Children’s Hospital of Colorado expands access to free online teacher training to help students with ASD and ADHD improve executive functioning skills
$2 million PCORI contract in 2020 made access to resources possible for families of children with ASD and ADHD
AURORA, Col., September 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — A free online training course for teachers and parents designed to improve the executive functioning of elementary school-aged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD), is now available nationwide. The availability of this training is possible thanks to a $2 million contract awarded to Children’s Hospital Colorado’s (Children’s Colorado) Pediatric Mental Health Institute by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) in 2020. A team from the Children’s ColoradoChildren’s National Hospital and The Institute for Innovation and Implementation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore is working to implement a successful online training and remote support system for the Unstuck and On Target (UOT) program for any parent or educator who needs it.
Since 2020, this team has piloted UOT video training with 293 school staff in 230 elementary schools across Colorado and Virginia. The work follows a related PCORI-funded research project, Improve classroom behaviors in students with symptoms of autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorderled by children Colorado researchers. This project demonstrated the effectiveness of UOT in improving executive functioning—or frontal lobe skills, including flexible thinking, planning, and self-control—of school-aged children in Title 1 schools. .
“Through our initial research, we found that the classroom behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder improved markedly when a teacher implemented the Unstuck and On groups. Target,” said Laura AnthonyPhD, Children Colorado psychologist, professor of psychology at University of Colorado School of Medicine and Principal Investigator. “Making a video version of this training accessible and free to educators around the world is a dream come true. It’s a huge accomplishment for this research team, and we want to applaud the school districts and educators who are already taking advantage of these resources. There are many children who need Unstuck in every school, and we hope this training will make it easier for them to receive it.”
In developing the online teacher training, the team did not alter the content and procedures of the manual UOT curriculum. Instead, it moved proven UOT School Staff Training content from an in-person platform to an online platform. Completion of the new training will also allow teachers to earn related continuing education credits.
“The Institute was honored to produce and host the UOT Primary School Teacher Training,” said Meredith Gunn, PhD, MSW, Director of Instructional and Media Design at the Institute for Innovation and Implementation. “Teachers who participated overwhelmingly responded positively to the overall impact and importance of this training. In the words of one educator, ‘I deeply appreciate how this program understands and values the importance of the contribution of the student to his plans and to the development of his coping strategies.'”
In addition to creating more accessible training for educators, the team has created free short videos highlighting tips and tricks on executive functioning that parents can use at home. These videos, rated by 100 parents and revised based on their feedback, are now available to parents nationwide.
“These free, accessible and effective tools for improving the social-emotional development of children develop skills that are more important than ever today,” said Lauren Kenworthy, PhD, director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Center at Children’s National Hospital. “The vast majority (96%) of caregivers and educators found these tools useful and relevant. These comments are a testament to our team’s efforts to ensure that these resources were created and validated as usable, accessible and actionable for all those who need it.”
Many school districts, whether rural or low-income, do not have access to clinics offering services to support executive functional skills, such as planning and flexibility, which children with ASD and of ADHD often need. Now, UOT training is online and accessible, so any school with internet access can offer UOT where school staff (including special educators, teachers, paraprofessionals and counselors) can actively teach students how to plan, set goals and be flexible. The team’s next goal is to create a comparable training video for the high school version of UOT.
For educators – Find resources at https://www.unstuckandontarget.com, including links to free trainings, tips and tricks, and FAQs.
For the parents – Find resources on Unstuck and On Target YouTube
For schools – Add the free parenting videos to relevant school district websites, landing pages and newsletters: https://www.unstuckandontarget.com
ABOUT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO
Colorado Children’s Hospital is one of the largest and most expansive pediatric health care systems in the nation, with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and recognized as one of the top ten hospitals for children by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and revolutionary treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric health care in the world. Children Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, urgent and specialty care centers across Colorado, including its location on the Anschutz Medical Campus and throughout the region. In 2019, Colorado Children’s Hospital, colorado springsopened as the first pediatric-only hospital in the south Colorado. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
Children’s Hospital Colorado abides by applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, age, disability, or gender.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
National Children’s Hospital, based in washington d.c., was established in 1870 to help every child grow stronger. Today it is the fifth largest children’s hospital in the country. It is ranked #1 for newborn care for the sixth consecutive year and ranked in all specialties rated by US News & World Report. Children’s National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. The Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus opened in 2021, a one-of-a-kind pediatric center dedicated to developing new and better ways to care for children. Children’s National has been named Magnet three times in a row® hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system provides specialty care through a network of convenient community-based primary care and specialty care centers in the DC metro area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children’s National is home to the National Research Institute for Children and Sheikh Zayed Institute for pediatric surgical innovation. He is recognized for his expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at local, regional and national levels. As a non-profit organization, Children’s National Hospital relies on generous donors to ensure that every child receives the care they need.
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION AND IMPLEMENTATION, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE
The Institute for Innovation and Implementation (the Institute) was founded in 2005 in University of Maryland, Baltimore. The Institute is committed to creating research-driven, innovative, sustainable and transformative systems and services to serve youth and families, and to building workforce capacity within these systems. We do this work in partnership with government agencies, healthcare providers and community organizations to improve outcomes for and with young people and their families. For more information, visit https://theinstitute.umaryland.edu/ and follow us on TwitterFacebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Sarah DavisColorado Children’s Hospital
[email protected]
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SOURCE Children’s Hospital of Colorado
