Michelle Fong (NH-ME LEND 2023) White Paper: Data Equity is Key to Health Equity for PWD

Equitable health data represents all populations and can be linked to their common characteristics. When researchers from the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (ME UCEDD), sought to examine the health equity of Maine's population with intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities regarding COVID-19, they encountered a data gap. Maine's COVID-19 data could be disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, and age, but not by disability status or type.

AIR-P Launches New Academic Channel in Cureus

The Autism and Health: Across the Lifespan Channel (Autism and Health Channel) was founded in 2023 to promote research to increase the life expectancy and quality of life of autistic individuals. With broad support from national collaborative research entities, the goal of this academic channel is to serve as a forum to disseminate scientific articles which contribute to the evidence base of health promotion for autistic individuals and their families across the lifespan.

Harnessing Uniqueness: MNLEND Fellow Leverages Neuroscience Advances to Explore Brain-Behavior Links

A MN LEND fellow searches neuroimaging databases for patterns that could lead to more personalized and effective strategies for regulating emotions, or developing social cognition, among other skills.

New Publication: Cultural Humility and Cultural Brokering in Professional Training

Congratulations to Boston Children's Hospital LEND alumni Victoria Filingeri, Heather Mendez, and Alisa Ssu Yu Lin and their faculty mentors (Gyasi Burks-Abbott, Amy Szarkowski, and Jason Fogler) on the publication of their article in DDNJ: Cultural Humility and Cultural Brokering in Professional Training: Insights from People of Color (POC) and Persons with Disabilities (PWD).

Autistic, Not Sorry

Isabelle Morris (left) is a MN LEND fellow and autism researcher who describes herself as "unapologetically autistic." She's among a growing group of autistic researchers using their lived experience to shape the future of autism research.

NH-ME LEND Spring Kick-Off: Engaging in Advocacy and the Policy Process

In January, NH-ME LEND convened trainees, faculty, and five panelists for a Leadership Intensive: Organizing to Influence Your State's Policy. Panelists represented perspectives on advocacy at the state, local, and personal levels. The Leadership Intensive was the first step in preparing the 2023 LEND cohort for the spring Disability Policy Seminar (DPS) and subsequent meetings with congressional delegations.

WI LEND Names New Director

Gail S. Chodron, PhD, was recently named director of the Wisconsin LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities) program, located at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Waisman Center UCEDD. Dr. Chodron was a WI LEND trainee in 2007-2008 and has been part of the WI LEND faculty ever since, most recently serving as training director.

WVU Center for Excellence in Disabilities Launches New Podcast Series

Adjusting the Sails is a podcast aimed to discuss the lives and specific challenges children with special health care needs and other disabilities and their families, caregivers, and service providers face, and how to manage those challenges. The podcast will serve as a platform for all disability-related topics to be discussed and as a mediator between families and caregivers to share their stories and experiences. The podcast will feature guest speakers, panelists, and a variety of program representatives and service providers to offer education and training to the listener. This podcast is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health/Children with Special Health Care Needs Program and the West Virginia Family 2 Family Health Information Center and produced by the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disabilities.

2023 NIRS Formularios en Papel

Formularios en Papel de Entrada de Datos

Call for UCEDD LEND ECHO Organizations

The Wyoming Institute for Disabilities is inviting organizations across the network to join the newly formed UCEDD LEND ECHO Collaborative. These monthly calls are open to any UCEDD or LEND program that is currently replicating or interested in implementing the ECHO model. The collaborative will allow UCEDD, LEND, and partner agencies to share successes, challenges, and strategies in using the ECHO model to build capacity throughout their programs supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.