By Emily Leclerc | Waisman Science Writer
At a Glance:
- Ashlee Parker, OTD, occupational therapist, participated in Waisman’s Wisconsin LEND program from 2017 to 2019.
- She credits LEND as the most impactful piece of her education and believes she is the practitioner she is today in a big part because of the program.
- LEND gave her the tools to be not only become a capable and effective advocate for her students but also the information and resources to be a leader in expanding training for other practitioners throughout the school system.
- “Kids with disabilities do better when they can,” Parker says. “It’s up to us as clinicians to figure out what the barriers are and how can we remove them. People do well when they are set up to do well. So, how can I help with that.”
For Ashlee Parker, OTD, the magic of her work lies in the little victories – like a child using their augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to ask for bubbles, or a child being able to join morning meeting in their kindergarten class by sitting in a makeshift “car” on the carpet. “I had a kiddo who struggled to participate in morning meeting with their peers. So, I created a little car out of a five-gallon bin and a cushion for them to sit in so they could more easily sit at the carpet,” Parker says. “It’s all those little things that make my job super rewarding and exciting.”
As an occupational therapist at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Madison, WI, Parker credits part of her ability to create these moments to the Wisconsin LEND (Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities) program. It was a transformative part of her education. Through LEND, she gained tools to turn passion into advocacy and small ideas into big change for the children she serves.
Each day Parker revels in those little victories and counts herself as lucky to be where she is today. “This sounds so hyperbolic, but I think that LEND was the most impactful piece of my education,” Parker says. “It’s certainly something that helped me become the practitioner I am today.”
LEND is a special training program funded by the federal Maternal & Child Health Bureau of the Department of Health & Human Services. The WI LEND training program, which is part of the Waisman Center’s UCEDD (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities), prepares leaders to improve services and supports for children with or at risk for neurodevelopmental diseases by training healthcare professionals, self-advocates, and family members. Parker participated in LEND from 2017 to 2019.
She learned about the program while she was working in Waisman Center’s Autism Treatment Program as an autism treatment specialist during graduate school. “I was able to network with some other providers in the Waisman Clinics and several of them pointed me toward LEND,” Parker says. A particular draw for her was the fact that LEND is more focused on kids with developmental disabilities and pediatrics has always been Parker’s passion.
“The occupational therapy degree spans the lifespan and is more of a generalist degree,” Parker says. “LEND is really specific to pediatrics with neurodevelopmental disabilities and it really felt like a breath of fresh air because that is my passion.”
For Parker, LEND was where she learned crucial skills that she still utilizes today. LEND combines classes, clinical experiences, panels, case-based learning, research experience, and mentorship to give each student the ability to be a capable advocate across a variety of situations. Parker says she has always been outspoken and passionate but before LEND she didn’t know how to channel those abilities in a way that could create meaningful change. “Telling stories is how you get people to buy in to what you’re advocating for,” Parker says. “LEND provided a lot of specific training on how to advocate using those stories and how to express myself in ways that make real change.”
The leadership skills Parker learned through LEND have allowed her to better advocate for the children she serves to ensure they can have a successful school career. Additionally, she found she was better equipped to help push for expanded professional development for other educators and therapists within the school district to continue to improve the supports and services the children have access to.
“As a part of lived experience stories and other parts of LEND, I was exposed to so many different resources too. There are very few occupational therapists who would know about all the same services that I do,” Parker says. Occupational therapists are likely to have a general knowledge about resources and services that could help families but LEND gave Parker information that she might not have had otherwise. LEND focuses intensely on interdisciplinary training, where individuals from across disciplines come together to share knowledge and break down the walls between fields.
“A family and child’s journey doesn’t start and end with a diagnosis. To treat them effectively, we need to understand their complex needs and that often means accessing resources other than just my occupational therapy services,” Parker says. “And now I can better guide families to those services.”
The training, experiences, and knowledge that LEND provided have become a key component of the skills that she draws on every day while working with students. “Kids with disabilities do better when they can,” Parker says. “It’s up to us as clinicians to figure out what the barriers are and how can we remove them. People do well when they are set up to do well. So, how can I help with that.”
| Your support makes a difference. Donate now to advance knowledge about human development, developmental disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases through research, services, training, and community outreach. | DONATE NOW |