University of Massachusetts Medical School

Problem:

Leaders face increased challenges meeting the needs of consumers with disabilities and influencing legislative, program and fiscal policies in the field. Decreasing resources threaten efforts at inclusion. The LEND training program provides clinicians with the skills to solve these problems.

Goals and Objectives:

Goal 1: Clinicians in practice will have skills and knowledge to provide appropriate services to children with neurodevelopmental and related disabilities and their families Objective 1: developing competency in conducting clinical evaluations and appropriate interventions, and delivering family-centered care utilizing the medical home model Objective 2: preparing individuals to participate and lead interdisciplinary teams, Objective 3: providing training about community-based services, public policy, systems advocacy and cultural competency, and . providing trainees with exposure to and a basic understanding of research principles, methodology and application. Goal 2: Experienced clinicians will develop leadership skills and knowledge to influence the future of services for children with neurodevelopmentaldisabilities and their families. Objective 1: to provide leadership training for clinicians from a wide range of disciplines, Objective 2: to provide career-related guidance and connections so that LEND fellows can maximize their influence in the field, Objective 3: to prepare leaders to provide culturally competent services for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. Goal 3: To influence the future services of children with disabilities and their families through outreach to our community partners in the form of training, collaboration and technical assistance. Objective 1: provision of continuing education in clinical issues and leadership for professionals and care providers, Objective 2: to engage in training, research, technical assistance and collaboration to enable the development of medical home and Healthy People 2010 goals, Objective 3: .to provide information to agencies and organizations on how to effectively incorporate people with disabilities as advisors, staff members, and leaders.

Methodology:

Leadership Fellows already have terminal degrees in their respective clinical disciplines and come to the program with training in interdisciplinary family-centered care and a variety of clinical backgrounds working with children and families. Their curriculum includes didactics, family experiences and field-based projects and addresses the concepts of interdisciplinary services, research and its application, system thinking and analysis, systems change and the influences of policy, funding mechanisms and polities. Fellows have to option to pursue a Masters Degree in Health Administration or Public Policy from Suffolk University. Pre-service interdisciplinary training takes place at the Center for Children with Special Needs in Boston where 1122 children are served each year and at the University of Massachusetts Medical School where another 1250 children are seen. Clinical trainees are involved in team evaluations, attend seminars presented by different faculty representing different disciplines, accompany faculty to school and community meetings, visit families in their homes and provide presentations of clinical issues of their own choosing.

Coordination:

State agencies include DPH, DMH, DMR, DMA, DOE, other MCHB funded training programs and initiatives, advocacy organizations and universities. In addition, the program includes consumers on its advisory committees and staff from local, regional and national agencies as well as the MCHB programs.

Evaluation:

Fellows are graded on their presentations and papers. They evaluate each course and topic as well as the experiential aspects of their training. All participants complete a written assessment of each activity and long term follow up surveys are sent to Fellows one and five years after completion of the program. In addition, all participants are expected to enter data into the NIRS database. All findings from the evaluation activities are used to make adjustments to the program.

Experience to Date:

Previous fellows have commented on the influence that the LEND program has had on their professional lives. LEND graduates are involved in a number of leadership activities, including board positions, the development of new programs, writing and receiving funding from grants, collaborating with and consulting with state agencies as well as obtaining faculty appointments. This past year, 7/10 of the leadership fellows are obtaining their MHA or MPA through our collaboration with Suffolk University. 60 residents rotated through the one month training programs in child development and developmental disabilities we created. 4 online courses have been completed and another 9 will be completed this summer. Faculty have given more than 200 lectures in the community and produced 45 products. Collaboration with state agencies and Title V programs is ongoing.