USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

The USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (USC UCEDD) at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is a nationally recognized leader in developing and supporting quality services and systems for individuals with, or at risk for, behavioral, developmental, and/or special health care needs and their families. Our purpose is to provide leadership in strengthening family-centered, consumer responsive, culturally-competent services and systems for the benefit of individuals and their families. The USC UCEDD, founded in 1966, is one of over 67 UCEDDs in the nation, authorized under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), and a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD). These university centers work with people with disabilities and members of their families, state and local government agencies, and community providers on projects that provide training, technical assistance, service, research, and information sharing, with a focus on building the capacity of communities to sustain all their citizens. The goal: to enhance quality of life.

Programs and Services

The USC UCEDD strives to create community-based, culturally-appropriate systems of care centered around individuals and families. Our services include:

• Clinical Services – Provided through various hospital-based interdisciplinary programs and community-based programs.
• Diagnosis and Evaluation – Diagnostic and treatment/intervention recommendations for developmental, behavioral and attention problems (including Attention Deficit Disorder-ADD and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-ADHD)
• Feeding Development - Comprehensive assessment and treatment services for feeding, growth and nutrition problems
• Behavioral Pediatrics – Developmental and psychosocial issues from a family-centered perspective
• Community Mental Health – UCEDD's largest clinical program, it provides individual and group therapy to serve children with severe emotional and behavioral issues, as well as at-risk children and families. Includes the HEALS program for victims of such violent crimes as non-accidental trauma, sexual molestation, and neglect
• Learning Abilities Program – Assessment of the impact of learning strengths and disabilities on school achievement and behavioral development; recommendations for behavioral and special education support and services
• Community-Based Programs – Diagnosis, evaluation and treatment for infants, children and adults at several sites throughout Los Angeles County

Special Program Emphasis
• Individual, Family and Community Capacity Building – We promote activities that help assure quality of life for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and their families through active involvement in the home, systems of training and service, community support and policy-making
• Prevention and Early Intervention – UCEDD physicians and other health care providers focus on such effective preventive or intervention measures as proactive outreach, early identification of needs, enhanced individual and family resources, and provision of quality community resources
• Cultural Competence – Being located in one of the country’s most diverse cities affords us the opportunity to promote cultural awareness, responsiveness and competence within services provided at the local, state and national level

Education

We distribute information on best practices and emerging issues that impact, children and adolescents with disabilities and their families to other UCEDDs nationwide, as well as to local and state agencies, policy-makers, service providers, families, community organizations, researchers, university and other training programs.

In addition, the faculty of the UCEDD Mental Health Program has developed the second-largest training program within Childrens Hospital, annually training more than 20 psychology fellows and interns, social work students, and marriage and family therapists.

Research

UCEDD physicians, other health care providers and trainees engage in a variety of research projects, including clinical, population-based and health/disabilities systems research – all of which contributes to the knowledge base of neurodevelopmental and related disabilities.

Technical Assistance

UCEDD physician and non-physician faculty members provide technical assistance at the local, state, regional and national levels in such areas as:
• Promoting advocacy
• Building an interdisciplinary team
• Developing federal/state grant applications
• Developing culturally responsive systems of service delivery
• Delivering family-centered care
• Providing early identification and treatment
• Promoting prevention training on specific topics related to developmental disabilities for providers, agency personnel, administrators, consumers and families. This includes workshops and inservices, presentations, university extension courses, continuing education and short courses