Multidisciplinary LEND Training Participation

Curriculum requirements for trainees in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program are similar across disciplines but vary slightly depending on the type of trainee. The multidisciplinary nature of the program allows trainees to share their unique perspectives with the cohort. All long-term trainees commit a minimum of 300 hours over the course of the year, which typically works out to one full day per week. This time can be put in physically at the Riley Child Development Center, or trainees can work on their project from home and/or within the community.  All trainees receive a stipend to compensate them for time invested in this program. Stipends can be applied to an IU Bursar bill if desired.

Education / Special Education

Education trainees can be graduate-level students in education or special education or current practitioners wishing to expand their skills around children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Often, there is overlap between their LEND project and research being conducted as part of their graduate studies. Education trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics but are welcome to observe them at least once.

Family trainees are family members of persons with disabilities; they are active participants in LEND didactic sessions and are able to share their unique perspectives with the related professionals in the cohort.

Persons considered eligible for the family trainee positions are parents, siblings, spouses and relatives of a person with a disability. Family trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics but can observe them.

Family trainees work with their coordinator to develop a training plan, tailored to their individual needs and desires, which can lead them to future leadership positions in their community.

Some law trainees earn graduate credit toward their degree program through participation in the LEND program. Law trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics but are invited to observe them at least once.

Nursing trainees participate in LEND training in a variety of different ways, depending on their desired training outcomes. Graduate-level nursing students as well as currently practicing nurses have used their LEND experience to refine and expand their nursing skills in the developmental disabilities community.

Nursing trainees are active participants in monthly didactic sessions and have the option of rotating through the Riley Child Development Center interdisciplinary evaluation clinic.

Graduate-level OT students, as well as currently-practicing occupational therapists, have used their LEND training to refine and expand their skills in the developmental disabilities community. Occupational Therapy trainees may participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics, as their training and supervision needs allow. Often there is overlap between their LEND project and research being conducted as part of their graduate studies.

Pediatrics trainees typically participate in LEND training during their pediatrics residency. Many pediatrics resident trainees are only involved with the LEND program through participation in the Riley Child Development Center evaluation clinic as part of a core rotation in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities or a more-involved elective in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities or Developmental Pediatrics.

Trainees that are currently in medical school at IU School of Medicine can explore neurodevelopmental disabilities through the Riley Child Development Center LEND evaluation clinic during a pediatrics clerkship elective or neurodevelopmental disabilities research elective.  Medical students outside of Indiana University School of Medicine also have similar opportunities and should contact the coordinators for further details.

Trainees that participate in the three-year fellowship in Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics are involved in the clinic as well as active participants in monthly didactic sessions and project work. Often, overlap exists between their LEND project and research being conducted as part of their fellowship.

Dental trainees typically participate in LEND training during their pediatric dental residency. Dental trainees are active participants in monthly didactic sessions as well rotating through the Riley Child Development Center interdisciplinary evaluation clinic. Dental trainees attend required monthly didactic sessions and spend time in the Riley Child Development Center clinic. Homework and project work are completed on their own time. Often, overlap exists between the LEND project and research being conducted as part of their dental residency.

Physical Therapy trainees often work on their project from home or within their school. Overlap usually exists between their LEND project and research being conducted as part of Physical Therapy training. Physical Therapy trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics but can observe them at least once.

Psychology trainees have multiple levels of participation in the LEND program. Some choose to participate in the LEND program as an additional training during graduate school. Others participate in LEND training and clinics to fulfill practicum requirements while gaining clinical and testing experience under the supervision of LEND faculty. Both of these options require the full commitment of at least 300 hours to the program over the course of the year.

The third long-term LEND training option is to participate as a post-doctoral fellow in psychology, participating in LEND training and clinics while putting in supervised hours and preparing to take a licensing exam. Fellows are full-time employees at the Riley Child Development Center LEND and receive a larger stipend; they are expected to put in a full year at the RCDC.

All long-term psychology trainees are required to spend one day a month in the Riley Child Development Center classroom on the Indianapolis campus, as well as complete a LEND project.

Public health trainees often work on their project from home or within the community, and overlap typically exists between their LEND project and research being conducted as part of their graduate studies. Public health trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics, but they can observe clinics.

Self-advocates are individuals with a neurodevelopmental disability, such as autism, ADHD,  intellectual disability, or genetic disorders, who are interested in participating in the LEND training program. Self-advocates are active participants in LEND classroom learning sessions and are able to share their unique perspectives with the related professionals in the cohort.  Self-advocate trainees spend their time at the Riley Child Development Center or work from home or in the community. Self-advocate trainees do not regularly participate in the Riley Child Development Center clinics, but they can observe them. The stipend for self-advocate trainees can be distributed in different ways to ensure the program does not affect eligibility for income-based services.

Self-advocates who wish to apply can complete the self-advocate application.

Social Work trainees are active participants in monthly didactic sessions as well learning through supervised experiences in the Riley Child Development Center interdisciplinary evaluation clinic. These trainees can be graduate-level students in social work or current practitioners wishing to expand their skills around children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. The LEND training program often meets internship or practicum placement requirements for social work trainees.

Speech-Language Pathology trainees have multiple levels of participation in the LEND program. Some spend their time only in the Riley Child Development Center evaluation clinic for a short practicum experience under the supervision of LEND faculty. Others choose a longer post-graduate fellowship, which combines more extensive hours and responsibilities in the clinic along with the LEND didactic and project-based learning. Fellows are full-time employees at the RCDC LEND, receive a larger stipend and are expected to put in a full year at the Riley Child Development Center.