Program Overview

Introduction to NvLEND

The Nevada Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (NvLEND) program is designed to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with autism and other disabilities. This is achieved by preparing practicing professionals, parents, and graduate trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by developing high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence.

Program Overview

The NvLEND program considers family and self-advocates as a discipline, and consequently, parents/family members of children with disabilities and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply to participate in the training. The program aims to enhance the skills and knowledge of its trainees in critical disability issues, enabling them to work effectively in an interdisciplinary context.

Application and Recruitment

Each year, the NvLEND strives to recruit trainees to represent each of the disciplines as well as the cultural, ethnic, and geographic diversity of Nevada. The disciplines include but are not limited to:

• Audiology
• Health Administration
• Family Members of Individuals with Disabilities
• Individuals with Disabilities
• Nursing
• Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Pediatrics
• Physical Therapy
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Psychology
• Public Health
• Social Work
• Special Education
• Speech Pathology

Applicants from the professional disciplines must be pursuing a graduate degree (master's or doctoral) or be practicing as a professional with a minimum of a bachelor's degree. There are no educational or degree requirements for family members or individuals with disabilities.

Qualities of NvLEND Trainees

NvLEND trainees should have the following qualities:

• Capacity and willingness to devote approximately 30 hours per month to NvLEND didactic, clinical, and leadership activities.
• Routine access to high-speed Internet connections and ability to utilize email, online meeting programs, streaming video, online instructional programs, webinars, and other Internet resources.
• Ability to spend one weeknight per week attending lectures over Zoom.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to identify issues and areas of concern and bring them forward.
• A sense of humor, flexibility, and adaptability combined with persistence.
• Strong commitment to improving the interdisciplinary system of services for individuals with disabilities and their families.
• Ability to work independently and with interdisciplinary teams.
• Interest in understanding and influencing disability practice and policy across disciplines from a local, state, and national perspective.
• Interest in understanding research and evidence-based practices.
• Interest in developing leadership skills and serving in leadership roles during and beyond the NvLEND experience.

The NvLEND Program Structure

Trainees participate in a minimum of 325 hours of training over a one-year period. Each trainee receives a stipend of $5,000 (contingent on federal funding) for the year to help defray costs associated with participating in the program, including travel and/or missed work time to complete LEND activities. The 325 hours of training are divided between Didactic Seminars, Clinical Experiences, and Leadership Projects.

Didactic Activities

Didactic activities provide trainees with the knowledge of critical disability issues and the background necessary to work in an interdisciplinary context. The didactic training includes Saturday classes, and a once-weekly evening class over Zoom, as well as weekly online assignments and reading.

Clinical Activities

Clinical activities offer trainees an opportunity to experience interdisciplinary services for children with disabilities and their families. Each trainee will attend an interdisciplinary autism assessment located in either Reno or Las Vegas. Trainees will also spend time observing services and programs at Nevada Early Intervention Services and in a Nevada school district.

Leadership Projects

Leadership Projects give trainees an opportunity to participate in a research, scholarly, or systems change project. Trainees will be grouped in interdisciplinary teams to complete the project over the year.

NvLEND Schedule

The program schedule includes a combination of in-person and online activities, with specific dates allocated for didactic seminars, clinical experiences, and leadership projects. The schedule is subject to change due to public health emergencies.

Administrative Structure

The NvLEND is supported through a federal grant with funds from the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act (Autism CARES Act) administered through the Health Resources Services Administration and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The NvLEND is a cooperative project led by the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities (NCED) housed in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Nevada, Reno.