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!