Community Health Improvement Program for Intellectual Disabilities

11/03/2025

🌟 Are you ready to SPEAK UP? 🌟

We’re excited to be part of this year’s SPEAK Up Conference, where we’ll join other amazing speakers in empowering self-advocates, families, and caregivers to use their voices and make a difference! 🗣️

🌟 Are you ready to SPEAK UP? 🌟

The SPEAK Up Conference is all about empowering self-advocates, family members, and caregivers to use their voices and make a difference. 🗣️ Whether it’s in your community, at work, or with policymakers — your voice matters!

This year, KCDD and Down Syndrome Innovations are teaming up to offer two tracks at this year’s conference! We are offering a Self-Advocate Track and a Parent/Caregiver Track. The Self-Advocate Track will provide panels and hands-on workshops to give self-advocates the tools they need and will teach them how to be effective self-advocates. They will specifically learn how to ask for accommodations, find a job that best fits their interests/passions, set goals, be independent, and bring their ideas to life. The Parent and Caregiver Track will provide panels and trainings to help their self-advocates succeed and live their best lives possible. They will learn about all the available supports they will need for their self-advocates and to take care of themselves.

Don’t miss it! Sign up today 👉 https://form.jotform.com/251474110377150
☀️ Agenda: https://www.kcdd.org/speakup2025

📅 [11/8/25 from 8 am - 3 pm]
📍 [KU Edwards Campus - 12610 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66213]

10/30/2025

👋Let’s meet Keith Smith

💼 What is your position: Senior Research Associate
as a Senior Research Associate for the Brain Health Program for Down Syndrome and the Metabolism and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Laboratory at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. In this role, I bring technical expertise to studies that explore how metabolism and brain function intersect, with the goal of improving outcomes for people with Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.

📆How many years have you been working here?
He has been at the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at KUMC for two years now.

🌎 What led you to this Career Path?
He has always been deeply curious about life. How it works, why it changes, and how we can use that knowledge to make a difference! Biology gives me the opportunity to turn my curiosity into a purpose. My motivation to improve lives is also personal. My brother Randy has Down syndrome, and his experiences have shaped Keiths passion for understanding and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. That’s why the work we do here at the Community Health Improvement Program for Intellectual Disabilities feels more like a calling than a career.

🫐 🥝 What's your favorite Workday Snack?
Keiths favorite workday Snacks are coffee and fruit.

10/28/2025

🎃 Welcome back to Tip Tuesday! 🦷
This Halloween, we’re focusing on dental hygiene — so let’s dive right in! 👻

Good dental hygiene means keeping your mouth, teeth, and gums clean and healthy. 🪥
That includes daily care like brushing and flossing to keep your smile bright and strong! 😁✨

10/23/2025

👋 Let’s meet! Greta Foye

💼 What is your position: Program Assistant

📅 How many years have you been working here: Greta has been working with us for about 1 year

💬 What led you to this career path? Greta is a people person and loves working in customer service. She also has always wanted to make a difference in the world! 🌎💙

🍎 Greta’s favorite workday snack: Any kind of fruit 🍓🍊🍇

10/20/2025

💙 October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month! 💙

At the KU Community Health Improvement Program for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities, we’re celebrating by raising funds to support our mission of improving health, independence, and quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Through programs in physical activity, nutrition, weight management, and brain health, our team works every day to create opportunities for inclusion, wellness, and empowerment.

Your support helps us continue this important work — expanding community programs, training future healthcare professionals, and advancing research that drives real change.

🌟 Your gift makes a difference:
✅ Supports inclusive cooking and fitness programs that promote health and independence.
✅ Trains the next generation of healthcare providers to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care.
✅ Fuels groundbreaking research to improve long-term health outcomes.

Together, we can build a healthier, more inclusive future for individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. 💪

🎥 Learn more about our work and meet some of the amazing people behind CHIP-ID:
👉 Watch our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8EVVoSK5BA

💛 Support CHIP-ID today! Every gift helps us make an impact:
👉 https://launchku.org/campaigns/2025-chip-in-for-chip-id-community-health-improvement-program-for-individuals-with-intellectual-disabilities

⸻

The KUMC Community Health Improvement Program for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (KU CHIP-ID) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of individuals with intellectual disabilities through evidence-based programs in physical activity, nutrition, and weight management. As a cen...

10/17/2025

🌟 It’s not too late to register for Disability Mentoring Day! 🌟

📅 When: Wednesday, October 21
📍 Where: MidAmerica Nazarene University

Join us for a fun, interactive, and informative day featuring:
💼 Mock Interviews
📝 Resume & Application Assistance
🎤 Presentations & Guest Speakers
🤝 Employer Meet & Greets
💡 Connections with Service Providers
🏋️‍♀️ Fitness Breaks (HOSTED BY YOURS TRULY 😄)
🍴 Free Lunch & MORE!

Don’t miss this great opportunity to build your career skills, meet professionals, and have fun!

👉 Learn more & sign up here: https://dmdkc.org/

10/16/2025

Today, we would like to highlight Amy and Lauren for our Staff Spotlight for National Boss Day! We are so thankful for all they do!

Amy Bodde

• What is your position? Amy is a Research Assistant Professor
• How many years have you been working here? Amy has been working for us for about 3 years
• What led you to this Career Path? Amy has worked with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities since her first job as a teenager with Ability Point’s YESS program in Wichita, KS. She dedicated her research career to supporting the health and quality of life of people with IDD and their caregivers!
• What's your favorite Workday Snack? She likes to eat an apple at work every day!

Lauren Ptomey

• What is your position? Associate Professor and Director of CHIP
• How many years have you been working here? Lauren has been working with us for 15 years
• What led you to this career path? She wanted to help people with disabilities live longer, healthier lives, and when she realized how few researchers were doing that work, she knew that she found her in purpose in her life!
• What's your favorite workday snack? Greek yogurt keeps her fueled most days, but when she needs a little motivation, Nerds Gummy Clusters are her secret weapon!


Make sure to show some love for your bosses today!

10/15/2025

Welcome back to episode 2 of Chip Chat! In today’s episode, we are discussing the clinical research experience. You will hear from Katie about her personal experience as a study participant and part of the research team so you know what to expect if you decide to join a research study. Thank you for listening! Please follow and like to stay up to date with the latest episodes! 🎧

10/10/2025

Check out this great community opportunity! CLUB CAN is a nonprofit providing socialization opportunities for neurodivergent individuals in the Kansas City Metro. Check our their page for all their upcoming events! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090703227682

10/09/2025

We just wanted to say THANK YOU for getting us to 200 followers! It means so much to us and we are so excited to keep growing this page and helping those with intellectual disabilities. 💛

10/08/2025

Our team member, Greta Foye, has just published her first paper sharing her experience as a person with Down syndrome participating in clinical trials! 🎉 We are so excited for her voice and perspective to be heard by all!

Life expectancy for individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has increased significantly over the past 60 years, drawing greater attention to Alzheimer's disease (AD), now the leading cause of death in th...

10/04/2025

Perfect Day at the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk. Stop by the Adult Village and say “Hi!”