We support wellness and mental health for people with disabilities across the lifespan. Health promotion needs to include people with disabilities.
Capacity Building Project
AUCD’s National Center on Disability in Public Health continues its work with the Children’s Mental Health Champions project for a second year. This project is made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Building on the efforts of the year one Champions, 2020-2021, twelve Champions were selected for 2021-2022 to continue to provide timely support for children and their families. The Champions developed state-specific work plans to implement effective strategies for mental health promotion, prevention supports, and the creation of networks (e.g., school, healthcare, and community) to promote better connections between these systems. The 2021-2022 Champions represent American Samoa, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
The Champions serve as liaisons to the CDC’s Children’s Mental Health program and act as community change agents to increase positive parenting practices, through a one-year term of service. This project was made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Learn more about the 2021-2022 Children’s Mental Health Champions today!
Family Interaction Training (FIT) program: A Critical New Tool to Support Families and Communities: Family Interaction Training (FIT) is a behavioral training program designed to help parents of young children with disruptive behavior. FIT materials were developed for use by professionals who work with young children but who are not mental health experts, to help parents learn evidence-based parenting strategies to prevent or reduce challenging behaviors. Learn more about Family Interaction Training (FIT).
Check out wellness resources on tobacco, accessibility, health care access and more in Public Health is for Everyone, an inclusive planning toolkit for public health professionals!
#IDefineMyWellness: In May 2019, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities National Center on Disability in Public Health hosted a Twitter chat, in collaboration with its Wellness and Mental Health Learning Group, to engage the overall disability community in a conversation on what wellness means and encourage the sharing of helpful resources. The hashtag used was #IDefineMyWellness. Checkout the #IDefineMyWellenss Twitter Chat Resource Summary and the #IDefineMyWellness Webinar Recording.
Disability and Health Data System: Disability and Health Data System (DHDS) is an online source of state-level data on adults with disabilities. Users can customize data maps, charts, and tables, making it easy to see information about their state or region. They can identify health differences between adults with and without disabilities overall, and by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Data can be used in presentations, reports, grant applications, or to inform decision-makers. Learn more about DHDS and use the Getting Started Guide to use DHDS data!
Mental Health Aspects of ID/DD
Mental Health Aspects of ID/DD: Discussion group for members of the AUCD Network on mental health for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Subscribe to the listserv to stay up-to-date!