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On May 8, 2025, the Mailman Center for Child Development hosted the ArtAbilities Award Ceremony, celebrating the artwork of children with disabilities in Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The evening included an art exhibition, entertainment by Alex and Friends Inc., face painting, dinner, and an award ceremony. Fifteen young artists were honored with medals, gifts, and recognition from family and friends. The children and their families were visibly happy and proud. One parent said, “We enjoyed the evening a lot and thank you for your support of our kids.” Another added, “I’m so proud that my daughter’s work was selected. I’ve been encouraging her drawing.”
Click here to read more
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Webinar hosted by Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Samaco
On May 9, 2025, Dr. Daniel Armstrong, Director of the Mailman Center, and Dr. Rodney Samaco, a senior staff member at the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), presented a webinar entitled “Engaging Individuals with Disabilities in the Research Process.” The webinar was designed to “inform and inspire” participation of individuals with disabilities as part of research teams and is a collaboration between the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) network, funded by NCATS, and the AUCD.
Click here to read more
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A great team of Mailman Center trainees and staff attended the Disability Policy Seminar 2025 hosted from April 7th-9th in Washington, D.C. The conference touched on critical issues regarding the main pillars of support for all families living with disabilities: Medicaid and Social Security. The team also had the opportunity to meet with the Office and Staff for representatives: Congresswoman Kat Cammack (FL-03), Congressman John Rutherford (FL-05), Senator Ashley B. Moody, and Senator Rick Scott (US Senate Special Committee on Aging), and presented the importance of these resources to families in Florida.
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Emily C. Morales Valdes, M.S.
As an undergraduate student at the University of Miami majoring in Psychology with minors in English and Chemistry, Emily began her journey with the HealthySteps Program working as a student assistant. Her responsibilities included data entry and helping with monthly parent groups (Family Fun Nights). According to Emily, she always wanted to work with kids; therefore, her work with the HealthySteps families aligned perfectly with her goals and served as “…a perfect intro to [her] work in pediatrics.” Her time with us as a student assistant also helped her realize the many factors that contribute to child development.
Read Emily's story here
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Guest Speaker: Abby Mutic, PhD, MSN, CNM
May 23, 2025 - 12:00pm-1:00pm - Register here
Children in early child education settings (ECEs) spend most of their day indoors, where they may be exposed to air pollutants at levels far exceeding outdoor concentrations. These exposures disproportionately affect children in under-resourced communities and may impact respiratory health, school attendance, and kindergarten readiness. This presentation will present findings from a pilot and feasibility study employing passive silicone wristband and room air technology to measure toxicant exposure in metro ECEs and assess the feasibility of an air filtration intervention to improve respiratory symptoms.
Continuing Education Credits will be offered for Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health, Family Therapy, and ASHA.
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Grand Rounds Replay - Guest Speaker: Daniel Messinger, PhD
This session explored key findings from objective research on preschool behavior, focusing on how interactions with peers and teachers influence language development in young children. Social and linguistic dynamics within preschool environments-- such as peer associations and teacher-child communication-- contributing to the development of children's language skills were highlighted. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the role of these interactions in shaping early language acquisition and the implications for fostering supportive learning environments.
Click here to watch the replay.
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Inter-Professional Collaborative (IPC) Spotlight
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This IPC brings together investigators from across the University to create synergies for research in the area of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilties (IDD) that can be translated into benefits for individuals with IDD, particularly in community settings. Priorities include autism, genetics, development of early language, neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal exposure to viruses, chronic illnesses, and their treatment.
If you'd like to participate in the Neurodevelopmental Discovery Science IPC, please reach out to:
Leads:
Daniel Messinger, Ph.D.
Jennifer Coto, Ph.D.
Below are some program highlights and events connected to Neurodevelopmental Discovery Science:
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Psychological Assessment Service (PAS) offers comprehensive psychological, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological evaluations for children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18+) with neurodevelopmental conditions, including brain injuries, genetic disorders, epilepsy, cancer, and sickle cell disease. PAS also provides diagnostic services for ADHD, specific learning disorders (SLD), executive functioning challenges, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), including initial and follow-up evaluations.
To learn more about the program and/or start their intake process, please click here.
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I'm the Boss of My Life Conference
The Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) hosted its transformative "I'm the Boss of My Life" conference on Friday, April 18 at the InterContinental Hotel Miami. The event brought together more than 300 young leaders ages 14-24 for a day focused on personal empowerment and future success.
Attendees participated in interactive workshops led by industry experts, gaining valuable insights and practical skills to navigate their career paths. The conference created a supportive environment where youth could network with professionals and peers while developing personalized roadmaps for their futures.
With its inspiring speakers, hands-on learning opportunities, and support from community partners like the Mailman Center, the "I'M the Boss of My Life" conference exemplified OCYC's commitment to empowering young people to take charge of their destinies and build confidence in their ability to succeed.
Pictured are a few of the featured speakers.
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Calendar of Upcoming Events
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