Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders Training Program - The Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) Texas Lifespan Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program will establish a regional, interdisciplinary training initiative anchored in the Division of Developmental Pediatrics at BCM, with Texas Children’s Hospital as the primary teaching site. Located in Houston, Texas, this center serves a large and medically underserved population of children and adolescents, including individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities (DD), many of whom experience disparities in access to timely, coordinated, and culturally and linguistically appropriate care across the lifespan. Families frequently encounter delayed diagnosis, limited access to comprehensive evaluations, fragmented systems of care, and prolonged wait times for supportive services. Despite regional resources, critical gaps persist across medical and social systems in lifespan care and workforce training. The Texas Lifespan LEND program addresses these gaps through a strategic partnership with the BCM Transition Medicine Clinic, the only academic clinic of its kind in Texas serving adults with autism/DD and ensuring continuity of care after transition out of pediatric care. This program also leverages established MCHB funded programs at BCM, including the Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) and Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (LEAH) training programs. Local, state, and national partnerships include BCM’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC), regional University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities (TCDD), Harris Health System, Title V programs, and national organizations such as the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), the National Fragile X Foundation, the Spina Bifida Association, and DBPNet. Uniquely positioned within the Texas service landscape, this program capitalizes on the intersection of healthcare, education, and community systems that support individuals across the lifespan. Community partnerships extend beyond clinical settings to include schools, intervention programs, and social and civic institutions, reflecting the environments in which individuals with autism/DD live, learn, and participate. This cross sector integration supports training that is responsive to lived experience and community based systems of care and support. Trainees participate in interdisciplinary didactic, clinical, leadership, research, and community based experiences across healthcare and social systems, with training focused on screening, assessment, diagnosis, intervention planning, and quality of life outcomes across the lifespan. Family members and self advocates are fully integrated as trainees, faculty, and program leaders, including active roles in program governance, curriculum development, and evaluation, ensuring lived experience is centered throughout all training activities. Training is delivered through a mixed modality format, leveraging advanced technology to provide engaging in person and asynchronous learning. Community based site visits further expose trainees to service systems across healthcare, education, employment, and community contexts. A comprehensive evaluation framework supports continuous quality improvement and accountability through ongoing monitoring of trainee competencies, interdisciplinary collaboration, and systems level outcomes. This proposal responds directly to the LEND Notice of Funding Opportunity by delivering accessible, interdisciplinary leadership training that addresses gaps in access and outcomes, strengthens cross sector partnerships, advances population health, and centers lived experiences. Fully developed and ready for immediate implementation upon award, the Texas Lifespan LEND program will expand workforce capacity and improve outcomes for individuals with autism/DD and their families across the lifespan.
