Announcements
"Getting vaccinated helps the world. It helps everyone" - Gabriel Martinez
Even if you've had COVID-19, it is still recommended that you receive a vaccination.
According to a study cited by the CDC, vaccines are very effective in preventing re-infection1.
Gabriel Martinez got his vaccine after recovering from his infection with COVID-19. He says the side effects of the vaccine are mild compared to the symptoms of COVID.
"One of my [COVID] tests was positive. I was in the hospital for almost a month. My blood pressure went up, and I couldn't taste anything. It was very hard to breathe. I used an air machine. I couldn't get my legs under me - I was in a wheelchair."
Thankfully, Gabe recovered. After quarantining, he was able to get the vaccine and return to work shortly afterwards.
"The side effects [of the vaccine] were joint pain, aching, and headache". Gabe encourages people to get vaccinated, both for themselves and for their communities.
"You'll feel better. Lighter."
Summer Work Program Underway!
June 22, 2021
The Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities Summer Work Program is in full swing with 37 students placed in different jobs in Tucson and Phoenix.
The new summer employment opportunity provides students with summer employment in a real work environment within their community and integrated in the workplace.
In addition to learning valuable skills, students are paid at the prevailing wage of their role. Currently, there are 21 students participating in Tucson and 16 students participating in Phoenix.
“The participants are contributing to systems change in Arizona through development of a model that assists state agencies with better supporting and preparing individuals with disabilities with the skills and experiences that will contribute to the Arizona workforce and improve the high unemployment rates and corresponding poverty of this large segment of the population,” says Wendy Parent-Johnson, executive director of the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities.
Some of the business providing the work opportunities are: Golf n’ Stuff, Ace Hardware, Plato’s Closet, Civano Nursery, and the Arc of Arizona.
The Work-Based Learning Experience and Summer Work Program are funded by the Arizona Department of Economic Security - Rehabilitation Services Administration.
To learn more about the Summer Work Program, please contact Lorie Sandaine at lorie@arizona.edu.
Creating a Culture of Safety
May 26, 2021
Sonoran UCEDD Affiliated Faculty Participates in Panel Discussion about Sexual Abuse Prevention in Schools
Sonoran UCEDD Affiliated Faculty Jamie Edgin participated in two panel discussions about preventing sexual abuse of students with disabilities.
The panel discussions, It's Really About Safety: Preventing Sexual Abuse in Arizona Schools, were held in response to Governor Doug Ducey’s veto of a sex education bill and based on findings from a recent report called Preventing Sexual Abuse in Arizona Schools: Suggested Protocols for Students with Intellectual, Developmental and Other Disabilities.
Edgin, who has 20 years of research experience within the disability field, serves on the Arizona Response to Sexual Violence & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Collaborative that published the report.
Among the recommendations for preventing sexual abuse in schools is accessible and inclusive lessons on sexual health and relationships.
Research finds that young adults with mild to moderate cognitive disability are sexually active at similar rates to their peers without a disability, yet are less likely to learn about sexual health from trusted adults. Receiving ineffective or inaccessible sex education, or no sex education at all, has also been found to be a correlating factor in the sexual abuse of youth with disabilities.
Another approach to prevention is limiting instances of one-on-one contact between a student and a staff member. This can mean having two staff members addressing an individual students’ needs, limiting the amount of time a student is a with a staff member, and propping open a door to minimize abusive contact.
“Systems change needs to happen,” Edgin says. “And it should come from a collaborative effort between parents, teachers, schools and administrators to create a culture of safety that doesn’t put these students into potentially dangerous situations.”
The report has been shared and Edgin hopes it will serve as guidelines when school districts put their policies in place. The report may also help with writing future legislation.
The Preventing Sexual Abuse in Arizona Schools: Suggested Protocols for Students with Intellectual, Developmental and Other Disabilities Report can be found on the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council website.
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The Arizona Response to Sexual Violence & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Collaborative comprises of members from the Arizona Department of Education, Arizona Commission for the Deaf & the Hard of Hearing, Planned Parenthood of Arizona, Arizona Coalition to End Sexual & Domestic Violence, and the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.
Congratulations, Class of 2021!
We wish the graduating members of the 2020-2021 cohort of Sonoran UCEDD Trainees all the best for their hard work and accomplishments over the past year. They faced extraordinary challenges but met them head on.
From left: Kayla Tilicki, Jordan Gotwalt, Daniel Hernandez, Laasya Vallabhaneni, Leah Guerrero, Mahkyla Howes, Kai Glahn, and Haley Arnold
Undergraduates
Haley Arnold, Kai Glahn, Jordan Gotwalt, Daniel Hernandez, Mahkyla Howes, Kayla Tilicki, Laasya Vallabhaneni
Graduate
Leah Guerrero
To see some of what they worked on over the past year, please watch the trainee presentations from the 3rd Annual Trainee Symposium. Our graduating trainees and their peers did a fantastic job.
Congratulations, Class of 2021! We look forward to seeing what you do next.
Spotlight: Gabe Martinez
April 23, 2021
Gabriel Martinez has been a Sonoran UCEDD Program Aide and Peer Mentor since March 2020. In his role, he has been a presenter and a panelist in several webinars and workshops. He currently sits as a board member for the Arizona Center for Disability Law and serves on the Association of University Centers on Disability Council on Leadership on Advocacy and the Self-Advocacy Solution Coalition.
Gabe shares some of the work he has done since he began more than a year ago.
Being a peer mentor is a great role for me. Some students look up to me as a great person and I help students find jobs on online help them with their interviews, and help them write their resume.
As a peer mentor, I speak with other young adults to help them find jobs online. I help present to students how to write up a resume and prepare for their interview. I tell them to schedule a time to go in for an interview for that position and tell them to talk about the skills that they have and what new skills they can learn on the job. Keep on finding jobs and don’t give up! If you have task to do, write it on your task list. After you are done with it you can send your task list to your coworkers. If you work hard in your job, you will get your paycheck and be able to open a bank account to have a place to save it or get to it to spend. But first, save all your money and don’t spend it all. Those young adults’ parents say thank you for helping with their son or their daughter. If the parents have any questions for me, I answer right back to them and say thank you for their questions.
I also work on many different projects and webinars and I am great worker. I go to meetings and I help with my coworkers with webinars, meetings, and projects. If my coworkers have any questions about anything at work, I listen to their updates and put their updates into notes. I’m also a member of the AUCD COLA where I attend meetings every month to talk about different advocacy efforts. One of the things we talked was about doctors and nurses visits and how there needs to be more training and education about disability. Recently, I attended the inaugural Tucson Transportation Talks where they talked about building a transportation network for Tucson. I was there to make sure people with disabilities’ were talked about too. That’s one of my roles at Sonoran UCEDD. I do advocacy. I think people look up to me because they see me advocating for myself and others.
Providing the Best Patient Care for People with Disabilities
March 3, 2021
Dr. Tammie Bassford, associate professor and Sonoran UCEDD faculty member, led a virtual training event with nearly 300 students from the University of Arizona health sciences to help them understand how to better care for people with disabilities.
Photo: Dr. Tammie Bassford led a training with UArizona health sciences students that focused on providing care for people with disabilities.
Seventeen people with disabilities from Special Olympics Arizona and the community joined Bassford to share their personal experiences with their own health care to show how the students can better respect and work with patients who have disabilities.
The students from the UArizona Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Public Health watched a pre-recorded scenario of an individual with a disability meet with healthcare professionals and a group home manager as they discussed her health care and wellbeing.
In small groups, the students were tasked with evaluating how the professionals facilitated an environment of universal communication, self-advocacy, self-determination, independence, and person-centeredness for the patient.
To help provide insight into the perspective of the patient, a member of the disability community joined the students. Paavlena Madhivanan was among the individuals who shared her healthcare insights with the students.
“I connected with Vicky (the patient in the video) because people in my life have talked to my parents and not me,” she says. “It’s not right to be put aside. Doctors should talk to me.”
Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health senior Bekkah Lerman participated in the training and is also an intern with the Center for Transformative Interprofessional Healthcare. She says every health care professional should participate in this kind of training.
“The training can only improve the community we work in and the scope of care we provide for our patients moving forward,” she says.
After graduation, Lerman says she will pursue a master’s degree in nursing and will fall back on what she learned during the training.
“A lot of times within healthcare we think we know everything,” Lerman says. “But after the event I was proven that we don’t know everything and there’s no need to go out of your way to make a patient with disabilities feel as though they are different.”
UArizona is among 18 other institutions across the country chosen by the National Curriculum Initiative in Developmental Medicine to improve the experiences of individuals with disabilities in health care settings and situations.
Diversity Fellows Incorporate Disability Awareness, Resources for TOCC Students
March 1, 2021
Sonoran UCEDD Diversity Fellows Raeshaun Ramon and Jolene Santos have created a universally designed brochure for Tohono O'odham Community College (TOCC) students interested in transferring to the University of Arizona.
The brochure was created as part of a Minority Serving Institution Partnership Grant funded by the Administration on Disabilities to jointly develop a disability information, education and student exchange partnership.
Ramon and Santos worked with TOCC Student Services to incorporate disability awareness and resources for TOCC students interested in transferring to UArizona through resource sharing and joint student engagement events.
The collaboration has also created a stronger partnership between Sonoran UCEDD and TOCC staff to integrate disability resources and information into typical student engagement activities.
With the goal of making the partnership and fellowship sustainable, the Sonoran UCEDD is creating a pipeline of indigenous students as disability advocates in their respective fields through inclusion of TOCC students and those who transfer to UArizona. Ramon and Santos were transfers from TOCC, now in their second year at the university.
Learn more about our TOCC Partnership.
Photo (From left): Sonoran UCEDD Diversity Fellows Jolene Santos and Raeshaun Ramon worked with Tohono O'odham Community College Student Services on a universally designed brochure with information for students interested in transferring to the University of Arizona.
Sonoran UCEDD Joins National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network Project
February 1, 2021
The Sonoran UCEDD Project I-AADAPT (Identify and Address Alzheimer's and Dementia in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities through Prevention and Training) is joining the Arizona Center on Aging for ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network project.
The ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network project is funded by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, and led by the ECHO Institute at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.
This one-year program, in collaboration with local and national experts, provides training and support to nursing home staff in Arizona on best practices for protecting patients, staff and visitors from COVID-19 infection and spread.
Nationally 15-16.5 percent of nursing home residents are younger than 65 years old, a majority of which are individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
To ensure appropriate and equitable support are addressed for the unique needs of people with I/DD who are residing in nursing home, Dr. Yumi Shirai will join weekly virtual learning and resource sharing sessions with other content experts from a wide range of clinical and health education fields (infectious disease control, geriatric, palliative care, quality improvement specialist).
Photo: UArizona Sonoran UCEDD Affiliated Faculty member Yumi Shirai will ensure individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are represented in the ECHO National Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network project.
Now Available! COVID-19 Vaccine Information in Plain Language
The Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network has developed a plain language document about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Please feel free to download and share with friends, family, co-workers and anyone in your network.
The Arizona Developmental Disabilities Network is comprised of the following organizations: Northern Arizona University Institute for Human Development, Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, UArizona Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities, Arizona Center for Disability Law, The Arc of Arizona, and the Native American Disability Law Center.
UCEDD Peer Mentor Joins Arizona Center for Disability Law Board of Directors
We are excited to announce Gabe Martinez, program aide and peer mentor for the Sonoran UCEDD, was appointed to the Arizona Center for Disability (ACDL) Board of Directors. 
Since March, Martinez has helped to bring his unique perspective to products, materials and trainings. As a frequent panelist and presenter, Martinez gives young people and people with disabilities the encouragement and vital skills necessary to pursue their goals.
In his role on the ACDL Board of Directors, Martinez will be responsible for reviewing and voting on ACDL financial expenditures and budget projections throughout the year, making sure that the ACDL content being disseminated is necessary and accessible, and providing overall supervision of ACDL’s Executive Director.
Additionally, Gabe serves on the ACDL Development Committee, which is responsible for holding events and creating materials to engage current and potential donors.
"Gabe is an unfailingly positive team member who is always willing to lend a hand," says Kim Rogan, office manager and executive assistant for the Sonoran UCEDD. "We are so incredibly proud of him."
We Need Your Help to Better Understand Transition Services in Arizona!
Our Research Team
Dr. Wendy Parent- Johnson, Susan Voirol, Heather Wolff, Austin Duncan and Rachel Rios-Richardson.
What is this about?
- We are studying transition services for students who have disabilities in Arizona.
- We want to hear from you about what is working, what is challenging, and what supports you need.
How will this work?
- We conducted interviews with transition stakeholders around the state.
- We developed this statewide survey to gather additional, comprehensive input from transition stakeholders across Arizona
- We will summarize information and share results and recommendations.
Why?
- Your small amount of time could make a big difference!
- Better understanding the state of transition services in Arizona could lead to positive changes for our students and schools.
Who?
- The survey should be taken by anyone who addresses youth in transition across the state: educators, transition specialists, state agency staff, vocational rehabilitation counselors, developmental disabilities support coordinators, community members, agency providers, and independent living centers.
For more information, please contact Wendy Parent-Johnson (wparentjohnson@arizona.edu) or Susan Voirol (svoirol@arizona.edu).
Project SEARCH Adds Two New Sites
We are thrilled to announce that Mayo Clinic has teamed with the Paradise Valley school district, and Banner Gateway Medical Center has teamed with Gilbert Public Schools to be the two newest Project SEARCH sites for fall of 2020!
"Mayo Clinic is proud to partner with our community to provide wonderful training and experiences to Project SEARCH interns," says Marcia Edwards, diversity recruitment specialist for Mayo Clinic in Arizona. "Partnering with Paradise Valley Unified School District has allowed us to select from a group of phenomenal students. The UArizona Sonoran UCEDD has been one of our great partners providing support toward the ultimate success of our program. We look forward to seeing the fruits of our labors with Project SEARCH as we learn and grow alongside our interns, broaden our recruiting pool and develop our inclusive culture."
"Banner Health is excited to partner with Gilbert Public Schools, UArizona Sonoran UCEDD, and Vocational Rehab to bring Project Search to Maricopa County. As the largest healthcare system and employer in Arizona, we are committed to providing our diverse communities with equitable care, as well as opportunities to develop a pipeline of talent. By bringing Project Search to Maricopa County, we have been afforded the opportunity to foster individualized, on the job development for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities that focuses on training in employability and independent living skills. Through this program, we aim to assist in creating opportunities for our Project Search interns to have a successful transition into productive adult life."
With the newest Project SEARCH sites coming onboard, we celebrate the increase for a total of 8 sites in Arizona. We will continue to reach out to schools and businesses across the state to develop new sites.
Expanding Project SEARCH sites gives students with intellectual or developmental disabilities the opportunity to complete an internship at a business, learn relevant, marketable skills and expand their employment options. 
Project SEARCH Arizona is a transition-to-work program designed to help young people with significant disabilities make successful transitions to productive adult life. In 2018, Arizona interns had an average of 85 percent employment rate compared to the national employment rate of 77 percent.
Introducing a New Four-Year Collaborative Project: Career Pathways to Arizona's Future
The Sonoran UCEDD is pleased to announce a new four-year project funded by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Division of Rehabilitation Services Administration.
Wendy Parent-Johnson, PhD, director of the Sonoran UCEDD and Susan Voirol, program manager of Employment First and Transition Initiatives, received the multi-year, multi-million dollar for a project focused on improving post-school outcomes and employment rates of high school youth with disabilities.
This will be done through the delivery of effective Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS).
The project, implemented in collaboration with vocational rehabilitation, schools, and adult service providers across the state, will respond to this need using a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.
More Info:
A Statement from the Sonoran UCEDD
The recent tragic murders and continual assault on Black lives has brought to the forefront what Black communities have known and experienced for generations in this country. Racism exists and is pervasive in the policies and practices of our institutions. The justified anger, frustration and pain has led to civil action across the nation and real potential for systemic change.
Together as staff, we reflected on the impact of these events on us personally and in the context of our work. We engaged in difficult conversations about structural racism and our responsibility as a Center to address racial injustice. We see this as an opportunity for us to do better. An opportunity for us to play an active role in creating meaningful and positive change at the individual and systemic level.
We acknowledge that many people with disabilities and their families are confronted with the realities of racism whether in their everyday interactions or their ability to access and receive quality services and supports. Among the disability community, people of color are disproportionately impacted in the criminal justice, education, health and other systems of care. As disability advocates, we recognize that racial justice is also disability justice.
As an organization, we are committed to amplifying the voices of individuals from marginalized groups. We will tackle racial disparities through our programs and initiatives to impact service delivery practices, policies, and outcomes. We will partner with communities and engage people with lived experience to inform and monitor our work. We will hold ourselves accountable through on-going assessment and community feedback. We will continue to intentionally engage in self-reflection and open, honest discussions as an organization, to address systemic inequities.
We stand with Black, Indigenous, Latinx and other communities of color in the fight for racial equity. We recognize the strengths and resilience of these communities. We are ready to listen, learn and take action together to achieve real change and justice.
In solidarity,
Sonoran UCEDD Staff
More Info:
Understanding Distance Learning’s Impact on High Needs Students
A three-part webinar series is bringing together parents and guardians of high-needs students to share stories of their child’s distance learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The goal of the series is to provide families with a forum to share their experiences, challenges and successes with distance learning, to ask questions about what comes next, and to hear form Arizona education advocates and leaders about resources and self-advocacy.
Arizona school districts had to transition quickly to distance learning in March after Governor Doug Ducey closed schools through the end of the school year to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The transition posed a challenge to educators as to how to deliver education to students and to families who had to facilitate learning at home.
Among the challenges parents and guardians faced were navigating the medley of different communication tools used by schools to conduct learning, limited one-on-one time for individual students, and the one-size fits all approach to teaching which posed challenges for students with high needs.