Jacob Mason Tina Jackson Story video still with Jacob and Tina during the interview with the caption: "Who are you and why do you want to share your story?"

HDI Launches Storytelling Website

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute Digital Storytelling Initiative highlights the stories and lived experiences of people with disabilities. By recording and collecting stories, the contributions of people with disabilities and their families are amplified to help shape the narrative of how disability impacts society. These stories can be found at HDI Voices, a website that currently includes stories about employment, health, and COVID-19.

The work continues! Do you have a story to tell? HDI staff Patti Logsdon, Adam Potter, and Patti Singleton want to work with you. You can share your story or work with others to record their story in writing, on audio (podcast), or video. If you are interested in adding to the HDI story collection, fill out the form at https://bit.ly/TellMyStoryHDI  or contact Patti Logsdon at patti.logsdon@uky.edu or 859 218-1338.

Visit voices.hdiuky.net and share with others who want to improve their work with people with disabilities and their families. This project was made by possible by a HDI Fund for Excellence proposal.

smiling woman with short brown hair wearing a tan top, jean jacket, and hoop earrings with trees in the background

Promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Access and Confidence

Over the next year, the UK Human Development Institute will work with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) and several partners as part of a CDC Cooperative Agreement, Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Access and Confidence among People with Disabilities. This project aims to support the work of AUCD in facilitating COVID-19 vaccine conversations among network members, identifying barriers to vaccine accessibility, increasing vaccine confidence, sharing credible COVID-19 vaccination information, responding to misinformation, translating information into accessible formats, and sharing success stories and lessons learned. HDI will ensure the accessibility of a variety of resources that will be shared across the network. Patti Singleton, Division Director, will be the Principal Investigator of this effort, and will draw upon the expertise of many staff who are involved in universal design, accessibility, digital storytelling and information services work.

Survey key on a keyboard

National Survey of People with Disabilities and COVID-19

The spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has led to a worldwide pandemic. Understanding how people with disabilities have been affected by COVID-19 is important as we navigate this unprecedented time. In July 2020, roughly four months after states began providing guidance in response to spread of the virus, 990 adults with disabilities from age 18 to 85 across the United States reported on topics related to how COVID-19 was affecting their lives.

The UK Human Development Institute and the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities collaborated to address survey participant results about knowledge of healthcare access and rights and technology access and use. Visit the product section of the HDI Research and Evaluation page to learn more.

Contact: Dr. Chithra Adams at chithra.adams@uky.edu with any questions or for additional information.

Two young preschool-aged boys working with a teacher on a puzzle.

Supporting Kentucky’s Child Care Programs

As part of Kentucky’s response to COVID-19, up to 38,000 Kentucky childcare providers will complete mandatory training to fulfill requirements to re-open their programs. Child Care Aware (CCA) of Kentucky, a program within the UK Human Development Institute (HDI), began working with the Division of Child Care (DCC) on May 20 to release training by June 1. Using a rapid development design, CCA/HDI staff developed the training and had it online on May 26 for DCC review and approval. The training was also provided with Spanish captions and translation of quiz questions.

ECE 020: Requirements for Reopening Child Care in Kentucky is offered at no cost to providers through HDI’s Online Learning Center found at hdilearning.org

The CCA Content Coordinators worked with DCC staff to develop training to promote and support the safety for their staff and the children they serve. This includes current regulations on healthy and clean environments; new and enhanced regulations for child care programs open during the COVID-19 state of emergency, and a refresher course on mandatory reporting of child abuse.

Approximately 6,500 providers have completed the training that went live on June 1. For more information, visit www.childcareawareky.org.