Dr Celia Pechak, Dr Deborah Diaz, and Dr Loretta Dillon's article entitled "Integrating Spanish Language Training Across a Doctor of Physical Therapy Curriculum: A Case Report of One Program's Evolving Model" was published in their profession's premier journal, Physical Therapy, last month. Several other DPT programs in the country have Spanish medical terminology courses. However, the UTEP DPT Program appears to be the only one to also incorporate Spanish language practice sessions during labs in clinical courses. Students practice communicating only in Spanish with simulated patients with various diagnoses while completing physical therapy examinations and interventions. Students with advanced or native Spanish proficiency serve both as the simulated patients and also as peer teachers for the Spanish content. While the DPT faculty's goal is to expand and strengthen the Spanish language curriculum content, graduating cohorts have formally and informally identified the Spanish language pillar to be a strength of the DPT curriculum.

Citation: Pechak C, Diaz D, Dillon L. Integrating Spanish language training across a Doctor of Physical Therapy Curriculum: A case report of one program's evolving model. Phys Ther. 2014;94(12):1807-1815.

Individuals with disabilities refer to the non-disabled population at TABs (Temporarily Abled Bodied). All people, whether through life's circumstances or through age, will develop a disabling condition at some point in their lives. This reality may cause a spiraling effect in a person's mental and physical health. Difficulty in securing employment after any catastrophe may lead to depression, loss of self-esteem, conflicts with significant others, and many other issues.

Sometimes, individuals are born with a disability and may need supports to secure and maintain employment if these individuals seek work as a choice. The positive is that Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services in Texas and Department of Vocational Rehabilitation in New Mexico) can help. These agencies assist individuals with disabilities with seeking, securing, and maintaining employment of their choice. They will develop a comprehensive vocational evaluation; assist with choosing an employment goal by developing an Individualized plan for employment (IPE); and following through on that plan utilizing action steps. Some IEPs may include a referral to a Community Rehabilitation Program (CRP) for employment based services including job development, job placement, job coaching, supported employment services, and/or vocational adjustment training.

There are several important changes across the employment front for serving individuals with disabilities here in El Paso. In July of 2014 The University of Texas at El Paso Master of Rehabilitation Counseling Program established a Clinical Teaching Laboratory to provide these employment based services and train Masters of Vocational Rehabilitation Students to work in the field. The Lab operates as a CRP and collaborates with TX DARS on other projects that serve El Paso citizens with disabilities. One proposed venture is Project SEARCH (PS). Project SEARCH is a business-led collaboration that enables young adults with disabilities to gain and maintain employment through training and career exploration Cincinnati Children's Hospital serves as the flagship program and provides technical assistance for replication and overall leadership to Project SEARCH nationwide. The cornerstone of Project SEARCH is total immersion in a large business. Project SEARCH is based on a partnership that includes a local business/employer an Independent School District in the El Paso metropolitan area; a Provider (the UTEP Teaching Lab); and DARS. All partners are vital to the success of the program. The business provides a training classroom, a business liaison and rotational internships for on-the-job training. The school provides the instructor and a Paraprofessional. The UTEP MRC Clinical Teaching lab will assist DARS by offering follow along services for any eligible student who is hired.

Project SEARCH is a one year, high school transition program which provides training and education leading to employment for individuals with disabilities. The program occurs on-site at a high status community business and serves as a workforce alternative for students in their last year of high school. Each day, students report to the host business, learn employability skills in the classroom and job skills while participating in 3 - 4 internships/experiences during the year. Students end their day by reflection, problem solving, planning and journaling their key lessons. The ultimate goal upon program completion is competitive employment utilizing the skills learned on the internships and throughout the program. Adults with disabilities (currently not in school) may apply for the program as well (space is limited).

A general orientation on Project SEARCH is scheduled for January 30, 2015 at the Region 19 Central Office which will offer details on how all of these program components interact. If you'd like more information about these recent developments you may contact Luis Aguilera, Lab Director, at (915) 747-7445. If you are interested in learning more about employment based services for pwds contact DARS at (915) 834-7004. Once you've been assigned a case manager through DARS you may request to work with a CRP for employment based services. You will be provided with a list of CRPs from which to choose. .

Darlene Muguiro is the Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Ph.D. and Graduate Programs Coordinator for the College of Health Sciences and School of Nursing. Ms. Muguiro has been in the education field since 2000. Prior to her current appointment, she held leadership positions within the university advancement offices at New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), focusing on corporate and foundation fundraising within the context of two comprehensive capital campaigns. During this time, Ms. Muguiro's work contributed substantially towards raising the visibility and capacity of the institutions and their programs, and increasing student financial support.

In addition to her work in higher education, Ms. Muguiro has also served in a professional capacity for the El Paso and Socorro Independent School Districts, and as a consultant to area nonprofits, specializing in the areas of communication, grant writing and fund development, and marketing.

Ms. Muguiro received her BBA in Marketing and Master of Public Administration degrees from UTEP. .

Dr. Mary Carolan-Olah, PhD, MPH, BN, Research coordinator and leader of the clinical and community health research unit at Victoria University, College of Health and Biomedicine in Melbourne, Australia is a visiting professor at The University of Texas at El Paso from January 20^th - February 26^th, 2015. The purpose of Dr. Carolan-Olah's visit is to advance the goals of a collaborative project entitled: "Developing an educational intervention for Hispanic women with gestational diabetes." Principal investigators for their respective institutions are Dr. Carolan-Olah and Dr. Maria Duarte, Chair and Professor at UTEP's, Department of Public Health Sciences. Collaborating in this project as a co-investigator is Dr. Julia Lechuga, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. The purpose of the project is to gather preliminary data that will lead to the development of culturally appropriate educational materials to be disseminated and tested in a behavioral intervention to support the self-management of diabetes in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Research assistants for this project include MPH student Silvia Salinas-Lopez and Psychology Department undergraduates Alex Barron and Maria Maul.