The Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities (MCDD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute continues to host events and conferences and foster advocacy in the community. Here’s what’s been happening during the past few months:
On July 16 and August 19, The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality held Community of Practice meetings. Maureen van Stone, Esq., MS, assistant vice president at Kennedy Krieger and director of the MCDD; Christopher Mason-Hale, BSW, MCDD community advocate; Kendall Murphy, Esq., staff attorney for Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law); Kristine Nellenbach, MS, program coordinator for the Resource Finder; and Tracy Waller, Esq., MPH, MCDD staff attorney, attended the meetings.
Also on July 16, Genevieve Hornik, Esq., staff attorney for Project HEAL; Mallory Legg, Esq., director of Project HEAL; Murphy; and van Stone attended the full-day Education Advocacy Coalition retreat at the Conference Center in Columbia, Maryland.
On July 18, Legg and van Stone gave a presentation, “Hot Topics: Informal School Removals and How Those Working with Students with Disabilities Can Respond,” as part of the MCDD’s Annual Learning Series. The presentation, held at the Early Childhood Development and Education Center, covered federal laws and guidelines related to informal school removals, explored different types of informal removals, and provided strategies for addressing and responding to these situations.
On July 22, Diogo Fortes, a former MCDD trainee and doctoral student at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, gave a presentation at the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P) Research Day at the 2024 Autism CARES Meeting. His presentation, “Faith Community Learning Collaborative for Faith Leaders: An Inclusive Faith Support Ambassador Program,” summarized the research he conducted under the supervision of Mirian Ofonedu, PhD, LCSW-C, the MCDD’s director of training.
On July 24, Waller and van Stone gave a presentation, “Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Practical and Ethical Considerations for Neurodiversity Inclusion in Organizations.” This presentation, held at the Early Childhood Development and Education Center, was part of the MCDD’s Annual Learning Series.
On July 25, Kayla Long, a former MCDD trainee, presented her poster, “Evaluating the Necessity and Impact of an Immigrant-Focused Medical-Legal Partnership at Project HEAL,” at the Johns Hopkins Career, Academic, and Research Experiences for Students Symposium in Turner Auditorium at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
On July 29, Mason-Hale participated in a focus group, providing feedback and guidance on revisions to the Maryland Department of Disabilities’ Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Model Curriculum for Law Enforcement.
On July 30, Nellenbach hosted an exhibitor table for the MCDD at the Baltimore City Public Schools Transition Fair. The event was held at Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School and was aimed at providing resources for families and students attending summer school.
On July 31, Legg and van Stone gave an MCDD overview presentation focused on advocacy to Baltimore City Public Schools students enrolled in Kennedy Krieger’s Building Leaders Inside and Out (BLIO) Building Bridges summer program.
Also on July 31, Legg and van Stone gave a presentation, “Demonstrating the Value of Medical-Legal Partnerships,” at the Maryland State Bar Association’s 2024 Legal Summit Series.
On August 7, Hornik gave a presentation, “Understanding Parents’ Rights in Special Education,” to parents participating in Kennedy Krieger’s Therapeutic Foster Care program.
On August 8, Dr. Ofonedu gave a presentation, “Walk-a-Mile Navigating the System: Experiences of Gender Diverse and Marginalized Youth and Families,” at the 2024 American Psychological Association (APA) Conference in Seattle, Washington. The presentation discussed strength-based interventions and pathways to address adversity for gender-diverse and marginalized youth and their families.
On August 9, Dr. Ofonedu gave another presentation, “Using Psychological Science to Tackle Educational Disparities for Youth,” at the APA conference. The presentation unveils a new guide for school teams to understand the factors that can increase or reduce disparities in opportunities, experiences and outcomes for students and shares strategies to expand student learning and advance educational equity. The project was a collaboration between APA office of Child, Youth, and Family, Coalition for Psychology in Schools and Education (CPSE) and Division 37 Diverse, Racial, Ethnic, and Multicultural Special Interest Group (DREAM SIG), which Dr. Ofonedu chairs, and supported the development of a CDC Educational Disparities self-reflection tool funded initiative.
On August 12 and 13, van Stone participated in the Technical Assistance Institute for directors of the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), held at the Graduate Hotel Minneapolis.
On August 14, Legg gave a Project HEAL overview presentation to social work fellows of Kennedy Krieger’s Center for Developmental Behavioral Health.
On August 28, Legg served as a panelist for a Kennedy Krieger event, “Exploring the Brain: Advocating for Your Child With Disabilities.” The panelists discussed topics such as navigating the individualized education program (IEP) process, fostering inclusive school experiences and transitioning to adulthood. A former Project HEAL client and his mother also participated as panelists.
On August 19, Mason-Hale and van Stone attended The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality’s advisory board meeting, where they discussed initiatives to promote inclusive policies and address systemic barriers for individuals with disabilities.
On August 30, van Stone and Project HEAL attorney Jennifer Falter, Esq., participated in the Maryland Health Care Guardianship Work Group meeting, held at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
On September 5, Legg gave a Project HEAL overview presentation to first-year child psychiatry fellows at Kennedy Krieger, highlighting the program’s legal advocacy services and its role in supporting children with disabilities and their families.
Also on September 5, The National Center for Disability, Equity, and Intersectionality published “#SayTheWord: The Crucial Role of IDEA in Preventing School-to-Prison Pipelines,” by Laura Benjamin, a former law trainee at Project HEAL.
On September 9, 11 and 24, Dr. Ofonedu, in collaboration with Terri Savage, EdD, Howard County Public School (HCPSS) Chief Academic Officer held a training session for HCPSS principals, teachers and family support coordinators. The session, “Neurodiversity in the Inclusive Classroom: Strategies for General Educators to Serve Students With Learning Disabilities,” was designed to strengthen educators’ knowledge and skills needed to effectively support students with learning differences in their classrooms. A total of 66 participants attended the session.
On September 12, Dr. Ofonedu gave an Annual Learning Series presentation, “Social Justice and Promoting Positive Mental Health Outcomes for Black Youth: How School, Home and Community Members Can Help.” Dr. Ofonedu discussed strategies for promoting positive mental health outcomes for marginalized and underserved youth, families and communities. Over 30 professionals participated in the training.
Also on September 12, Dr. Ofonedu held a training session, “Being the Best Advocate for Your Child With a Disability at School and in the Community,” to about 40 parents and families of children with disabilities. The session, sponsored by the Department of Special Education for Baltimore County Public Schools, discussed the benefits of effective family and parental advocacy, strategies for partnering with school and service providers, and shared community resources to meet their child’s support needs.
On September 17 and 18, the MCDD and The Association for Successful Parenting (TASP) hosted an interactive training session, “Working Successfully With Parents With IDD,” for 41 Maryland professionals. The session focused on best practices, effective communication strategies, and tailored supports to empower parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Also on September 17, van Stone gave a guest lecture, “Restraint and Seclusion: An Overview of Law and Practice,” to the Seminar in Disability Studies senior class at the University of Delaware.
Also on September 18, Mason-Hale and van Stone gave a presentation to staff members of Kennedy Krieger’s Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation (CASSI™), “The Complexity of Language Within the Disability Communities: Why Language Matters.”
On September 18, the MCDD, LEND program, Kennedy Krieger Office for Health, Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity (O-HEID), and government relations launched their first advocacy curriculum training of the year. 23 staff members and trainees participated in an interactive online training titled, “Advocacy 101.”
On September 19, van Stone participated in the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council’s full-day retreat, held at the Sheraton Baltimore Washington Airport Hotel.
On September 21, Cindy Ibarra, MCDD administrative services coordinator, exhibited a table at the St. Elizabeth School’s event, “Get Connected: Special Needs Resource Fair.”
On September 23, Dr. Ofonedu delivered a parent-training presentation, “Being the Best Advocate for your Child and Family: Promoting Mental Health Equity through Culturally Responsive Practices.” The training, sponsored by the Maryland Department of Health, Office of Suicide Prevention, Behavioral Health Administration, and the MCDD, had over 70 participants attend the session.
On September 24 and 25, van Stone participated in The Link Center’s Policy Academy, held at the Sheraton Suites Old Town Alexandria in Virginia.
Also on September 24, the MCDD sponsored the 12th annual Room to Grow: A Journey to Cultural and Linguistic Competency Conference. This year’s theme was “Expanding Research Horizons in Partnership With Neurodivergent Individuals.” 14 MCDD staff members and trainees attended the conference.
On September 26, van Stone attended the United Way of Central Maryland’s 2024 Women’s Forum, held at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore.
Also on September 26, the MCDD sponsored Disability Rights Maryland’s Breaking Barriers Awards Gala, held at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. The event celebrated individuals and organizations that champion the rights of people with disabilities. Attendees from the MCDD included Ibarra, Legg, Mason-Hale, van Stone and Tracy Wright, People On the Go (POG) deputy director and director of training.
Also on September 26, Mason-Hale exhibited a table for the MCDD at the Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School Transition Fair, providing resources and information to help Baltimore City Public Schools students with disabilities transition to postsecondary education or employment.
On September 27, Dr. Ofonedu delivered a training session, “Family-As-Host Model for Culturally Responsive Practices of Family Engagement,” to leaders, family navigators and coordinators of Spectrum of Hope. This training, sponsored by Spectrum of Hope, is the first of a four-part training series that teaches the “Family as Host” model for culturally responsive practice. Participants learn how to foster better and more comprehensive relationships with culturally diverse families and promote positive health outcomes for everyone in the autism community and beyond.
On October 3, the MCDD, along with the Maternal and Child Health Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) Program, co-hosted a presentation, “Your Next Patient Has Autism: Are You Prepared?” Kennedy Krieger attendees gained valuable insights into effective communication and care strategies to better support patients with autism spectrum disorder.
On October 7, David Mervis, Esq., staff attorney for Project HEAL, Mason-Hale, van Stone, and Hornik attended the Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities Breakfast, held at the Baltimore Marriot Waterfront. The event occurred during Civil Rights Week, October 2–12, 2024, which celebrated the theme “From Protest to Progress,” commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
On October 9, van Stone attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Early Childhood Development and Education Center’s new fully accessible playground. Designed for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, the playground offers opportunities for interactive play that allows children of all abilities to explore, engage and enrich their learning.
Also on October 9, Ibarra exhibited a table at the Howard County Public Schools Transition Fair, held at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland.
On October 10, Dr. Ofonedu gave an Annual Learning Series presentation, “Sexual Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: How Providers Can Help.” This presentation discussed strategies for helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have safe and satisfying relationships.
On October 11, Mason-Hale and van Stone gave an in-person presentation, “The Complexity of Language Within the Disabilities Communities: Why Language Matters,” at a Kennedy Krieger retreat for the following departments: Patient Accounting, Health Information Management, Patient Access, Patient Financial Services, and Compliance.
On October 15, the MCDD held its quarterly in-person Community Advisory Council (CAC) meeting. MCDD staff members and trainees attended the meeting, as did participants from various community organizations and state agencies that serve people with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities. Nellenbach gave an overview presentation about the Resource Finder.
