PhD Candidate and Research Assistant
Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois Chicago
Leah Bernard is a PhD candidate in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois Chicago. She earned her MSW from the University of South Dakota in 2020. In the PCORI-funded B.E.S.T. study, she investigates the role of community engagement and the perspectives and experiences of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in healthcare research. Her research centers on social determinants of health, health equity, community engagement, and self-determination among youth with IDD. Specifically, her dissertation research explores how interdependence and agency influence healthcare transition and mental healthcare experiences among youth with IDD, aiming to provide a more nuanced understanding compared to deficit-based approaches.
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