Officials with Iowa’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and other Related Disabilities (LEND) program at the Center for Disabilities and Development at University of Iowa Children’s Hospital announced that the program has received a five-year, $3.1 million award from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

LEND programs prepare trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles and ensure high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence to improve the health of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities, including autism.

This year’s training class at the UI has 21 trainees from 10 disciplines, including psychology, audiology, speech-language pathology, physical therapy, social work, health administration, rehabilitation counseling, pediatric dentistry, public health, geriatric, and special needs dentistry.

Iowa LEND is under the direction of Lenore Holte, clinical professor and LEND director; Lane Strathearn, director of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics and LEND co-director; and Interdisciplinary Training Coordinator Sue Pearson.

There are currently 49 LEND programs in 42 states, with partnerships and support provided to 48 states and 2 territories.

For more information on the Iowa LEND program, please contact Sue Pearson at 319-356-1172.