VCU receives federal grant to help health professionals and families understand evidence-based research

By Sathya Achia Abraham

Virginia Commonwealth University has received a $90,000 federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to promote participation in research studies for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and genetic conditions.

The three-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will be used to promote awareness of participation in safe, effective, evidence-based research among health care leaders, providers and families of children with such specific health care needs.

“VCU is launching major translational research initiatives and this grant will help clinicians, educators and students improve their skills in talking with families about research,” said Joann Bodurtha, M.D., professor in the VCU Department of Human Genetics, director of LEND and primary investigator for this project.

“Understanding more about research can help families sort out the wide range of therapies that they may be offered or hear about.  Participation in research can be one avenue families may choose to help understanding of their children’s condition and ultimately their care,” she said.

Bodurtha and her team will develop a training module and video/CD component for health care providers and trainees in the Virginia Leadership in Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (Va-LEND) program. Va-LEND is a program of the VCU Partnership for People with Disabilities and the Genetic Counseling Program in the VCU School of Medicine.

The training module will serve as a tool to educate providers and families about the benefits and barriers to scientific research that could help the health and educational development of children.

The project is supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, through the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Bodurtha will collaborate with Donald Oswald, Ph.D., associate chair for child psychology, a Division of Clinical Psychology in the VCU Department of Psychiatry, who specializes in child behavior therapy and developmental disabilities, including autism and mental retardation. He is also the project director for this grant and core faculty member in the Va-LEND program. Julie Quillin, project coordinator, and Susan Deihl, web module developer, will also collaborate with Bodurtha and Oswald.

In addition to support from VCU and Va-LEND, collaboration will also take place through the Faison School for Autism, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, the National Center for Health Professionals in Genetics, The Autism Program at Yale Child Study Center, Commonwealth Autism Services and Parent to Parent of Virginia.