DHDD Newsletter – February 2024
A Note from the DHDD Director
Dear DHDD Partners,
I am pleased to share some exciting news that has been several months in the making: our Division has developed our strategic plan that will guide our priorities and operations for the next five years. Our updated vision now unifies all of us with more clarity ̶ People with disabilities and developmental concerns achieve their optimal health and well-being. This is our “why” behind why we do what we do. This vision of making a difference in the lives of the populations we serve inspires, invigorates, and drives us. Focusing on our public health role helps us to make strategic decisions. Through data, evidence-informed strategies, and partnerships, DHDD can contribute most towards achieving this vision.
Our strategic plan was informed by perspectives shared by people with disabilities and developmental concerns, as well as colleagues from across the agency and beyond. I am immensely grateful for these collaborations and continued partnership to create an impact we cannot achieve alone. Collectively, we have forged invaluable relationships and advanced shared goals in multiple areas regarding human development and disability. Through continued work together, we can promote health and well-being, and reduce health disparities and inequities.
We look forward to sharing the final version of our strategic plan with you soon. Our teams will also be taking the next steps of creating an implementation plan, prioritization criteria, and evaluation measures over the next few months to ensure we are aligned and maximizing our impact.
With gratitude,
Karyl
Karyl Rattay, MD, MS, FAAP
DHDD Director
In the Spotlight
CDC and Partners Move Forward with ADHD Work
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. CDC collects and analyzes public health data and healthcare claims while also working with its partners to better understand diagnosis and treatment patterns for ADHD. CDC’s Division of Human Development and Disability (DHDD) remains engaged with partners in multiple ADHD-related activities. DHDD has participated in several important events over the last few months and looks forward to continuing to work with and supporting its DHDD partners.
Some of what we’ve been up to!
In December, Dr. Karyl Rattay, DHDD Director, along with additional DHDD leadership and staff met with key partners at the 2023 Annual International Conference on ADHD. CHADD—Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD Coaches Organization (ACO), and Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) hosted the event in Baltimore, MD, where the latest research and information on the assessment and treatment of ADHD, as well as strategies for ADHD management at home and at school, was shared and discussed by leaders from across the ADHD community. #ADHD2023
DHDD also shared ADHD data updates with partners at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) workshop titled, “Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Implications for Drug Development.” The presentation provided the latest public health data on adult ADHD, including information on who is providing ADHD-related care and trends in prescription stimulant fills. For additional conference session recordings and meeting materials, please visit the NASEM’s website.
Pictured (l-r): Laurie Kulikowsky (CHADD CEO), Lara Robinson (DHDD), Karyl Rattay (DHDD Director), Angie Claussen (DHDD) Kim Newsome (DHDD)
And, just as the calendar turned to 2024, DHDD presented on trends in care utilization and medication use by adults with ADHD and state-based information on children with ADHD at the 2024 American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) conference. CDC subject matter experts also presented a poster featuring ADHD health risk behavior data and participated in “Tabletalk with Experts” sessions which included various discussions around topics that impact clinical practice.
Funding Opportunities
Notices of Funding Opportunity: Informational Webinar Sessions
When: Thursday, February 29, 2024, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST
CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities will be hosting informational calls to discuss two new funding opportunities focused on health promotion for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette syndrome (TS) and surveillance of outcomes associated with tic disorders (including TS) among children, adolescents, and young adults. Both funding opportunities can be found on Grants.gov. Links to both opportunities are listed below. Please continue to check Grants.gov at the links provided for official application deadlines. Webinar details are listed here and also will be included in the Full Announcement found on Grants.gov:
Informational Webinar
When: February 29, 2024, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST
Join Online:
https://cdc.zoomgov.com/j/1614835451?pwd=czVVU3lwUTBiWGxQSnJpVTMrTkFOUT09&from=addon
Join by Telephone:
- For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.
- Dial:
+1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose)
+1 646 964 1167 US (US Spanish Line)
+1 646 828 7666 US (New York)
+1 551 285 1373 US (New Jersey)
+1 669 216 1590 US (San Jose)
+1 415 449 4000 US (US Spanish Line)
Meeting ID: 161 483 5451
Passcode: 07051334
Informational Webinar
When: February 29, 2024, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST
Join Online:
https://cdc.zoomgov.com/j/1619436301?pwd=QXRMSC9GQ1FMY0x0cWo2UjNTMVNldz09&from=addon
Join by Telephone:
- For higher quality, dial a number based on your current location.
- Dial:
+1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose)
+1 646 964 1167 US (US Spanish Line)
+1 646 828 7666 US (New York)
+1 669 216 1590 US (San Jose)
+1 415 449 4000 US (US Spanish Line)
+1 551 285 1373 US (New Jersey)
Meeting ID: 161 943 6301
Passcode: 61469582
Request for Applications: National Partners CoAg to Strengthen Public Health Systems and Services
CDC has posted the full notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the CDC-RFA-PW-24-0080, Strengthening Public Health Systems and Services through National Partnerships to Improve and Protect the Nation’s Health cooperative agreement, also called the National Partners CoAg.
About the Funding Opportunity
This cooperative agreement will support organizations that work with governmental public health and other sectors, over five years, to provide capacity-building assistance within the public health system to:
- Increase the knowledge, skill, and ability to deliver essential public health services,
- Improve organizational and systems capacity and capability to address prioritized, equity-based public health priorities, and
- Strengthen the nation’s public health infrastructure and performance.
For questions, please email NationalPartnersCoAg@cdc.gov.
Tools and Resources
Stories from the Field: Building Capacity for Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Preparedness Planning and Response
DHDD has launched a catalog of Stories from the Field, highlighting the successes of our funded partners on the ground in advancing disability inclusion in emergency preparedness and response efforts. These stories come from disability specialists, funded through a collaboration with CDC, ASTHO, and NACCHO, working in state, territorial, and local health agencies across the United States. The featured work includes examples of developing accessible materials and communications, developing disability trainings and resources for health agency staff, and increasing vaccine access and confidence within the disability community.
Publications
Lessons Learned: COVID-19 Vaccinations and People with Disabilities
People with disabilities have experienced long-standing health inequities, including rates and severity of disease, hospitalizations, and death. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted U.S. gaps in readiness and response efforts for people with disabilities. During the COVID-19 response, CDC identified the need for increased data collection, accessible testing and vaccination, accessible communications, and enhanced collaboration with partners. As a result, CDC launched several COVID-19 activities in collaboration with partners, including
- Several projects to improve identification of people with disabilities in administrative and survey data to inform public health actions
- Programs to help people with disabilities connect with accessible vaccination and testing Communication materials in multiple formats, featuring easy-to-read language, braille, captions and American Sign Language
- Expanded partnerships to provide vaccine education and services for people with disabilities, caregivers, and direct support professionals
- Increased technical assistance to state and local health departments
Achieving health equity among people with disabilities requires focused and ongoing efforts in collaboration with partners to eliminate health disparities. Building upon lessons learned is critical to strengthening readiness and response efforts moving forward.
Around CDC
New CDC.gov Website Beta Preview Coming Soon
CDC is excited to launch a new CDC.gov as part of our Digital Communication Modernization and Clean Slate initiatives. As a valued partner, you’re invited to participate in a preview of the new CDC.gov through our beta website. The beta site will be available starting on February 28th through March 29th.
Webinar: Join on March 1st, at 1pm ET to learn about the upcoming CDC.gov changes, how these changes impact partners, benefits of the new site, and how to share feedback or get technical assistance during the beta period.
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DHDD’S mission is to lead inclusive programs to optimize the health and development of children and adults with, or at risk for, disabilities.
