NADD Keynote News + Learning & Engagement Opportunities

 

Keynote Presentation: A Trauma-informed, Stepwise Approach to Addressing Severe Behavior Adithyan (Dithu) Rajaraman, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA NADD is pleased to introduce Adithyan (Dithu) Rajaraman, Ph.D., BCBA-D, LBA, as one of our keynote speakers at the 2026 Annual NADD Conference! Adithyan (Dithu) Rajaraman is a Doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst with over 15 years’ experience in Applied Behavior Analysis. His professional experience spans multiple related domains, including trauma-informed care, neurodiversity-affirming behavioral services, practical functional assessments, and choice- and skill-based interventions addressing severe behavior. He has co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on these topics. Much of his research, practice, training, and consultation has been in service of helping individuals with intellectual, developmental, and emotional differences—primarily by teaching important life skills to preventatively address severe behavior. Seeking Sponsors and Exhibitors The NADD Annual Conference convenes an audience of influential decision makers shaping policy, practice, and service delivery for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and mental health conditions. Sponsors and exhibitors gain direct access to over 500 professionals who control budgets, influence purchasing decisions, and guide system-level implementation across provider organizations and public systems. Secure your sponsorship today to partner with leading organizations in the I/DD and mental health fields! LEARN MORE Shared Learning Groups Please join us April 28 & 29, 2026 for the Link Center's Shared Learning Groups as we discuss Communication in Clinical Settings. Getting care in places like a doctor’s office, a therapist’s office, or a hospital, should make everyone feel heard, respected, and supported. In this session, we will look at real examples from clinical settings and talk about how supporters and Assistive Technology (AT) can make a big difference. We will also review important rights and policies, and share simple tools and resources to help you, and the people you support, feel more confident and prepared when working with medical providers. There are four sessions on the same topic for different target audiences. Please register for the session most relevant to you, or whichever best fits into your schedule. Registration is required!  Register here: https://thelinkcenter.org/shared-learning-groups/ LINK CENTER New Book from NADD Press Burnout is not a personal failure. It is an occupational hazard. From the author of The Way Through: Trauma Responsive Care for Intellectual and Developmental Disability Professionals, trauma therapist and educator Lara Palay presents The Sum of Light, an illuminating exploration of the hidden costs of caring: empathic distress, moral injury, and burnout. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, neuroscience, trauma theory, and lived experience, Palay speaks directly to helping professionals who encounter and endure trauma every day. Through vivid stories, memorable metaphors, and practical wisdom, this book illuminates how trauma can affect helpers even when they are not the ones directly harmed—and how it can slowly erode meaning, hope, and connection if left unaddressed. The Sum of Light offers ways forward: tools for emotional regulation, reconnection, ritual, and self-compassion that make sustained, humane work possible. Written for clinicians, caregivers, educators, first responders, and anyone who serves on the front lines of human suffering, The Sum of Light affirms a simple truth: Those who give care also deserve care. And tending to that truth might be the most important work of all. BUY NOW We invite you to explore the open-access article, “Therapeutic Alliance with Youth with Mild Intellectual Disability or Borderline Intellectual Functioning: A Scoping Review.” This review examines how therapeutic alliance with youth with MID-BIF is defined, measured, and studied, identifying 18 relevant studies from 1,521 assessed—most published since 2020 and largely qualitative in approach. Overall, the findings highlight growing interest in this area and emphasize the need for a more unified framework, clearer methodologies, and increased quantitative research. NADD membership provides unlimited free access to our international, peer-reviewed research journal, Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities: Advancing Mental Health in Intellectual Disabilities and Related Neurodevelopmental Conditions. This leading publication features cutting-edge research, innovative practices, and global perspectives dedicated to improving mental health supports for individuals with intellectual and related neurodevelopmental disabilities. Open-access articles remain available to all readers. JMHRID The National Center for START Services is hosting the virtual 2026 START National Training Institute on May 12-14. Attendees will come together to improve the lives of people with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental health needs and explore the theme: “Values in Action: Holding Hope, Building Belonging.” Previous experience with START is not required. Free registrations are available for people with lived experience of IDD-MH, self-advocates, family members, caregivers, and students.To learn more and register visit: iod.unh.edu/ncss/snti2026 Not a NADD Member? Become one today, starting at just $99 per year. With the support of our members, partners and volunteers, NADD is able to provide a network for continued advancement of research and quality supports for people experiencing intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. To become a member of this network and community, join us via the link below. JOIN NADD! FOLLOW NADD ON SOCIAL MEDIA