News & Updates

Results from NADD Membership Survey

In order to better understand and serve our members, NADD asked members to complete a short survey.  Click here for a report on results of this survey.

Association between ASD and Ozone Exposure

Research published in Environmental Health Perspectives demonstrates increased incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders associated with prenatal exposure to ozone and particulate matter.   Click here to read this research article.

Ruedrich Appointed Lenkoski Prof. of Psychiatry

We are pleased to announce the Stephen Ruedrich, MD, a member of the NADD Board of Directors, has been appointed the L. Douglas Lenkoski, MD Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Schizophrenia & Autism

Jarrett Barnhill, MD, writes about the relationship between autism and schizophrenia in his “Neuroscience Reviews” article in the January/February issue of The NADD Bulletin.   Click here to read this article.

Henry Leland: 1923-2013

We note with sadness the passing of Dr. Henry Leland.  Dr. Leland served as chief of psychology at the Nisonger Center and a Professor at Ohio State University from 1970 to 1993.  Prior to that, he had spent almost twenty years working as a clinician and researcher in institutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities.  Dr. Leland’s advocacy included working for deinstitutionalization and being an expert witness for those with developmental disabilities.

Massachusetts Files Motion Against Judge Rotenberg Center

The Massachusetts governor’s office has moved to vacate the 1987 consent decree that has permitted the Judge Rotenberg Center to use aversive, including electric shock, as long as a judge approves their use on each individual.  If this motion is approved, it would give the state more flexibility to regulate Rotenberg’s operations, including taking its use of shock treatment into account during a licensure review or other regulatory proceedings.  Click here to read the Boston Globe article about this.

DM-ID-2

NADD is beginning work on the revision of its seminal Diagnostic Manual – Intellectual Disability (DM-ID).  Click here for details.

2013 Disability Policy Seminar

Make your plans to attend the 2013 Disability Policy Seminar in Washington, DC, April 15-17 and take advantage of special early registration and hotel rates until March 12.  Click here for details

Early Detection Screen for Dementia

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices has produced a tool that can be used by both families and agencies/organizations to record information about persons with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities who may be showing early signs of functional decline.  For further information about the NTG-Early Detection Screen for Dementia (NTG-EDSD) or to download this tool, click here.

Webinar Series on Dementia and IDD

The National Task Group (NTG) on Dementia and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) announces their first webinar series addressing the challenges related to the increase in the diagnosis of dementia for adults with IDD, their families, health care providers, and support agencies. This series is a result of a year of collaboration amongst members to identify the issues and potential solutions.  Click here for details. 

Postdoctoral Fellowship in ASD Treatment and Care Research

York University in Toronto, Ontario, is inviting applicants to apply for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.  Click here for information.

Thank You for Another Successful Annual Conference

Lisa Christie, NADD Conference Planner

 NADD is back from another successful conference that took place at the leisurely Omni Interlocken Resort in Denver (Broomfield), Colorado where attendees ventured between the cities of Denver and Boulder, CO.  Approximately 330 people, including 25 walk-ins, attended from more than twenty different states as well as from Canada.  All of us present, soaked up some of Denver’s year round sunshine and panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains.  We hope you all enjoyed it!

For details of the conference, click here.

NADD Training and Monitoring Contracts

Over the past two years, NADD’s work on behalf of individuals with co-occurring mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities has included large contracts in the states of Pennsylvania and Montana.  Click here for details.

Benson Elected Fellow of the APA

Betsey Benson, PhD, a long-time, active member of NADD, has been elected as “Fellow” of the American Psychological Association.  Dr. Benson is director of the Adult Behavior Support Services Program at the Ohio State University Nisonger Center.  Click here for news release.

Documentary  “Dual Diagnosis: The Long Way Home”

“For families in this country raising children with severe disabilities… the medical system can be daunting. And for medical professionals, these cases can be very problematic… patients who cannot communicate their ailments can go undiagnosed or even misdiagnosed.”

To listen to a CBC documentary, “Dual Diagnosis: The Long Way Home,” about the story of one Ontario couple whose son suffers from multiple mental and physical disorders, click here.

Dr. Fletcher Speaks about DM-ID-2

While Dr. Robert Fletcher was at the IASSID World Congress in Halifax, Nova Scotia this past July, he was interviewed by Peter Koedoot from the Netherlands. The interview was based on the DM-ID 2. Parts of this interview can be seen on youtube at this link.

Bridging the Gap Between Family and DSP Perspectives

The NADD Family Issues Committee is hosting an interactive presentation at the NADD Annual Conference in Denver bringing together a group of parents, some of whom are also providers, to share their experiences and concerns.

Laurie Raymond, who is both a parent of a child with a dual diagnosis (DD/MI) and a provider of services, has written about the importance of families and DSPs recognizing and honoring the contribution that the other makes in the care of individuals with a dual diagnosis.  Click here to read “Bridging the Gap: A Mother’s Perspective.”

Robert J. Fletcher, DSW, Awarded AAIDD Leadership Award

Robert J. Fletcher, DSW, Founder and CEO of NADD, received the 2012 AAIDD Leadership Award at the 136th annual meeting of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) on June 20th.  The AAIDD Leadership Award is given for courage and dedication resulting in an outstanding contribution to the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

ID/MH Collaboration

NADD is developing an Intellectual Disability/Mental Health (ID/MH) collaborative to share information among ID/MH providers and professionals. This collaborative will provide resources as well as serve as a network for clinical referrals and collaborative research.

Please click on the very brief survey below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/IDMHconsortium

National Plan on Dementia and Adults with ID

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices has issued a plan for improving the community care of adults with ID affected by dementia.

To read a report about the plan, “‘My Thinker’s Not Working’: A National Strategy for Enabling Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Affected by Dementia to Remain in Their Community and Receive Quality Care,” click here.

Click here to read the Executive Summary.

NADD Psychopharmacology Special Interest Group: Sign up for email alerts/listserv access now

Do you have an interest in connecting with your colleagues who prescribe psychotropic medications to individuals with Co-occurring Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health Issues? To be added to the email list, please send your email address/name/organization/occupation in an email to Judie Johnston at jjohnston@thenadd.org.

Psychotherapy SIG Web-Based Discussion Group

The NADD Psychotherapy Special Interest Group welcomes NADD members to participate in a newly formed web-based discussion group, where they intend to explore subjects related to the study and practice of psychotherapy for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. To be added to the email list, please send your email address/name/organization/occupation in an email to Bronwyn Robertson, bronwynrobertson.lpc@gmail.com.

Family Members Welcome

If you are a family member and are interested in networking and discussing a variety of topics with other family members, the NADD Family Issues Committee may be able to help you learn from others who have been there and done that. Contact Julia Pearce @ runnamokk@hotmail.com to become a part of the Committee.