Vermont Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities

The Vermont Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (VTLEND) trains leaders across the health and education professions to serve children with special health needs and their families.

Our Mission

Our Mission

VT LEND's overall mission is to improve the health status of infants, children, and adolescents with or at risk for, neurodevelopmental and related disabilities, and their families through the development of culturally competent, family-centered, community-based, interdisciplinary leadership professionals. Our mission is directly relating to the purpose of Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) LEND programs.

Our Vision

We envision a state in which all children with special health care needs have medical homes, and coordinated services enabling them to be healthy, included in their communities and successful across their life course.

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Preparing Leaders Across Health Professions

VT LEND is one of 52 LEND programs across 44 states and D.C. It offers long-term, graduate-level interdisciplinary training in neurodevelopmental disabilities for health professionals and is part of the Northeast LEND network.

Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD)

What are Neurodevelopmental Disabilities?

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Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (NDD) encompasses children with intellectual disabilities, motor disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and other related developmental disabilities.

Leadership

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As an interdisciplinary group of leaders; we collaborate with:

Education

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VT LEND provides a 9 month (300 hour) graduate level interdisciplinary training to health professionals focused on the following competencies:

  • Family-centered care: meaningful family involvement in services, teaching and program development.
  • Interdisciplinary collaborative teaming: building collaborative relationships among families, professionals and community service providers.
  • Cultural competence: engaging in culturally inclusive practice
  • Neurodevelopmental disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorders: knowledge and skill development in serving children with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities; promoting optimal health, education and participation in their communities.
  • Leadership: developing trust, communicating vision and a context of empowerment with others toward effective action and systems change.

Our seminars are part of the Certificate in Graduate Studies in the Interdisciplinary Study of Disability.

This web site is partially supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau through grant number T73MC00039.