Virginia Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (Va-LEND)

Description:

LEND program provides interdisciplinary training to professionals, family members and self-advocates with an aim to provide integrated services to families and children with disabilities. The purpose of the LEND training program is to prepare trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields and by ensuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. Providing an interdisciplinary training the LEND program prepares practioners to provide better services to improve the health of infants, children, and adolescents with disabilities.

There are 52 LEND programs located in 44 US states, with an additional six states and three territories reached through program partnerships. Collectively, they form a national network that shares information and resources and maximizes their impact. They work together to address national issues of importance to children with special health care needs and their families, exchange best practices and develop shared products. They also come together regionally to address specific issues and concerns. 

Va-LEND is the largest federally funded project at the Partnership of People with Disabilities (Va UCEED) within the Virginia Commonwealth University's  School of Education and it is representative of 16 disciplines from 13 different Programs/Departments from 6 Schools at VCU, the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Longwood University.