News and Notes 519 July 6

birgitta.chaiken - Wed, 07/06/2022 - 13:11

In celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), NARIC presents research from some of the current ADA National Network Centers in its Spotlight blog; Pimjai Sudsawad, ScD, has been appointed Associate Director of the NIDILRR Office of Research Sciences; This Just In... presents a research study on the utilization of complementary and integrative healthcare by people with spinal cord injury (SCI) in the SCI model systems; the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) publishes information brief, New Methods and Technologies for Keeping Systematic Reviews Up to Date; research from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (The RERC on AAC) was highlighted at meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services; the Northwest ADA Regional Center, in collaboration with Oregon Disabilities Commission and Disability Rights Oregon, hosts series of webinars in celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the ADA; the Great Lakes ADA Regional Center hosts webinar, ADA Anniversary Update featuring presenters from the US Equal Employment Commission and the US Department of Justice; the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) hosts the 2022 State of the Science on Disability Statistics Conference; the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Living and Participation launches survey open to Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Providing Direct Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic DSPs Survey, to explore how technology has changed in the field during the pandemic; the White House Office of Public Engagement will host community update calls for members of the disability community, as part of Disability Pride Month, every Thursday in July.

Date sent: 
2022-07-06
NARIC news: 

This month we will celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Since 1991, the NIDILRR-funded ADA National Network has assisted people with disabilities, private businesses and organizations, and state and local governments, among others, in understanding their rights and responsibilities under this landmark civil rights law. They publish information resources, host events, create online learning opportunities, and staff toll-free information lines. Did you know centers within the ADA National Network also conduct research to understand the impact of the ADA and identify barriers and supports to its implementation? Meet the current ADA National Network centers and explore some of their research in our Spotlight blog.

This Just In: 
Utilization of complementary and integrative healthcare by people with spinal cord injury in the spinal cord injury model systems: A descriptive study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Volume 103(4), Pgs. 755-763. NARIC Accession Number: J88636.
New to the NARIC collection, this NIDILRR-funded study examined the use of complementary and integrative healthcare (CIH) by people with spinal cord injury (SCI). 80.3% of the respondents indicated that they were current or previous users of CIH while 19.7% had not used CIH since injury. The most common types of CIH in active use were multivitamins and massage, while the most common previously used type of CIH was acupuncture. General health and wellness and pain were the most common reasons for using CIH. The primary reason for discontinuing CIH was that it was not helpful. The primary reason for not using CIH since injury was not knowing what options were available. These results point to the importance for rehabilitation clinicians to be aware that their patients may be using one or more CIH approaches. Access the full abstract and ordering information in REHABDATA.
 
Resource Highlight: 
Information Brief: New Methods and Technologies for Keeping Systematic Reviews Up to Date
The NIDILRR-funded Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) (90DPKT0001) published an information brief, New Methods and Technologies for Keeping Systematic Reviews Up to Date (PDF). The brief outlines innovations in bibliographic data searching that could help in identifying studies for systematic reviews. The brief examines the changes in the collection of bibliography databases and recent advances in methods for the retrieval of information. Finally, the brief illustrates the potentials that new developments hold for the systematic review process.
 
NIDILRR News and Events: 
Pimjai Sudsawad Appointed Associate Director of the NIDILRR Office of Research Sciences
Pimjai Sudsawad, ScD, has been appointed Associate Director of the NIDILRR Office of Research Sciences. Dr. Sudsawad has been a member of the NIDILRR staff since 2007, leading NIDILRR’s Knowledge Translation (KT) program and serving as a project officer for a wide variety of NIDILRR grants. Prior to her work at NIDILRR, Dr. Sudsawad was a faculty member at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
 
News items: 
AAC and Autism Research Highlighted at IACC Meeting
Research from the NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (The RERC on AAC) (90REGE0014) was highlighted at the meeting of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), hosted by the Department of Health and Human Services in April. Principal Investigator Janice Light, PhD, spoke about the importance of AAC and the research demonstrating its potential to support individuals on the autism spectrum. Dr. Light highlighted the possibilities of personalized AAC options and the opportunity to support independent communication for multiple purposes.
 
Grantee event: 
Webinar Series: ADA's 32nd Anniversary
The NIDILRR-funded Northwest ADA Regional Center (90DPAD0002), in collaboration with Oregon Disabilities Commission and Disability Rights Oregon, will host a series of webinars in celebration of the 32nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), July 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2:30 - 4 pm ET each day. The series will focus on a variety of ADA-related topics, including the impacts of COVID-19 protocols, caregiver workforce shortages, understanding autism, changing perspectives about communication, and the evolution of the ADA. Registration is free and required for each session.
 
Webinar: ADA Anniversary Update
The NIDILRR-funded Great Lakes ADA Regional Center (90DPAD0012) will host a webinar, ADA Anniversary Update, July 19th, 2 - 3:30 pm ET. Presenters from the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the US Department of Justice will provide an update on their litigation, technical assistance, and enforcement efforts. Participants will have an opportunity to pose questions regarding issues in their own workplace or community. Continuing education credits are available upon request. Registration is free and required.
 
2022 State-of-the-Science on Disability Statistics Conference
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) (90RTGE0001) will host the 2022 State-of-the-Science on Disability Statistics Conference, October 6th and 7th, 11 am - 4:30 pm ET each day, in Washington, DC and via live stream. During the hybrid event, experts in disability statistics will provide, describe, and discuss the latest advancements in disability statistic science. Presenters will share insights on new research and methods in disability data collection, analytical techniques, and advanced statistical analyses of key topics. Registration is free and required for both in-person and live stream attendance.
 
Participate: 
Survey of Direct Support Professionals
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Community Living and Participation (90RTCP0003) launched a survey, Providing Direct Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) Survey June 2022, to explore how technology has changed the field during the pandemic. This survey is a follow-up to similar surveys launched in 2020 and 2021. The current survey also asks DSPs and supervisors about their hours worked, changes to their wages, how their mental health has been affected by the pandemic, and whether the daily routines of the people they support are getting back to pre-pandemic levels, among other questions. The survey is open to DSPs and frontline supervisors, including those who completed previous surveys. Additional information about the survey is available online.
 
Elsewhere in the Community: 
White House Hosts Stakeholder Calls for Disability Pride Month
The White House Office of Public Engagement announced it will host community update calls for members of the disability community as part of Disability Pride Month. Calls will occur every Thursday in July starting at 2 pm ET. Administration officials will discuss progress toward delivering on the promises of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of equal opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. Presenters will provide updates and announcements on programs and initiatives that directly impact Americans with disabilities. Calls are open to the public, but closed to the press. Registration is free but required for each session.
 
Archive link: 
http://www.icontact-archive.com/archive?c=654309&f=1190&s=26993&m=933423&t=635cba0a9267f719dd304fcd1ae764b160681b0bc4432192fe4b80b0dffecb7c