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September 2024  I  Volume 10  I  Edition 9

   AUCD Office News

AUCD 2024 Stronger Togerther: Creating a More Inclusive World

AUCD 2024 Conference: Register Today!

Five weeks and counting! We look forward to welcoming AUCD Network members, trainees, family members, partners, and other members of the disability community to Washington, D.C. to learn and grow together during this year's AUCD Conference. A few agenda highlights:

  • The AUCD Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) SIG is hosting an FASD Pre Conference on Saturday, November 2 (registration is separate

  • Opening Plenary is on Sunday, November 3 at 4:00 PM

  • AUCD Council meetings will be held throughout Monday and Tuesday

  • AUCD Awards Ceremony is on Monday, November 4 at 6:00 PM

  • The in person portion of the Conference will end on Tuesday at 4:00 PM

  • The Closing Plenary is virtual for all

Sign up to receive the latest Conference email update and register today

An image of Samuel Habib smiling in his wheelchair wearing a Red Sox jersey. Above is a blue header with white text that reads "The Ride Ahead AUCD Network Sneak Peek Screening. Tuesday, October 1st, 1-3pm ET, Virtual." At the bottom of the image are the co-hosts logos, the Westchester Institute for Human Development and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

The Ride Ahead Film Screening

Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 1:00 - 3:00 PM ET

AUCD and the Westchester Institute for Human Development are hosting a free film screening of "The Ride Ahead." "The Ride Ahead" follows Samuel Habib, a typical 21-year-old, itching to move out, start a career, and find love. But no one tells you how to be an adult, let alone an adult with a disability. Can a community of disability advocates help him follow his dreams? The film illustrates the compelling power of one person truly determined to live life on his own terms as he navigates the barriers before him, while energizing those around him. Together with a loving family and a community of friends, Samuel pushes forth his life's "ride ahead."


   Network Recognitions

Deborah M. Spitalnik, a white woman with short grey hair, is wearing a dress and standing at a podium.

Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD, Founding Executive Director of The Boggs Center, Retiring after 41 Years of Service

Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD, founding Executive Director of The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development, New Jersey’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service, Director of NJLEND, New Jersey’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program, and Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is retiring after 41 years of service.

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P)

David R. Johnson - Celebration of Life

Monday, October 21, 2024, 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM ET

The event will feature reflections from former colleagues and students who had the privilege of working with David during his many years as director of the Institute on Community Integration, as a professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, and as the Associate Dean of Research in the College of Education and Human Development.

Dainelys Garcia, a hispanic woman with long brown hair, she is wearing a blouse.

Emmanuel Jenkins, to be a Member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

Emmanuel Jenkins, the driving force behind the non-profit We Stand 4 Something, is a beacon of support for individuals with disabilities and their families, spreading positivity and hope. In Delaware, he serves as the Community Relations Officer for the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council and serves as the Chair of the Delaware Employment First Oversight Commission and Vice Chair of the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Services Advisory Committee. In academia, Jenkins is a distinguished Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Faculty Member at the University of Delaware.

Dainelys Garcia, a hispanic woman with long brown hair, she is wearing a blouse.

Dainelys Garcia, PhD Director of UM Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Clinic Receives PCIT Trailblazer Advocacy Award

During the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy National Convention in Knoxville, Tennessee September 4-6, 2024, Dr. Dainelys Garcia was awarded the Trailblazer Advocacy Award. Dr. Dainelys Garcia is a child psychologist at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami. She received her PhD in Child and Adolescent Clinical Science from Florida International University.

Dainelys Garcia, a hispanic woman with long brown hair, she is wearing a blouse.

Dr. Walter Lambert Receives Department of Children and Families’ Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Walter Lambert, MD, Medical Director of the Child Protection Team, was honored with the Department of Children and Families’ Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2024 Florida Children & Families Summit held September 4-6. Dr. Walter Lambert is associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and has been the medical director of the child protective services team at the University of Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital since 1988.

Award winner Alexandra “Allie” Hayes stands in front of a column of concrete architecture. It is a bright, sunny day and she is wearing a jacket with sunglasses.

MI-DDI Announces 2024 Jane Vermeulen Leadership Award Winner

The Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI) at Wayne State University recently announced the winner of its annual Jane Vermeulen Leadership Award, which is presented to a person with a disability who exhibits leadership in their local community and the larger disability community. The award was established in memory of Jane “Janey” Vermeulen, who died in 2022.

   Network News

Iowa EPSDT Care for Kids newsletter photo, provider looking into child's ear with a medical instrument.

Iowa’s UCEDD Makes Care for Kids Happen

The Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), Iowa’s UCEDD, manages the state’s Early and Periodic, Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Health Provider Information and Training Program. Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits are intended to ensure a continuum of care for infants, children and adolescents, with and without disabilities, who are eligible for Medicaid.

A young Black female Next Steps student smiles and poses for a picture in front of the door to the daycare nursery where she is interning. She has long braids and is wearing a short-sleeved V-neck scrubs top.

Vanderbilt Kennedy Center IHE Program Next Steps at Vanderbilt Secures $2.32M Department of Labor Grant

The Department of Labor awarded Next Steps at Vanderbilt a $2,324,851 grant to expand its innovative registered apprenticeship offerings. Next Steps, founded within the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) (TN IDDRC, UCEDD, LEND), based in Peabody College of Education and Human Development and founded within the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC), will use the funding to enhance existing apprenticeships and develop new ones across several high-demand industries.

Young boy using ACC with their provider.

New Issue Brief on Model Direct Services from Wisconsin’s UCEDD

The Waisman Center UCEDD has released an issue brief that describes its experience in leveraging model direct services to meet the UCEDD mission. The brief reviews how UCEDD model direct services are different from other community-based services and provides historic and current examples of how all UCEDD core functions can be integrated into model direct services

Candace Cunningham is a young black woman with her hair pulled back. She is wearing glasses, a sweater, and a T-shirt.

Missouri Advocacy Leader Hosts Webinar Series to Empower People

Candace Cunningham, a research aide at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development, is leading the way for people with lived experience in intellectual and developmental disabilities. Candace has launched a new webinar series called “Candace’s Corner.” As an advocate leader with cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities, she ensures each session features guests who share valuable information, tips and resources.

Kennedy Krieger

MCDD Collaboration With Special Olympics Maryland

The Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities and Kennedy Krieger Institute are engaged in an ongoing collaborative project with Special Olympics Maryland. In April, Kennedy Krieger and Special Olympics Maryland launched the Child and Family Health Intervention pilot for children from birth to age seven. The pilot program was implemented at the Southeast Early Head Start Nursery and the Early Childhood Development and Education Center.

Kennedy Krieger

DDNJ Fall 2024 Issue Now Available

The latest issue of the DDNJ features articles on healthcare access for people with developmental disabilities, civic engagement for youth with disabilities, and transition to kindergarten for children with disabilities. The issue also includes an article on "Disability Education in Medical Schools: A Paradigm Shift for Inclusive Care" by Network members from the University of Miami Mailman Center. The Developmental Disabilities Network Journal is a project of the Utah State University Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice (UCEDD). 

Jena Wells, Michelle Schroeder, and Hadia Khan at the Adams County Health Fair

Green Mountain Disability Stories:
Mel Houser with Winnie Looby

In this episode of Green Mountain Disability Stories, autistic physician Mel Houser joins CDCI Academics Coordinator Winnie Looby, as they talk about community access and belonging. "I never really saw myself as... like, an advocate, in any way, really? Because people in Vermont, I think, many people, have been doing some good thinking around diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging—all these things that have unfortunately become very buzzwordy."

Jena Wells, Michelle Schroeder, and Hadia Khan at the Adams County Health Fair

UCCEDD and Ohio Family to Family Tour Across Ohio to Reach Underserved Areas

Over the summer, UCCEDD and Ohio Family to Family (F2F) team members went on a tour across Ohio, reaching out to families in underserved areas—from rural Appalachia to metropolitan schools—with compassion, dedication, and resources.

   Emerging Leaders Voices

Azucena Bravo, a Mexican woman with long brown hair wearing a blazer and blouse.

Former Arizona LEND Trainee (2017-2018), Azucena Bravo Making Waves in the Underserved Hispanic Community in Southern Arizona

Azucena Bravo has founded two non-profits serving the Hispanic community in Southern Arizona, Mini Poderosas and Xoco. “I have a vision for both organizations, to build community,” Azucena said.

Mini Poderosas was founded and approved for a 501c3 status in February of 2021. The non-profit was created to assist girls/young ladies in the community in overcoming gender, race, and economic inequality.

Azucena Bravo, a Mexican woman with long brown hair wearing a blazer and blouse.

UCEDD Summer Intern Reflects on the Power of Inclusion

Annabelle Hopkins, a diversity, equity and inclusion summer intern at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Institute on Development and Disability UCEDD reflects on her personal disability journey and what inspired her work as a summer intern.

   Opportunities

PhRMA RESEARCH PROGRESS HOPE

PhRMA’s Annual Pathways to Success Virtual STEM Career Expo

Tuesday, October 1, 2024, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM ET
With programming designed to increase awareness of #STEM pathways in the biopharmaceutical industry, AUCD is excited to partner with PhRMA to highlight career opportunities for students and early career professionals. Attendees of the free virtual expo have the opportunity to connect with talent recruiters and better understand the industry’s need for STEM talent.  

Alt text: Decorative text graphic with the same information as this post and a picture of Dan Tomasulo.

Register Now for Applied Positive Psychology Fall 2024

Register now for Applied Positive Psychology: Learning to Help People with IDD-MH Through Theory, Practice, & Technique with Dan Tomasulo, PhD, TEP, MFA, MAPP for Fall 2024. Hosted by the National Center for START Services at the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire, this course will be October 9 to November 13.

   Upcoming Events

An image of Samuel Habib smiling in his wheelchair wearing a Red Sox jersey. Above is a blue header with white text that reads "The Ride Ahead AUCD Network Sneak Peek Screening. Tuesday, October 1st, 1-3pm ET, Virtual." At the bottom of the image are the co-hosts logos, the Westchester Institute for Human Development and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

25th Annual Chronic Illness & Disability Conference: Transition from Pediatric to Adult-based Care

October 10-11, 2024, In-person and Livestream 

For all conference participants, there will be a discussion of the legal issues involved in healthcare transition, as well as time to meet and talk with faculty in small groups, to exchange ideas among participants, and to share knowledge and information about how best to plan for a successful transition to adulthood. 

An image of Samuel Habib smiling in his wheelchair wearing a Red Sox jersey. Above is a blue header with white text that reads "The Ride Ahead AUCD Network Sneak Peek Screening. Tuesday, October 1st, 1-3pm ET, Virtual." At the bottom of the image are the co-hosts logos, the Westchester Institute for Human Development and the Association of University Centers on Disabilities.

12th Annual JFK Partners Autism Conference – Increasing Access to Evidence-Based Programs for Autistic Youth

Friday, October 11, 2024 - 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM MT

Mark your calendar for the 12th Annual JFK Partners Autism Conference: Increasing Access to Evidence-Based Programs for Autistic Youth. This conference is intended for clinicians, school personnel, community providers, parents and individuals with autism and/or other developmental disabilities.The conference will be delivered in a hybrid format with both in-person and remote participation options!

KTDRR's Virtual 2024 Conference on Disability & Knowledge Translation

Tuesday, October 15, 2024, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET

The Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research invites you to join in its 2024 virtual knowledge translation (KT) conference, Disability Inclusion, Intersectionality, and Knowledge Translation. This year’s programming will focus on how to ensure full and equitable inclusion in KT of people with disabilities from a wide range of disabilities.

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P)

HWRN Webinar: Remaking Recess: A Social Engagement Intervention of Autistic Youth in Elementary Schools

October 24, 2024, 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET

In this webinar, Dr. Locke will discuss common challenges autistic children experience during recess at school. She will highlight the underlying research that led to the development and testing of the Remaking Recess intervention and share strategies to support autistic children to boost peer engagement at school. Event Flyer

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P)

Neurodiversity in the Workplace

October 27-29, 2024

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. 

The Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P)

AUCD 2024 Conference

November 3-5 (In Person) and November 6 (Virtual)

The AUCD Conference brings together more than 1,100 researchers, policymakers, practitioners, professionals, advocates, community leaders, and students. This annual event is designed to promote innovative thinking that will launch disability policy, research, and advocacy initiatives to the next level. With a theme of Stronger Together: Creating a More Inclusive World, this year's Conference focuses on the core of the AUCD Network, recognizing that collaboration is critical to advance the rights and opportunities for and with people with disabilities through research, training, education, and service. 

Grahic of palm springs and water. Text: Gatilinburg Conference 2025 San Diego, CA

Gatlinburg Conference
April 7-10, 2025, San Diego, CA

The Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities is one of the premier conferences for behavioral scientists conducting research on intellectual and developmental disabilities. It has a rich history that started in Gatlinburg, Tennessee in 1967, and the name of its original location remained. Each year, Gatlinburg Conference brings together scientists from around the world to gather to discuss research and collaborations in the field. Abstract submissions for the 2025 Gatlinburg Conference will be accepted until October 28, 2024.

   Submissions

Items may be submitted for consideration via the AUCD Public Promotion Page. Submissions are due on the second Friday of the month. AUCD 360 is promoted on the last Friday of the month. 

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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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