Iowa's UCEDD Leads EPSDT Shared Language Initiative

The Care for Kids grant program team at Iowa's Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD, Iowa's UCEDD) is leading a Shared Language Initiative to support the work of the state's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) interagency stakeholder workgroup. The Shared Language Initiative is intended to develop a list of common terms and concepts to be used by our stakeholder workgroup and agencies to make it easier for patients, families, and providers to better understand EPSDT benefits and how they differ from other insurance benefits like CHIP. The Initiative will also support statewide efforts to promote EPSDT and its services, and meet EPSDT goals.

Georgetown UCEDD Celebrates Inclusive Schools Week

During the week of December 5-9, 2022, the Georgetown University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (GUCEDD) celebrated and participated in Inclusive Schools Week in the District of Columbia (DC). Inclusive Schools Week celebrates the progress schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to students with disabilities. GUCEDD became involved in this celebration through the encouragement of community partners, Disability Rights DC at University Legal Services (DRDC) and Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE).

Ruby Natale (UM UCEDD) is Recipient of the Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence

Ruby Natale, PhD, PsyD was honored with the 2022 Micah Batchelor Award for Excellence in Children's Health Research. As a recipient of this award, Dr. Natale's work will be focused on Improving the Social-Emotional Development and Resiliency of At-Risk Preschool Children in Childcare Centers using a Mobile Application. This award will allow her team to fulfill an important need in the community which is to improve early childhood resiliency and reduce problematic behaviors within early care and education centers through the use of a mobile app, Jump Start on the Go.

UCEDD Success Stories - University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development

In the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, there was a big push to increase access to vaccines. In Alaska, a group of organizations came together and formed the Alaska COVID-19 Vaccine Accessibility Partnership. This group focused on vaccine access for individuals with disabilities, completing projects and sharing information to better serve the needs of all Alaskans. This partnership was facilitated by Sondra LeClair, Community Services Director with the University of Alaska Anchorage, Center for Human Development (UAA CHD). The Partnership took on two major projects. The first project focused on the development and distribution of a survey by UAA CHD with input from individuals with disabilities as well as their support systems.

New Associate Director Named at IOD in Pennsylvania

Kathryn (Katey) Burke, PhD, has been named the Associate Director of the Institute on Disabilities (IOD) at Temple University, College of Education and Human Development. Katey has been serving as a Senior Research Associate at the IOD and as an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning since August 2019. Katey will continue as an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, in addition to her new role within the IOD.

2022 George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award

The 2022 George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award was presented to Elizabeth A. Perkins, PhD during the AUCD Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

Jennifer Maeverde (ME UCEDD) Selected for Daniel Hanley Center's Health Leadership Development Course

Through a highly competitive application process, Jennifer Maeverde, M.A., LCPC, from the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (ME UCEDD), has been selected for the 2022-2023 Health Leadership Development course sponsored by the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership in Portland, ME.

The Black Feathers Podcast

Kansas University Center on Developmental Disabilities (KUCDD) has joined with The State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (The State of the States) to launch The Black Feathers Podcast. In this monthly podcast, co-hosts Crystal Hernandez, Psy.D., MBA, and Shauna Humphreys, MS, LPC, will discuss disability-related topics of interest to Tribal communities, and will be providing additional resources related to these topics; to learn more about The Black Feathers Podcast and join the discussion, please visit https://kucdd.ku.edu/black-feathers.

IOD Seeks to Hire Three Assistant Research Professors

The Institute on Disability (IOD) is seeking three Assistant Research Faculty to join our team. Research faculty within the IOD maintain portfolios on diverse topics related to disability policy and services across the lifespan. IOD Assistant Research Professors play a direct role in improving the quality of life and services for people with disabilities and their families through research and service.

Labas Reflects on Maine Partners' Collaboration to Create a Professional Pathway for TA Professionals Supporting ME's Early Childhood Workforce

Linda Labas, who recently retired as early childhood coordinator for the University of Maine Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS), Maine's UCEDD, wrote a reflection on a multi-year collaboration with three state partners that created a set of competencies and a credential for technical assistance (TA) professionals who support Maine's early childhood workforce.