Approximately 1 in 6 children in the United States has been diagnosed with a developmental disability such as autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and intellectual and learning disabilities, and the rate is continuing to rise.  Early diagnosis and treatment have been shown to improve outcomes for children with developmental disabilities—but greater numbers of trained specialists are urgently needed.

The Health Resources & Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau has given Elisa I. Muñiz, M.D., M.S., a five-year, $1.3 million Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) Training Program Award. The grant supports the DBP training program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM), one of only 13 such programs in the U.S. The funds will be used to train the next generation of leaders in maternal and child health to meet the complex needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges.

Dr. Muñiz is an associate professor of pediatrics at Einstein, a pediatrician at CHAM, and the director of developmental-behavioral pediatrics fellowship program at the Rose F. Kennedy Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center at Einstein. (6 T77MC33158-06-01)