Association of University Centers on Disabilities

06/05/2026

06/05/2026

Why are so few clinicians trained to work with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families? It is not a lack of interest. It is a lack of training.

Most graduate programs in social work, psychology, counseling, psychiatry, and marriage and family therapy include infant and early childhood mental health as an elective at best, and many programs do not offer it at all. So when a family with a two-year-old is referred for therapy, the clinician they see may have had only a few class sessions on this stage of development.

The Certificate in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Clinical Track, at Georgetown's Thrive Center was built to give clinicians the depth their graduate programs could not.

⬇️ Apply by August 1st! Link to website and application in the comments!



*Enhanced/Generated with Canva AI for creative visualization.

06/05/2026

How have policy, data, and real lives intersected over the last three decades? 📊✨

Shea Tanis, director of the State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities project at KUCD - Kansas University Center on Disabilities, is a featured collaborative partner in the new podcast, "35 Years of Community Living."

Launched alongside partners at the University of Minnesota and UMass Boston, this series uses powerful storytelling and data to explore how community inclusion has shaped the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the country.

🎧 Listen to the first episode now on the State of the States website: https://loom.ly/L78C_RA

06/05/2026

What was school like for students with disabilities before federal protections existed?

In Kathy's latest blog, she reflects on her educational journey before and after the passage of PL 94-142, the landmark law that guaranteed students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education. From attending school without formal supports to preparing for college with the help of dedicated aides and advocates, Kathy shares a powerful firsthand perspective on how disability rights transformed educational opportunities.

Read Kathy's story and learn why these hard-won rights continue to matter today: https://iod.unh.edu/blog/2026/05/it-began-mrs-scott-advocacy-pl94-142

06/04/2026

In this week’s video episode of Thrive Together, Maya Enista Smith and Jason Lehmbeck talk with Mallika Reddy Pajjuri, Co-Founder and CEO of Psyche Care. Most mental health platforms put a clinician at the center. Psyche Care puts families who have been through it at the center.

Watch the full conversation about helping families take a child home after a crisis and keep them well.

⬇️ Link to the full episode in the comments!

06/04/2026

Did you know over 20% of U.S. children and teens experience a mental, behavioral, or emotional health condition?

In our latest episode of Your Child’s Brain, Dr. Joe McGuire shares how innovative approaches—like cognitive behavioral therapy and even virtual reality—are helping kids successfully manage anxiety, OCD, and more, without the use of medication Hosted by Dr. Brad Schlaggar, president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger, this conversation is full of hope and insight for families and caregivers.

Tune in to learn how treatment is evolving—and making a real difference. Click the link in our bio!

06/04/2026

Stuttering is widely studied in the general population, but far less is known about how it presents in individuals with Down syndrome. In a 2025 study, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (VKC) researchers combined clinical expertise, electronic health...Read more

06/04/2026

📣 The is back for a one-day virtual conference on July 14th! Secure your free ticket today: https://givebutter.com/2026SummerAACD

💡 Interested in supporting the conference as we fundraise for the 2027 in-person conference? Donate or become a conference supporter today!: https://givebutter.com/2026SummerAACD

06/04/2026

The Center for Disabilities of SD LEND leaders Marni Johnson and Elizabeth Hanson are helping Special Olympics athletes feel more confident and engaged through simple but powerful visual schedules. First developed over a decade ago, these “station guides” use images, plain language, and checklists to walk athletes through hearing screenings step by step. Recently expanded across Healthy Athletes disciplines, the tools are empowering athletes, improving communication, and giving them a greater sense of autonomy at events like the 2026 SD Special Olympics Summer Games.

Learn more: https://www.aucd.org/news/lend-leaders-share-visual-schedules-with-special-olympics

ID: At a hearing screening station, Marni Johnson uses a pen to review completed steps on a red station guide (visual schedule) with an athlete seated across a table. The clipboard displays a checklist of procedures with icons and marked check boxes. The table includes a tablet, pens, a water bottle, and organized supplies, showing a structured screening setup at the South Dakota Special Olympics Summer Games in Spearfish, SD, May 2026.

06/04/2026

Facing Your Fears – Two-Day Virtual Training Workshop will be delivered remotely via Zoom

July 13-14, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. MDT
Course fee: $400 per participant + the cost of course materials (purchased separately)

Register here: https://secure.touchnet.net/C20369_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=940

About this Two-Day Workshop:
This two-day virtual workshop is intended to prepare interdisciplinary providers to deliver Facing Your Fears (FYF) either virtually or in-person. FYF is a 14-week, evidence-based manualized group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program for supporting autistic youth (ages 8-14) to effectively manage their anxiety. FYF may be delivered in group settings or individually. This two-day workshop will include the identification of anxiety in autistic youth, an overview of CBT for anxiety, and a review of the FYF program, delivered both in person as well as virtually, all through a neuroaffirming perspective. Session by session review of FYF will also occur. Video recorded examples of selected activities will be shown throughout the training.

FYF has been adapted for school settings and for autistic teens with intellectual disabilities. A brief review of these adaptations will be covered during the training, but participants will not be specifically trained in either program during this workshop.

We hope to offer a training specific to the Facing Your Fears in Schools (FYF-S) program later in the year.

This workshop will be an online live/synchronous event and will NOT be recorded. Enrollment will be limited to ensure an optimal environment for participation and robust discussion. Participants will engage in small group activities to include role-play and other hands-on approaches.

Intended Audience:
Participants must have an advanced degree and may be from a variety of professional backgrounds, including psychologists, social workers, speech/language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, and BCBA providers.

We strongly recommend that mental health providers be included as part of the program delivery, either as part of the facilitator team if delivering FYF in a group setting, or in an ongoing consultation role if FYF is being delivered individually.

Participants are responsible for obtaining course materials which may be purchased separately. Guidelines for purchasing the FYF manual will be provided with the registration confirmation.

University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine