National Training Initiative – UCEDD Diversity Fellowship

at the Westchester Institute for Human DevelopmentDiversity Fellows: Asad Ahmed, BA; Allison Elwell, BA

Project Director: Jenean Castillo, PhD

The Administration on Intellectual and

Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), a part of

the Administration on Community Living

(ACL), awarded National Training Initiative

grants to 14 University Centers for Excellence

in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) to

develop diversity fellowship programs to

support recruitment and retention of diverse

trainees, and build cultural and linguistic

competence within their Centers.

Designed as a pipeline grant, the goals of the

diversity fellowships are to:

• Improve the recruitment and employment

of underrepresented groups, including

people with disabilities, within the UCEDD

and in the workforce

• Increase the diversity of leadership, staff

and governing bodies across the DD

network

• Build cultural competence capacity with the

leadership, staff, and governing bodies

across the DD network

• Increase the number of persons with

disabilities from underrepresented groups

and disadvantage backgrounds who

benefit from AIDD supported programs.

BackgroundWestchester County Department of Social Services (DSS) provides an array of services to Westchester

residents in need of help, including the areas of child support, food, housing, medical services and home

energy costs. It also provides protective and preventative services for vulnerable children and adults. DSS

hopes to better educate the staff of the on the importance of implementing diversity/inclusion in campaigns,

events, policies, procedures and hiring practices. The Diversity Fellows will be working with DSS to

implement a diversity awareness campaign.

Open Door Family Medical Centers (ODFMC) is an expert in all aspects of health, with a broad focus on

building healthier communities. ODFMC’s primary mission is to keep the people of Westchester and Putnam

Counties healthy and strong, regardless of their ability to pay. The ODFMC leadership team has expressed

an interest in furthering the linguistic and cultural competency of its employees in order to provide the most

effective healthcare possible. They have expressed an interest in learning more about social determinants

of health and how they influence a patient’s engagement in a treatment plan. The Diversity Fellows from

WIHD will develop a plan of action to further the stated goals of the ODFMC.

Asad Ahmed is an MPH student at New York Medical College studying Health Promotion and

Behavioral Science. Previously, he has gained public health experience in various settings

ranging from personal trainer, assistant project director/practicum student at the Columbia

University Harlem Health Promotion Center and quality improvement intern/assistant project

director at the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute National Quality Center.

Allison Elwell is a LEND trainee at WIHD where she will receive a graduate certificate in

Children with Special Healthcare Needs and attends Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, NY where

she will receive an MS degree in Communication Disorders. She received her BA in

Anthropology from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. Allison is interested in researching

healthcare disparities as a whole, and is especially interested in healthcare provision in rural

areas.

Meet the Fellows

Program Description

To support fellow from diverse backgrounds (as defined by AIDD)

to increase their knowledge, skills and values related to individual

and institutional cultural and linguistic competency, fellow/workforce diversity, and community collaborations

Goal

Objectives

Become familiar with issues and strategies related to diversity,

disparities, institutional and individual cultural competence,

systems change, and leadership skills to promote systems

change

Develop a paper reflecting key aspects of their self-study

Partner with community–based organizations in diverse

communities to carry out projects in response to the needs and

values of the community

Enhance/promote cultural and linguistic competency at WIHD

Share and disseminate your efforts and completed projects

Project Descriptions