LEND In Nevada

UNR announces the first class of interdisciplinary trainees to serve children with autism and other disabilities

University of Nevada, Reno

The Nevada Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NvLEND) program at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is pleased announce the admission of the first class 12 interdisciplinary trainees. The NvLEND is a cooperative project of the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities (NCED) in the College of Education, the Department of Speech Pathology, and the Division of Health Sciences. On September 24, the trainees will attend their first full day training session from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Nell J. Redfield Bldg Building in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at the University of Nevada, Reno. The trainees previously attended a half-day orientation on September 10. The goal of NvLEND programs is to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with autism and other disabilities by preparing practicing professionals, parents, and pre-service graduate level trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by insuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. This first group of trainees includes students and professionals from physical therapy, occupational therapy, pediatric dentistry, education, special education, psychology, social work, speech pathology, nutrition, pediatrics, and families. It important to note that parents of children with disabilities participate in the training with professionals and family is treated as discipline. The NvLEND trainees for 2011-12 are:

  • Amanda Backlund, DPT, Reno
  • Courtney Carsman, DOT, Reno
  • William Dahlke, Pediatric Dentistry Fellow, Las Vegas
  • Joy DeGuzman, M.D, Pediatrician, Parent, Elko
  • Sandra Em, Reno, Educator, Nachez Elem, Pyramid Lake Reservation
  • Cynthia Oceguera, Nutrition, Wadsworth, Pyramid Lake Reservation
  • Linda O’Neil, Reno, Special Education Early Intervention, Parent
  • Marisela Pallares, Reno, UNR Psychology Student
  • Donica Pierce, MSW, Reno
  • Julie Smith, Speech Path, Reno
  • Nicole Sweeney, Reno, Pediatric Physician Assistant
  • Kathleen Whitlow, Truckee, CA, Parent

This interdisciplinary training program is made possible by a new grant for $508,00 per year for 5 years from Health Resources and Service’s Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Dr. Stephen Rock, NCED; Dr. Erika Ryst, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; and Dr. Debra Vigil, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology are project co-directors.

As of July, there are 43 LENDs in 36 states and the District of Columbia (for a directory of programs see http://www.aucd.org/LEND). While each LEND program is unique, they all provide interdisciplinary training, have faculty and trainees in a wide range of disciplines, and include parents or family members as paid program faculty and as program participants. They also share the following objectives:

  • advancing the knowledge and skills of all child health professionals to improve health care delivery systems for children with developmental disabilities;
  • providing high-quality interdisciplinary education that emphasizes the integration of services from state and local agencies and organizations, private providers, and communities;
  • providing health professionals with skills that foster community-based partnerships; and
  • promoting innovative practices to enhance cultural competency, family-centered care, and interdisciplinary partnerships.

 

Faculty and community professionals participating in the NvLEND include:

  •  Eric Albers, Social Work
  • Tami Brancamp, Speech Pathology
  • Melanie Crawford, Psychology
  • Glen Dunlap, Positive Behavioral Supports/ECSE
  • Patrick Ghezzi, Psychology
  • Kate Green, Early Childhood Special Education
  • Robbin Hickman, UNLV Physical Therapy
  • Lynn Kinman, Dev Pediatrics
  • Jan Marson, Occupational Therapy
  • George McKinlay, Assistive Technology
  • Colleen Morris, Genetics
  • Kathy O’Connor, Pediatrics
  • Stephen Rock, Special Education
  • Patsy Ruchala, Nursing
  • Erika Ryst, Child Psychiatry
  • Barbara Scott, Nutrition
  • Dennis Uken, Audiology
  • Debra Vigil, Speech Pathology
  • Liz Williams, Parent
  • Wei Yang, Health Informatics

For more information on please visit the NvLEND website at nced.info/LEND or contact:

Stephen L. Rock, Ph.D.

Director, Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities
Mail Stop 285
4090 William J. Raggio Building
College of Education
University of Nevada, Reno
Reno, NV 89557-1285
775-784-6385
fax:  775-784-4997
rock@unr.edu

 

Erika Ryst, M.D.
Program Director and Associate Professor,
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship
Dept. of Psychiatry/0354
University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine
Reno, NV 895576
775-682-8446
eryst@medicine.nevada.edu

 

Debra C. Vigil, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Associate Professor
Director of Graduate Studies
Dept of Speech Pathology & Audiology
University of Nevada Reno, School of Medicine
Nell J. Redfield Bldg/0152
Reno, NV  89557
Email:  dvigil@medicine.nevada.edu
Ph:  775-682-7019
Fax:  775-784-4095