Author: HDITrex

KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Gabriella Martin

Posted on | by HDITrex

Martin is in her fourth year of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Eastern Kentucky University with a goal of becoming a licensed Psychologist. She has a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and is currently a Temporary Licensed Psychological Associate for the state of Kentucky, providing therapeutic and assessment services. She has extensive history working with individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities, particularly those with a diagnosis of autism. 

She has a passion for conducting neuropsychological assessments with medically complex individuals who have or are suspected of having autism or related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Martin is currently enrolled as a trainee in the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute’s (HDI) Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program. LEND is a five year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau in partnership with the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University. 

These programs share the overall mission of improving the health of infants, children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. LEND aims to increase the number of professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide evidence-based screening and diagnosis, as well as support to individuals and families. 

HDI is currently accepting applications across disciplines for the 2022—2023 academic year. A total of nine trainees will be accepted in the LEND fellowship. The fellowship includes leadership coursework and an array of clinical and community placements each semester. Trainees commit to 15 hours of LEND activities each week.

Applications for the 2022—2023 academic year must be submitted on or before March 4th, 2022. Complete the online application here: www.uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5vAMf2dLWxdaRV4 

Finalists will be interviewed before the selection of nine trainees for a nine month fellowship. All applicants will be notified by April 15th, 2022. Trainees must be one of the following: 

  • Enrolled in a graduate or post-graduate training program in a LEND discipline
  • A family member of an individual with an intellectual/developmental disability
  • An individual with an intellectual or developmental disability

Visit www.hdi.uky.edu/kylend to learn more and apply online. Contact the Kentucky LEND Project Director caroline.gooden@uky.edu with any questions or to schedule an informational session for your department and interested students!

Morgan Turner wearing a UK blue t-shirt in a gym. He is smiling at the camera and has short, black hair.

KYLEND Trainee Spotlight: Morgan Turner

Posted on | by HDITrex

Morgan Turner works as a Program Education Assistant at the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute. He is a self-advocate with both cognitive and physical disabilities with experience in leadership and peer education. 

Turner hosts Morgan’s Musings, a video series dedicated to supporting individuals to become strong leaders and self-advocates using their unique assets and skills.

Turner also has a passion for athleticism and an extensive background in universal design and disability inclusion in health, wellness, and sports. He has co-facilitated over 75 trainings on Universal Design in health and disability inclusion for professionals, self-advocates, and community members. Turner also serves as ambassador of Special Olympics and participates in the National Special Olympics Inclusive Health Work Group. He was recently appointed to Kentucky’s Employment First Council by Governor Andy Beshear.

Turner is currently enrolled as a trainee in the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute’s (HDI) Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program. LEND is a five year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau in partnership with the University of Louisville and Eastern Kentucky University. 

These programs share the overall mission of improving the health of infants, children and adolescents with autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. LEND aims to increase the number of professionals with the knowledge and skills to provide evidence-based screening and diagnosis, as well as support to individuals and families. 

HDI is currently accepting applications across disciplines for the 2022—2023 academic year. A total of nine trainees will be accepted in the LEND fellowship. The fellowship includes leadership coursework and an array of clinical and community placements each semester. Trainees commit to 15 hours of LEND activities each week.

Applications for the 2022—2023 academic year must be submitted on or before March 4th, 2022. Complete the online application here: www.tinyurl.com/lend2223 

Finalists will be interviewed before the selection of nine trainees for a nine month fellowship. All applicants will be notified by April 15th, 2022. Trainees must be one of the following: 

  • Enrolled in a graduate or post-graduate training program in a LEND discipline
  • A family member of an individual with an intellectual/developmental disability
  • An individual with an intellectual or developmental disability

Visit www.hdi.uky.edu/kylend to learn more and apply online. Contact the Kentucky LEND Project Director caroline.gooden@uky.edu with any questions or to schedule an informational session for your department and interested students!

Merge Logo.

HDI introduces new mental health project: Merge

Posted on | by HDITrex

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute introduces a new project: Merge. The project will strengthen the existing training framework serving Kentuckians with co-occurring mental health, and intellectual and developmental disabilities (MHIDD). By evolving current training, Merge aims to increase and improve the application of person-centered services and referral systems. 

Merge hopes to build stronger connections across systems in Kentucky, including state agencies, medical providers, medical service providers, LEND trainees, families, and individuals with MHIDD.

Merge will work with a team of state partners that includes people with lived experience. This team will identify existing resources, needs, gaps, and priorities. Existing resources will be strengthened and will address racial, health, and economic inequities in underserved communities. Once gaps and needs are identified, universally-designed supports will build a trauma-informed, and recovery-oriented framework for application. These efforts help fulfill Merge’s goal to increase understanding and improve the implementation of person-centered, culturally relevant services and referral systems.

For more information, contact Kristen Dahl at kristen.dahl@uky.edu.

AUCD Conference ad.

HDI Staff to Present at Annual AUCD Conference

Posted on | by HDITrex

University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) staff are preparing to present sessions and posters at the 2021 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference. The theme of this year’s conference is Learning Together: Connecting Research and Lived Experience.  

The UK HDI is Kentucky’s Center on Disability and is a University Center of Excellence on Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). As a UCEDD and a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program, we are a member of the AUCD organization that supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs in every U.S. state and territory to achieve meaningful change.  Visit www.aucd.org for more information about the AUCD Network and Conference.  If you are interested in learning more about HDI programs or the presentations being made, contact Beth.Potter@uky.edu.

Conference sessions presented by HDI staff include:

  • Echo collaborative on AAC: Supporting interprofessional collaboration to improve augmentative and alternative communication through case-based learning and information sharing

    Jacqui Kearns, EdD, Mary Jo Cooley-Hidecker, PhD*, Lou Ann Land, Patti Logsdon and Judith Page, PhD*

    *University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences Communication Sciences and Disorders Program
  • The Power of Your Story – How digital storytelling amplifies the voices of people with disabilities

    Morgan Turner, Adam Potter, Patti Logsdon and Patti Singleton
  • L.I.V.E from your virtual platform! How to engage every audience in your inclusive virtual event and program

    Lindsey Mullis, Trent Marcum, and Ellen Fahey
  • Recruiting and retaining researchers and evaluators with lived experience in higher education: A critical reflection

    Kathy Sheppard Jones, PhD, Chithra Adams, PhD, Jacob Mason, Taylor Bardon, Phillip Rumrill, PhD
  • Harnessing the power of inclusive higher education to improve employment outcomes for students with significant disabilities: a Kentucky story

    Johnny Collett, Erin Fitzgerald, Rebecca Gregory
  • Impact of COVID on individuals with disabilities: a mixed-method study driven by voices of people with disabilities

    Kathy Sheppard-Jones, PhD, Harold Kleinert, EdD, Kara Ayers**, PhD, Chithra Adams, PhD, Jian Li***, PhD

    University of Cincinnati**, Kent State University***
  • Human Development Institute’s Undergraduate Certificate in Universal Design Program

    Walt Bower, PhD, Haley Potter, and Ellie Fahey
  • Inclusion of women with disabilities in research: Creating an inclusive community needs assessment 

    Ellen Fahey, Lindsey Mullis, and Trent Marcum. 
  • Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions and Developmental Disabilities: Including Individuals with Lived Experience as Experts in Their Care

    Kristen Dahl and Morénike Giwa Onaiwu
  • Recruiting and retaining researchers and evaluators with lived experience in higher education: A critical reflection

    Kathy Sheppard-Jones,PhD, Chithra Adams, PhD, Jacob Mason, Taylor Mora, Phillip Rumrill, PhD
  • National Training Initiative: Implementation of the Project SCOPE – Site Experiences and Lived Perspectives

    Canyon Hardesty, Andrea Witwer, PhD, Stephanie Webber, PhD, Tai Baker, Caroline Gooden, PhD
Evan Miracle sitting in a chair and smiling at camera

Project E3: Video Profiles of People with Disabilities Employed in Kentucky 

Posted on | by HDITrex

by Patti Logsdon
Rural communities encounter unique challenges for people with disabilities in achieving competitive, integrated, and lasting employment, as well as community participation and integration. Project E3 is a Vocational Rehabilitation technical assistance project that aims to help people with disabilities from underserved, economically disadvantaged communities throughout the country achieve their independent living and employment goals.  
Kentucky has two targeted communities – which are defined as rural and remote, and have high poverty levels – that receive intensive technical assistance, enabling State VR agencies and partner organizations to improve outreach and employment-related services to underserved individuals with disabilities. The interventions have been developed around addressing identified barriers to employment and community integration. In Kentucky, we are working with two groups: transition age youth (16-24) with developmental disabilities and/or specific sensory impairments such as blindness or deafness, and people of all ages with mental health diagnoses. Continue reading →