The Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Program provides long-term, graduate level interdisciplinary training designed to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals with disabilities. This goal is accomplished by preparing trainees from diverse professional disciplines to assume leadership roles in their respective fields, and by ensuring high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence. LEND focuses training on the policy, advocacy, research and clinical skills necessary to affect positive change on all levels, from the individual to systems.

The Illinois LEND was founded in 2008. It is one of the first LEND programs to have self-advocacy as one of its disciplines and has 4 main training sites: University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Easter Seals Peoria, and Southern Illinois University.

This workshop series is organized by IL LEND trainees and faculty as part of its mission to expand resources and improve services for IL children with disabilities and their families.