Friday, September 3, 2021
Welcome to another academic year! As orientations conclude and seminars begin, we hope that you find the resources and other items in this newsletter useful in supporting the work of your faculty, staff, and trainees.
You'll notice that the newsletter sections mirror the AUCD Strategic Map priority areas. In doing so, we wish to highlight network resources and efforts that guide our collective work and mission.
Grow Diverse and Skilled Leaders
This section will highlight resources / opportunities for leadership at all levels by cultivating and equipping leaders with the skills to engage communities and improve systems.
AIR-P Scholars & Pilot and Feasibility Funding Program
The Autism Intervention Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) seeks applications for the AIR-P Scholars & Pilot and Feasibility funding program during the January-December 2022 project year. The goal of the program is to launch the next generation of researchers seeking to promote the health and well-being of autistic individuals across the lifespan. Outline Stage Deadline: September 7, 2021
MCHB Trainee Ambassador Group: Applications now open for the 2022 Cohort
The Maternal & Child Health Bureau’s (MCHB) Division of MCH Workforce Development (DMCHWD) established the Trainee Ambassador Group (TAG) to be an ongoing vehicle for working collaboratively with trainees of the MCH Training Program. The TAG provides trainees with the opportunity to conceptualize, develop, and lead efforts to facilitate trainee connections via activities such as a mentoring program, trainee forums, and collaborative research projects. Current or former MCH trainees that have graduated within the last 5 years may apply. Deadline: September 26
Model Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This section will highlight resources / opportunities to reach out, engage, and include underrepresented groups to advance our knowledge and impact.
AUCD Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit Updates
AUCD provides and continually seeks resources and strategies to help network members "model diversity, equity and inclusion" through its Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit. Recently added resources include: (1) MI-DDI's Spanish Language COVID-19 Vaccine Infographics, (2) COVID-19 Data on Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, (3) a NIH-funded study on racial disparities in maternal death, (4) an e-learning program on culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in maternal health care, and (5) an article on escaping diversity "change traps" in the Chronicles of Higher Education.
PFP-IDE Alumni Ronald Kasule & Hassan Waddimba Launch Uganda's First Disability Accommodations Website
Ugandan Professional Fellows alumni Ronald Kasule and Hassan Waddimba have officially launched the DASUNS online platform (Diversity Ability Support Network System), which will broaden access to critical services for people with disabilities in their country. DASUNS (Diversity Ability Support Network System) is a social enterprise that provides information about disability resources and services in order to connect people with disabilities, service providers and agencies. Its new website is a historic step forward for online access to disability accommodations in Uganda.
Accessibility and the COVID-19 Vaccine Experience for People with Disabilities Webinar
You are invited to join the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network (NCRN) for a webinar on strategies and tools for accessibility in the COVID-19 vaccine experience. Persons with disabilities experience difficult barriers in getting the COVID-19 vaccine such as having accessible formats of COVID-19 vaccine information and materials and providing reasonable accommodations. This webinar will be held on September 13 at 3 PM ET.
Advance Policies and Practices that Improve Lives
This section will highlight resources / opportunities that increase the use of evidence-based, culturally-responsive, and inclusive policies and practices.
AUCD Policy Talk Blog Post - The New Redlining: A Digital Divide
AUCD's 2021-2022 Disability Policy Fellow, Sara Bovat, explains how redlining still exists, evolving into "digital redlining," in which broadband service is difficult and costly to obtain. Sara has over five years of experience working with disability advocacy and health policy. Sara recently completed her master's at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration with a Health Administration and Policy certificate.
The Prepared4ALL Playbook: Strategies for Disability Inclusion in Public Health
This webinar archive introduced the Prepared4ALL playbook and how Network members can use it in their local community to build local partnerships between disability organizations and emergency preparedness planners.
Conduct and Apply Research and Share Knowledge
This section will highlight resources / opportunities that engage the disability community to identify priorities and conduct research with the goal of accessible presentation of information.
"Learn the Signs. Act Early." in Health Center Settings - Archived Webinar
This quarter's Act Early Network Webinar highlighted the work of pediatricians to integrate "Learn the Signs. Act Early." resources and tools into their surveillance and screening practices within Federally Qualified Health Center settings. Federally Qualified Health Centers are community-based health providers that receive funds from the Human Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program to provide primary care services in underserved areas.
Promoting Vaccine Confidence in Neurodivergent Communities: Lessons Learned from Stakeholder Engagement and Social Media Outreach - Archived Webinar
This webinar presented lessons learned from a project that seeks to promote vaccine confidence in the disability community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this student-driven project, supported by an AUCD-CDC Dissemination Innovation Mini-grant, students and trainees from UCLA and LA COVID volunteers conducted a stakeholder engagement strategy to inform communication and dissemination efforts to promote vaccine confidence.
Resources and Announcements
ITAC Welcomes Jeanette Córdova and Solomon Lissanu!
Jeanette M. Cordova joins ITAC as the Technical Assistance Program Manager (Bilingual) for AUCD's Maternal and Child Health Technical Assistance (TA) Team. Her responsibilities include managing projects, technical assistance initiatives, and meetings that support both LEND and DBP Training Programs. Jeanette will also support the Spanish Language Caucus, LEND Family Discipline Network, and the PWD Workgroup. Solomon Lissanu joins AUCD as the Data Support Manager whose responsibilities include assisting in the oversight of AUCD's proprietary online database (NIRS). Welcome, Jeanette and Solomon!
Open Positions at AUCD Central Office
ITAC is seeking a motivated and highly qualified individual to join our technical assistance team!
Telehealth Resources Now Available in NDD Core Curriculum
AUCD is happy to announce a new set of resources within the NDD Core Curriculum on telehealth. The telehealth topic was created in partnership with Michigan LEND and supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in its grant with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, "Supporting Providers and Families to Access Telehealth and Distant Care Services for Pediatric Care." Access telehealth resources here. For new users of the NDD Curriculum, please send your access request to Maureen Johnson at [email protected].
The LEND Family Discipline Network (LFDN) Presents: 2021 Family Discipline Summit
The LFDN, with support from AUCD's Interdisciplinary Technical Assistance Center (ITAC) on Autism and Developmental Disabilities, is hosting a series of facilitated workshops and conversations for leaders and trainees in the field of Family Support to discuss critical questions and share best practices for addressing equity for families within their programs and in life beyond their traineeship. The summit will be held virtually on September 27 and 28.
Call for Proposals for E-presentations: 2021 AIR-P Research Day at AUCD2021 Conference
The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) is pleased to launch the Call for Proposals for the 2021 AIR-P Research Day at AUCD2021 Conference. This call includes submissions for video presentations with corresponding virtual rapid-fire presentations 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. Presentations will be held virtually during the AIR-P Research Day at AUCD2021 on November 1, 2021. Proposals are due September 6, 4pm PT and notifications will be sent out to the presenters by September 17, 2021.
Request for Application: Regional Hub for Local Vaccine Outreach
Through an upcoming single-source award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), a selection of up to four (4) centers or programs from the AUCD network members will lead regional hubs to coordinate local and regional COVID-19 vaccine outreach with the disability community as part of a larger effort, Local Vaccine Outreach with the Disability Community. Deadline: September 17
Request for Application: Trainee and Training Director Stipend Opportunity for Local Vaccine Outreach
Through an upcoming single-source award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), a selection of Trainees and Training Directors from the AUCD network members will conduct COVID-19 vaccine outreach with the disability community as part of a larger effort, Local Vaccine Outreach with the Disability Community. Deadline: September 17
Building an Autism Friendly Practice: Strategies for the Healthcare Professional
The Autism Friendly Initiative at Boston Medical Center is pleased to inform you of their 2nd annual "Building an Autism Friendly Practice: Strategies for the Healthcare Professional" conference opportunity, scheduled for Friday, September 24, 2021. This virtual conference is designed for healthcare professionals from any discipline or practice setting, seeking to create or strengthen their organization's ability to serve patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). You may register for this conference here.
Request for Applications: AUCD-funded Pilot Study Using Administrative Data to Evaluate "Child Find" Early Identification Systems
This project will support evaluation of Child Find activities in 1-2 states using existing administrative data from the state early intervention (Part C) program and at least one other early childhood program such as preschool special education (Part B of IDEA), Medicaid, and developmental screening registries or a data system that already includes linked data from the Part C program and other early childhood programs. Deadline: October 15
Register Today! 22nd Annual Chronic Illness and Disability Conference
Baylor College of Medicine is holding its 22nd Annual Chronic Illness and Disability Conference: Transition from Pediatric to Adult-Based Care on October 28 - 29, 2021. To learn more about the program and to register, click here. In partnership with Baylor College of Medicine, AUCD is happy to provide all network members with the following discounts on registration. Please see below. For questions about the conference, please contact Jackie Czyzia ([email protected]) directly.