Michigan Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (MI-LEND) is an interdisciplinary leadership training program that provides experiential training for emerging leaders with the goal of improving the health of infants, children, and adolescents with, or at risk for, neurodevelopmental disabilities and other related health care needs. MI-LEND is a two-semester training program that fosters the development of family-centered and culturally competent interdisciplinary leadership skills. Trainees have opportunities to take part in several activities that include:

• Didactic training such as coursework, virtual and in-person training and group work, and lectures
• Clinical opportunities to learn about the work done by professionals in various fields such as Audiology, Psychology, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, Social Work, etc.
• Family and community experiences that allow trainees and families of children with neurodevelopmental disabilites to engage and share experiences and knowledge
• Interactions with peers from other fields and lived experiences

For more information about the National LEND effort, you can click on the link below for the LEND National Brochure.

Open the LEND National Brochure in PDF format.

MI-LEND Consortium

MI-LEND is a collaborative effort between 7 universities: Central Michigan University, Michigan State University, Northern Michigan University, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), University of Michigan-Dearborn, Western Michigan University, and Wayne State University as the lead organization. MI-LEND also works in partnership with Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (Family Center).

MI-LEND in the News

• MDisability’s Disability Health Elective bolsters medical students’ knowledge of how to care for patients with disabilities (2024)
• MI-LEND L.I.F.E. Framework Video Abstract for Regions V and VII Conference of MCHB-funded training programs (May 2022)
• MI-LEND Family Visiting Program has potential to help U.P. families (January 2022)
• Michigan medical student learns about disability health and medicine with inaugural elective course (November 2020)
• MI-LEND Faculty Lead-Author Guidance Document: Transitioning Back to School During a Pandemic (August 2020)
• Program trains leaders to work with children with special needs: CMU graduate students learn through unique collaboration of six Michigan universities (April 2020)
• MI-LEND: A Rich New Learning Environment (April 2019)