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October 2024 I Volume 10 I Edition 10
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One week to go! 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.
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2024 AUCD Elected Board Members
On behalf of AUCD President Derrick Willis, AUCD is pleased to announce the newly elected members of the Board of Directors. These new members will begin their three-year term after the passing of the gavel during the Closing Plenary at the AUCD 2024 Conference. Congratulations, all!
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Augmentative Alternative Communication Awareness Month 2024
It's Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month! This October, we asked AUCD Centers across the country to share the work they are doing to support AAC and AAC Awareness Month. Check out the stories below for an inside scoop into seven Center activities in AAC!
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Dr. Walton was selected from a review of five national nominees and received the award at the annual conference in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes a mid-career member of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (SDBP) making any combination of significant contributions in research, clinical service, teaching/education, and advocacy (for children and/or for the field of DBP).
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Ms. Robin Miller's Impact on Disability Employment and Transition
Services
Thank you to Ms. Robin Miller who has agreed to take on additional leadership duties to assist the CDD Director and Interim Associate Director with daily operations of the CDD and program oversight, including serving as the lead for several training and outreach programs and as the CDD representative to various partners. She also coordinates activities for the Constituent Advisory Committee (CAC).
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Tazia Miah is a research technician at the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute (MI-DDI) at Wayne State University and a current graduate student at Wayne State’s School of Medicine. She was recently recognized by the Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI) for her support of their Anti-Oppression Leadership Team (AOLT) Executive Committee and for fostering anti-oppression initiatives within the Office for Anti-Oppression Strategy and Internal Solutions (OASIS) partnerships.
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Dr. Sarah A. Nagro is joining Texas A&M University as an Associate Professor of Special Education and previous Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Research and Development in Teacher Education (RITE) and the Principal Investigator of the Virginia Department of Education’s Region Four Training and Technical Assistance Center at George Mason University.
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Wait times for intervention services to help military families and those living in geographically dispersed areas who have developmental, emotional, or behavioral health concerns can stretch up to three years, and in large states with dispersed populations, long distances to care create more barriers. Researchers and clinicians from the Institute on Community Integration (MN UCEDD) and elsewhere are connecting with providers across Minnesota through a telehealth and tele-mentoring series for practitioners working with these groups.
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Children with autism are more likely than their typically developing peers to engage in challenging behavior, which can lead to injury, lower rates of social inclusion, and adverse effects on learning. To support these children, special education professionals in schools need training on functional analysis —the methods used to identify factors that influence challenging behavior. Joseph Lambert, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN IDDRC, UCEDD, LEND) researcher and assistant professor of special education at Vanderbilt Peabody College of Education and Human Development, plans to develop this training using virtual-reality-based simulations.
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The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute has received what is likely the largest grant in the organization’s history. The $9.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education is designed to ensure individuals with disabilities between ages 14 and 24 have access to in-demand, good-paying jobs. “This is perhaps the biggest grant in the history of MMI, and it is life changing for the families we serve,” said Munroe-Meyer Institute Director Karoly Mirnics, PhD, MD. “It not only allows us to grow our services, but most importantly, expands employment services for individuals with disabilities in Nebraska.”
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The Cache County MEICHV (pronounced Cache County MicVee) Program offers friendly home visits, family connection groups, and access to helpful resources throughout the community. It is for families with children from pregnancy up to age six, or entry into kindergarten. Cache County’s MIECHV is part of the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice, located within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services at Utah State University. It is funded through the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
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The fall issue of "Impact" explores the movement to end subminimum wages paid to people with disabilities in group settings and offers strategies for boosting employment rates in the competitive job market. The launch of this issue coincides with National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
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Individuals with IDD and their families may need some extra support or skill-building to help prepare for this transition and plan for the future, but even figuring out where to search for support might be an overwhelming task. The Wisconsin Integrated Transition Planning Project (WITPP) from the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at the Waisman Center aims to improve transition planning for Wisconsin youth with IDDs in an integrative manner by bringing together self-advocates, family members, and professionals who support them.
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Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law), a community-based program of the Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute, created a new video series, "Eight Common Myths About Social Security Benefits." This resource aims to help individuals with disabilities and their families better understand the complexities of Social Security benefits, specifically SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance).
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Amy Hewitt, director of the Institute on Community Integration, challenged disability professionals to brainstorm bold ideas about community living and inclusion during the 2024 Reinventing Quality conference in Baltimore.
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Most healthcare providers and allied health professionals do not receive training to care for people with disabilities during their healthcare education. These challenges were focal points discussed on a recent episode of ADALive!, a podcast produced by the Southeast ADA Center. The discussion featured Erin Vinoski Thomas, Director of the Center for Leadership in Disability and Research Associate Professor at Georgia State University's School of Public Health; Patricia Lawrence, Director of Project Healthy Grandparents and Clinical Assistant Professor at the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State University; and Sydnie Smith, Disability & Health Project Manager at the Center for Leadership in Disability.
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The PATHS Program is grateful to have some of the best Aggies to work alongside our students in an advising role. They support them in their academic pursuits and social-emotional well being, and without a doubt, their guidance and mentorship is very much appreciated and valued by both our staff and students.
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This exhibit features AbleVoices photographs that have won ribbons during the past four summers at the Williamson County Fair Cultural Arts Photography Competition. AbleVoices Photography Club is a year-round program for teens (14+) and adults with and without disabilities led by Jen Vogus. Works are for sale and will be displayed through December 2024 at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.
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Jeremy Legaspi, ArizonaLEND Alum, Works to Engage AAC Users in Building a
Wider Community
Speech-Language pathologists Jeremy Legaspi (ArizonaLEND Alum 2021-2022) and Wylanta Jones recently created Camp Connect, a camp designed for young people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Devices. Jeremy described, “The goal is to create an inclusive and engaging environment where AAC users can build friendships, improve their communication skills, and connect with their community.”
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Call for Reviewers: Special Issue on Digital Accessibility from the
Developmental Disabilities Network Journal
Please submit your information by November 8, 2024.
The Developmental Disabilities Network Journal (DDNJ) is an open-source academic journal focused on research and scholarship about disability systems and the value and impact of the Developmental Disabilities Network. The DDNJ is currently seeking reviewers for its Spring 2025 special edition on Digital Accessibility. They are looking for individuals with expertise in disability research, policy analysis, participatory action research, ADA and Section 504 compliance, and digital/web accessibility. The journal also welcomes reviewers who are individuals with developmental disabilities, siblings of
individuals with disabilities, and/or parents of children with disabilities.
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Launching Call for Host Application for Spring 2025 Professional Fellowship
Exchange
Apply by January 31, 2025
Is your UCEDD or LEND eager to drive global change in disability inclusion? Host a Fellow from the prestigious Professional Fellows Program on Inclusive Civic Engagement (PFP)! The PFP supports mid-career disability rights professionals from East Africa to participate in a 5-week Fellowship in the US in Spring 2025. As a host, the PFP will match you with a Fellow whose interests align with your organization, fostering a powerful exchange of knowledge and practices in disability-inclusive civic engagement.
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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.
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Virtual Professional Development Series: Supporting Children with Substance
Exposures
During this three-part series, we’ll delve into the heart of health and education matters that impact children with prenatal substance exposure or those navigating the complexities of substance use disorders within their families. Our expert speakers will explore emerging trends, evidence-based practices, and innovative strategies. Whether you’re seeking clinical insights, educational approaches, or community advocacy tools, this series has something for everyone. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to expand your expertise and make a difference.
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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.
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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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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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