LEND CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION

LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities) is an interdisciplinary leadership training program, funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the federal government at 52 sites.

The LEND Program at WIHD is a two-semester interdisciplinary leadership training program. LEND trainees include graduate students and post-doctoral fellows; self-advocates; and family members of children and adults with disabilities. Through participating in LEND, trainees develop knowledge and skills they will need to become leaders working with and on behalf of children with disabilities and other special health care needs, and their families, to improve health outcomes and decrease disparities.

The LEND Curriculum consists of three courses:

Overview of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Systems of Care (NDSC)
Course Director: Jenean Castillo, PhD
Course Description: NDSC Course Description 2025-2026

Seminar in Evidence-Based Methods (SEBM)
Course Director: Jenna Lequia, PhD
Course Description: SEBM Course Description 2025-2026

Interdisciplinary Leadership in Action (ILA)
Course Director: Jenean Castillo, PhD
Course Description: ILA Course Description 2025-2026

LEND PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Introduction to the MCH Competencies

At the beginning of the LEND year, LEND introduces trainees to the MCHB Leadership Competencies through a series of interactive learning activities. These activities include a session during which trainees read each competency and share their comments, questions, reflections, connections, and summaries in relation to the competencies. In teams, they create a document called “MCH Competencies in Our Own Words”. Trainees review a sample of well-known leadership quotes, chose a quote that they personally connect with and explain how the quote relates to the MCH competencies, as well as to their hopes/dreams for their own leadership. To learn more about these activities and to see samples of the trainees’ work, go to https://mchb.hrsa.gov/training/leadership-00.asp

Introduction to Leadership

This series of interactive learning activities asks trainees to reflect on the concept of leadership. The learning activities targeted MCH Competency 2 (Self-Reflection and MCH Competency 3 (Ethics and Professionalism). Trainees self-reflect, read literature, engage in conversations with colleagues, watch a short video, and create a visual representation of themselves as leaders.

Values in Disabilities Book Discussion

In order to work effectively with and on behalf of children and adults with disabilities and family members, leaders must develop skills for and commitment to being attuned to the viewpoint, rights and perspectives of people with disabilities and their families. This assignment is one of several LEND experiences designed to help trainees accomplish this goal. Over the summer, trainees, faculty, and others read one of a selected group of books by or about people with disabilities, guided by the “Values in Disabilities Book Assignment”. During a LEND session at the beginning of the year, they discuss their assigned books.

Life Course Theory and Social Determinants of Health

LEND Trainees at WIHD are learning how to apply knowledge of Life Course Theory and Social Determinants of Health to their work with children with disabilities and their families. One of the learning experiences is a session in which LEND trainees play the “Life Course Game” and debrief their experiences with the game.

Disability Policy Seminar

LEND Trainees visits Capitol Hill as part of their experience at the Annual Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC.

LEND Trainee Presentations to State Level Partners

LEND trainees make an impact by sharing the results of their research at an annual meeting with representatives from the Department of Health in Albany and other state-level partners.

LEND Trainee Poster Session

At the poster session, LEND trainees and faculty share their research findings.