All in the Family: Salma Hussein (MN LEND, 2012-13)

Salma Hussein (MN LEND, 2012-13), recently selected as a 2021 Bush Fellow, will use the $100,000 fellowship to complete her doctorate degree in educational leadership and continue the non-profit organization she runs with her sister, Fatimah, the Girls Initiative in Recreation and Leisurely Sport (GIRLS). Trained as a social worker while attending MN LEND, she is now an assistant principal at a Saint Paul, Minnesota high school.

Waisman Center UCEDD Partners with Community to Address Health Equity for Latino Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities with Funding from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Padres e Hijos en Accion and the Waisman Center University for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), University of Wisconsin-Madison announced a $330,000 grant to improve local health care responsiveness to the needs of Latino families of children with developmental disabilities and other special health care needs in Dane County. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the three-year campaign is part of the Community Solutions for Health Equity program led by Community Catalyst, a national non-profit health equity advocacy organization.

Alaska LEND Alumni Erin Main Joins the Alaska AgrAbility Program

The Alaska LEND Without Walls is pleased to announce that Erin Main, a 2020 LEND alumni, has joined the Alaska AgrAbility program as service administrator. Erin will work part-time and assist with program development to include work with partnerships and community stakeholders. She will be developing the relationship with the AgrAbility program and UAA students in the Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. She will also work with the team to continue to expand outreach to build understanding around occupations, health, disabilities and agriculture. Erin's work with AgrAbility was synthesized throughout her LEND experience and LEND leadership project.

Autism Special Interest Group Vice Chair Position

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 1, 2021

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for an up-and-coming leader in the Autism Community. The Vice Chair of the Autism Special Interest Group will work closely with the SIG co-chairs Brian Be and Dr. Laura Carpenter.

AIR-P (UCLA): Progress to Date

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-site network that supports innovative life course intervention research and promotes optimal health and well-being of autistic individuals across the lifespan. In September 2020, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was awarded funding by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau in the Health Resources and Services Administration to lead and develop the network with the primary goal of increasing the life expectancy and quality of life for autistic individuals.

A Fellow's Perspective: Virtual Opportunities through Rochester LEND's Collaborations in Central America

Written by Mariela Leon-Thomas, 2021 LEND Alumni Trainee, Rochester NY

It has been more than a year since we started adapting to the "new conditions" of living in a world with the COVID-19 pandemic. Transitioning from face-to-face to all-virtual interactions was not as much fun as the option of "working and studying from the bedroom" sounded. Not only did we start missing familiar faces, but we had to limit new relationships to connections traveling through router devices and Zoom platforms. Despite these limitations, the pandemic has triggered a virtual realm of opportunity. It has challenged our creativity and our passion to keep pursuing the visions and missions we sought out in "normal" times. It invited us to think outside the box and has extended connectivity and networking beyond local boundaries. The 2021 LEND cohort has experienced this firsthand.

Alumni Update: Mia Donley

Help for Hungry Families

Winning a state government award last month for getting a food assistance program up and running during the pandemic was an impressive achievement for Mia Donley, (MN-LEND 2015-16). What makes it even more impressive was the timing. Donley, a registered dietician who received a master's degree in public health from the University of Minnesota, joined the Colorado Department of Human Services in March 2020 as an education and outreach coordinator for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

April 2021: Autism Acceptance Month

April is widely recognized as Autism Acceptance Month. AUCD, our members, and partners have used this as an opportunity to share information relating to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

2021 Autism Acceptance Month Webinar Series

AUCD's Autism Special Interest Group (SIG) is sponsoring a series of three webinars for Autism Acceptance Month. Topics will range from telehealth to cognitive behavioral therapy to caregiver coaching strategies. We will also host an open house for AUCD network members to learn more about activities of the Autism SIG.

2021 Autism CARES Meeting Update

Due to the ongoing pandemic, travel restrictions, and the concern for the safety and well-being of grantees, the 2021 Autism CARES Meeting will be held virtually in Summer 2021. This virtual event is an opportunity for HRSA-funded CARES grantees (representing research, training, and state systems) to share information about activities within their respective networks, discuss emerging trends, and facilitate meaningful collaboration. Grantees will be asked to be engaged in the planning process for this event (as requested) and participate in all virtual activities.