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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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Discomfort with "disability"
Words can be limiting and hurtful.
This is especially true of many of the words that have been used to describe individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Historically, they were not only offensive, but also conveyed the negative attitude of the society toward a group of our fellow human beings.
While
"intellectual and developmental disabilities" is certainly a better, almost universally accepted term, it is still a label that I am not very fond of. The word DISABILITY means "not able," and I take an issue with this. It implies somehow less worthy, and this is simply wrong. Disabled in what? In loving? In honesty? In caring? We are all disabled in something, and exceptional in other things, yet most of us do not have to carry our "dis-" label. The phrase
"atypically developing individuals" is somewhat better, as all of us are atypical in some domain of our daily lives, but it still fails to describe our caring.
I wish I had -- but I do not -- a solution for this linguistic and labeling challenge that we face every day.
However, knowing that human existence encompasses the whole spectrum of skills, behaviors and appearances, I fully endorse a term "neurodiversity," which unites all of us.
Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D.
Director
The Munroe-Meyer Institute
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MMI staff came out in force to make the inaugural event a success.
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MMI's first Trunk or Treat event draws big crowd
Organizers called the event, which was held Oct. 29 outside the Munroe-Meyer Institute main office, a "tremendous success." The ev
ent, which drew nearly 200 families, was designed as a fun and easy way for families with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities to trick or treat, with MMI departments and partners distributing candy from the trunks of decorated cars.
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From left: MMI's Kris Althouse, Jessie McMordie, Amy Nordness, Ph.D., and WIN chair Carey Hamilton and members Linda Hoegemeyer and Shannon Sands.
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Women Investing in Nebraska invest in Munroe-Meyer
Two $85,000 grants from
Women Investing in Nebraska (WIN)
will boost efforts to help victims of domestic violence and infants who spent time in a neonatal intensive care unit get needed medical assessment and treatment.
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From left: MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., Max Kurz, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for External Affairs Bob Bartee and Sen. Robert Hilkemann, D.P.M.
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MMI in the spotlight for state senator's visit
Nebraska State Sen. Robert Hilkemann, D.P.M., who represents Omaha's District 4, visited MMI in October, touring the building and viewing presentations by MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D., and representatives of several departments.
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Mackenzie Smith, left, and Nichole Cordle at the Academic Evaluation and Intervention Clinic.
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Academic Evaluation and Intervention Clinic makes impact
The Academic Evaluation and Intervention Clinic run by the Munroe-Meyer Institute's Department of Psychology currently is accepting referrals for the spring semester.
The clinic
is designed to provide academic help to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as provide parental support sessions on issues such as special education, coordination with teachers, writing strong individualized education program goals, and accessing community resources and respite services.
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Genetic counselor Sara Fisher, right, meets with a client.
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Genetic counseling staff growing at MMI
After hiring three new team members this fall, MMI will have 12 genetic counselors on staff, 75 percent of the total number of genetic counselors in the state of Nebraska.
The recent growth at MMI mirrors national growth in the field -- it's estimated that the number of genetic counselors in the U.S. will increase 29 percent by 2024 -- in part because of the incredible advances in genetic testing over the past decade. Also, UNMC soon will be offering a genetic counseling degree, and the specialty has grown so much that the first nationwide Genetic Counselor Awareness Day will be marked on Thursday.
Read more here.
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Job coach Pat Dunlap, left, works with Beth Nietzel during her internship with the MMI Community Engagement office.
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Project SEARCH intern welcomed to community team
As Beth Nietzel shuffles through the files on the table, she stops briefly to say "Hi" to a visitor, then quickly returns to the task at hand.
It's Nietzel's first rotation as an office assistant at the Munroe-Meyer Institute as part of the UNMC/Nebraska Medicine Project SEARCH, and her attention to detail and focus on her job is her top priority.
Read more here.
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From left, MMI's Erin Kaspar, Ashley McClain, Dr. Mirnics, Colleen Gibilisco, September Standout Tasha Tyson, Karissa Scott and Sara Fisher.
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MMI Standouts program seeks nominations
October's MMI Standouts are
Ashley McClain, p
sychology;
Sara Fisher, genetics; Colleen Gibilisco, e
ducation;
Erin Kaspar,
Human Genetics Laboratory; and
Karissa Scott, Human Genetics
Laboratory. They recently met for lunch with MMI Director Karoly Mirnics, M.D., Ph.D.
November's MMI Standouts are
Renee Payton, occupational therapy; Maggy Gutierrez, developmental medicine; Holly Dunning, UNMC Sponsored Programs; Jes Niemeier, Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (CASD) early intervention; and Amber Godsey, CASD. They will meet with Dr. Mirnics later this month.
Nominations are being accepted for future monthly Standout Awards. Awardees will be
invited to lunch with Dr. Mirnics, receive a coffee mug or water bottle and have their picture featured in MMI Monthly.
Anyone in the MMI community may be nominated, and anyone on the UNMC campus or in the greater Omaha community may nominate. Anyone who works or volunteers at MMI is eligible, and up to five individuals will be selected monthly for this honor.
Nominations are due by 8 a.m. on the 15th of each month for the next cycle of Standouts. These nominations may be submitted
online or e-mailed to
Sandy Willett for consideration
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More than 100 people registered for the family support event.
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Family support event in central Nebraska draws crowd
On Sept. 23, staff from the Munroe-Meyer Institute held a family support event at the Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora, Neb., offering community resources for attendees and an inclusive environment for children with disabilities and their families.
More than 100 individuals registered for the event and 12 community vendors hosted a resource table. Vendors included Arc chapters from Grand Island and Kearney, the Lincoln Arc and Autism Family Support Network, two of the Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, the Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health, the Nebraska Respite Network, the Early Development Network, Assistive Technology Partnership, the Spina Bifida Association, Families Care and a few local allied health providers.
Many families expressed gratitude that the event was held in central Nebraska.
MMI parent resource coordinators (PRCs) Jennifer Hansen and Mandi Reinders helped coordinate the event.
Sarah Swanson, Family Care Enhancement Project manager, said that she was pleased with how the PRCs and partners worked together to make the event a success.
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News in brief
"Plaid Out" event remembers Dr. Sanger
The late Warren Sanger, Ph.D., longtime director of the MMI Human Genetics Laboratory, was known about the institute for his eye-catching plaid dress shirts. To mark Dr. Sanger's birthday this year on Oct. 6, the laboratory organized a "plaid out" event as a way to remember and honor Dr. Sanger, who passed away in 2015.
Drs. Fisher, Piazza share expertise at conferences
Wayne Fisher, Ph.D., director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Cathleen Piazza, Ph.D., director of the pediatric feeding program,
gave invited addresses to about 1,000 attendees of the Florida Association for Behavior Analysis Conference in Daytona Beach in October. Dr. Fisher also will be giving a two-day course on the functional analysis and treatment of problem behavior to Italian behavior analysts in Rome, Italy, on Nov. 19 and 20.
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Upcoming Events
Upcoming events of interest to the MMI community:
Nov. 8: 3-9 p.m. Meyer Foundation for Disabilities (MFD) fundraiser, Don & Millie (344 N. Saddle Creek Rd. location only), 20 percent of every dollar spent on food and drinks will go back to MFD.
Nov. 10: 8-4:30 p.m. Autism Action Partnership (AAP) Summit, "Live Without Boxes: Embracing Autism in our Community," with keynote speakers Caren Zuker and John Donvan, authors of "In a Different Key," and Daniel Openden, CEO of the Soutwest Autism Research & Resource Center, Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St., Omaha.
Nov. 27:
4-8 p.m. Meyer Foundation for Disabilities (MFD) fundraiser, Panera (
344 N. Saddle Creek Rd.
location only), 20 percent of every dollar spent on food and drinks will go back to MFD. You must bring a flyer or show the
electronic flyer to the cashier. Ordering online? Enter "FUND" in the promo code to donate to MFD.
Nov. 28:
Giving Tuesday. The national day celebrating nonprofits. MMI supporting organizations, including the Meyer Foundation for Disabilities, the Scottish Rite Foundation of Nebraska and the Hattie B. Munroe Foundation will have fundraising websites at the Giving Tuesday site.
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Links of the month
News from around the internet of interest to the MMI community.
From
The Omaha World-Herald: MMI's Director of Genetic Medicine Omar Rahman, M.D., is featured in
"Molly is a Success Story," which tells of gene therapy that improved an Omaha teen's vision.
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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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