efforts. As one strategy to achieve these goals, the New Jersey team leads, Deepa Srinivasavaradan (Act Early Ambassador) and Caroline Coffield (NJLEND/UCEDD) along with Stephanie Michael (NJLEND Trainee), authored an article, Building Resilience: Resources to Help Families Grow from Challenging Times, featured in the 2021 Guide of Exceptional Parent magazine.
4/16/2021
Connecting Trainees on a State Level: California Maternal and Child Health Leadership Training Network
n article highlighting the California Maternal and Child Health Leadership Training Network (CAMCHLTN), a leadership project developed by the trainees of the California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (CA-LEND) Training Program at USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, based at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and affiliated with the USC Keck School of Medicine
4/16/2021
Current and Former LEND Trainees Provide Unique EI Services Through the FOCUS Program
As the New Mexico LEND cohort liaison to the Emerging Leaders Community, I had the opportunity to interview Una Vicenti and Laura Hawkey of the FOCUS program. Vicenti is an Occupational Therapist and Director of Early Intervention Services and Laura works as a Family Service Coordinator and developmental specialist within the program. Hawkey is a current LEND trainee and Vicenti is a LEND fellow. Vicenti reported that 3 other employees at FOCUS, including the program director, are LEND fellows.
4/16/2021
Direct Support Workforce and COVID-19 National Report: Six-Month Follow-up
The Institute on Community Integration's Research and Training Center on Community Living for Persons with intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the University of Minnesota, in partnership with the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals, conducted a survey of approximately 9,000 direct support professionals (DSPs) from across the country about their experiences supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a six-month follow-up report to the initial report completed in April 2020 and is the largest study conducted on the direct support workforce.
4/16/2021
Dr. David O'Hara Retires After 33 Years at Westchester Institute for Human Development
Dr. David O'Hara celebrated his retirement from WIHD with a virtual celebration of family, friends, and colleagues from around the world last week. Dr. O'Hara has been with WIHD since 1987 and retired at the end of 2020. During his time at WIHD, he held many roles, most recently as the organization's Chief Operating Officer (COO). He also contributed to several national and global committees, conferences, research, and presentations. Dr. O'Hara was instrumental in bringing Child Welfare Services under the WIHD umbrella, establishing ground breaking programs in assistive technology, and demonstrating the value of telehealth for people with disabilities.
4/16/2021
Important Date Change - AUCD's Prepared4ALL Town halls rescheduled to the 3rd Wednesday of every month, 1pm ET
AUCD's Prepared4ALL townhalls are open to all of our existing Prepared4ALL Affiliates and Partners as well as any other individuals or organizations interested in inclusive emergency preparedness. These townhalls serve as a place to receive support from our center's team, learn about new resources, and collaboratively problem solve with others when making inroads with local emergency preparedness efforts. These meetings will now be held on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 1pm ET.
4/16/2021
MN LEND Fellows Promote Autism Acceptance
Jules Edwards was 32 when she was diagnosed with autism, along with her children. Tom Cox was in his 40s when one of his employees suggested he might look into Asperger syndrome. Those turning points, they say, led both of them to a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Today, Edwards and Cox are leaders in Minnesota's autism advocacy community.And as April brings the annual shower of stories about autism - it is called Autism Awareness Month by some groups and Autism Acceptance Month by others - they are hoping a similar understanding breaks through the messaging.
4/16/2021
Thank You! AUCD for All 2021 Virtual Gala: Celebrating 50 Years of Leadership: Looking Back, Moving Forward
The AUCD for All 2021 Virtual Gala was a huge success because of your generous support and participation! We appreciate that so many members of the disability community and AUCD Network came together during an evening of fun and memories to celebrate AUCD's 50th Anniversary. During the evening, we also honored and heard from disability advocates Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester and Ms. Karen Irick.
4/15/2021
AUCD's Prepared4ALL Launches Online Training
The Prepared4ALL initiative, offered by AUCD's new Technical Assistance and Training Center, is excited to announce the launch of their online training, "Prepared4ALL: Whole Community Inclusive Emergency Planning". This free self-paced online training aims to help disability organizations increase their knowledge about emergency planning so they can begin or continue to get involved in these efforts in their local community while also building sustainable partnerships with their local emergency and public health professionals. This training is centered around the Prepared4ALL process, a strength-based model which helps organizations creatively and flexibly navigate inclusion and accessibility issues.
4/13/2021
Call for Submissions: AIR-P Research Day at Autism CARES
Deadline: May 17, 2021, 4:00pm PST
AIR-P is pleased to launch this call for proposals. This call includes submissions for virtual rapid fire presentation sessions on autism and physical health. Submissions of work in progress is encouraged, as the Research Day will provide opportunity for structured questions and feedback from peers and experts.
4/8/2021
Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Launches Prepared4ALL Initiative
Together with its partners, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is launching a new initiative, Prepared4ALL, mobilizes disability organizations and their local networks to get a seat at the emergency planning table.
4/8/2021
Creating Change in the Homeless Community During a Pandemic
Pursuing work in the community during a global pandemic most certainly can pose unique challenges; however, this did not stop trainees in Cincinnati, Ohio from promoting positive change in their local homeless community. Trainees Sue Ram (occupational therapy), Emily Witt (social work), Julius Freeman (psychology), and Nora Lascell (speech-language pathology) are a part of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) training program in collaboration with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) and the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence (UCEDD).
4/8/2021
Dr. Meagan Orsag Receives President's Meritorious Service Award
Dr. Meagan Orsag, of the TAMU CDD, has received the Texas A&M Presidents Meritorious Service Award. In order to be eligible for this award, nominees have to have demonstrated their commitment to the school values of excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service. Dr. Orsag is the associate director of the TAMU CDD, an active member in multiple AUCD councils and special interest groups, and an active member in the state and local communities of Texas.
4/8/2021
Families with IDD Praise State's Vaccination Clinic
The high risk that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face from COVID-19 is well-documented. During the COVID-19 pandemic, UNMC's Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI) has been working to address the need for vaccination opportunities for people with IDD, as well as their parents and caregivers.
