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November 2023 I Volume 9 I Edition 11
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It was wonderful to see many of AUCD's Network members in Washington, DC, for the AUCD 2023 Conference! We hope it was a meaningful and engaging experience for all. Attendees: thank you for your energy, expertise, and passion for the important work you do every day. Please share your feedback! Let us know your favorite moments throughout AUCD 2023, things you would change, and ideas for future Conferences. Complete this 10-question survey and enter for a chance to win a Starbucks gift card.
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Deadline: December 18, 2023
AUCD is seeking proposals for a contracted entity to fulfill a scope of work central to an effort federally funded by the AoD, Administration for Community Living (ACL) that will seek to co-create a nationwide comprehensive, consensus-based peer support model to advance the use of AAC.
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Congratulations to the following AUCD 2023 Awardees who were honored and celebrated during the AUCD 2023 Conference on Tuesday, November 7th.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD
George S. Jesien Distinguished Achievement Award
Amy Hewitt, PhD
Special Recognition Award
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA)
Young Professional Award
Jacy Farkas, MA
Anne Rudigier Award
Shawn Aleong
Multicultural Council Award for Leadership in Diversity
Mirian E. Ofonedu, PhD, MSW, LCSW-C
Gordon Richins Award for Leadership and Advocacy
KUCDD-LEND Consumer Advisory Panel
Gold Star Award
Brad Thomas, MEd
International Service Award
Kerim M. Munir, MD, MPH, DSc
CORE Trainee Research Award
Larissa Minner
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On Friday, September 29th the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami celebrated 50 years of innovation, impact, and connection through presentations, personal stories, fun facts, and trivia about our training, clinical services, research, and community engagement initiatives. While we were celebrating, our ArtAbilities program showcased artworks created by students with disabilities within the Miami-Dade County Public School system. Everyone enjoyed seeing where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going.
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Aloha, it was with great sadness and heavy heart to hear this past week of the death of Dr. Steven E. Brown. Steve served for many years as a professor of Disability Studies at the Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. He was lead investigator on numerous projects working to improve the quality-of-life experience for persons with disabilities across the globe. Further, Steve was respected internationally as an activist and advocate for the rights of all persons with disabilities.
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Joanne F. Siegel, ACSW, LCSW, Co-Director of UCEDD at the Rose F. Kennedy Children's Evaluation & Rehabilitation Center, Montefiore, made a substantial contribution of her expertise in developmental disabilities to a recently published research article. The study introduced the National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education (NICHE) to mitigate the dearth of training for healthcare professionals in caring for adults with developmental disabilities (DD) in the United States.
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Educators from the University of KY are providing a unique service to address a desperate need—training students to work with babies born substance exposed. They have been awarded funding from the US Department of Education to provide training for IECE teachers and speech pathologists to work across disciplines with babies who are born substance exposed.
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The following article discusses suicide, suicidal ideation, miscarriage, and sexual abuse, which some readers may find distressing. Bailey Patterson, a senior Interdisciplinary Disability Studies major at UK who identifies as multiply disabled, shares her lived experience with depression and suicidal ideations to educate people on the reality of mental illness, how common it is, and strategies that can be done to help.
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In the summer of 2020, Jan Staehely, communication consultant and staff member at the OHSU Institute on Development and Disability UCEDD, and an individual with Cerebral Palsy who uses an assistive communication device, had a frightening experience. Wildfires were approaching the south-eastern towns near Portland, Oregon and her neighborhood was placed in an evacuation zone.
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October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) which commemorates the many contributions of people with disabilities to America's workplaces and economy. This year's theme, "Advancing Access and Equity," recognized the importance of ensuring all people have equal opportunity to contribute their skills and talents to our workforce.
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In early November, the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), home to Iowa’s UCEDD, LEND program, and IDDRC, teamed up with our sister organization, the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council, to host “Disability in Iowa: Working Together.” Iowa’s state legislators were invited to CDD for a learning session to increase their awareness of the work we do on behalf of Iowans with disabilities, and to help them understand more about the experience of living with a disability, including the challenges of access to supports and services.
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A new grant from New Hampshire’s Division of Behavioral Health at the Department of Health and Human Services awarded the University of New Hampshire $400,000 to create alternative peer groups for students in recovery from substance abuse. Through the program, UNH staff will provide
psychosocial education, sober social functions, community recovery support, counseling services and family support to students in recovery and their families.
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Iowa’s Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) has a new vaccine clinic for children and some adults with unique needs, including sensory issues, anxiety, and other disabilities. Earlier this year, the mother of a child with autism got in touch with CDD, looking for a place to get her child vaccinated against COVID-19. CDD clinical nurse manager Sheree Murphy, RN, took up the challenge, and enlisted the help of UCEDD program coordinator, Anne Crotty, MPH.
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As states curtail sex education and restrict gender expression, the new issue of Impact underscores the rights and celebrates the sexual and gender identities of people with disabilities. Articles call attention to the need for comprehensive education for people with intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities, and for the natural and paid caregivers who support them.
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Amy Hewitt (Director, MN LEND) and Kelly Nye-Lengerman (Director, NH LEND) recently helped lead a conference in Taiwan on inclusive community living for people with disabilities. A community living book they edited was recently translated into Mandarin Chinese, prompting the conference invitation.
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The Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome (RTS) National Conference, held from June 22nd to 24th, was a success, with a remarkable lineup of 36 speakers, 16 informative breakout sessions, and 24 medical appointments. Attendees from 33 different states and six countries gathered to learn, connect, and share their experiences, creating a diverse and supportive community. With 309 attendees, 76 with RTS, the RTS National Conference was a testament to the power of unity, offering invaluable insights and fostering meaningful connections.
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Honoring the theme of the AUCD Annual Conference, this edition of ExceLens is excited to feature AUCD Emerging Leader Blake Warner. Blake has previously completed two years of SD LEND and is currently serving as a UCEDD trainee and completing a predoctoral internship at the UCLA Tarjan Center. Blake is passionate about advocacy and policy reform efforts, particularly for LGBTQ+ individuals in the disability community. The AUCD Community Inclusion Team was able to sit down with Blake and learn more about his interests, goals, and experience so far as an AUCD Emerging Leader.
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By the time Archita Jain (MN LEND 2022-23) was a third-year dental student, she already had years of experience working during high school and college at a community center with adults and children with disabilities. Many of the families she met shared their frustrations with the oral health care system.
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Dr. Kara Ayers shares her experience growing up with a disability and how she navigates the process of seeking out information about her health. Kara Ayers, PhD, is the Associate Director and an Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCCEDD). She is Director of the National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality and a co-founder of the Disabled Parenting Project. Help advance inclusive health research: bit.ly/DisabilityHealthResearch.
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Education & Safety for Children with Autism to Prevent Elopement (ESCAPE) MUSC is looking for families who have a teen (12 to 17 years old) diagnosed with autism who exhibits elopement behavior to participate in our study. Participants do not have to live in South Carolina. For more information, see the flyer or their website.
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February 24-28, 2024, In-Person w/ Virtual Option
Hosted by the Center on Disability Studies (CDS), College of Education, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa since 1988, Pac Rim has evolved into an international Conference that has welcomed thousands of presenters and attendees from across Hawaiʻi, the nation, and the world.
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March 4-5, 2024 via Zoom
We are excited to announce the date for the LEND Lived Experience Summit! The LEND Self-Advocate Discipline Network and LEND Family Discipline Network voted to join forces for future summits to showcase the work and best practices in both LEND disciplines.
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May 6-8, 2024, Philadelphia, PA
The START National Training Institute (SNTI) is an annual, in-person training event hosted by NCSS that brings together hundreds of START team members, self-advocates, families, and national & international leaders in the field of IDD-MH to share expertise, tools, and best practices. The training institute spans two and a half days and features keynote addresses, panel discussions, a research poster session, and breakout sessions from content-focused strands.
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Items may be submitted for consideration via the AUCD Public Promotion Page. Submissions are due by the second Friday of the Month.
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AUCD | 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1000 | Silver Spring, MD 20910
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This newsletter is in part supported by the Administration on Community Living (ACL) through a technical assistance contract for the URC, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) through a technical assistance contract for the ITAC, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a National Professional Organization for Persons with Developmental Disabilities. The content of this material does not necessarily reflect the views and policies of any federal agency. No official support or endorsement by federal agencies is intended nor should be inferred.
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