2021 Center for Disabilities and Development Annual Report

Center for Disabilities and Development ANNUAL REPORT 2021

Building Capacity to Meet Ongoing Challenges At the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), we work together so that people with disabilities and their families enjoy healthy, independent lives in the community. As Iowa’s leader in the field of disabilities, we began 2020 challenged by tightening resources, and the ongoing need to build capacity to meet the demand for clinical services and community supports. Our mission focused on discovering new ways to meet the needs of our patients, families, and communities. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we responded with even more dedication to that mission, as we donned PPE, masking up, social distancing, PATIENT CARE EDUCATION and working remotely. We saw patients via — ILEND — —Clinical Evaluation & Treatment — telehealth, managed state and community programs virtually, and provided webinars and Center for online training for practicing professionals, Disabilities and Development pre-service trainees, and community members.

We invested in innovative services, and expanded RESEARCH COMMUNITY our team. And through it all, we supported — Hawk-IDDRC — — UCEDD — hospital and community efforts to defeat the virus.

At CDD, we accomplish our mission through the collaborative efforts of our Clinical Services, our University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (Iowa’s UCEDD), our Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities program (Iowa’s LEND), and CDD Research.

This year we joined a successful application to bring a new research center to the University of Iowa, the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (Iowa’s IDDRC). To have all three federally funded centers on one university campus is both rare, and evidence of the important work we do at CDD. In this annual report, we proudly share a sampling of our recent accomplishments and ongoing projects, and we offer a glimpse of some things to look forward to in the upcoming year.

Michael Baca, MHA Administrator, Center for Disabilities and Development

Clinical Evaluation and Treatment University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital Center for Disabilities and Development is dedicated to improving the health and independence of people with disabilities and creating a life with opportunities for everyone.

People who come to CDD often have complex health care needs, which is why we use a team approach, bringing together the right combination of experts to help families find answers. At the heart of each team are the patient and family. Other key team members include community providers and our staff.

Investing in Computerized Testing to Support ADHD Diagnosis Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. Patterns of behavior that occur with ADHD may include hyperactivity, and difficulty paying attention and controlling impulsive behaviors. These can disrupt a child’s daily activities at home, at school or during play, and can also affect their development.

Our team cares for people who have: •

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder • Autism Spectrum Disorder • Behavior Disorders • Cerebral Palsy • Cognitive Disorders • Communication Disorders • Down Syndrome • Fragile X • Spina Bifida

This year, developmental and behavioral pediatrician, Marcio Leyser, directed the acquisition of a computerized ADHD testing tool to support the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in our patients. The computerized test takes the patient 15-20 minutes to complete, and the test results are instantly analyzed and reported. The report compares the patient’s results with a group of people of the same age and gender who do not have ADHD.

Clinical services: •

Audiology • Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics • Education • Nursing • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • Psychology • Social Services • Speech-Language Pathology

The test measures core ADHD symptoms— activity, attention, and impulsivity—by recording how often behaviors occur. Performing this test at each visit will show clinicians how, and how much, a child’s behavior might have changed, which provides them with objective feedback on the effectiveness of prescribed medications.

During the upcoming year, Dr. Leyser will lead CDD’s developmental and behavioral clinicians in the rollout of this new testing tool.

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COPING WITH COVID-19 CDD speech-language pathologist Pena Lubrica, recently finished a book project with her therapy patient, Cash Boles.

Cash also illustrated the book.

They used a story map to help Cash tell his story about COVID-19 and how he is coping with the pandemic. The story map helped organize the elements of the story, such as the characters, problems, and solutions. In the process, Pena helped Cash use complex sentences with connectors and descriptions.

The book is available in the Disability Resource Library at CDD.

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Disability Resource Library Located in CDD, the Disability Resource Library (DRL) has information for, by, and about people with disabilities. The DRL has a variety of items available to help with daily living and learning. These include books, DVDs, computer programs, electronics, and physical aids. There are also books and DVDs in Spanish.

In addition to Cash Boles’s book (at left) about coping with the pandemic, the DRL has made other new acquisitions during the year.

Topics include resources: •

To help parents talk with their children about racial justice and acceptance • To learn about autism spectrum disorder • To learn about disability activism and advocacy

Exploring Telehealth

Getting Creative with Badging during COVID

In response to the declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, our developmental and behavioral clinicians began to see patients via telehealth. After a successful rollout, during which our medical team saw nearly 600 patients via telehealth, CDD providers across all disciplines were able to schedule virtual visits with patients.

Developmental and behavioral clinicians are still able to see patients via telehealth, if necessary.

Imagine coming to the CDD during the pandemic and meeting with providers in PPE! To keep everyone safe, our clinicians were wearing masks and face shields, and Hi, I’m Lynette Cooper sometimes sitting behind plexiglass. CDD’s speech-language pathologist, Laura Fisher, imagined this might be scarier than usual for some patients, but was unable to reach out and share a comforting smile with them. Fisher heard about providers who were wearing large smiling photos of themselves like oversized badges, so that patients could “see” the face of the person behind the mask. She shared the idea with co-workers, and CDD’s graphic designer, Leigh Bradford, got to work on the badges.

With imagination, teamwork, and a welcoming “wave,” our staff helped patients and families feel less anxious.

As we do with many programs at CDD, we were able to leverage our resources to share our experience and expertise in telehealth practice with providers around the state. The Iowa EPSDT “Care for Kids” health provider information and training program, which we manage at CDD, featured a lead article in its Winter 2021 newsletter issue, “Telehealth Tips that Benefit the Provider and Patient.” The article focuses on using several evidence-based communication strategies to provide effective communication during a telehealth visit.

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Iowa Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (ILEND) Part of a federally funded, national network, Iowa’s LEND is an interdisciplinary leadership training program for graduate students, family members, and self-advocates. The LEND mission is to improve the health of people with disabilities across the lifespan. ILEND prepares trainees from diverse healthcare, educational, and community disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields, and demonstrate high level, interdisciplinary clinical competence. Clinical and non-clinical trainees expand their skills and knowledge in leadership, cultural competency and diversity, person and family-centered care, policy and advocacy, coordinated systems of healthcare, and related services for individuals with special health care needs and their families.

During the 2020-2021 academic year, in spite of challenges presented by COVID-19 that required many activities to be held virtually, 29 trainees completed assignments to increase their knowledge and skills, and completed more than 370 hours of training as they pursued their research projects. Annual highlights included Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule (ADOS) training, and meeting with Iowa’s federal and state lawmakers to discuss policy, as they do each year.

In May 2021, the trainees participated in the second annual virtual research poster symposium, presenting on research topics ranging from evidence-based sexual health curriculum for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to applied behavior analysis (ABA) knowledge among health professionals in Puerto Rico, to the integration of the social determinants of health into health care delivery.

Early this year, ILEND submitted its successful application for five years of renewed funding. ILEND continues its comprehensive pre-service training and projects, such as its collaboration with Puerto Rico’s UCEDD. The program will begin new collaborations, including working with the Iowa Medicaid EPSDT Care for Kids program, and with IC Compassion to support engaging culturally diverse communities.

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Amber Alaniz

Anna Augustine

Cayley Allison

Christian Cota

SOCIAL WORK

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

AUDIOLOGY

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

Michaela Curran

Abby Denque

Anne Edwards

SPEECH-LANGUAGE

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

PUBLIC HEALTH

Mariela Aviles Font PSYCHOLOGY (PUERTO RICO)

Michaela Goodley

Justin Jensen

SPEECH-LANGUAGE

AUDIOLOGY

Megan Kinnerk

Dayrin Lovan

Rebekka Luebbers

SPEECH-LANGUAGE

FAMILY

MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING

Kelsey McVey

Tessa Meisner

Laura Miranda

Michael Penniman

Zeus Pichardo

Alexa Rosenau

Peggy Schwab

Anna Stell

SELF-ADVOCACY

NURSING

EDUCATIONAL THERAPY (PR)

COMMUNITY

PSYCHOLOGY

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

SCHOOL COUNSELING

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

Carter Stigge

Abby Straight

Drew teDuits

Michael Vratsinas

Guifeng Xu

Hope Yates

Shelly Zeimet

Olivia Zeitner

PHYSICAL THERAPY

SPEECH-LANGUAGE

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

SELF-ADVOCACY

PUBLIC HEALTH

PHYSICAL THERAPY

FAMILY

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF Family Income

Health Care

Transportation

HEALTH

The conditions in which you live, learn, work and age affect your health. Social factors such as your neighborhood, education and health care can play a part in your lifelong well-being.

We are gathering information to help us understand patient needs.

Our goal is to use this data to connect our patients and their families with local resources that can improve their health and wellness.

We appreciate your time and willingness to help us improve our services.

Education

For more information contact Ellen Eulberg at: ellen-eulberg@uiowa.edu

Employment

Center for D

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June 9 & 11 8 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

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June 11

8 a.m. to 4:0

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PRESENTER

ADOS-2 Training

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University Stead Fam of Iowa Children’s ily Hospital

Researching Telehealth This past year, the 2020 ILEND Telehealth Project provided an opportunity for trainees to analyze the question of whether telehealth is an effective and acceptable care model to address problems with access to care in Iowa. The ILEND 2020-2021 cohort was divided into five research groups led by core faculty members to conduct a literature review regarding the following goals: GOAL 1: Learn about the current status of telehealth service provision in Iowa (pre-COVID and currently), with a focus on billing and reimbursement.

This year, challenges posed by COVID-19 heightened LEND trainees’ awareness of the importance of access to health care for families.

GOAL 2: Learn about traditional health care and services within Iowa, including community access and barriers to obtaining quality health care for Maternal and Child Health (MCH) populations.

GOAL 3: Learn about current Iowa telehealth laws and models and compare Iowa’s status to other states, particularly with regards to MCH populations.

GOAL 4: Learn about the history of telehealth practice in Iowa, best practice guidelines for telehealth, and current barriers clinicians face in telehealth implementation.

Dianne McBrien LEND DIRECTOR

GOAL 5: Learn about research evidence for telehealth (in Iowa and nationally) as a clinical service model.

The findings of each literature review were combined and used to formulate a presentation to state legislators, and a poster presentation was presented at the 2021 ILEND Research Symposium. More information is needed to determine where and how telehealth can be appropriately implemented, and it remains unclear, however, whether the emergency provisions enabling expanded implementation of telehealth options will remain in place after the pandemic has passed.

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Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) As Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), the Center for Disabilities and Development is dedicated to the vision of “a life in the community for everyone.” We realize our vision through a series of Core Functions: Pre-service Training & Continuing Education; Community Service; Research, Evaluation & Policy Analysis; and Information Dissemination.

Iowa’s UCEDD partners with Iowans with disabilities, their family members, providers, and many state and local agencies, to improve the health and full community participation of people with disabilities, and to enhance the community supports and services they need. Whether it’s providing training, technical assistance, direct community supports, research and policy analyses, and information sharing, our focus is helping Iowans of all ages with disabilities achieve their goals.

This challenging year taught us we can find new ways of working together to serve Iowans with disabilities.

Derrick Willis

UCEDD DIRECTOR

Connecting People with Support through COVID Recovery Iowa This year, CDD served as one of five contractors hired by the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) to participate in COVID Recovery Iowa, an innovative program funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). DHS received nearly $1 million in funding from FEMA to offer free virtual counseling and referral services to any Iowan affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency. Iowa’s UCEDD was selected for their experience and expertise in getting much needed supports and services to Iowans with developmental disabilities. Iowa Compass, the state’s disability-related information

and referral service, based at Iowa’s UCEDD, led CDD’s outreach on this project.

Iowa Compass hired two virtual outreach counselors to begin the program. They reached out to Iowans with disabilities via web-based meetings and telephone calls, promoting social connections, assessing urgent and unmet needs, and providing basic information about resources. They also helped people with disabilities build coping skills to deal with increased uncertainty, anxiety and grief during the pandemic, when their natural social supports and community services had been reduced due to the COVID crisis. With extended funding, the program continues to provide support, with emphasis on social check-ins. Planning for a more permanent version of the program is underway.

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Extending Iowa’s Money Follows the Person Program Iowa’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) program has been managed

by CDD’s UCEDD since its launch in 2008. MFP supports the transition of people with disabilities from facilities, such as Woodward and Glenwood Resource Centers, to qualified community living. Since 2008, more than 800 individuals have transitioned to community living through the program, and more than 700 have completed 365 days of support from the MFP transition specialists.

Institutionalized at age 9, Community Living Ambassador Tyrome Launderville relishes the freedom he now has to take a walk whenever he wants.

Launching Iowa’s National Summer Transportation Institute Iowa’s UCEDD hosted its first National Summer Transportation Institute in June 2021. Eight students attended this inaugural STEM summer camp for two weeks of virtual activities to learn about careers in transportation and industry, and develop leadership skills and college readiness. Topics ranged from civil and environmental engineering, to electronics for air transportation, to locks, dams and ship piloting, to the Army Corps of Engineers. Experts on all topics presented to the campers. The program was offered in collaboration with the Civil Rights Bureau of the Iowa Department of Transportation, and funded Iowa National through the U.S. Summer Transportation Department of Institute Transportation, STEM Summer Camp for Students in 7 , 8 , or 9 Grade in 2021-22 School Year Federal Highway Mon-Fri, June 21-July 2, 2021 Administration, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. which allowed campers to attend at no cost. All campers received a stipend for completing the program.

The state’s original MFP demonstration grant was extended through 2016, and then additional funding sustained it for another three years. With plans in place for MFP to sunset in December 2019, no new referrals were being taken, and existing transitions were finishing up. But again, funding for the program was extended, and transition opportunities reopened in early 2020. And then came the COVID-19 public health crisis.

During 2020, 30 people had been projected to make the transition to community living through MFP. Still, by the end of the year, a total of 69 people had made the transition, and 49 of those had worked with the MFP employment specialist. This reflects not only the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the MFP program, but also the resilience of the MFP transition specialists, who were unable to work face-to-face with the people making the transition to community living, but who quickly found ways to provide support virtually. With renewed funding, MFP continues to support transitions.

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Minority, young women, and youth with and without disabilities are encouraged to apply. This virtual camp is free and open statewide.

Join us for 2 weeks of virtual learning with hands-on activities to do in your home. The camp is focused on STEM Education, careers in the transportation industry, leadership, college readiness, and more.

Activities Include:

Campus Tour and Career Planning Civil and Environmental Engineering Iowa Flood Center Army Corp of Engineers Hydraulics Wave Basin Locks and Dam and Ship Piloting Transportation Planning and Safety (DOT) Building Roads and Bridges

Streets and Traffic Engineering Trucking and Transit Virtual Environment Labs Driving Simulation and Safety AirCare and Becoming a Pilot Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering Electronics for Air Transportation Air Traffic and Safety

To apply, go to INSTI Application or contact Patti Bahr at patricia-bahr@uiowa.edu for more information.

INSTI is hosted by Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. It is offered in collaboration with the Civil Rights Bureau of the Iowa Department of Transportation and funded through the US Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

The MFP program led to the development of the Community Living Ambassadors program. The Ambassadors are people who have completed the transition to community living through MFP and trained to be spokespersons. They speak at events to help build awareness of opportunities for community living, and encourage others to learn more about its challenges and benefits.

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It is important to have people with disabilities bring their voice and tell us how we can help them.

Working Together to Get Youth with Disabilities on TRAC for Health Care The Center for Disabilities and Development was one of 10 UCEDDs across the country to receive a community-based transition partnership planning grant from the Administration on Community Living in 2020. The yearlong planning grant has supported the work of the TRAC Consortium to establish a communitybased action pilot program to support the transition of youth and young adults with IDD from pediatric to adult health care services in Iowa. Iowa’s transition planning grant is the only one focused on health care services.

Ed Esbeck TRAC TEAM

Making a Commitment to Youth Leadership Iowa’s UCEDD hosted its inaugural summer Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) in August 2020. With funding from the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council, and working in partnership with the Iowa Department of Human Rights, the UCEDD ran the five-day YLA virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Six Iowans with disabilities, aged 15 to 22, from east central and northwestern Iowa, participated in the inaugural cohort.

TRAC Consortium members included: Iowa DD Council, Statewide Centers for Independence, Special Olympics Iowa, Self-Advocates with dual roles, Access 2 Independence, Parents with dual roles, Department of Human Services, Child Health Specialty Clinics, Systems Unlimited, Intellectual Disability-Mental Illness team, Iowa Medicaid, and The Village, Inc.

Each day, trainers presented a new theme for participants, including goal setting, selfdetermination, civic engagement, leadership, and mentoring and social networking. Frequent participant polls and virtual voting were hallmarks of the week-long training, with lots of “thumbs ups” accompanied by upbeat music. At the end of each session, participants set a goal, and reported on their progress the following day.

To begin the project, TRAC conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of which began with a stakeholder survey about providers and services. They received 1100 responses to the survey, from individuals with a disability, their family members or parents, and support staff. TRAC team members learned what people thought made a provider great, and what didn’t work for them. TRAC has applied for a three-year grant to continue the work of the Consortium, and implement the pilot program, “On TRAC.”

The Youth Leadership Academy concluded with a panel of young leaders with disabilities, sharing their experiences and wisdom with participants, and a virtual graduation. The panel included self-advocacy coordinator for Iowa’s UCEDD, Edward Esbeck. Going forward, the UCEDD will host the YLA as an annual summer event.

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CDD Keeps Iowa’s Patients and Families, Providers and Communities Informed Iowa EPSDT Care for Kids Newsletter Each year, a blended team of clinicians and community program staff at CDD lead the Iowa EPSDT “Care for Kids” health provider information and training program. Care for Kids provides Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) benefits to children and youth in Iowa who are eligible for Medicaid. The CDD team supports a website, provider training, and publishes the Care for Kids newsletter three times a year, in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Human Services and Iowa Department of Public Health.

The team’s general pediatrician, Dr. Tope Awelewa, took on the role of executive editor of the newsletter shortly before the pandemic hit, and has led the members of the editorial board in the publication of five issues since then.

Possibilities in Education and Training Newsletter Each year, CDD receives state funding to manage the Conner Training Connection, providing technical assistance and information to help Iowans with disabilities participate fully in their communities.

This includes publication of “Possibilities in Education and Training,” the quarterly newsletter of the Conner Connection. The newsletter features a story about an individual who has made the transition to community living through Iowa’s Money Follows the Person program. It also provides updates on what’s new from CDD’s Disability Resource Library.

Centerlines returning soon…

Centerlines for Patients and Families, the quarterly newsletter of the Center for Disabilities and Development, has been on hiatus while CDD’s communications staff reviews its mission.

We look forward to publishing new issues during the coming year!

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CDD Total Statewide Impact Lyon

Osceola

Dickinson

7

9

Sioux

18

Emmet

26

Kossuth

O’Brien

Clay

Palo Alto

23

35

10

Plymouth

Cherokee

30

19

Woodbury

60

Hancock

Cerro Gordo

8

Sac

Calhoun

5

Howard

Mitchell

13

48

32

14

Worth

26

67

Buena Vista Pocahontas

Ida

 Sioux City

Winnebago

20

14

Floyd

Chickasaw

 Mason City

196

80

35

Humboldt

Wright

Franklin

Butler

Bremer

24

40

20

87

95

Hamilton

Hardin

Grundy

19

54

Webster

27

104

Monona

Crawford

Carroll

Greene

Boone

12

24

35

14

49

Story

 Ames

179

Winneshiek Allamakee

20

Black Hawk

212

22

Fayette

Clayton

77

61

Buchanan

655

54

Marshall

Tama

Benton

89

450

159

Audubon

Guthrie

Dallas

Polk

Jasper

Poweshiek

Iowa

12

10

11

104

3,641

76

141

722

Jones

1,673

370

 Cedar Rapids

7,169

 Des Moines

Adair

Madison

Warren

Marion

Mahaska

Keokuk

Washington

24

14

100

109

90

120

651

Union

6

Clarke

Lucas

Monroe

Wapello

Jefferson

 Ottumwa

17

20

18

17

17

17

396

81

Page

Taylor

Ringgold

Decatur

Wayne

Appanoose

Davis

Van Buren

10

7

7

5

4

24

89

39

Jackson

107

 Clinton

272

 Iowa City

15 Adams

 Dubuque

Clinton

450

Johnson

Fremont

1

Linn

Cass

Montgomery

Mills

361

Cedar

Shelby

88

Dubuque

36

 Waterloo

17

Pottawattamie

2,351 Unreported

Delaware

105

Harrison

 Council Bluffs

1,056 Out-of-state encounters

Scott

Muscatine

 Davenport

1,137

419

1,001+

Louisa Henry

498

150

201–1,000

Des Moines

71–200

323

 Burlington

Lee

16–70

290

15 or fewer  Keokuk

10,326 Total Outpatient Visits for FY21

4,345

1,100 of those were virtual visits (this includes telehealth, video visits, telephone visits, etc.)

Unique Patient Visits

CDD Outpatient Visits Comparison 12,000

11,263

TOTAL VISITS

10,000

10,136

8,000

8,228

8,703

9,174

8,786

10,521

10,352

9,292

10,326

9,113

7,408 6,000

4,000

2,000 0

FY 10

FY 11

FY 12

FY 13

FY 14

FY 15

FY 16

11

FY 17

FY 18

FY 19

FY 20

FY 21

CDD Patient Ages (IN YEARS) FY21 (JULY 1, 2020JUNE 30, 2021)

Visits by Ethnicity

Visits

by Race

FY21 (JULY 1, 2020JUNE 30, 2021)

FY21 (JULY 1, 2020JUNE 30, 2021)

9,318

AGES ● 0 - 2 ● 3 - 5 ● 6 -11 ● 12 -17 ● 18-21 ● 22-54 ● 55+

12 % 25 %

952 53

Non-Hispanic Hispanic

7,993 726

Unrecorded

39 %

20 215

17 %

19

3% 3%

788

1%

57

White Black/African American American Indian or Alaskan Native Asian Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander More than one race Unrecorded

Primary Diagnosis Speech and Language Disorders

Primary Payers for CDD Visits FY21 (JULY 1, 2020JUNE 30, 2021)

49 % ● Medicaid

● Blue Cross

Blue Shield 13% ● Commercial 36%

3 % 0 %

Insurance/Other

● Medicare ● Self-Pay

Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder Behavior and Conduct Disorders Autism Spectrum Disorders Global Developmental Delay Down Syndrome Learning Difficulties Intellectual Disabilities Gross Motor Delay Neurodevelopmental Disorder Anxiety Specific Learning Disorders Muscular Dystrophy Muscle Weakness/Disorder Cerebral Palsy Feeding Difficulties Sleep Disorders Hearing Loss Stereotyped Movement Disorders Coordination Delay Sensory Processing Disorders

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Visits by Department FY21 (JULY 1, 2020JUNE 30, 2021)

l Medical l Speech l Physical Therapy

4,746 46% 1,843

18%

1,016 10%

l Psychology 1,479 14% l Audiology 177 2% 1% l Social Services 141

Occupational l Therapy

l Behavior

Services

237 2%

495

5%

l Education 189 2%

Coming Soon…

A New CDD Playground!

Early in 2020, the St. Ambrose University Dance Marathon (SAUDM) committed to a donation of $325,000 to support and build a new inclusive playground for CDD. But, like many planned projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, the groundbreaking for the playground had to be delayed. In February 2021, CDD clinicians Laura Fisher, speechlanguage pathologist, and Katie Laubscher, physical therapist, attended a fundraiser for SAUDM, where they helped announce the playground project, and thanked SAUDM for their support.

CDD staff provided feedback while the new playground was being designed and features were being finalized. Work finally began on the playground in Spring 2021. It’s possible the official opening may be delayed so that we can continue to assure the safety of our patients, families and staff. But we look forward to years of inclusive fun!

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$6.2m Research Center to Focus on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) are federally funded centers of excellence whose research aims to prevent and treat disabilities through biomedical and behavioral research.

These centers contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based practices by evaluating the effectiveness of biological, biochemical, and behavioral interventions; developing assistive technologies; and advancing prenatal diagnosis and newborn screening.

This year Iowa will become one of only 15 IDDRCs in the country as it establishes Hawk-IDDRC, led by Drs. Lane Strathearn, MD PhD, and Ted Abel, PhD, who is the director of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute.

The Iowa Hawk-IDDRC will fully integrate basic and clinical research across the lifespan—from conception to Hawk-IDDRC adulthood—that is tailored Intellectual and Developmental to an underserved rural Disabilities Research Center population and focused on the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and amelioration of intellectual and developmental disabilities. The research project will collaboratively draw upon 4 Hawk-IDDRC Research Cores to examine the interaction of genetic/ polygenic and epigenetic risk markers in autism and developmental delay, using an innovative smartphone research application called BabySteps, for direct family participation.

CDD joined the development of, and application for, the grant to bring this new research center to the University of Iowa. As previously noted, to have all three of these federally funded centers on one university campus— UCEDD, LEND, and IDDRC—is both rare, and evidence of the important and supported work we do at CDD. We look forward to sharing news of this new venture in the upcoming year.

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The Hawk-IDDRC will help expand the research mission of CDD, integrating it with our excellent clinical care, education and community outreach.

Lane Strathearn, MBBS, PhD, FRACP DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL PEDIATRICS, PHYSICIAN DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR DISABILITIES AND DEVELOPMENT, AND CO-DIRECTOR OF THE HAWK-IDDRC

Iowa’s University Center for Excellence on Developmental Disabilities

For additional information, contact:

University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital Center for Disabilities and Development 877-686-0031 (toll-free); 319-353-6900 (local) uichildrens.org/cdd

The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, gender identity, associational preferences, or any other classification that deprives the person of consideration as an individual. The university also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to university facilities.