UMKC Institute for Human Development

05/29/2026

🍎Kindergarten readiness starts long before the first day of school.

New research from UMKC IHD Early Childhood Innovation Center's Dr. Ryan Belew highlights how policy, parent support and access to quality early childhood education all play a critical role in helping children enter kindergarten healthy and ready to learn.

Find more information on this research and read full policy brief: https://ihd.umkc.edu/strengthening-kindergarten-readiness-through-policy-parent-support-and-quality-education/

05/22/2026

📢DON'T MISS THIS!

FREE Webinar for Professionals
Supporting Healthy Living with Charting the LifeCourse

May 27, 1–2 P.M.

- Explore new tools from LifeCourse Nexus
- Support healthy living across the lifespan
- Share your feedback

Spots are filling up—register today!

🔗 Link to register: https://umsystem.zoom.us/.../register/Hmko5U6fR36k4tbb3ePeLg

05/21/2026

KC Current - Check!
Teal Man - Check!
Disability Advocacy - ALSO CHECK!

Our own Candace Cunningham was honored with the Olivia Bloomfield Legacy Seat Recognition at CPKC Stadium for her leadership, advocacy and impact in our community — and we couldn’t be prouder.

Read the full story:
ihd.umkc.edu/candace-cunningham-honored-with-olivia-bloomfield-legacy-seat-recognition

05/20/2026

🎙️Another HOT TOPIC from the Accessible Podcast!

Show Me Special Education with Mark Wheatley, Assistant Commissioner of Special Education at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Mark brings a systems-level perspective shaped by years of classroom and statewide leadership, sharing how Missouri is translating federal policy into real-world impact for students with disabilities — and reimagining long-standing systems to expand inclusive practices.

Topics include:
• How IDEA continues to guide free appropriate public education (FAPE)
• What federal policy changes mean (and don’t mean) for Missouri schools
• Why inclusion depends on collaboration between general and special educators
• The goals and impact of Missouri’s “MSSD Reimagined” initiative
• How families and IEP teams shape decisions about placement and services
• Strategies for navigating complex systems and accessing clear information

🔗 Listen now: linktr.ee/accessiblepod
🎥 Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/umkcihd

05/07/2026

What does healthy living look like across the lifespan—and how can we better support it?

Join us for a free webinar introducing new LifeCourse Nexus Charting the LifeCourse tools designed to support healthy living for individuals with disabilities.

You’ll get a first look at these resources AND have a chance to provide feedback that shapes how they’re used moving forward.

Designed for care coordinators, family support staff, CIL teams, and I&R professionals

May 27, 1-2 p.m.

🔗 Link to register: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/Hmko5U6fR36k4tbb3ePeLg

05/06/2026

🎙️ Accessible Podcast is launching a new series: Hot Topics 🔥

Over the next several episodes, we’re digging into issues making headlines and what they actually mean for people, families and communities.

First up: special education at the national level.

We’re joined by Robyn Linscott of The Arc of the United States to break down the federal role in special education, what’s changing within the Department of Education, and why laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) still matter.

If the headlines have felt overwhelming, this episode brings clarity to what’s changing and what isn’t.

Topics include:
• The federal role in special education: funding, enforcement, and oversight
• Why IDEA remains foundational—and what it guarantees for students
• How chronic underfunding impacts schools, educators, and services
• The disconnect between policy decisions and classroom realities
• What recent changes at the Department of Education could mean
• Where pressure is showing up across the system
• Why advocacy matters at every level—from Congress to local school boards

🔗 Listen now: https://linktr.ee/accessiblepod
🎥 Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/umkcihd

05/05/2026

📣 Welcome back to Candace’s Corner!

Candace Cunningham, self-advocate and leader at UMKC-IHD, sparks honest conversations about what matters most in the disability community. This season, she’s exploring the history of Missouri’s developmental disabilities system and the leaders who helped transform it.

🎙 New Episode! Creating Inclusive Housing with Wayne Crawford
In this episode, Candace sits down with Wayne Crawford, Executive Director of Missouri Inclusive Housing Development -MoHousing. With decades of experience in the disability field, Wayne shares how Missouri shifted from large institutions to community-based living—and what it took to make that change happen.

He reflects on the early days of disability services, the closure of habilitation centers, the rise of Individualized Supported Living (ISL) and the real-life impact of helping people move into homes of their own.

Housing is more than a place to live — it’s about independence, choice and belonging.

📺 Watch the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/

05/01/2026

05/01/2026

Taking risks is how we learn!

Check out the latest episode of the Take the Next Step Podcast to hear our own Sheli Reynolds talk about how LifeCourse Nexus helps people think beyond services and plan for the life they want.

Listen now: https://amyjuliabecker.com/lifecourse-framework-disability-person-centered-planning-sheli-reynolds/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRh6N1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFseXcwdjdOOGcyQ0dYejFrc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHh3x6UVqWZMMUSXheiFY--MGjS0FpQGrJEJIN3iJutg_IqtRo1lI0EY1qwuR_aem_UqQng3voy-VZgWGbuMvQJw

Discover how the LifeCourse Framework helps families of children with developmental disabilities create a vision for a meaningful life through mindset shifts, person-centered planning, and practical tools.

04/22/2026

🎙️ New episode of the Accessible Podcast! Next Gen Leaders continues with Part 2 of our LEND Student Showcase.

George and Amelia connect with two more Mizzou TIPS for Kids - MO LEND student teams working to better understand and address gaps in services for individuals with disabilities across Missouri.

Through research, data, and community partnerships, these emerging leaders are turning insight into action and helping shape more equitable systems of support.

Topics include:

- Barriers young adults face when transitioning from high school to adulthood
- How data collection can inform advocacy and system change
- What “service deserts” are and why they matter
- Gaps in access to critical disability services across Missouri
- The role of partnerships, like with Missouri Association of County Developmental Disabilities Services, can be critical in strengthening local support systems
- How research can translate into real-world community impact
- Why understanding systems is key to effective advocacy

🔗 Listen now: https://linktr.ee/accessiblepod