News from the Shriver Center

Emily Rubin Promotes Sibling Work With Media Appearance

The Shriver Center’s Emily Rubin recently took to the airwaves promote her longstanding professional interest in providing support to siblings of individuals diagnosed with physical, intellectual, psychiatric, and/or developmental disabilities.

Rubin appeared as a guest on the Shrewsbury Media Connection program and discussed two separate, individual chapters of her sibling work.

UMass Medical School joins Autism Learning Health Network

The UMass Medical School Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center’s Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (CANDO) clinic, in partnership with the Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, has joined the Autism Learning Health Network of Autism Speaks. The network convenes academic leaders in autism and other neurodevelopmental and intellectual disabilities nationwide to standardize and share clinical data collection and outcomes research to improve care for children and families affected by autism spectrum disorder.

Dr. Sohye Kim Awarded NIH NCATS KL2 Grant

Congratulations to the Shriver Center’s own Sohye Kim, PhD on her recent KL2 grant award from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a division of the National Institute of Health (NIH).

The multi-year award focuses on developing innovative neuroimaging techniques to study the infant’s developing social brain, a research area of interest to Dr. Kim throughout her professional career.

Newly Launched MCPAP for ASD/ID Program

Continued access to mental health services and supports remains a vital care component for people throughout Massachusetts, both during this COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.  Accessing those services and supports is particularly important for youth and young adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or intellectual disabilities (ID), and those who care about them.

Team AIRC and the Flutie 5K Fundraiser

Since the emergence of COVID-19 early in 2020, many fundraising efforts have gone entirely virtual, due to the necessity of mask-wearing and implementation of strict social distancing guidelines.

One such event took place back in September, as the Doug Flutie Jr Foundation For Autism held a virtual 5K, committing that all funds raised by partner organizations would be contributed back to them.

ARICA 10th Anniversary Celebration

On August 12, 2020, a virtual celebration was held marking 10 years since the Massachusetts passage of An Act Relative to Insurance Coverage For Autism (ARICA). ARICA mandates that all insurance carriers in the state provide patient coverage for therapies and ABA services of anyone diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Carol Curtin Appears On AUCD’s “Tuesdays with Liz”

The Shriver Center’s Associate Director Carol Curtin, PhD, LICSW, recently appeared on the noted Youtube channel “Tuesdays with Liz” to discuss the work of the Healthy Weight Research Network (HWRN), which is housed at the Shriver Center and funded by the Maternal Child Health Bureau. The HWRN is a collective of researchers around the country who are engaged in research to promote healthy weight among children with autism and other intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Emily Rubin Appears On Radio Program To Discuss Work with Siblings

The Shriver Center’s own Emily Rubin took to the airwaves on Sept 28, 2019 as a guest on the “Fundacion Cambiando el Mundo de personas con Discapacidad” radio show (CEMDPCD Foundation)

Translated from Spanish as “Changing the World of People with Disabilities”, Rubin’s appearance on the CEMDPCD radio program occurred in her capacity as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Sibling Support Network (MSSN). The MSSN is not directly affiliated with the Shriver Center.