Kansas LEND

11/05/2025

If you missed last month's Kansas LEND Family Education Session on Transitional Resources in Kansas... you can check it out here!

As a parent with a child who has been diagnosed with autism or a related disability you don't know what you don't know. The Kansas Leadership Education in Ne...

10/31/2025

Emerging Leaders of Kansas LEND...

Madeline Guizar. I’m a postdoctoral fellow at KU Medical Center and recently completed my PsyD at Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington. I’m originally from Michigan and love being outdoors, exploring new coffee shops, and spending time with friends and my dog, Frankie. I also started playing pickleball, which has been fun! My clinical experience includes therapy and assessment with kids, teens, and adults in a variety of settings.

Since joining LEND, I’ve already had so many meaningful opportunities to expand my skills and get involved. I’ve been able to connect with other trainees, support local childcare providers and clinicians through the Childcare and CARE Projects, and complete trainings in Girls Night Out (GNO) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). I’m especially excited about the Family Immersion Experience and meeting with the Policy and Advocacy Committee, where I can deepen my understanding of advocacy and legislative efforts while supporting children and families.

I’m looking forward to continuing to learn and grow in LEND this year!



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10/29/2025

Did you know that October is AAC Awareness Month?

Wait…what is AAC? AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC is basically any way that a person communicates that is not speaking. For some people, AAC is critical for them to be able to express their thoughts, ideas, needs, and feelings.

At Kansas LEND, we believe that the best communication is successful communication, no matter what it looks like! LEND Trainees will participate in a class about AAC later this semester, and they also have the opportunity to observe AAC Evaluations through the Hearing and Speech Clinic.

Let’s go communicate!

10/27/2025

This week October 30th CST 1pm, Justin Black will be presenting "Foster Youth Community and Redefining Normal: Building The Pathway"
Attendees of this webinar will:
- Explore how family, community, and culture have shaped foster youth’s current sense of “normal.”
- Identify ways to reclaim the narrative and strengthen the image youth hold of themselves.
- Practice tools and reflections that transform challenges into strengths and support building their own vision for the future.

Register for this event here:
https://ow.ly/XG9n50XfBZG

Please note if you cannot make the events you can find the recordings on our YouTube channel to watch as you can!

10/27/2025

Emerging Leaders of Kansas LEND...

My name is Kinley Rex. I am a current second year audiology student from Denver, Colorado. In undergrad, I double majored in speech language hearing science and linguistics at the University of Colorado Boulder. After undergrad, I had the opportunity to work full time at a research lab that analyzed the language acquisition of deaf and hard of hearing children. This solidified my passion for audiology and advocacy. In my free time I love to hike, do pilates, and explore new places in KC!

I am so excited to be part of this year's LEND trainee class. I am looking forward to learning more about advocacy, the implementation of policy, and the family immersion experience. In my research project I hope to explore the implementation of accessible audiology testing for neurodivergent children in a pediatric setting. I hope to create a resource that allows this type of testing to be more easily implemented into other clinics nationally.

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10/21/2025

Tomorrow, October 22nd CST, Dawn Hicks will be presenting "Eliminating Sex Education Barriers Starts at Home- Supporting Caregivers in Identifying and Responding to Sexual Behaviors"
Attendees of this webinar will:

- Name one way caregivers can apply sex education practices in the home setting
- Determine differences between sexual behaviors and sexual presenting behaviors
- Identify at least two ways to respond when sexual or sexual presenting behaviors occur

Register for this event here:
https://ow.ly/XG9n50XfBZG

Please note if you cannot make the events you can find the recordings on our YouTube channel to watch as you can!

10/16/2025

Join us at the KUCD - Kansas University Center on Disabilities Fall festival next week!

The public is invited to this year's annual Fall Festival with KUCD - Kansas University Center on Disabilities. Get to know researchers and staff and learn more about their work. Enjoy refreshments, fun activities, and raffle prizes.

Make your reservations at the link in the comments.

10/01/2025

☕🌍 Happy International Coffee Day! 🌍☕

Just like coffee brings people together for meaningful conversations, advocacy brings us together to create a more inclusive world for people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Today, as we enjoy our favorite cup, let’s remember the importance of community, connection, and inclusion. Everyone deserves a seat at the table — whether it’s at a coffee shop or in the spaces where decisions are made.

Here’s to celebrating the little things that connect us — one cup and one conversation at a time. 💙

09/30/2025

The Kansas LEND Childcare Certification Program (CCP) is enrolling now for spring 2026!

Starting this January, join the LEND CCP’s six-month training cohort to develop knowledge, skills, and processes to better support children with developmental disabilities in your program. The spring cohort is dedicated specifically to childcare center directors, faculty and curriculum support personnel, and other program leaders.

Attend 30+ hours of training on developmental disabilities

Complete real-world application projects to make your learning work for your program

Join a community of practice to network with colleagues and other professionals

Receive individualized support and feedback to strengthen your skills

Applications due by December 1 for priority consideration. To learn more about the program and apply today visit the LEND website:

https://tinyurl.com/LENDCCP

Questions? Contact kansaslend@kumc.edu for more information

09/25/2025

🌟 Exciting news from Kansas LEND! 🌟

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Brenda Salley as the new Director of the Kansas LEND program at the University of Kansas Medical Center!

Dr. Salley is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and licensed clinical psychologist with more than 15 years of experience specializing in early evaluation of infants and toddlers. She also leads the KUMC Baby Lab, where her research focuses on supporting children’s language and social-emotional development.

Her journey with KU began as a postdoctoral fellow at the Lifespan Institute and a Kansas LEND trainee in 2011. Since joining the Department of Pediatrics in 2015, she has continued to make a lasting impact on children and families.

We’re thrilled to welcome her leadership in this new role! 💙

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09/23/2025

The network's response. To the news that came out yesterday from the White House.

🚨 AUCD Responds to the White House’s Autism Announcement
Today, President Trump and HHS officials amplified debunked science linking autism to Tylenol as well as the childhood vaccine schedule, and touted folinic acid “cures,” —ignoring decades of sound research and silencing autistic voices.

The facts:
✅Acetaminophen use during pregnancy has not been shown to cause autism.
✅Evidence for folinic acid as an autism “treatment” is extremely limited.
✅Vaccines are safe and do not cause autism.

Read AUCD’s full response debunking the Administration's dangerous claims here: http://bit.ly/4gBLkCY