The UCLA Tarjan Center will host its 2026 Forum in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities on Friday, October 23, focusing on how to effectively transform community concerns about developmental disabilities into actionable change. The event features Pete Cervinka, Director of the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS), and Dr. Jasper Estabillo, UCLA Tarjan Center Director of Training, in a session titled "From Advocacy to Action: Building Better Disability Services."
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This virtual forum aims to unite state leaders, researchers, clinicians, advocates, families, and individuals with lived experience to discuss pressing issues in the field. The backdrop for the discussion includes ongoing changes within California’s developmental services system and a new three-year partnership between UCLA and DDS aimed at enhancing employment opportunities and access to disability information. This initiative will include advocacy training, the PEERS for Careers employment readiness program, individualized coaching, and paid internships.
Cervinka emphasized the importance of improving access to personal information within these systems, stating, "Very few of us would work with a bank that didn’t allow us to log in from our own computer and get our own information." He and Estabillo will address how government can actively engage with the community’s needs and implement changes based on those discussions.
Dr. Yasamin Bolourian, Director of Outreach and Dissemination at the UCLA Tarjan Center, highlighted the importance of fostering a dynamic dialogue between self-advocates and policymakers. Bolourian stated, "It is easy to say we value lived experience. The harder question is what we do differently after hearing it."
Throughout the day, discussions will include panels on navigating misinformation in disability spaces, guided by Bolourian, featuring experts such as Dr. Rujuta Wilson and Andy Imparato, alongside self-advocates.
Mental health issues will also be a central topic, with Dr. Tony Attwood discussing the intersection of mental health and neurodevelopmental disabilities, followed by a panel moderated by Dr. Brandon Ito. This panel will explore how mental health support can adapt to better meet the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.
The forum will conclude with discussions on education led by Dr. Jan Blacher, who will address neurodiversity-affirming approaches in K-12 and postsecondary settings. Crystal Lam, a neurodivergent community health worker, will provide community insights during this session.
The forum will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Pacific time and is accessible to the public at no cost. Live interpretation will be available in multiple languages, along with Zoom captioning in 35 languages. Recordings and additional resources will be shared post-event. For more information and to register, visit the UCLA Tarjan Center website.