Prevention & Wellness

In 2007 the US Department of Health and Human Services put an emphasis on the health and wellness of individuals with disabilities. Following are some news items, resources, events, and summaries of current legislation in this area.

News

HRSA's MCHB Announces Phase 1 Winners of the Childhood Obesity Prevention Challenge!
HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) has selected 10 winners from Phase 1 of the Using Technology to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Low-Income Families and Communities Challenge. Henry Ford Health System's submission, "5-2-1-0 Go App!" is a collaboration with Michigan's LEND program and the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI) at Wayne State University. The project proposes to enhance an app targeting kids ages 9-13 with four mini games based on 5-2-1-0. The overall aim of the app is to promote healthy food choices, identify community food resources, and provide exercise activities - which will be made adaptable for children with disabilities.
News from the National Center on Disability in Public Health
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is pleased to announce the new National Center on Disability in Public Health. The new National Center uses evidence-based strategies to develop and increase the ability of public health professionals to include people who have disabilities. This National Center encourages collaboration between public health partners and AUCD's Network Centers in every state and territory. Key areas of health disparity serve as the National Center's focus areas and include: Access to Healthcare, Developmental Monitoring and Screening, Emergency Preparedness, Nutrition and Healthy Weight, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Wellness and Mental Health.
Seeking Safety Based Collateral Groups for Caregivers of Adolescents and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Diagnoses (CA UCEDD)
Authors: Lina Rodas, Bridgid Mario Conn, Caitlin S. Sayegh, Sari Glassgold, and Sara Sherer

This is the second installation in a three-part series describing the structure, format, and development of social skills groups and parent collateral groups for individuals ages 13-21 with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), as well as the vital necessity of advocacy and community partnerships in working with our clients and their families.
Munroe-Meyer Institute (NE UCEDD/LEND) Nets $1.2 million Department of Education Grant
Mark Shriver, Ph.D., professor of psychology and pediatrics at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, will be the project director on a new $1.2 million Department of Education grant from the Office of Special Education Programs. The five-year grant, which runs through a development year and four years of implementation, will train graduate students to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams to address significant behavior problems in schools.
Announcing the Launch of the National Center on Disability in Public Health
The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) is pleased to announce the new National Center on Disability in Public Health. The National Center uses evidence-based strategies to develop and increase the ability of public health professionals to include people who have disabilities. This new National Center builds capacity by encouraging collaboration between public health partners and AUCD's Network Centers in every state and territory. Key areas of health disparity serve as the focus areas for this National Center and include Nutrition and Healthy Weight, Developmental Monitoring and Screening, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Access to Healthcare, Wellness and Mental Health, and Emergency Preparedness.
ReDiscovery at Texas A&M University (TX UCEDD)
In late August, 2017, Hurricane Harvey brought insurmountable devastation to the Texas coast. A year later, the effects of Hurricane Harvey continue to be felt, especially amongst individuals with disabilities and individuals with other functional and access needs. In a combined effort, the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University and the Texas Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas Austin created ReDiscovery. ReDiscovery is training, technical assistance, and educational materials on supports, services, and resources in Texas for individuals with disabilities and other functional and access who were affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Upcoming Events

National Center on Disability in Public Health Series

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 - Tuesday, February 12, 2019
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET
Location: Webinar

Join this three-part webinar series to launch AUCD's new National Center on Disability in Public Health. All webinars will be at 12 pm ET and last 60 mins.

Past Events

Sex Talk for Self-Advocates #3

Thursday, December 6, 2018
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Webinar

Join us for Sex Talk for Self-Advocates Webinar #3, Safe Sex Practices - Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). This webinar series addresses self-advocate questions about relationships and sexuality. Webinar #3 will focus on safe sex practices related to sexually transmitted infections.

DS-Connect: Connecting families and those with Down syndrome to research that INCLUDEs them

Thursday, October 25, 2018
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Webinar

Staff from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will discuss DS-Connect: The Down Syndrome Registry (https://DSConnect.nih.gov) and what it can offer families. They will describe how families can fill out surveys, participate in research, and view the aggregate de-identified data. NIH staff will also show how a researcher or clinician interested in any aspect of Down syndrome can use the registry for learning about Down syndrome and recruiting participants for studies. Webinar participants will also learn about progress in studies being supported by DS-Connect.

AACPDM 72nd Annual Meeting

Tuesday, October 9, 2018 - Saturday, October 13, 2018
Location: Cincinnati, OH

The 2018 Scientific Program Committee is pleased to announce that the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) will take place October 9-13, 2018 at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Transformative Journeys" is the theme for the meeting.

2018 Annual Coleman Institute Conference on Cognitive Disability and Technology

Thursday, October 4, 2018
Location: Broomfield, CO

REGISTRATION for the 2018 Coleman Conference is now open. For more information about this year's conference and to register, please visit: www.colemaninstitute.org

Attachment, Neurodevelopment & Psychopathology Conference

Wednesday, September 19, 2018 - Friday, September 21, 2018
Location: Iowa City, IA

This 3-day course covers the development, prevention, and treatment of psychological disorder. It weaves together theory, human development, assessment, case examples, and treatment applications to reframe maladpative behavior in terms of strategies for self-protection. The course covers development from infancy to adulthood, emphasizing the process of adaptation and developmental pathways that carry risk for psychopathology.

You are important to me: Help your DSPs be the best they can be

Tuesday, September 18, 2018
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET
Location: Webinar

Our understanding of persons with intellectual disabilities doesn't have to be highly scientific or complex. Let's make it simple. Let's create a concrete and small step process to help your direct service providers (DSPs) be better at their work. Use this framework. Walk just a minute in my shoes. How does my brain work? What makes sense to me? What am I trying to tell you with words and actions? What do I feel and understand about my body? About you? About my world?

Sex Talk for Self-Advocates #2

Monday, September 17, 2018
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Webinar

Join us for Sex Talk for Self-Advocates Webinar #2. Using real self-advocate questions from a survey, three professional sexuality educators will answer questions about relationships and sexuality.

Resources

HRSA Issues Hurricane Resources for Children with Special Health Care Needs
In collaboration with the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HRSA has developed a collection of resources informing hurricane response and recovery for families, organizations, and clinicians caring for children with special health care needs.
Integrating Infectious Disease Prevention and Treatment into the Opioid Response
The opioid crisis in the United States is devastating the lives of millions of Americans. Perhaps overshadowed by the alarming rise in overdoses and deaths is the accompanying numbers of injection-related infectious diseases. Opioid overdose deaths increased fivefold from 1999 to 2016, and new hepatitis C infections more than tripled from 2010 to 2016.
Healthy Weight Research Network (HWRN) Update
The Healthy Weight Research Network for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities (HWRN) was established in July 2013 with Autism CARES funding via the Maternal Child Health Bureau�s (MCHB). The HWRN is led by researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center at UMass Medical School, in collaboration with Tufts University School of Medicine. The HWRN�s mission is to advance the understanding of obesity risk factors in children with ASD and other developmental disabilities, to promote the development of evidence-based solutions to achieve healthy weight in this population, and to disseminate research findings to broad and diverse audiences.
At-Risk Populations and Pandemic Influenza: Planning Guidance for State, Territorial, Tribal, and Local Health Departments
from http://www.astho.org
Center for Health Promotion Research for People with Disabilities
from http://uic-chp.org
Center on Health Promotion Research for Persons with Disabilities
from http://uic-chp.org
Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities
from http://www.hesperian.org
The AUCD Network: Promoting Wellness for Persons with Disabilities
An abridged sampling for download and printing of wellness promotion activities
Senator Harkin Reintroduces Promoting Wellness for Individuals with Disabilities Act
Senator Harkin's floor statement.