The Connecticut Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (CT LEND) program is an interdisciplinary leadership training program aimed at improving the health of infants, children, and adolescents who have or are at risk for developing, neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities, with an emphasis on autism spectrum disorders. The LEND provides training to community members, professionals, family members of individuals with disabilities as well as students seeking interdisciplinary training experiences. Trainees engage in The training program requires the completion of coursework, research studies, advocacy projects and community practicum assignments with infants, children and youth with developmental disabilities and their families. The LEND is funded by the the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No: T73MC30115).

The CT LEND Pediatric Audiology Supplement focuses on audiology education for graduate students as well as working with community partners at the local and state levels. The aim is to improve the identification and management for individuals at risk for hearing loss especially those with neurodevelopmental and other related disabilities, including autism and their families. UCONN is one of 12 programs nationwide that received funding to increase the number of short- and long-term pediatric audiology trainees and to expand didactic content and augment clinical experiences in infant/pediatric audiology. 

For information on the UCONN LEND you can visit: https://uconnucedd.org/leadership-education/

Current Trainees	Former Trainees
	2016 – Olivia Dewald and Casey Turovac 2017 – Julia Garrick and Shannon Wannagot 2018 – Michael Figueiredo Jr and Natalie Silvia 2019 – Maura Beggin and Adam Zhitomi 2020 – Melissa Karp and Kevin Sardy 2022 – Tayla Duntz and Alexis Simons