News and Notes 473 August 4

birgitta.chaiken - Wed, 08/04/2021 - 12:47

NARIC presents information about the Switzer Fellowship program, which awards one-year individual fellowships, in its Spotlight blog; the recording of the webinar Social Isolation and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) - Findings from the 50-year SCI Longitudinal Aging Study is now available from NIDILRR; This Just In... features a study by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 9 assessing disaster planning of local Offices of Emergency Management (OEM) with respect to people with disabilities, the primary outcome of which was that the OEM implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements was not optimal; the University of Alabama at Birmingham Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Center (UAB-TBIMS) publishes the updated In-home Cognitive Stimulation Guidebook, offering activities to stimulate thinking skills of people with brain disorders; Claire Kalpakjian, PhD, principal investigator for several NIDILRR-funded projects on women with SCI, receives the inaugural Dr. Margaret Nosek Award from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM); the Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures: Building Self-Determination and Community Living and Participation (Pathways RTC) hosts webinar, Supporting Culturally Responsive Practice, where presenters will discuss the implementation of culturally responsive practices in organizations employing young adult peer support specialists; the Pacific ADA Regional Center hosts webinar, Achieving Whole Community Inclusion in Emergency Management; The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services publishes report, COVID-19 and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Date sent: 
2021-08-04
NARIC news: 

Do you know about NIDILRR's Switzer Fellowship program? While the majority of NIDILRR's grants are awarded to research institutions such as universities and rehabilitation hospitals, the Fellowships are awarded to individuals. The one-year fellowships build research capacity by providing support to highly qualified individuals, including those with disabilities, to perform research on rehabilitation, independent living, and other experiences and outcomes of people with disabilities. Visit our Spotlight blog to learn about the most recent Switzer Fellows and their research projects and explore more than 300 publications from current and former Fellows indexed in REHABDATA. Are you interested in applying for a fellowship? Sign up for the NIDILRR Announcements list to hear when the funding opportunity announcement is published.

This Just In: 
Are local offices of emergency management prepared for people with disabilities? Results from the FEMA Region 9 Survey. Journal of Emergency Management, Volume 19(1), Pgs. 7-20. NARIC Accession Number: J86715.
New to the NARIC collection, this NIDILRR-funded study assessed disaster planning of local Offices of Emergency Management (OEM) with respect to people with disabilities (PWD). A cross-sectional study of local OEM from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 9 was conducted using an Internet-based survey. The primary outcome was the adoption of emergency management recommendations by the Department of Justice and FEMA in applying Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It was found that OEM implementation of ADA requirements was not optimal. Areas that need improvement include availability of detailed operating procedures for PWD; training of staff to ensure that they were knowledgeable on the ADA requirements for inclusivity; accessible communication strategies, including emergency notifications; availability of sign language interpreters and access to personal assistants at shelters; engagement of the disability community from plan development to community drills; and having qualified staff and other resources necessary to meet those responsibilities. Participants cited the need for more training on the ADA requirements to better meet the needs of PWD. Access the full abstract and ordering information in REHABDATA.
 
Resource Highlight: 
In-Home Cognitive Stimulation Guidebook
The NIDILRR-funded University of Alabama at Birmingham Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Center (UAB-TBIMS) (90DPTB0015) has published the updated In-home Cognitive Stimulation Guidebook. The guidebook offers activities to stimulate thinking skills of people with brain disorders, providing guidance and structure to individuals and their families as they recover. Each activity provides a group of tasks that can be done in the home at little to no cost and without professional expertise. Tasks are listed by their level of difficulty. Users may select activities that are appropriate to their progress. The guidebook is available in PDF and digital formats.
 
NIDILRR News and Events: 
Social Isolation and SCI Webinar Recording Now Available
A recording of the NIDILRR-hosted webinar, Social Isolation and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) - Findings from the 50-Year SCI Longitudinal Aging Study, is now available. The webinar aired on July 8th. NIDILRR-funded researchers James S. Krause, PhD, and Susan D. Newman, PhD, RN, presented findings from their longitudinal study of people with SCI with a discussion of social isolation after SCI and discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has focused attention on issues of loneliness and isolation. This was the first of a four-part national webinar series on research related to social isolation and loneliness for people with disabilities hosted by NIDILRR.
 
News items: 
NIDILRR Researcher Receives Inaugural Nosek Award
Claire Kalpakjian, PhD, principal investigator for several NIDILRR-funded projects on women with spinal cord injury (SCI), received the inaugural Dr. Margaret Nosek Award from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM). The award recognizes an individual who demonstrates drive and commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, developing standards of clinical practice, raising awareness, and advocating for appropriate health care and community support for women with disabilities. Dr. Kalpakjian's research includes two studies on menopause and SCI, as well as studies on depression after SCI.
 
Grantee event: 
Webinar: Supporting Culturally Responsive Practice
The recently-completed NIDILRR-funded Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures: Building Self-Determination and Community Living and Participation (Pathways RTC) (90RT5030) will host the final consultation webinar, Supporting Culturally Responsive Practice, August 12th, 1-2 pm ET. Presenters will discuss the implementation of culturally responsive practices in organizations employing young adult peer support specialists. Presenters will discuss appropriate training for peer support specialists, necessary organizational practices and values, and addressing oppressive language or ideas. Registration is free and required.
 
Webinar: ADA National Network Learning Session – Achieving Whole Community Inclusion in Emergency Management
The NIDILRR-funded Pacific ADA Regional Center (90DP0081) will host a webinar, Achieving Whole Community Inclusion in Emergency Management, August 12th, 2:30-4 pm ET. Presenters will discuss the many variables of achieving whole community inclusion in emergency management that may impact an agency's core capabilities. Presenters will discuss Colorado's blueprint for achieving whole community inclusion in emergency management and will share strategies to ensure that agencies are planning for and with the whole community. Registration is free and required by August 11th.
 
Elsewhere in the Community: 
COVID-19 Data on Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at the Department of Health and Human Services has published a report, COVID-19 and People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The report highlights the great variation across states in efforts to detect and prevent COVID-19 infection among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and to collect COVID-19 vaccination data. The findings from this report also highlight the state-level collaboration necessary for a successful pandemic response for individuals with IDD. An issue brief summarizing key findings of this report is also available.
 
Archive link: 
http://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=654309&f=1190&s=26993&m=924363&t=635cba0a9267f719dd304fcd1ae764b160681b0bc4432192fe4b80b0dffecb7c