Author: Glen Jennings
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HDI Wellness Event is a great success!
Dr. Nicholas Lamar Wright always planned on recruiting help to make the One Mile Wellness event a success, but he didn’t expect this much. Early on, Wright asked for help from some of his colleagues at HDI such as Kristen Dahl and Haley Potter. He also recruited staff photographers Eric Seale and Adam Potter to…
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HDI Sensory Garden Blooms
Nancy Savage had been walking by a mostly empty planter box in front of the Mineral Industries Building a while when she had an idea. “It was begging for, more plants to be put in,” Savage said. “I used to work at UK in the Department of Horticulture before I worked for HDI, so I…
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HDI partners with UK Healthcare to promote health in Kentucky communities
HDI and UK HealthCare have long had a fruitful partnership leading to a lot of great work – and their latest initiatives will be no exception. The two are collaborating on a pair of new projects focused on supporting community health through universal design, and the people spearheading them are excited about where they could…
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HDI named a Recertification Provider by the Society for Human Resource Management
HDI has been named a Recertification Provider by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). This allows HDI to award HR professionals with credits for professional development, abbreviated to PDCs. “As a Recertification Provider, HDI can provide educational offerings including conferences, college/university courses, seminars, workshops, videoconferences, webcasts, e-learning to SHRM credentialed professionals to become recertified,”…
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HDI’s Lisa Amstutz is Second in Kentucky to Earn Special Credential for Mental Health ASL Interpreting
Lisa Amstutz earned her Qualified Mental Health Interpreter Certification earlier this month, making her the second American Sign Language interpreter in Kentucky to do so. The credential is part of a crucial effort to bridge the gap between Deaf mental health care needs and barriers to access. The certification is typically held by experienced interpreters…
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Lifetime access pass to national parks and recreational land offers accessible options to Americans with disabilities
Spring sunshine continues to taunt summer loving Kentuckians with its promise of the radiant afternoon rays that fade into calm evening glow. It’s a great time to begin making summer plans, and for those with a permanent disability, you might consider applying for a free lifetime access pass to all U.S. national parks and recreational…
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“Can You Read My Lips?” Ten Things to Know Before You Ask
Lip reading is a communication technique in which a person who does not have full access to sound closely watches the mouth of a speaker to understand speech. It is a skill which requires practice and, sometimes, formal training. In an essay, “Seeing at the Speed of Sound,” Rachel Kolb describes lip reading as “a…
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UK HDI researchers lay groundwork for national air travel accessibility research with focus on individuals who use wheelchairs
In July 2021, Engracia Figueroa’s power wheelchair–a $30,000 custom device—was critically damaged in the belly of a commercial plane. After the flight, Figueroa was left to wait in a standard transport wheelchair at the airport for nearly five hours, noting her hunger and pain in live videos she posted to Facebook. Figueroa, who was disabled…
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The inclusive dojo: HDI training supports martial arts instructors in transforming training spaces
The first thing you do when you enter the dojo is take off your shoes. You’ll see a rainbow of colored belts around the waists of students in matching cotton garb, called gi in karate classes. The puzzle piece edges of thick foam mats fit together to form a training area. You might see a…
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HDI is Seeking Applicants for 2023 LEND Program
The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute seeks qualified applicants for the third year of the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program, in partnership with the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University. LEND programs share the overall mission of improving the health of infants, children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.…