Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental…

LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL AND RELATED DISORDERS TRAINING PROGRAM - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PROPOSES TO ESTABLISH A LEADERSHIP EDUCATION IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL AND OTHER RELATED DISABILITIES (LEND) PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN GEORGIA'S INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKFORCE SERVING CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DD). THE PROGRAM WILL PREPARE GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE PROFESSIONALS, FAMILY LEADERS, AND SELF-ADVOCATES TO BECOME INTERDISCIPLINARY LEADERS CAPABLE OF IMPROVING SYSTEMS OF CARE, ADVANCING EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE, AND ADDRESSING WORKFORCE SHORTAGES ACROSS HEALTHCARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS. GEORGIA FACES SIGNIFICANT SHORTAGES OF PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN ASD/DD, PARTICULARLY THOSE PREPARED TO PROVIDE COORDINATED INTERDISCIPLINARY CARE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH CO-OCCURRING DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WORKFORCE SHORTAGES ARE ESPECIALLY PRONOUNCED IN RURAL AND UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, CONTRIBUTING TO DELAYS IN SCREENING, DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, CARE COORDINATION, AND TRANSITION PLANNING. FAMILIES FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTER FRAGMENTED SYSTEMS OF CARE, LIMITED ACCESS TO SPECIALTY SERVICES, AND INSUFFICIENT COORDINATION AMONG HEALTHCARE, EDUCATIONAL, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY PROVIDERS. LED BY A TEAM REPRESENTING 8 DISTINCT DISCIPLINES, THE PROPOSED GEORGIA LEND PROGRAM WILL ADDRESS THESE NEEDS THROUGH AN INTEGRATED LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT MODEL ORGANIZED AROUND FIVE TRAINING DOMAINS: (1) DEVELOPING INTERDISCIPLINARY LEADERS; (2) STRENGTHENING INTERDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL COMPETENCE; (3) PARTNERING WITH FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE; (4) BUILDING SYSTEMS LEADERS; AND (5) EXPANDING GEORGIA'S DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY WORKFORCE THROUGH CONTINUING EDUCATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND STATEWIDE DISSEMINATION. TRAINING WILL BE GROUNDED IN THE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH BUREAU LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES AND WILL INTEGRATE DIDACTIC EDUCATION, INTERDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL EXPERIENCES, FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, POLICY AND SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THE PROGRAM WILL RECRUIT AND SUPPORT LONG-TERM, MEDIUM-TERM, AND SHORT-TERM TRAINEES REPRESENTING THE REQUIRED LEND DISCIPLINES, INCLUDING TRAINEES WITH DISABILITIES. LONG-TERM TRAINEES WILL COMPLETE INTERDISCIPLINARY LEADERSHIP TRAINING, QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP PROJECTS, AND INDIVIDUALIZED MENTORING. SELF-ADVOCATES, AND YOUTH LEADERS WILL SERVE AS EDUCATORS, MENTORS, EVALUATORS, AND PARTNERS THROUGHOUT ALL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM. THE GEORGIA LEND PROGRAM WILL BE HOUSED WITHIN THE DAVID RALSTON INSTITUTE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND WILL LEVERAGE LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DBHDD), DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY PROVIDERS, FAMILY ORGANIZATIONS, SELF-ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. BEYOND PREPARING FUTURE LEADERS, THE PROGRAM WILL ESTABLISH A STATEWIDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH CONTINUING EDUCATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE, DIGITAL LEARNING RESOURCES, AND DISSEMINATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES. THE PROPOSED PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO IMPROVE INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKFORCE CAPACITY, STRENGTHEN FAMILY-CENTERED CARE, INCREASE ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED SERVICES, ENHANCE COORDINATION ACROSS SERVICE SYSTEMS, AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH ASD/DD AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGHOUT GEORGIA. BY INTEGRATING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, CLINICAL EDUCATION, FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE, AND STATEWIDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN A SINGLE COORDINATED MODEL, THE GEORGIA LEND PROGRAM WILL CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ADVANCES THE GOALS OF THE AUTISM CARES ACT AND STRENGTHENS GEORGIA'S SYSTEM OF CARE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.