Newsletter – March 2025: Fellowship opportunity, CRA disability annual report, and more!

Dear Kids Brain Health Champions,

In this month’s edition, we’re excited to share stories and important updates:

• Kids Brain Health Foundation unveils new look and expanded presence

• Disability Advisory Committee Releases 2024 Annual Report

• KBHN-DiPo ADVANCE Network Fellows: Call for applicants

• University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy appoints Dr. Jennifer Zwicker Director of Health and Social Policy

• Benefits of Secret Agent Society program for parents

Kids Brain Health Foundation unveils new look—join the movement!

The Kids Brain Health Foundation (KBHF) has relaunched with a bold new look and an expanded presence on Facebook and LinkedIn. This refresh reflects KBHF’s unwavering commitment to supporting children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) and their families across Canada.

Since 2016, KBHF has been working alongside KBHN to drive real-world solutions by transforming research into action. Through partnerships with communities, industry, government, and non-profits, they accelerate projects that improve early identification, treatment, and outcomes for children with NDDs.

Now, with an expanded digital presence, KBHF is creating more ways to engage, share breakthroughs, and build a stronger community. Don’t miss out—follow KBHF on Facebook and LinkedIn today to stay informed, get involved, and be part of the change!

Disability Advisory Committee releases 2024 Annual Report

The Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), co-chaired by Kids Brain Health Network’s Chief Scientist, Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, has released its 2024 Annual Report. The report outlines progress on previous recommendations and introduces 18 new recommendations aimed at improving how the CRA administers and interprets tax measures for Canadians with disabilities.

Key progress highlighted in the report includes better data analysis to understand the needs of Indigenous communities, enhanced accessibility of Disability Tax Credit (DTC) data, and simplified communication processes for DTC applicants.

The committee’s new recommendations focus on improving awareness, eligibility, application procedures, and accessibility to ensure Canadians with disabilities receive the support they are entitled to.

KBHN-DiPo ADVANCE Network Fellows: call for applications

The Disability Policy Research Program (DiPo) and Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) invite you to apply to the 2025-2026 ADVANCE Network Fellowship competition. This fellowship is an opportunity to support the work of the Alliance for Disability Voices, Advocacy, and National Community Empowerment (ADVANCE) Network, a newly formed network comprised of researchers, community partners, and persons with lived and living experience (PWLLE) with a shared goal to improve access to provincial and territorial disability programs for Canadian neurodiverse youth and their families through participatory action research and community-led knowledge mobilization.

The 2025-2026 ADVANCE Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for trainees (graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or research associates) to contribute to the early stages of the ADVANCE Network while also developing a firm understanding of disability policy and program design across Canadian provinces and territories.

University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy appoints Dr. Jennifer Zwicker as Director of Health and Social Policy

Benefits of Secret Agent Society program for parents

KBHN sponsors Early Career Researcher session at CNPRM 2025

Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) is proud to sponsor the Early Career Researcher session at the 2025 Canadian National Perinatal Research Meeting (CNPRM), taking place May 12-15 in Montreal, QC.

This event provides a vital platform for young researchers to present their work, gain mentorship, and network with experts in perinatal and child health. Featuring keynote speakers, workshops, and poster sessions, CNPRM fosters collaboration and career development across academia, non-profits, and industry.

Our previous mental health app called SMILE has successfully helped youth in the general population manage their anxiety through fun activities, goal setting, and progress tracking. However, it needs adaptations for youth with ID.

For the first part of the study, we are recruiting youth with mild ID to participate in focus groups (in-person or online) where they can explore the app, provide feedback, and help shape a tool designed for their needs.

This study is a unique opportunity for youth with ID to:

• Gain independence by using an app designed to help them manage anxiety on their own
• Make an impact by shaping a mental health resource that can benefit all youth with ID
• Receive compensation for their time and valuable feedback

If you are interested in signing up yourself or your child for the study, please copy the link below into your browser or scan the QR code in our study poster. The link will take you to the intake survey for the study. https://redcap.link/6rid7s79

From the AID Team, thank you for your interest and participation in our study!