Funded Projects

Problem:

Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NARDs) affect over 10% of preschool and school age children in the United States. There is a need for qualified professional personnel and leaders to assure the provision of a range of needed health care, early intervention, and specialty services.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: To provide comprehensive interdisciplinary (ID) leadership training in exemplary service and academic settings to prepare future leaders in the care of children with NARDs. Objective 1: To sustain an ID faculty representing at least 11 core disciplines to provide services and training in an exemplary clinical setting. Objective 2: To offer comprehensive ID training each year to over 50 long-term trainees from a majority of the core disciplines. Objective 3: To offer extensive additional leadership training to at least 10 long-term trainees each year. Goal 2: To assure that these future leaders are prepared to have a significant impact on state, regional and national efforts to serve the children and families. Objective 1: Each year, training is provided to post residency physicians, dental specialists and allied health professionals to prepare them for future leadership or policy-making roles. Objective 2: The high level clinical competence and leadership training will prepare them to have a significant future impact on service delivery systems. Objective 3: The trainees' accomplishments will be tracked to see what positions they attain in the future and how this may impact on service delivery systems. Goal 3: To recruit and train more professionals from underrepresented minority groups (URMs). Objective 1: Recruitment efforts by faculty aim to have at least 25% of trainees each year from URMs. Objective 2: Training is provided to 25% or more of long-term trainees from these minority groups, representing most of the core disciplines. Objective 3: These trainees will have opportunities each year to serve children and families from a wide variety of ethnic and racial groups to prepare them for future roles in the field. Goal 4: To provide culturally competent, family-centered services to children with special health care needs and their families. Objective 1: Each year, all trainees have mentored clinical experiences with children and families from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural groups. Objective 2: Trainees are offered presentations (including some by consumers), seminars, workshops and literature about culturally relevant materials to enable them to gain an understanding and develop sensitivity to each group's beliefs and practices. Objective 3: A consumer survey is conducted each year to assess the degree to which consumers, including those from unrepresented minority groups, feel they are treated in a culturally sensitive manner.

Methodology:

ID training is primarily provided at the Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC), a program annually serving nearly 7,000 individuals with disabilities throughout the lifespan through 55,000 visits. CERC's 9 ID Teams serve individuals with a wide range of NARDs, as well as their families. The teams include pediatric, psychology, social work, speech pathology and educational core staff, with neurology, physiatry, genetics, psychiatry, nursing, OT, PT, nutritional, audiologic and dental faculty also available. A wide range of specialized interventions are provided. There is outreach to schools, childcare and primary care sites, including coordination with a medical home program that specializes in caring for CSHCNs. Each year, at least 50 long-term(LT) trainees in as many as 12 medical or allied health disciplines are provided with a core curriculum about NARDs, plus lectures, seminars, and community-based clinical experiences; an emphasis is placed on the needs of an urban, culturally diverse population. Over 800 short-term trainees each year receive clinical experiences, lectures, seminars and demonstrations. At least 9 LT LEND trainees participate in research projects, community programs, and receive expanded administrative & leadership training. LEND faculty annually provide ID training to over 100 medical, dental and allied health professional trainees, sponsor conferences, workshops or courses, & provide outreach training for over 6,000 participants.

Coordination:

LEND Project faculty coordinate the training and other activities with Title V and other agencies serving children with special health care needs (CSHCNs). They assist the respective NY State and NY City Title V agencies in implementing their plans and programs. Clinical and training activities are also coordinated with over 400 community agencies that serve CSHCNs. LEND faculty provide technical assistance in the implementation of EI, inclusionary childcare, and on public policy issues.

Evaluation:

Each LT trainee is evaluated regularly in preceptor sessions and in team activities by faculty and their supervisors. For allied health professionals, evaluation occurs in conjunction with the affiliated school or college that they attend. A follow-up survey of past LT trainees evaluates whether they have entered leadership positions and their other contributions to the NARD field. Program evaluations are conducted internally by an ID committee and externally by responsible funding agencies.