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MMI Monthly
The electronic newsletter of the Munroe-Meyer Institute at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
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A message from the director:
It is with great sadness and regret that I have to inform the MMI faculty, staff and friends that Paul Pearson, M.D. has recently passed away. Dr. Pearson served as the first director of MMI from 1968 to 1982. He guided MMI through its baby steps with care, wisdom and patience.
I had never met him, yet I have to reflect. I am very much aware that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Some of them are no longer with us, yet without their efforts we would not be here today. In a way, we are all Dr. Pearson's descendants. We carry on his vision, caring, hard work and excellence in all of our activities. He lives on in our institute, our hearts and our daily deeds. We mourn him, and we celebrate his legacy. We proudly carry the torch lit by him and we remember. We will continue to make him proud.
This is what a family does.
Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Munroe-Meyer Institute
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MMI's Gehringer a Nebraska NASA Fellow
Jamie Gehringer, a third-year Ph.D. student in the lab of Max Kurz, Ph.D., is the recipient of a Nebraska NASA fellowship.
Click here to read more.
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From left, Omaha Public School Superintendent Mark Evan, Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., of MMI, J.P. Lord principal Laura Mac-Holmes, and City Councilman Chris Jerram pose with MMI's donation of $5,000 to J.P. Lord.
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MMI donates to partner J.P. Lord at groundbreaking
MMI director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., attended the groundbreaking for J.P. Lord's new building at 44th and Marinda Streets on Sept. 30, presenting principal Laura Mac-Holmes with $5,000 from the institute to mark the occasion. He called J.P. Lord, "not only a neighbor, but a partner in everything that do.
"We are sad to see that you're leaving, but we are very happy for you," he said. "This is a new beginning, and new beginnings are good. It takes us to a new level. If anything, our relationships from now on will be stronger, we will develop them further, and we will work together for the same goals."
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MMI director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., speaks with Meaghan Walls, director of rehabilitation at the Children's Respite Care Center, during the event.
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MMI hosts leaders from the state IDD community
On Thursday, Sept. 27, MMI director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., was joined by UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., to welcome more than 35 community leaders to an event designed to open the door for greater collaboration between MMI and other agencies and organizations with a stake in Nebraska intellectually and developmental disabled (IDD) communities.
Click here to read more.
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Norfolk clinic marks Psychology's 25th outreach effort
Josh Turek, Ph.D., just got to Norfolk in September, but he's hoping to make an impact there as part of
the MMI Psychology Department's outreach clinic program, which has been providing services since 1987.
Click here to read more.
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MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D.
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Under the Microscope: Dr. Mirnics speaks with Dr. Gold
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MMI Profile: Beth Conover
Beth Conover is a senior genetic counselor and genetic nurse practitioner in the Munroe-Meyer Institute's genetic medicine department
. Below, she shares some information about herself.
Name: Beth Conover
Time at MMI:
30 years
The best part about my job:
Absolutely the patients and families we serve. Isn't that true for nearly all of us? I like the combination of clinical, teaching, and a bit of research. Every day is a bit different and always interesting. I also have terrific colleagues in my division and enjoy the interdisciplinary work with providers in other MMI divisions.
Best MMI memory:
You know, I really cannot identify just one. Hard to believe I have been here 30 years! As they say, time flies...
If I had another career, it would be:
I love being a genetic counselor, and at this point I cannot imagine that I would like any other career nearly as well.
Not everyone knows that:
I had a bit part in "The Deer Hunter", which won an Academy Award for best picture of the year.
One more thing:
In addition to my genetics duties, I also direct the Nebraska Teratogen Project, which provides information on the safe use of medications and other agents in pregnant and breastfeeding women. There are only 12 of these services in the country ... people are often surprised to hear we have one on site at MMI/UNMC. Ask me anything about Zika!
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Building security update
MMI is in the process of reviewing building security following two incidents within the last 60 days involving individuals entering the building and creating disturbances that required the presence of campus security.
Campus Security, along with Gary Svanda from facilities, is reviewing access and building safety to make the necessary changes for public access locations.
"Historically, all doors to the building have been open during work hours," said Wayne Stuberg, Ph.D., associate director of MMI. "Having all the doors open to the public has led to an undesirable level of access to the building where we have clinical services and research that involves children and adults with disabilities, a vulnerable population."
As a result, building access will be changed, In the future, only doors where there is a staff member monitoring individuals who come into the building will remain open. All other doors will be locked, allowing exit only, or key-carded to allow campus staff access.
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It is our goal to have the recommendations implemented by the end of this calendar year," Dr. Stuberg said.
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Medicaid waivers
By Mark Smith, UCEDD associate
Medicaid waivers serve as one of the major sources for funding for Community Disability Services nationally. Medicaid waivers are a state and federal partnership that allows state disability programs to "waive" certain Medicaid requirements in order that state funds can be matched by federal Medicaid dollars in funding non-medical disability services -- for example, housing and employment supports for individuals with disabilities, or respite for family caregivers. For more on waiver policy, click here.
Nebraska has several Medicaid waivers in place including waivers that fund services in the areas of traumatic brain injury, developmental disabilities, and aging and disabilities. State and federal law and policy on these programs is of keen interest to individuals and organizations representing those eligible for waiver-funded services (as well as the eligible individuals and families.) Medicaid waiver law and policy is quite complex given the shared responsibility for these programs as well as the varying needs of the thousands of individuals receiving waiver-funded services in Nebraska.
In order to better insure a well-informed public, constituency, and policymakers on this topic, staff from the Munroe-Meyer Institute University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities partnered with staff from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) to sponsor a webinar held at the Lincoln Community Foundation Building presented by national experts on Medicaid waivers. F
uture activities similar to this one are currently in planning.
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News in brief
Dr. Kurz receives grant to study early prediction of movement disorders in infants
Max Kurz, Ph.D., associate professor of physical therapy, received a grant from the Department of Pediatrics for studying early prediction of movement disorders in infants: "
Somatosensory Cortical Activity in Preterm Infants"
partnering with Ann Anderson-Berry, M.D., associate professor in pediatrics-newborn medicine.
Shorts
- Susan Dickson-Matsunami celebrated 20 years of service and received the September Silver "U" award for MMI.
- Occupational Therapy's Janice Flegle was invited to do an in-service about developmental coordination disorder for the Bellevue Public Schools therapy staff on Sept. 16.
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MMI occupational therapists will be taking a research poster to the AOTA conference in March describing the pre-post test results from their H.A.B.I.T. day camp last summer.
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Beth Conover, genetic medicine, recently had two pieces published. Conover and co-writer Sarah Obican contributed the article"Prime Capsule," on how to choose a pre-natal vitaman, to the July issue of Pregnancy & Newborn magazine. Conover also posted an article on "Alcohol, Tobacoo & Marijuana: What You Need to Know During Breastfeeding" to the MothertoBaby blog.
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Upcoming Events
Upcoming events of interest to the MMI community.
Oct. 7: The Friends of Scottish Rite Dinner and Auction, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Friends of Scottish Rite Dinner and Auction
raises funds to support the RiteCare Speech and Language Clinics at MMI through the Scottish Rite Foundation of Omaha. RiteCare Clinics
provide evaluations and therapy to any child in Nebraska with a speech or langauge disorder, providing them the necessary services to ensure the child a bright future as a lifelong learner. These services are offered without regard to a family's ability to pay. Tickets are $100 per person ($55 of each ticket is a tax-deductible donation). For information or tickets, call or email Micah Evans, (402) 342-1300, or register online.
Oct. 9 Phi Rho's Second Annual Golf Tournament Benefiting the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities, 18-hole scramble event with 1 p.m. shotgun start, 5:30 p.m. dinner, Benson Championship Golf Course, 5333 N. 72nd St., Omaha. Registration is $60 for UNMC students, $80 for non-students and $320 for teams of four. For more information or a registration form, email phirho.sigma@gmail.com.
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Links of the month
From The New York Times:
- Jay Leno's Advice for My Dyslexic Son: Successful people with dyslexia told my son that there was no secret to success - except persistence, humor, improvisation and grit. Read the story here.
From
Upstanders: A Starbucks Original Series:
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Send your news to MMI Monthly
Is there something exciting going on in your department? Send your news to MMI Monthly to share with your colleagues at the Munroe-Meyer Institute. MMI Monthly will be published during the first week of each month.
Send your news to us!
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Contact the Munroe-Meyer Institute
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