What is LEND?

LEND is a nine-month, 300+-hour interdisciplinary training program that incorporates both didactic and experiential learning in clinical and community-based settings. LEND prepares graduate students, self-advocates, family members, and practicing professionals to become future leaders in maternal and child health fields and to address the needs and priorities of children with autism-spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families.

There are multiple LEND programs across the United States. The LEND program offered by HDC will hereafter be referred as Louisiana LEND, or LA LEND. The trainees are referred to as scholars. A faculty mentor is assigned to support scholars to complete and master components of the LA LEND program. This is a feature of some, but not all, LEND programs. More information can be found by visiting the LA LEND website. You can also connect with us on social media:

  

Who is a LEND Trainee/Scholar?

A LEND trainee or LEND scholar is someone selected to participate in the LEND program to develop their leadership in Maternal Child Health skills. They may be a graduate student who plans to work with individuals with disabilities, a parent of a child with a disability, an adult with a disability, or a practicing professional who wants to share their experience and make their voice heard. The LEND program helps scholars develop their own knowledge and skills as a leader in MCH fields while they learn from each other. 

 

To be eligible for acceptance into the LA LEND training program, trainees MUST be able to complete ALL of the program components listed below.

• A mandatory, 2-hr LEND Orientation to be held July 18, 2025 via Zoom from 1pm to 3pm.
• Foundations Week in Maternal and Child Health: A week-long intensive course that takes an in-depth look at issues and concepts in maternal and child health
  • Location: LSU Human Development Center located at 411 South Prieur St. in New Orleans.
  • Monday-Thursday, August 4-7, 2025, from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
  • Friday, August 8, 2025, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
• Seminars in Maternal & Child Health Topics & Leadership Development
  • Bi-weekly didactic seminars with embedded training to prepare for clinical/community experiences to build content knowledge and develop leadership skills
    • Beginning on August 22, 2025 through April 24, 2026 (exception, No 4^th Friday Seminar in December)
    • Scheduled for every 2^nd and 4th Friday from 12:30 – 4:30 pm
      • 2^nd Fridays - Mandatory IN-PERSON
      • 4^th Fridays- Mandatory VIRTUAL
      • Note: Rare exceptions to schedule for LEND multi-state collaborative experiences. Dates to be provided in advance when available. We try our best to work the dates into existing scheduling, but that is not always possible.
    • Monthly Cohort-Led Seminars- Scholars will coordinate & meet independently with a small group of LEND peers to complete activities and lessons that build content knowledge and develop leadership skills.
• Concurrent clinical/field experiences
  • Each trainee signs up on a first come, first served basis for a variety of in-person experiences to enhance their knowledge base (i.e., NICU, ASD Interdisciplinary Diagnostic clinic, Developmental and ASD screenings at various locations, Inclusive School observation, Genetics lab, MIECH-V case conferences, Late Effects Clinic, Delgado/Paycheck programs, and other new opportunities that become available)
    • Note: These dates do NOT concur with Seminars but are an additional time commitment for scheduling considerations. Be advised, most experiences are hosted at a site in New Orleans and during working hours between 9a-5p.
• Family Mentoring Experience/Alternative Special Interest Group Experience
  • Each Student Trainee is paired with a family/student for a year-long mentorship experience to better understand the “lived experience” of individuals and families with children with disabilities
    • 6 visits total (1 visit per month)
  • Each trainee completes a special interest project on behalf of their family or student that is shared during EOY presentations.
• Capstone Leadership Project
  • Each trainee will complete a self-directed 70+ hour project that includes: identifying an important topic for individuals with disabilities and/or families, conducting a literature review to identify a gap in knowledge/practice, preparing a write-up of the literature review that includes specific elements (description of literature reviewed, critique of literature reviewed, summary of literature reviewed, and synthesis of literature, etc.). Trainees will receive training and support from LEND faculty and their faculty mentor. Faculty mentors will be assigned at the end of Foundations week. More details will be provided during the first post-Foundations week seminar.
• Bi-Monthly Policy and Advocacy Meeting
  • Each Trainee will complete 40+ hours of training in developing legislative policy and advocacy skills; meetings held bi-monthly during the evenings at date/time agreed upon by cohort at Orientation.
• Mandatory virtual participation in the Association for University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) 2025 Annual Conference (November 16 – 19, 2025)

The Louisiana LEND program is a grant-funded initiative which requires satisfactory completion of all 300 training hours accounted for through the various LEND components to be eligible for stipends. All trainees must be available to attend all the following to be considered for the program. Applicants who are unavailable for these events will not be accepted to the program. Trainees will be audited throughout the program year by LEND faculty for satisfactory completion of program components. Please read the list of program requirements outlined below:

• Mandatory 2-Hr LA LEND Orientation on July 18, 2025 from 1pm to 3pm.
• Mandatory week-long Foundations in Maternal and Child Health course (Monday, August 4, 2025, through Friday, August 8, 2025)
• Twice monthly didactic Seminars held on 2nd Fridays in-person, and 4th Fridays via Zoom
  • Zoom participation for ANY in-person activities is considered unexcused. No-shows for any LEND activities without proper documentation and notification to LEND staff is considered unexcused.
  • No more than one excused absence per semester may be accepted with approval of discipline faculty “sponsor” and LEND coordinator in consultation with other LEND faculty.
• Clinic and community-based experiences outside of seminar time
• Cohort-led assignments outside of seminar time
• Family Mentor Experience (6 visits or meetings)
• 70+ hour Leadership Project on an approved Maternal and Child Health Issue/Topic
• 40+ hours for Bi-Monthly Policy & Advocacy Meetings (Virtual)
• Virtual attendance at the AUCD Conference November 16 – 19, 2025

I understand and agree to the requirements of the LA LEND program listed above.

To sign, type your name below.

*If you are currently employed as a student worker, you are eligible to apply for the LEND program. However, if you are accepted into the LEND program, you will be required to either resign from your student worker position or opt out of receiving the LEND stipend.

Graduate Student or Practicing Professional

• Graduate Student
• Practicing Professional

Self-Advocate Trainee, Including:

• Person with a disability
• Person with a special health care need

Family Member Trainee, Including:

• Parent of a person with a disability
• Parent of a person with a special health care need
• Family member of a person with a disability
• Family member of a person with a special health care need

Thank you for your interest in the LA LEND program. LA LEND prepares graduate students, individuals with disabilities, family members, and practicing professionals to become future leaders in maternal and child health (MCH) fields and provides instruction and clinical/field experiences related to environmental, social, developmental, learning, and policy challenges that underpin the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities and their families. LA LEND prepares leaders to:

• Address the needs and priorities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families.
• Adopt strengths based, family- and person-centered, culturally aware and responsive perspectives and practices.
• Consider the broad array of environmental, social, developmental, learning, and policy challenges that underpin the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities and their families.
• Value having people from different backgrounds, lived experience and disciplines, to learn and work together (i.e., interdisciplinary thinking and practice).

Please take the time to provide thoughtful responses to the questions below, considering each aspect carefully and providing detailed insights where possible. Your thorough and thoughtful input is highly valued. Note that handwritten submissions are not accepted. All documents must be typed or submitted electronically. As an applicant to a leadership program, please ensure that your spelling, grammar, and writing style reflect positively on your application.

Thank you for your interest in the LA LEND program.  LA LEND prepares graduate students, individuals with disabilities, family members, and practicing professionals to become future leaders in advocacy and maternal and child health (MCH) fields. LA LEND provides instruction and clinical/field experiences related to environmental, social, developmental, learning, and policy challenges that underpin the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities and their families. LA LEND prepares leaders to:

• Address the needs and priorities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families.
• Adopt strengths based, family- and person-centered, culturally aware and responsive perspectives and practices.
• Value having people from different backgrounds, lived experience and disciplines, to learn and work together (i.e., interdisciplinary thinking and practice).

LA LEND values the knowledge and perspectives of individuals with disabilities and family members. We encourage and support trainees with disabilities and family trainees to share their lived experiences and perspectives in all components of LA LEND. LA LEND generally focuses on advocacy knowledge and skills for trainees with disabilities and family trainees.  However, we recognize that some family trainees and trainees with disabilities may also be working in a disability-related field or be preparing for a career in a disability field. Regardless, trainees with disabilities and family trainees are expected to complete all components of the program. 

LA LEND trainees with disabilities must:

• Want to be a leader in their community and be willing to speak for themselves and share their insights and experiences with others in class, field experiences, and after LA LEND.
• Have completed high school or be working on a high school equivalency program.
• Have some post-secondary education and/or work experience after high school.
• Use a computer for email and internet.
• Be able to use a “smart” cell phone.
• Be able to share ideas by writing, typing, or assistive technology.
• Want to learn about advocacy for people with disabilities or be involved in the disability field.
• Have transportation to attend required in-person LA LEND activities.

Please take the time to provide thoughtful responses to the questions below, considering each aspect carefully and providing detailed insights where possible. Your thorough and thoughtful input is highly valued. Note that handwritten submissions are not accepted. All documents must be typed or submitted electronically.

Thank you for your interest in the LA LEND program. LA LEND prepares graduate students, individuals with disabilities, family members, and practicing professionals to become future leaders in advocacy and maternal and child health (MCH) fields. LA LEND provides instruction and clinical/field experiences related to environmental, social, developmental, learning, and policy challenges that underpin the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities and their families. LA LEND prepares leaders to:

• Address the needs and priorities of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD) and their families.
• Adopt strengths based, family- and person-centered, culturally aware and responsive perspectives and practices.
• Value the knowledge and perspectives of individuals with disabilities and family members.
• Value having people from different backgrounds, lived experience and disciplines, to learn and work together (i.e., interdisciplinary thinking and practice).

We encourage and support trainees with disabilities and family trainees to share their lived experiences and perspectives in all components of LA LEND.  LA LEND generally focuses on Advocacy knowledge and skills for trainees with disabilities and family trainees. However, we recognize that some family trainees and trainees with disabilities may also be working in a disability-related field or be preparing for a career in a disability field. Regardless, trainees with disabilities and family trainees are expected to complete all components of the program.

Please take the time to provide thoughtful responses to the questions below, considering each aspect carefully and providing detailed insights where possible. Your thorough and thoughtful input is highly valued. Note that handwritten submissions are not accepted. All documents must be typed or submitted electronically.

Application Timeline

April 11	Application Due
April 28	Finalists are notified and provided dates for interviews
May 1–16	Interviews are conducted
May 31	Finalists are notified of acceptance/non-acceptance

 Submission Instructions

Letters of Recommendation

All LEND scholars are required to submit two signed letters of recommendation. These can be uploaded as PDF documents.

If you have further questions, please contact the LA LEND Coordinator:

Krista James, Ph.D.
LEND Coordinator
Human Development Center
Kjames@lsuhsc.edu

If you are a student, you will need to allow us to send a notification to your department head that you have applied for LEND, which they then sign and send back to HDC.