Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders Training Program - The Puerto Rico University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (PR-UCEDD), located at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, proposes to establish the Puerto Rico Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (PR-LEND) Program, the LEND program in PR. Building upon more than four decades of leadership in interdisciplinary education, clinical services, research, technical assistance, family engagement, and systems change, PR-LEND will strengthen PR capacity to prepare leaders dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD), including Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN). PR faces persistent workforce shortages, geographic barriers, health disparities, and limited interdisciplinary training opportunities that restrict access to timely, coordinated, culturally and linguistically responsive services for children and families. The proposed PR-LEND Program addresses these challenges by developing an integrated interdisciplinary leadership training program that prepares future leaders to improve clinical practice, strengthen systems of care, advance health equity, promote family partnerships, and influence public policy. PR-LEND will recruit Long-Term trainees from medicine, psychology, nursing, social work, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nutrition, special education, public health, family leadership, self-advocacy, and other related disciplines. Trainees will participate in a comprehensive curriculum integrating didactic education, interdisciplinary clinical and community-based experiences, leadership development, family-centered care, research, quality improvement, policy and advocacy, and experiential learning grounded in the MCH Leadership Competencies. The program will leverage PR-UCEDD's extensive statewide infrastructure, including the PR Autism Center, PR Family-to-Family Health Information Center, 2Gen Center, the Center for Child Development, the Preschool Development Center, and a broad network of healthcare providers, educational institutions, government agencies, community organizations, and family partners. PR-LEND will also build upon longstanding collaborations with established LEND programs, including the University of Iowa and the Westchester Institute for Human Development, expanding opportunities for faculty collaboration, trainee exchanges, research, and interdisciplinary leadership development. Through competency-based education, family and self-advocate engagement, culturally responsive practice, and continuous quality improvement, PR-LEND will prepare graduates to lead interdisciplinary teams, improve developmental disability systems, expand access to evidence-based services, strengthen family-professional partnerships, and promote systems transformation throughout Puerto Rico. Over the five-year project period, PR-LEND will establish a sustainable interdisciplinary leadership pipeline that increases workforce capacity, strengthens collaboration across healthcare, education, public health, and community systems, and improves outcomes for children and youth with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities and their families. As Puerto Rico's first LEND program, PR-LEND will serve as a catalyst for innovation, leadership development, and systems change while advancing the mission of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau and contributing to the national LEND network.
