April 30, 2025 | | | | Announcements | | Hosted by Think College IPSE Day (or Inclusive Postsecondary Education Day) is a day to raise awareness and spread the word about inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) options for students with intellectual disabilities. Inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) refers to college and university programs that enroll people with intellectual disability. It is also called inclusive higher education. Inclusive postsecondary education programs create opportunities for students with and without intellectual disability go to college together. Need some resources that explain more about inclusive postsecondary education? There are tons of easy-to-read handouts, as well as an excellent video on the "Think Higher. Think College." website. For IPSE Day 2025, students, families, friends, educators, allies, and supporters are invited to share why you think IPSE is important. | May 2, 2025 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET
On the first Friday of every month, corresponding with the Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report, the national Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) team offers a live broadcast via Zoom Webinar to share numbers and the latest news about disability employment. Join us to hear from our hosts and expert panelists from the field who discuss current topics, findings and events. Tune in this Friday, to hear from Katherine (Katy) Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States.
| Monday May 12, 2025, 8:15 AM - 1:00 PM ET, Virtual Conference
The conference, AI and the Digital Age: Responsible and Compassionate Care for People with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, will explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology in supporting individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NDD), including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Bringing together experts from diverse fields, the event will examine practical applications of AI in care, ethical considerations in its use, and the influence of social media on neurodivergent identity and community. Through keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions, participants will gain actionable insights into leveraging AI for personalized and compassionate care while fostering an understanding of its ethical complexities and societal impact. This conference offers a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue and develop strategies to advance responsible and holistic approaches to NDD care in the digital age. Cost $45.00. Sponsored by the Northeast Regional LEND Consortium. | The Center for Inclusion and Reflective Collaboration (CIRC Center) within the Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion is looking to interview young adults (ages 18-30) with mental health conditions from marginalized backgrounds about your community participation. The study explores what community participation means to you, including your experiences since the COVID pandemic. This information can be used to improve interventions, systems, and policies to better meet your needs. | The AUCD Employment page focuses on job and fellowship opportunities at AUCD, within our Network, and at organizations affiliated with our Network. The University of California Davis Mind Institute seeks an Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education in Sacramento, CA. Please complete this form if you would like your job posted. Positions will remain on the website for 90 days.
| | Funding | | Letters of Intent Deadline: May 13, 2025 Award Ceiling: TBD The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Online System opened on April 1 for submissions of Letters of Intent (LOI) for the Cycle 2 2025 Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Topical PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA). This PFA seeks to fund study proposals that focus on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs). Compared to people without IDD, a higher proportion of people with IDD have co-occurring physical and mental health conditions and unmet healthcare needs. This opportunity aims to fund the comparison of interventions encountered by individuals of all ages who have IDD. Comparisons can be clinical interventions or systems approaches and can include pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions. | Letters of Intent Deadline: May 13, 2025 Award Ceiling: TBD The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced the Cycle 2 2025 Topical Funding Announcement focusing on addressing violence and trauma. This initiative aims to support patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) that evaluates clinical interventions and health system strategies targeting both psychological and physical trauma. PCORI is particularly interested in studies that address intentional trauma (such as intimate partner violence, child and elder abuse), unintentional trauma (including traumatic brain injury and fall-related injuries), and the intersection of substance use and trauma. Proposals should aim to improve patient-centered outcomes and may request up to $12 million in direct costs over a project period of up to five years. | Letters of Intent Deadline: May 23, 2025 Award Ceiling: $5,0000
The Eisner Foundation identifies, advocates for, and invests in high-quality, innovative programs that unite multiple generations to enrich our communities. The foundation invites applications for the Eisner Prize Fellowship, designed to support leaders pioneering innovations in intergenerational connection.
The Eisner Foundation has awarded the Eisner Prize to honor people and organizations doing exceptional intergenerational work nationwide. In this next phase in the evolution of the prize, the foundation will provide financial resources, networking opportunities, and the prestige of the Eisner Prize to leaders with new ideas and perspectives that will propel the field forward.
| Letters of Intent Deadline: May 23, 2025 Award Ceiling: $1,000,0000 Established in 1988 by Leonard and Claire Tow, the Tow Foundation aims to promote wellness and access to opportunities so that individuals and communities can thrive. The foundation has issued a request for proposals for its 2025 Innovation Fund, which will award grants in support of efforts to improve youth mental health and well-being and serve young people between the ages of 0-25, as well as their families. Through the fund, the foundation hopes to inspire and invest in bold approaches and learn from exploring questions such as: What are the most challenging barriers youth and their families face in accessing support for mental health and well-being? What emerging innovations exist to address these barriers? What is the resulting impact of these innovations on youth and their families? | Application Deadline: Rolling
Award Ceiling: $100,000 The FRAXA Research Foundation aims to find specific treatments and ultimately a cure for Fragile X syndrome. The foundation invites applications for its clinical trial and curative therapies grants programs. Clinical trial grants are flexible in amount, structure, and duration. Emphasis will be placed on clinical trials of potentially disease-modifying agents, which have been previously validated in Fragile X animal models, especially in previous FRAXA-funded research. Other types of clinical research will also be considered, such as biomarker studies in Fragile X patients, or trials of symptomatic therapies, but this type of research is a lower priority. There is no limit to structure of grant (can fund PI, postdoc, grad student, technician, supplies, etc.) or timeframe (though all grants over one year still need yearly renewal). There is also no limit on amount. | | Resources | | The Lives-in-Progress Collective (LIPC), founded by David “DJ” Savarese, is a national grassroots initiative designed to amplify the voices and leadership of people with disabilities. LIPC serves as a dynamic online hub connecting disabled adults with lived experience to resources, mentorship, and a supportive community. Through its accessible platform, LIPC fosters interdependence and collaboration, offering diverse pathways for individuals seeking to live self-directed lives. By centering disability leadership, LIPC aims to transform the future of self-direction and ensure that freedom is not just a choice, but a fundamental right for all. Impact series is published by the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. | The PBS NewsHour segment highlights how proposed Medicaid cuts could deeply affect people with disabilities. Advocates like Keith Jones (Boston), Martha Haythorn, (Atlanta), Jessica Sibley (Colorado), and Diana Vila (New York) stress Medicaid’s vital role in providing healthcare, personal support, and community access that enable their independence and well-being. | Dr. Karrie Shogren (KS UCEDD), a leading expert in self-determination and supported decision-making for individuals with disabilities, was featured in NPR’s April 14, 2025, report titled “Students with disabilities lost a helpful program to DOGE cuts.” The segment discusses the abrupt termination of the “Charting My Path for Future Success” program by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aimed to assist high school students with disabilities in transitioning to post-secondary life. Dr. Shogren's insights underscore the program's potential benefits and the challenges posed by its sudden cancellation. | Did you miss The Boggs Center’s Spring 2025 Developmental Disabilities Lecture Series? Check out the recordings and handouts for Understanding the Importance of Medicaid, Improving Health and Healthcare Equity of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Promoting Autistic Flourishing: A Positive Psychology Approach to Autism, and School To Work Transition: Expect, Engage, and Empower. | A new large-scale, population-based study from the lab of Waisman Center investigator Maureen Durkin, PhD, DrPH, professor of population health sciences and Evan and Marion Helfaer Professor of Public Health, reveals that motor delays may be a common yet underrecognized symptom in autistic children. The research found that 72% of the children included in the study met the criteria for motor delays.
| | Weekly news items may be submitted for consideration via the AUCD Promotion Request Form.
Submissions are due on Monday each week. |
| | View Online | | AUCD | 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1000 | Silver Spring, MD 20910 |
|
|
|
