Center for Disabilities Studies : News
Gamel-McCormick Named Interim Dean of CHEP
Michael Gamel-McCormick, director of the Center for Disabilities Studies, professor of individual and family studies, and interim chairperson of the Department of Individual and Family Studies, has been named interim dean of the University of Delaware's College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy (CHEP), effective July 1. He will replace retiring dean Timothy K. Barnekov. Gamel-McCormick’s interim appointment was made by Provost Dan Rich after neither of the final candidates for the position was selected by the search committee. A decision on a new search will be made sometime during the 2008-09 academic year. See the full University of Delaware announcement from UDaily.
- April 2008
“Moving Youth Ahead in School-age Programs” offered for afterschool program staff
The Center for Disabilities Studies, Early Learning Center, Cooperative Extension of the University of Delaware, and Family and Workplace Connection are collaboratively offering “Moving Youth Ahead in School-age Programs,” a 64-hour professional development training program for staff who work in afterschool and summer programs. Training will focus on the unique needs of school-age youth and planning activities and opportunities that support youth development, goal setting, and leadership, as well as having fun. The program meets the requirements of the Delaware First Professional Development System. The course will begin April 28 and meet from 9:30 am to 1:45 pm Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through June 4 at the Early Learning Center in Newark. Registration, at a cost of $50.00 per person, is required by April 18. See the full University of Delaware announcement from UDaily.
- April 2008
Center for Disabilities Studies Director Position Search
The University of Delaware is seeking a Director of the Center for Disabilities Studies, Delaware’s federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Research, Training, and Service. This is a senior, full time position with faculty rank in the Department of Individual and Family Studies at Associate Professor or Full Professor and a member of the senior management of the College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy. Interested candidates should submit a letter of interest, current curriculum vita, copies of representative or recent publications, brief description of related field experiences, and the names of three references to Professor Steven Eidelman, Chair, Search Committee, 111 Alison Hall West, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716. Phone: (302) 831-6500; Fax: (302) 831-8776; or email: sme@udel.edu. Download the full position description. Position closes April 25, 2008.
- March 2008
UD to offer nation’s first wheelchair dance course
A $10,000 Quality of Life grant from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation will fund a new University of Delaware Collegiate DanceWheels Program during spring semester. The program will be the first accredited collegiate wheelchair ballroom dance course in the nation, offering ballroom and Latin dance classes to people with physical disabilities and their able-bodied partners. The first class meeting is slated for Wednesday, Feb. 13, in Pearson Hall. See the full University of Delaware announcement from UDaily or contact the American DanceWheels Foundation for information on signing up to be a participant in the course.
- February 2008
Inclusive recreation and exercise facilities focus of new CDS initiative
The Center for Disabilities Studies will research, prepare, implement, and evaluate a pilot training about working with and including people with disabilities in recreation and exercise facilities. The training will be provided to staff at the 1614 Fitness and Aerobics fitness centers in Newark and Bear, Delaware. 1614 Fitness and Aerobics has a 50 member strong base of individuals with disabilities who exercise at 1614 Fitness and Aerobics. In partnership with faculty from the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences at UD and staff from the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI), CDS will assist all 1614 staff receive information and skills to enhance their effectiveness in welcoming and including members with disabilities in their facilities, programs, and activities. This pilot project will be available for replication for other fitness and recreations centers upon completion of the pilot. This project is funded by the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council for one-year.
- October 2007
CDS to lead effort to boost employment of those with disabilities
Persons with disabilities seek employment in real jobs and economic independence, and UD's National Leadership Consortium on Development Disabilities (NLCDD) has been selected by the Department of Labor to spearhead this effort, according to Michael Gamel-McCormick, director of the Center for Disabilities Studies and interim chairperson of the Department of Individual and Family Studies. Directed by Steven Eidelman, Robert Edelsohn Professor of Individual and Family Studies, the NLCDD, a project of the Center for Disabilities Studies and seven national partner organizations, has received a grant of $280,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. Nancy Weiss, a researcher with the Center for Disabilities Studies, also is co-director of the consortium. See the full University of Delaware announcement for more information on this new initiative. Visit the website for information on the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities.
- October 2007
UD named a regional research participant in National Children’s Study
The University of Delaware has been named a regional research participant in the National Children's Study--the largest long-term study of children's health ever conducted in the United States. Researchers from UD's Center for Disabilities Studies, the School of Nursing and the Department of Individual and Family Studies, in partnership with Christiana Care Health System and the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, will monitor the health of 1,100 children in New Castle County. See the full University of Delaware announcement from UDaily about the University's role in this important study. For more information about the National Children's Study, visit the official website.
- October 2007
Delaware selected by CMS for Intensive Technical Assistance to Address Workforce
On September 25, 2007 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) selected five states to receive individualized intensive technical assistance (TA) from the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center. The goal of this initiative is to identify and encourage a unified vision to create and sustain a system to empower direct support professionals, providers and consumers with consistent, quality service provision to support a highly trained and qualified direct service workforce. More information is available on the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center website. This initiative will be coordinated by CDS in partnership with the Delaware Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance.
- October 2007
CDS supports developed Department of Education's new career and technical education content standards
The early childhood unit just completed up work with the Delaware Department of Education to format teacher-developed curriculum guidelines based on the state’s content standards and career and national technical education standards. The project coordinated the information into binders and CDs to be available to all Career and Technical Education teachers of AgriScience; Business, Finance and Marketing; Family and Consumer Sciences; and Technology Education. The content standards can be found on the Department of Education's website in late October 2007.
- October 2007
CDS awarded a five-year cooperative grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Delaware State Implementation Project on Preventing Secondary Conditions and Promoting Health of People with Disabilities started on July 1, 2007. This project is a five-year cooperative agreement between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. The charge of the project is to develop a state program that focuses on the prevention of secondary health conditions and the promotion of health and wellness in Delawareans with disabilities. For more information on this project, please visit our Health Initiatives webpage.
- September 2007
Applications accepted now for the Winter Leadership Institute
The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities' Leadership Institute offers a select group of future leaders from organizations across the United States and internationally, the opportunity to come together with a faculty of national experts on progressive supports for people with disabilities. The Winter Leadership Institute will be held January 13-18, 2008 on the University of Delaware campus. More information and an online application are available here. Limited scholarships and fellowships are also available. Applications due October 24, 2007.
- September 2007
School age unit holds successful workshop series
In July, the school age unit provided training for approximately 220 people – primarily educators from Positive Behavior Support schools – during four different workshops (“Family School Collaboration,” “Culturally Responsive Classrooms,” “Functional Behavior Assessment and Support Plan Development,” and “PBS for Preschoolers”). Tweety Yates from the Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations of Early Learning helped facilitate these workshops. For more information, contact Sarah Hearn at skhearn@udel.edu or 831-4896.
- August 2007
Total Life Project application Packet Now Available
The Total Life Project is a model demonstration transition project developed by the University of Delaware’s Center for Disabilities Studies for post-high school men and women with disabilities. Participant enrollment can vary from six months to two years. Applicants therefore will be accepted on a rolling admissions basis. Find more information and the application packet on the Total Life Project webpage.
- August 2007
CDS hosts institute for emerging disabilities leaders
The National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities (NLCDD), a project of the Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS) at the University of Delaware, held its third Leadership Institute, July 15-20, on the Newark campus. Twenty-eight participants (including Cory Nourie, a training coordinator in Adult Services at CDS) and fourteen speakers took part in the event. For more information about this successful event, visit the University of Delaware's news coverage of the institute. Information about NLCDD and the Leadership Institute can be found on our webpage.
- July 2007
New Directions Early Head Start partner receives award
Barbara Boyer, a family child care provider received the 2007 Roxanne Benatti Award for Professional Excellence from the Delaware Association of the Education of Young Children. With her extensive knowledge of early childhood education and child development, Barbara partners with New Directions Early Head Start to serve children and their families.
- July 2007
Board of Directors of the National Coalition on Self Determination to begin strategic planning at Center for Disabilities Studies
The National Coalition on Self Determination (NCOSD) was formed to promote consumer directed supports and self determination. Working with University of Delaware's Professor Steven Eidelman and the Executive Director of the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities
Services, Nancy R. Thaler, NCOSD hopes to focus its efforts and priorities for future years. Click here to visit NCOSD's website.
- August 2007
Second Junior Partners in Policymaking® Summer Institute graduated 13 young adults
The second-ever Junior Partners in Policymaking® program was held June 17-22, 2007 in Clayton Hall at the University of Delaware. Thirteen young adults, ages 15-22, completed the weeklong institute. Highlights of the week included presentations by 2005 Junior Partners graduates, including the LEAD Project’s Blake Bossert; a DJ dance/karaoke party; an Assistive Technology demonstration by Marvin Williams of the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative; and a tour of Legislative Hall and discussion with State Representative Valihura.
- July 2007
University of Delaware Research Centers Support Major Report About Health Status of Adults with Disabilities
The University of Delaware's Center for Disabilities Studies and Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research were contracted by Delaware Health and Social Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities Services two years ago to conduct the first-ever study of the health, wellbeing, and quality of life of Delawareans with all types of disabilities, including identifying disparities in health and wellbeing between Delawareans with disabilities and the general population. The Delaware Health Status Report for Adults with Disabilities is available online.
- July 19, 2007
"Living within the community": News Journal article on Commission report release
In the July 18th issue of The News Journal, the release of the Commission on Community-based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities five-year plan was covered. Read the article here.
- July 18, 2007
Center for Disabilities Studies highlighted in News Journal article
A July 14, article in The News Journal highlighted the upcoming release of the Commission on Community-based Alternatives for Individuals with Disabilities five-year plan and the Health Status Report for Adults with Disabilities in Delaware.
- July 16, 2007
Afterschool Survey Project Underway
The Center for Disabilities Studies is working with families and providers to identify components of quality inclusive afterschool programs in the state of Delaware. Complete our online survey.
- May 9, 2007
Guide to Services for People with Disabilities and their Families available online
The Connecting the Dots publication providing information on accessing services in Delaware for persons with disabilities is now available online. Click here to download your copy.