NIDILRR-funded research to support students with disabilities returning to school, college, or technical school. Study on the prevalence of chronic physical conditions and physical multimorbidity among young adults with serious mental health conditions. Adjusting to vision loss course for VR professionals. Mid-Career Award. SILVER Ask Me Anything webinar. RRTC-IDD year two webcast series. Training on Section 504 plans in school evaluation study. Interviewing applicants with disabilities tipsheet.
NARIC News:
Hard to believe, but Summer is winding down and the back-to-school ads have started up! In just a few short weeks, students with disabilities will be headed to classes, including students starting their college and technical education careers. Students with disabilities of all ages can benefit from support inside and outside the classroom to help them meet their goals in education, employment, and participation. We looked at some of the latest NIDILRR-funded projects that are exploring ways to support these students with disabilities at every stage of their educational journey.
This Just In:
Prevalence of chronic physical conditions and physical multimorbidity among young adults with serious mental health conditions. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. NARIC Accession Number: J94401.
New to the NARIC collection, this NIDILRR-funded study assessed the prevalence and number of chronic medical conditions and their association with mental health status. In a survey of young adults (age 18-25 years) with self-identified serious mental health conditions, results showed a notable prevalence of obesity (18.5 percent), migraines (18.2 percent), allergies (14.8 percent), asthma (9.2 percent), and gastrointestinal disorders (9.2 percent). Controlling for all other factors, high levels of anxiety were associated with greater likelihood of obesity and gastrointestinal disorders, while high levels of depression were associated with lower likelihood of obesity. While 23.2 percent reported two or more medical conditions, anxiety but not depressive symptoms was associated with a greater number of co-occurring medical conditions. These findings can inform the design of tailored health promotion and self-management programs to improve outcomes among this population. Access the full abstract and ordering information in REHABDATA.
Resource Highlight:
Course: Adjusting to Vision Loss - What Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals Need to Know
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Employment of People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision (90RTEM0007) released a new course, Adjusting to Vision Loss: What Vocational Rehabilitation Professionals Need to Know. The course provides vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors practical strategies to support their clients through the personal process of adjusting to vision loss. The self-paced course translates psychosocial adjustment concepts into day-to-day VR interactions, service planning, and coordination decisions, with attention to ethical boundaries, role clarity, and documentation requirements. Continuing education credits are available.
News from the NIDILRR Community:
NIDILRR Researcher Receives Neuropsychology Award
Helen Genova, PhD, principal investigator for the NIDILRR-funded project A Strength-Based Tool to Enhance Employment for Adults on the Autism Spectrum (90IFDV0032), received the Mid-Career Award from the International Neuropsychological Society. The award recognizes significant scientific achievements of mid-career researchers. Dr. Genova received the award for her contributions to the field of neuropsychology and scholarship that have significantly advanced the understanding of cognitive and social cognitive functioning across neurological and developmental conditions.
Events:
Webinar: Addressing Cognitive Functioning, Healthy Lifestyles, and Social Functioning in Older Persons with Serious Mental Health Conditions - The Hopeful, Healthy, Lifestyle Program
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Aging Among Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses (90RTHF0007) will host a webinar, Addressing Cognitive Functioning, Healthy Lifestyles, and Social Functioning in Older Persons with Serious Mental Health Conditions: The Hopeful, Healthy, Lifestyle Program, August 20th, 1 - 2 pm ET, part of the SILVER Ask Me Anything series. Presenters will lead an interactive discussion about the Hopeful, Healthy, Lifestyle program and how it may support health and function in older adults with mental health conditions. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar. Registration is free and required.
RRTC-IDD Year Two Webcast Series
The NIDILRR-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Among People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (RRTC-IDD) (90RTEM0013) will host a webcast series, RRTC-IDD Year Two, August 13th through the 27th. Presenters will provide updates on the RRTC's research studies, sharing new insights and key findings about parent and peer mentoring, quality of life indicators, employment supports for college students with IDD, and a new fidelity scale for supported employment. Registration is free and required for each episode.
Opportunity to Participate:
Training on Section 504 Plans in School Evaluation Study
The NIDILRR-funded project Understanding and Improving Access to Section 504 Among Students with Disabilities (90DPGE0101) seeks participants for a study to evaluate training on Section 504 Plans in schools. Participants may be either individuals with disabilities who currently have a Section 504 plan from school or a family caregiver of a child who currently has a Section 504 plan. Participants may receive weekly training sessions or written training materials and will complete related surveys and evaluations. To volunteer, complete the screening survey or contact meghan.burke@vanderbilt.edu or 615/343-1014 for more information.
Elsewhere in the Community:
Tipsheet: Focus on Ability - Interviewing Applicants with Disabilities
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the Department of Labor offers a tipsheet, Focus on Ability: Interviewing Applicants with Disabilities. The tipsheet provides information to help employers and hiring managers ensure maximum benefit from an interview with a person with a disability. The tipsheet also shares resources to assist employers in understanding their responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other laws relative to interviewing job applicants with disabilities.