Call for Nominations: AUCD 2024 Awards

AUCD invites you to nominate someone who inspires you in the spirit of this year’s theme, Stronger Together: Creating a More Inclusive World. Please note that AUCD has made some changes to the awards nomination process this year. Learn more about the changes and requirements. Awardees will be recognized at the AUCD Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 4 at 6:00 PM during the AUCD 2024 Conference. Nominations are due by Friday, August 2. Learn more about the ten AUCD Awards and nominate a peer today! Subscribe to Conference updates to receive the latest information. 

Preserving Lois and Elaine's Legacy

AUCD Executive Director John Tschida reflects on the 25th anniversary of the Olmstead Decision. June 22 marks the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Olmstead vs. L.C., a case that successfully challenged the unnecessary institutionalization of people with disabilities. It’s impossible to overstate its importance and impact.

AUCD Celebrates the Anniversary of the Olmstead Decision

The 1999 Olmstead decision fundamentally changed the lives of Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, who had both been languishing in an institution for years. Curtis and Wilson filed and won a suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) that allowed them to move to a community-based setting. Since then, many people have been freed from institutional or segregated settings and are now living and working in the communities they choose.

NH-ME LEND Program Director, Betsy Humphreys to Retire

This summer, after a career spanning over 40 years, Betsy Humphreys, PhD, will be retiring from the Institute on Disability (IOD) and NH-ME LEND program, leaving behind a legacy of transformative work in the field of developmental disabilities. Humphreys, PhD, is the departing director of the New Hampshire-Maine Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program (NH-ME LEND) and a Research Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Special Education in the UNH Department of Education.

Dr. Robert C. Fifer Retires from the University of Miami in May of 2024

The University of Miami thanks Dr. Robert C. Fifer for all his contributions in his 34 years of service to the Mailman Center for Child Development and the Department of Pediatrics as the Director of Audiology for the Mailman Center. Dr. Fifer has been a great leader, innovator, and extraordinary teacher. We wish him a very happy retirement!

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center LEND Program Introduces Two New Toolkits for Educators

The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN IDDRC, UCEDD, LEND)’s Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders (TRIAD) and the Vanderbilt Consortium LEND Training Program have once again worked together to produce two brand-new toolkits and online courses.

Missouri Launches New Branding and Website for Disability and Health Program

The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development is launching new branding and a new website for its Missouri Disability and Health Program (MODHP). The website will launch July 1. The MODHP is funded by the CDC’s Disability and Health Promotion Branch, along with 9 other states, and aims to reduce health disparities experienced by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and adults with mobility limitations (ML) in Missouri.

The Children’s Resource Center-South Helps Families of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Navigate a Wide Array of Supports and Services

The Children’s Resource Center-South, housed in the Waisman Center University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), is dedicated to supporting families with children and youth with special health care needs or disabilities and the providers who serve them. Specialists at the center help families and providers get answers, find services, connect with community resources, provide training, and support people through their journey.

New National Center Brings Digital Accessibility Within Reach

The new National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials and Instruction (NCADEMI) will be housed at the USU Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (IDRPP). It combines the expertise of two prominent, national programs at the IDRPP: WebAIM and the Center for Technical Assistance and Excellence in Special Education (TAESE). NCADEMI (pronounced N-cademy) will be directed by Cynthia Curry, and its principal investigator is Brenda Smith, PhD.

Tom Golisano Makes $50 Million Commitment to the University of Rochester to Build the New Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute

The University of Rochester announced that entrepreneur, philanthropist, and civic leader B. Thomas “Tom” Golisano has made a historic $50 million commitment, making it possible to build the Golisano Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

OHSU UCEDD Trainee Develops Period Education Guide to Help Young People with and without Disabilities Navigate Puberty and Periods

Occupational therapy student and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) UCEDD trainee Noelle Vidak became curious about access to sexual health resources for youth with disabilities during her coursework studying sex for those with physical injury, like spinal cord injury. While completing her fieldwork rotation in an outpatient setting, she discovered that parents and primary caregivers of children with I/DD approaching puberty were worried about navigating menses.

Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, and Wayne State University Produce Video on Independent Facilitation

Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI), Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS), and Wayne State University collaborated to produce a short feature on independent facilitation for the person-centered planning process. In the video, independent facilitators Trisha Fenby, Allison Hammond and Michelle Driscoll, along with case manager Renee Busby, illustrate the impact independent facilitation makes on those receiving services.

SD LEND Trainees, Alums, and Faculty Help Healthy Athletes at Special Olympics

Athletes at this summer’s Special Olympics Summer Games in Vermillion, SD took care of their hearing , mental health, and physical fitness with the help of LEND trainees, alums, and discipline heads in between events at this summer’s games (2024), held in Vermillion, SD on the USD campus. This annual event has become a reunion, of sorts, for many of the LEND personnel (future, current, and former) who volunteer each year and connect with athletes who return for screenings and health education. One LEND discipline head observed: “I love the energy and positivity exuding from the athletes! They are so excited to share their stories and show us their medals when they come for their hearing screenings!”

I Generate Rural Opportunities for Work” (iGROW) Project

The “I Generate Rural Opportunities for Work” (iGROW) Project is a four-year pre-employment and leadership-training program in partnership with TWC’s Vocational Rehabilitation Program, for students with disabilities who are currently enrolled in high school (ages 14-22). The purpose of the program is to provide a training environment to support students gain of the necessary skills and experiences in work readiness in order to successfully transition into postsecondary education and/or competitive integrated employment.

"Just The Beginning:" Minnesota LEND Graduates Celebrate Success

Minnesota LEND celebrated nearly three dozen 2023-24 graduates on May 23 in Minneapolis. “I’ve learned a lot, and this is just the beginning, because there is more to come,” said Fanny Fernandez (MN LEND 2023-24), a mother of children with disabilities. ICI celebrated the accomplishments of nearly three dozen graduates of the Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (MNLEND) program on May 23 at the Norway House in Minneapolis.

Zina Brady, PATHS Program Class of 2024

It is an honor to introduce to you Zina Brady, a member of the Fighting Texas A&M PATHS Program class of 2024. Her track that she chose was the Childcare Professional. She came to the PATHS Program from Dickinson, Texas. She earned the Leadership Award for the 2024 class. This award was selected by her fellow classmates based on her leadership abilities. In the PATHS Program Zina was required to complete 480 hours of hands-on service in her field. She did her service at St. Thomas Early Learning Center and was later hired by them. 

Help the AUCD Network Gather HCBS Resources

AUCD is partnering with the Human Services Research Institute (HSRI), the National Disability Rights Network, the National Developmental Disabilities Councils, and other partners to build cross-disability coalitions to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families. Share the activities you and your UCEDD are engaged with regarding improving the rights of people with disabilities work regarding home and community-based services (quality, engagement, training, etc). Learn specific initiatives across the with AUCD network and about  upcoming CMS state visits, Waivers open for public comment in your state, what to include in public comments, and learn from others who are also engaged in this work.

Are you a service provider looking to increase community life engagement of people you support? Join the national community of practice on CLE!

The Community Life Engagement in Action (CLE in Action) project is recruiting members for its first Community of Practice (CoP) cohort starting this fall. CLE in Action is a partnership between the Institute on Disability at UNH (IOD), the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston (ICI), and the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), aimed at increasing CLE for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We define CLE as access to and participation in the community as part of a meaningful day; related activities can include volunteer work, civic engagement, recreation, fitness, involvement in faith communities, and any other activities that people with and without disabilities participate in outside of their work lives.

Call for Abstracts: DDNJ Special Issue on Digital Accessibility

This special issue will be focused on digital accessibility and the implications of the newly published final rule revising Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This special issue will be dedicated to evidence-based processes and practices for entities to ensure the accessibility of digital content, information, services, programs, or activities. The Spring 2025 Special Issue is a collaboration between DDNJ and WebAIM. This special issue will be focused on digital accessibility and the implications of the newly published final rule revising Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This special issue will be dedicated to evidence-based processes and practices for entities to ensure the accessibility of digital content, information, services, programs, or activities.

AIR-P Research Day at Autism CARES Meeting 2024: Translating Research to Community Impact
Monday, July 22, 2024, Virtual
The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) will be hosting its 7th semi-annual Research Day on July 22, 2024, in conjunction with the 2024 Autism CARES Meeting. This virtual event is an opportunity to highlight research related to the physical health and overall well-being of autistic individuals. The 2024 theme is "Translating Research to Community Impact" and will feature poster presentations from across the nation. This virtual event is open to all.

AUCD-ASTHO Disability and Health Data Analysis Webinar
Tuesday, July 23, 2024  2:00 - 3:30 PM ET, Virtual
The Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD) in partnership with The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) is excited to host a webinar featuring the recipients of the Disability and Health Secondary or Existing Data Analysis funding opportunity; Massachusetts Department of Health, Utah State University, and Washington State University. The speakers will share their findings on vaccination accessibility, analyzing the prevalence of chronic health conditions and mental distress, and assessing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disabilities.

Summer 2024 Organizational and Structural Models for UCEDDs: Part 2

Thursday, July 25, 2024, 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET

Our Summer 2024 installment of the Admin Essentials Series will be an engaging part two to the URC’s discussion on organizational and structural models for UCEDDs. Our facilitator will share their organizational and/or structural models, interaction and dynamics between their UCEDD and the LEND/IDDRC, and any blending or braiding of funding with a focus on grant cycles. Together, we will explore creative strategies and promising practices across the Network in this area. To register for this event, please follow this link.

Room to Grow: Journey to Cultural and Linguistic Competency Conference - Expanding Research Horizons in Partnership with Neurodivergent Individuals

Tuesday, September 24, 2024, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET

The conference brings national speakers to present on the latest research and practice related to addressing and reducing socially determined health disparities. The Room to Grow conference provides continuing education credits, and features interactive seminars for trainees, residents, students, faculty, administrators and community members.

Neurodiversity in the Workplace

October 27-29, 2024 - Washington, DC

Join the collaborative conference that brings together a community that is committed to improving employment outcomes for the neurodiverse workforce. Through collective impact, we will engage in dynamic discussions, learn from expert presenters, and build a network of change-makers who promote diverse and inclusive employment practices. This conference empowers employers to build a dynamic workforce and enhance the workplace.