Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Archive — Page 1 of 10

Two clinicians sit at a computer workstation, with one taking notes as they observe a live video feed of a child in a playroom during a remote assessment.
October 8, 2026

New TRIAD project to evaluate telehealth assessments for autism in preschool-age children

The project will evaluate the use of the TELE-ASD-PEDS-Preschool, or TAP-P, a tele-assessment tool designed to evaluate children ages 3 to 6.

By Janet Shouse
Stylized side view of a person wearing a white virtual-reality headset and raising one hand, rendered with vivid red and blue glitch effects against a pale background.
September 23, 2026

Social Mode: Activated

Avatars help autistic adults connect with
each other — and to the world

By Bill Snyder
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Director Jeffrey Neul, MD, PhD; Administration on Disabilities Commissioner Rebecca Hines, PhD; VKC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Co-Directors Pablo Juárez, MEd, BCBA, LBA; and Julie Lounds Taylor, PhD; and AoD Director Ophelia McLain, DHA, MPH, during a recent visit to the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. (photo by Donn Jones)
September 10, 2026

Administration on Disabilities top leaders visit Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

The visit demonstrated the impact of the UCEDD model and the importance of strong, connected developmental disabilities networks.

By Danny Bonvissuto
Stylized map of the United States with state names labeled across the contiguous states, Alaska, and Hawaii.
June 25, 2026

Earlier diagnosis of cerebral palsy signals progress in early detection efforts 

Multistate study led in part by Vanderbilt Kennedy Center shows cerebral palsy in children is being identified sooner, opening doors for earlier intervention.  

By Danny Bonvissuto
Portrait of a person wearing glasses, a dark jacket, striped shirt, and patterned tie outdoors.
January 12, 2026

Pablo Juárez named president-elect of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities

Juárez’s election to this role reflects his long-standing commitment to innovation in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Colorful illustration of overlapping human profiles, each containing symbols representing different skills and interests, including numbers, music, puzzles, chemistry, circuitry, gears, and network connections.
April 15, 2025

VUMC researchers report the number of children with autism in Tennessee has doubled in the past decade

CDC releases new autism data highlighting early identification trends, prevalence and differences across the U.S.

By Danny Bonvissuto