Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, Newsletter

 

Support us Research is at the heart of all that we do at the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG). Through rigorous study design, data collection, and analysis, we seek to improve children's lives, support families, and inform public policy. Our implementation scientists and technical assistance specialists work in, and with, schools and communities to use best practices to build capacity and create systems and services that ensure optimal outcomes for all young children and families. And our policy efforts focus on translating and communicating the results of FPG's research, evaluation, implementation, and technical assistance work into effective policies for broad population benefits. Across our website, you can see examples of the crucial work being done here at FPG by our scientists, specialists and scholars over a broad range of disciplines, including autism and developmental disabilities, child health and development, early care and education, and more. This wide-ranging work significantly impacts children and families throughout North Carolina, the United States, and around the world. We've curated a spotlight collection on our website where you can learn more about the reach and impact of our work. Project News Garber conducts landscape analysis of NC programs that support child care providers Kylie Garber, a research scientist at FPG, has conducted a landscape analysis of current North Carolina programs that support child care providers, specifically with social-emotional development. Her work is detailed in Supporting Social-Emotional Development in North Carolina Child Care Programs.  System of care services and flourishing in school-aged children with autism Little has been done to learn which healthcare system factors truly enable autistic children to thrive. A recent journal article, Linking System of Care Services to Flourishing in School-Aged Children with Autism, explains how two researchers—UNC School of Medicine's Wanqing Zhang and FPG's Stephanie Reszka—aimed to address this research gap. People Spotlight Torica Exume, a research scientist at FPG, has a strong commitment to improving the lives of autistic children. She applies her extensive education and hands-on experience to enhance communication, social interactions, analysis and treatment of repetitive behavior disorders, and safety skills. Adam Holland is a technical assistance specialist at FPG. His research interests include motivation in early childhood, promoting cognitive development in young children, equity, and understanding the effects of classroom processes on children's social and emotional competence.  New report release - The Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration: Solutions for Military Families In 2023, two members of FPG, Director Brian Boyd and Senior Research Scientist Sam Odom, were appointed to a 15-person committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), that would conduct an independent analysis of the Department of Defense’s Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration (ACD). The committee was charged with examining utilization of the demonstration by TRICARE beneficiaries and providing an assessment of methods used under the demonstration, particularly in relation to assessing autism domains, measuring effectiveness of ABA, and adhering to guidelines and industry standards of care. Drawing on a careful review of the scientific literature, the NASEM committee produced a new report that evaluates the Department of Defense’s Comprehensive ACD and whether ABA should be covered as a TRICARE Basic benefit. Awards Spotlight 2025 Abecedarian Award The Abecedarian Award honors a UNC FPG staff member's early career research that is scientifically rigorous and addresses an issue of significant social concern. The 2025 award goes to FPG Technical Assistance Specialist Jessica Amsbary. Find out about her work at FPG and what the Abecedarian Award means to her. 2025 Gallagher Dissertation Award Jean Jarrett, a graduate student in the department of health sciences speech and hearing sciences at the UNC School of Medicine, is the winner of FPG's 2025 James J. Gallagher Dissertation Award, which honors the legacy of the late Jim Gallagher, FPG director from 1970 to 1987 and provides a $4,500 stipend. Faculty Fellows Spotlight FPG Faculty Fellow Kori Flower, a professor of pediatrics and division chief of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine, has provided medical care to children and families for more than 25 years. Her career has been dedicated to addressing high prevalence child health problems, and improving healthcare delivery to reduce health disparities, particularly in early childhood.  FPG Faculty Fellow Heather Wasser is an assistant professor of nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her work focuses on the development of behavioral interventions to promote optimal infant feeding practices, dietary intake, growth, and child development. Her research seeks to advance behavioral interventions during the first 1,000 days of life through the application of complex theories of social support and cutting-edge design methodologies.   Recent Publications Executive function predicts academic and social skills in autistic kindergartners based on a multimodal approach Rightful Presence in Early Childhood STEM: Honoring Disability Culture Through Professional Development Beyond Technical Fixes: Reconsidering Equity Sticks and Expanding Notions of Equitable Teaching Exploring the Impact of Insurance Gaps on Healthcare Burden for Autistic Children Examining the use of implementation science in autism intervention research: A scoping review The Role of Gender and Strong Interests in Self-Reported Camouflaging of Autistic Adults Linking System of Care Services to Flourishing in School-Aged Children with Autism For more news stories and information about our projects, publications, and resources, be sure to visit our website. Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 910 Raleigh Road Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8180 Contact us

UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute | 910 Raleigh Road | Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8180 US