The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development – the University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities for the state of Missouri – joins with the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities in highlighting March as Developmental Disabilities Month.
This year’s theme focuses on “A World of Opportunities” – celebrating people and working together to remove obstacles. UMKC-IHD – just like NACDD – is working to build a community that’s committed to creating a world where everyone can do well and succeed.
Find out more about what UMKC’s Institute for Human Development is doing to support people with disabilities by viewing the News and Events page on our new website: www.ihd.umkc.edu.
Register today!
- March 15-16 – Rolla
- March 22-23 – St. Louis
- April 12-13 – Maryville
- May 3-4 – Columbia
- May 31-June 1 – Springfield
- June 21-22 – Kirksville
- July 12-13 – Cape Girardeau
You Support Your Team, Let Us Support You!
Missouri Supporting Early Childhood Administrators (MO-SECA) provides early childhood administrators across the state with the knowledge, skills and connections they need to effectively lead and operate sustainable, quality programs.
Program participants receive a stipend for participation, clock hours for state licensure requirements, free resources, subscriptions and more.
The Business Academy
Business Academy offers valuable tools for improving the management of your program. Whether you are a director, coordinator, or family childcare owner/operator, you will find valuable tools for running an early childhood business and gain skills to use them effectively. Join us for these encouraging sessions, pick up some gems that will make your work life better, and drive change in your program to make it more efficient and effective. Rub shoulders with other program leaders to learn from their experiences and share what is working for you.
Sports injuries, car accidents, violence or even simple falls may cause a traumatic brain injury. Know the symptoms.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development, the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities for the state of Missouri at www.ihd.umkc.edu has just launched a NEW FREE TRAINING available at https://bit.ly/3SGbUzn to raise awareness of traumatic brain injuries – or TBIs.
This training highlights symptoms, treatments and provides prevention strategies.
Developed as an annual training requirement for Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services providers and direct care staff, the training can benefit a greater audience as brain injuries can often go undiagnosed as brain injuries occur more often than you might think. Certainly, every brain injury is different in terms of symptoms, affected areas of the brain and the outcome.
“Anyone can get a traumatic brain injury, certainly no one is immune,” according to Eric Hart, Pys.D., ABPP-CN, Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, University of Missouri Healthcare. “It’s one of the more common neurological conditions that can and does occur across the lifespan.”
For individuals, families and health care providers, the FREE training serves as a convenient resource for anyone wanting a basic overview or refresher course.
The training features four modules:
- Brain Injury Basics
- Specific Populations (Youth, Aging, Rural)
- Treatments
- Special Topics (Employment, Community Access, etc.)
Symptoms may mimic other health issues, but generally fall into one of three categories:
- Cognitive
- Physical
- Behavioral/Emotional
General preventive strategies include:
- Using helmets and car seats properly
- Preventing falls
- Limiting alcohol and/or illicit drugs
“The best thing that we can do for kids regarding brain injury is to prevent them,” noted Dr. Jane Emerson, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rusk Rehabilitation Hospital. “It’s much easier for you as parents and teachers to prevent a head injury than for me to treat one.”
Take the FREE training today!
The Early Childhood Innovation Center at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development is recruiting early childhood administrators for free training in 2024.
The Missouri Supporting Early Childhood Administrators (MO-SECA) program provides early childhood administrators across Missouri with knowledge, skills, and connections to lead and operate sustainable, quality programs.
If you run an early childhood program – a family-owned, small or large-sized program – sign-up now and receive free group training, free one-on-one coaching and free business development tools and resources.
Hear ECIC Director Mike Abel, Ph.D., talk about the training and how it can help early childhood administrators like you manage your businesses better.
To learn more, visit MO-SECA.
Knowing what to expect after experiencing abuse can be difficult – no matter whether the abuse is verbal, physical, sexual or financial. For individuals with an intellectual or development disability, navigating the state reporting and investigation process can be overwhelming.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development, the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities for the state of Missouri, in cooperation with the Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, has published a new online resource called After Abuse: Resources for Missourians with Disabilities to help people with disabilities learn about abuse and what happens when it is reported.
The project includes supportive toolkits that include overviews, easy readers and videos that guide survivors and their allies through the process of understanding abuse. Survivors learn how to make a report, participate in the investigation and work through what happens after the investigation.
“Once a person reports the abuse to the state investigation systems, so much is out of the individual’s control,” says Amelia Reighard, principal investigator for the project. “These resources highlight opportunities where survivors can make decisions regarding their personal safety, their own healing and own their own story and experience after abuse.”
For more information on After Abuse: Resources for Missourians with Disabilities, go to www.AfterAbuseMoGuide.com.
In November, Institute for Human Development employees connected with leaders from University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities across the country for the national Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference in Washington, D.C.
UMKC IHD Presenters
- George Gotto, Ph.D. – Leading Change: Finding Connections within a Big Network
- Michelle “Sheli” Reynolds, Ph.D. and Meghan LaMarche – Why Training Isn’t Enough: Promoting Core Competency Development to Equip Leaders Implementing Person-Centered Practices
- Michael Abel, Ph.D. – “Supporting Children with Disabilities Through Professional Development Trainings and Coaching in Early Intervention: Applying models for Culturally Responsive Practice”
Poster Sessions
Michelle “Sheli” Reynolds, Ph.D. – Supporting Families: An Updated National Agenda for Supporting Families
Others, such as Jodi Arnold, Maya Szafraniec and Nick Bollinger showcased the Early Childhood Innovation Center with a booth and materials to educate conference attendees about the good work the ECIC is doing with early childhood administrators by teaching business and leadership skills through the Missouri Supporting Early Childhood Administrators (MO-SECA) program, building the early childhood workforce for the future and assessing and coaching teachers through the Quality Assurance Report program, which strives for continuous improvement to support early childhood programs.
One of the key pillars of the LifeCourse Nexus Center is building systems and policies that support people with disabilities. Now, a free webinar focuses on family support and understanding the policies that support families and family caregivers for trainees.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute of Human Development Associate Director Michelle Reynolds, Ph.D., joins with two others, Tamar Heller with the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Jill Kagan, program director for the ARCH National Respite Network and Resource Center for the presentation.
Hosted by the Association for University Centers on Disabilities, the webinar gives participants:
- Background on the history of family support
- Insight into current needs of families and family caregivers
- An overview of policies and practices of respite
When it comes to dedication, one employee at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development has staying power! Leisha Manning has served more than 40 years with IHD’s support staff in a variety of administrative rolls, largely keeping the bills paid. She has seen people come and go through the years, but her service has been rock-steady.
Leisha Manning joins with 20 other employees who were also recognized in December 2023 for their years of service by IHD Director George Gotto, Ph.D., and Associate Director Michelle Reynolds, Ph.D.
Each employee was recognized for the five-year milestones they’ve achieved.
Service Award Recipients
- 40 Years
- Leisha Manning
- 25 Years
- Christina Hileman
- Michelle Reynolds, Ph.D.
- 20 Years
- Brandon King
- Katharine Ragon
- Jane St. John
- 15 Years
- Jodi Arnold
- Carol Calhoun
- 10 Years
- Mike Abel
- Kelli Barton
- Loni Davenport
- George Gotto
- Morgan Hudson
- Melissa Newkirk
- Amelia Reighard
- Megan Snyder
- Five Years
- Nancy Carter
- Danielle Chiang
- Candace Cunningham
- Megan LeMarche
- Gerardo Martinez
- Maria McAhan
April 23-25th, 2024
The Showcase is more than a conference; it’s a celebration! As we convene in Kansas City, we share and learn about how the CtLC principles interconnect to drive transformational change for all – all life stages and life domains in all practice areas, types of support and levels of change.
We can’t wait to welcome you for another year of showcasing the interconnection of all aspects of the CtLC framework and how the integration of this approach equips and empowers people, families, programs and systems to explore, plan, problem-solve and take action!
