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Do you have something to say about COVID-19 and disability?

The University of Kentucky Human Development Institute (HDI) is collecting stories from individuals with disabilities about COVID-19 in Kentucky and how it affects people living with disabilities. Your story can add to the discussions state leaders are having about the impact of COVID-19. There are different ways to tell your story. Visit https://bit.ly/2VODkXu to attach a file that tells your story in video, audio, pictures or in written form. You may have someone help you fill out the form. You can also contact HDI by calling 859-257-8104 and share your story by phone or video relay service.

Anyone with a disability-related issue or question can contact Kentucky Protection and Advocacy at 1-800-372-2988. You do not have to be receiving disability benefits or be a U.S. citizen to receive assistance.

By completing this survey, you are giving the Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky (HDI-UK) and Kentucky Protection & Advocacy permission to share your story in advocacy on behalf of individuals with disabilities during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Your personal information will not be shared, unless HDI-UK contacts you for written consent.

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Human Development Institute expands capacity with StoryCorps Facilitation Training

Staff representing the UK Human Development Institute (HDI) recently completed training to expand their capacity to capture and deliver digital stories. Staff from HDI along with partners at Utah State University participated in a six-hour D.I.Y. facilitator training with StoryCorps. Through this training, staff gained an understanding of the facilitation method, interview best practices, and an understanding of the archival process. The model will be replicated in the story collection efforts of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities National Training Center. This center is an HDI project and partnership between the University of Kentucky, Utah State University, and the University of Alaska – Anchorage.
HDI has a long history of sharing the lived experiences of people with disabilities. The information gained in the training will be used across HDI projects. Using the StoryCorps facilitation model, project staff formalize these efforts to collect, archive, and centralize stories for use by staff, partners, and the public. A unique angle of this the digital story collection efforts at HDI is the use of self-advocates to conduct interviews. Patti Singleton, Professional Learning Coordinator, explains that HDI is currently exploring and refining this process, which will allow for collaboration with partners, and other UK colleges and departments.
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