Kansas LEND

06/03/2026

Tomorrow... Join our friends Community Health Improvement Program for Intellectual Disabilities at celebration bash to kick off the World Cup and Summer while having some healthy fun!

Join us for our Kick-Off Bash to celebrate the World Cup and summer! This free, inclusive community event is a chance to play games, listen to music, test your soccer skills, enjoy ice cream, and spend time with friends. Share with your family and friends, we’d love to see you there!

Sign up using this link >> https://kuadrc.org/chipid-soccer

Any questions? Email us at [email protected]

06/02/2026

Kansas LEND Faculty member...

Get to know us with our 6 Question Series with researchers and staff. Today, we're highlighting Sean Swindler, Director of Community Program Development and Evaluation at Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training.

🔗 Read the Q&A: https://loom.ly/nTIjADA

05/18/2026

The more you know...

The risk of wandering off is higher for children, who also tend to be attracted to water. National month is a good reminder to be mindful of ways you can keep your child safe.

Check out these 5 essential steps from Kansas LEND for managing wandering and ensuring first responders have the details they need to help: https://loom.ly/_FVkzDU

05/15/2026

Emerging Leaders of Kansas LEND...

Aisha Malik is a Speech Language Pathology Masters student, interested in working with young children birth to 3 years old. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, grew up in Chicago, and graduated from The University of Kansas with departmental and university honors in 2024. Aisha is interested in working as an SLP with both pediatric and adult populations. In her free time, Aisha enjoys arranging flowers, reading, and volunteering at her local Masjid.

My favorite part of LEND so far has been the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with so many different disciplines. It opened my eyes to the breadth of professions that play essential roles in supporting and uplifting people with disabilities, many of which I hadn’t fully understood before joining the program.

I am involved in the LEND Policy and Advocacy Committee, where I’m developing my skills as a leader and deepening my understanding of what advocacy looks like in practice. I also participated in JCCC’s Neurodiversity Support Club, where I had the meaningful opportunity to learn directly from neurodivergent peers about their lived experiences. Both of these experiences strengthen my work as an emerging SLP by helping me understand the systems that shape access to services and by grounding my clinical approach in the perspectives and priorities of the communities I hope to serve.

Picture description: A woman with a dark green spotted hijab wearing a green jacket.

05/13/2026

Thanks to funding from the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD), our KUMC GNO Program team is offering another Certified Provider Training — and we'd love to reach anyone who might be interested in becoming certified in GNO. 💙

📣 Applications are now open for our Girls Night Out (GNO)–Teen© Certified Provider Training — June 8–10, 2026 at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS!

GNO-Teen© is an evidence-based intervention program supporting adolescent girls (ages 14–19) with autism and related disabilities through community-based social and self-care activities. As a Certified Provider, you'll be equipped to bring this program to your community.

✨ Professionals serving individuals with ASD/IDD in rural Kansas may qualify for a full scholarship and travel support!

Eligible attendees include those with a degree in psychology, social work, special education, speech & language, or a related field, with experience supporting individuals with autism or developmental disabilities.

👉 Apply now: https://redcap.kumc.edu/surveys/?s=4R7DTMCKPW
👉 Learn more: https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/academics/departments/pediatrics/research/girls-night-out-(gno)/certified-provider-training.html

📧 Questions? Contact Mallorey Beckloff ([email protected]) or Rene Jamison ([email protected]).

Spots are limited — applications reviewed in order of receipt!

05/12/2026

What a joy to see so many familiar faces at last week's Charting the LifeCourse Showcase! 💙

Past and current Kansas LEND Family Emerging Leaders were in attendance — a powerful reminder of the incredible community that has grown through this program. These leaders continue to show up for Kansas families, advocate for meaningful change, and help build a more inclusive future for people with disabilities across our state.

We are grateful for every single one of them. 🌟

05/11/2026

We failed to recognize Kansas childcare providers last week... what you do everyday to partner with families in their journey's is much appreciated!! Thank youl!!

05/08/2026

Emerging Leaders of Kansas LEND...

Hi! My name is Avae’ Muir, I was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2024. I always wanted to move out of Nebraska, which is how I found myself pursuing my master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology at KU Med. I love working with adults and with individuals with neurodevelopmental differences. Throughout my professional career, I have had many opportunities to work with individuals with neurodevelopmental
differences and with complex medical needs. In my free time, I enjoy going to Cyclebar, spending time with my roommates, and trying new restaurants.

My favorite LEND experience has been being apart of the various interdisciplinary clinics! I have loved learning about the roles of other professionals and other settings and populations speech-language pathologists serve.

During my time in LEND, I created a caregiver resource about how augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) can be implemented within an ABA setting. This would serve as an educational resource to parents, with information about what AAC is, how it is used, and how their child could receive an AAC device.

Picture description: smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a brown top, standing outside.

04/22/2026

Assistive Technology means access to a more independent life for those with disabilities...

How is Assistive Technology Funded?
Assistive Technology can be funded through:
• Medicaid State Plans
• Medicaid Waivers
• Money Follows the Person
• Medicare
• Private insurance
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• School systems
• State AT Act Programs
• And more!

Assistive Technology. Access Matters. Awareness Matters. Policy Matters.

assistive technology. everywhere. everyone.

ATAP-Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs



Image Description: A banner at the top reads: “NATIONAL AT AWARENESS DAY | APRIL 22 2026,” with the ATAP logo in the upper left corner. In the main image, a young child and an adult sit together at a classroom desk, looking at and interacting with a tablet. At the bottom, bold text reads: “assistive technology. everywhere. everyone.”

04/22/2026

Why is it so hard to find the "autism gene"? Because there isn't just one. 🧬

Matt Mosconi, Director of Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, explains that most autism cases stem from common inherited variants with small individual effects. Sensory-motor differences—like how we move our eyes or grip objects—may be the key to unlocking these different "autism spectra."

Listen to learn more about the science of motor control and autism during his lecture at the UC Davis MIND Institute: https://loom.ly/pp4YVvI