Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities Newsletter – 2020, Issue 2

In the Community

It's been a busy last few months for MCDD staff members! See what we've been up to since our last newsletter.

MCDD Interns Visit Maryland Legislature

Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Day is a day for self-advocates, family members, professionals, students and community members to celebrate the disability community’s accomplishments and address concerns regarding budgeting and proposed bills to members of Maryland’s General Assembly.

Faith, Disability and Mental Health: Faith Leaders Forum

The Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities hosted its first Faith Leaders Forum on May 7. More than 30 faith-based community leaders from across Maryland engaged in a real-time, interactive, virtual learning collaborative to increase their awareness of the challenges faced by individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness.

Special Education in the Era of COVID-19

The country is facing extraordinary challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With traditional school buildings closed nationwide, schools are navigating how to provide access to quality education using virtual platforms.

People On the Go Maryland Gets Creative During the Lockdown

When the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown struck the Maryland area, People On the Go Maryland stepped up its grassroots efforts to meet the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in new ways.

IDDRC Corner

As many of you know, the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins has been funded for more than 30 years, providing support to scientists throughout the Kennedy Krieger and Johns Hopkins communities. We are delighted to announce that after having submitted a P50 grant proposal to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development this past January, our center’s funding will continue on a new five-year funding cycle, which started on June 1.

COVID-19 Resources

Please take a moment to read these important resources from state and national external agencies and organizations. Topics are related to the COVID-19 pandemic and how to help children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Director's Message

I sincerely hope you are well, despite all that is going on around us. We’ve now surpassed four months of life in the pandemic of 2020. Every day, we find ways to adjust to what is now called our “new normal.”