Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Fellowship at Children’s National (LEND-CN)

The LEND-CN didactic curriculum is a two-semester program of study for a total of 29 weeks. The didactic sessions are divided into three age-related sections: early childhood, school age, adolescents/young adults.

Each section covers the diagnosis and intervention of conditions first identified during that time period and the policies, rules and regulations that impact practice, with a special emphasis on autism spectrum disorder. The curriculum interweaves biological and genetic underpinnings of brain development, connectivity and behavior, and the interaction of societal factors including social determinants of health.

Currently, didactics are offered in-person and virtually due to COVID-19 related considerations, though in-person attendance is strongly encouraged.

Clinical services to children with DD and/or ASD and their families are best provided within an interdisciplinary team model. Each LEND-CN trainee will serve on a variety of interdisciplinary clinical teams at Children’s National individualized to their interests. Each trainee will serve on two teams per semester. At least one team per year will be specific to the identification or diagnosis of children with ASD.

Within Children’s National, we offer a wide range of interdisciplinary clinics to the trainees. A subsample of our clinic opportunities is here:

• Autism Behavioral Consult Team
• Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD): Diagnostic and Neuropsychological Evaluation Clinics; Evidenced-Based Treatment Groups
• Cerebral Palsy Clinic
• Cochlear Implant
• Complex Movement Disorder Clinic
• Craniofacial Clinic
• Dentistry
• Gender and Autism Program: Neuropsychological evaluation as part of coordinated care with medical teams; Support Groups
• Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Clinic
• Neurogenetics Clinic
• Primary Care: Embedded ASD Clinics
• Smith Magenis Clinic
• Turner Syndrome Clinic

Each trainee will participate in engagement activities designed to enhance learning and leadership development in the areas of developmental disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. These include:

• Participating in panels of providers, government agencies and families
• Visits to community-based programs such as those offering vocational training programming and/or intervention to children and young adults with ASD
• Attendance at community-based advocacy group meetings such as the DC-Autism Collaborative (DC-AC)
• Involvement in discussions of interdisciplinary team evaluations and research meetings
• Participation in ECHO Autism Clinics which involve virtual telementoring between a multidisciplinary team of autism experts and community providers
• Participation in IEP meetings in public schools, observation of ASD education and behavioral training in private, specialized schools
• Ongoing collaborations with Kennedy Krieger Institute and Georgetown University LEND programs.

These applied experiences can also become the focus of the scholarly/research activities of the trainees. 

Long-term trainees will be assigned a faculty mentor and complete a research project culminating in a poster presentation at the annual Children’s National Research, Education & Innovation Week. Specific activities are developed in collaboration with the trainee’s mentor, with expectations matched to the level of trainees’ experience, expertise, career goals and interests. There are many opportunities for engaging in projects including applied research, qualitative research, program development and product development.

LEND trainees can come from any professional discipline that works with children with DD and/or ASD and their families, including medicine and its subspecialties, education, health administration, law, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, pastoral counseling, physical therapy, psychology, public health, rehabilitation counseling, social work, speech language therapy/audiology, child life, creative arts, pastoral care, parents and lay people working towards leadership roles in child and maternal health.

Clinical trainees must express an interest in acquiring knowledge and skills required to evaluate, diagnose or rule out, develop, and provide evidence-based interventions to individuals with DD and/or ASD, and work in an interdisciplinary, family-centered and culturally competent manner to achieve these skills.

Family members and self-advocate trainees must demonstrate short- and long-term career goals involving serving children with DD and/or ASD.

LEND trainees will demonstrate critical thinking and excellent communication skills, reflective skills including recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses, and a commitment to leadership and improving the system of care for people with DD and/or ASD. 

Long-term trainees will complete 300+ hours of LEND-CN leadership and didactic training. The LEND trainees are expected to complete this over a 12-month period, which generally results in a commitment of 8-10 hours of training weekly from September to May.

A stipend will be provided at this level of training. Proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status will be required if you will be receiving a stipend.

Each long-term trainee will complete a project that culminates in a poster presentation at the annual Children’s National Research, Education & Innovation Week.

The program requires legal right to practice profession (if applicable), such as certification of licensure as required by the professional discipline seeking professional advanced training.

The application process is abbreviated for those that intend to participate as a medium or short-term LEND trainee. Medium and short-term trainees will receive a certificate of completion at the end of the academic year detailing the exact number of training hours completed.

Medium-term trainees will complete 40-149 hours of training, which will include focused didactics and experiential practicum experiences based on their career interests. 

Short-term trainees will be required to complete up to 40 hours of training primarily involving participation in our didactics. 

• LEND-CN fellowship application form
• Two letters of reference (considerations will be made for self-advocate and/or family member candidates)
• Essay describing your interest in the LEND-CN fellowship. Please include a discussion of how LEND-CN fits in to your personal and/or professional goals as part of your statement (500-word limit)
• Copy of academic transcript(s) (Not required for self-advocate and/or family member candidates)
• Curriculum vitae (CV) or resume

Applications can be completed online. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in January 2024 and closing July 31, 2024. 

Questions regarding this process can be emailed to our LEND-CN fellowship program assistant.

Our current trainees represent medical and behavioral health disciplines, as well as family members of children with DD and/or ASD, from within Children's National and across various university partners in Washington, D.C., including:

• Catholic University
• George Washington University
• Georgetown University
• Howard University

For information and questions about LEND-CN, please contact us at:

LEND-CN
Children’s National Hospital
Division of Neurogenetics and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities
Suite M3848
111 Michigan Ave NW 
Washington, DC 20010

Email