MMI Monthly

Updates from the Munroe-Meyer Institute | December 2025

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MMI Voices: Volunteers are essential to the MMI experience

Volunteers provide peer interaction that our participants may not have outside of our programs. They’re here to work on social skills as well as help foster independence for the participants.

Holiday card artist hopes to turn love of art into career

Isaiah Jones, a 21-year-old participant in the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s Trailblazer Program, is the artist whose drawing was selected to be used in this year’s MMI holiday card.

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New severe behavior hire to help department serve more families

Bethjoy Houck, PhD, will take on a clinical role as faculty at MMI starting Jan. 1. She will handle a clinical caseload and supervise students working on clinical hours.

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Food drive collects more than 300 meals for families in need

A food drive hosted by the Munroe-Meyer Institute Quality Council last month collected 540 pounds of food. It was donated to Food Bank for the Heartland.

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Winter camps offer structure, fun for campers and caregivers

MMI is home to two winter camps, one hosted by the recreational therapy department and the other by the occupational therapy department.

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Research publications

The following studies were published by MMI researchers in the last month:

Using Fully Immersive Virtual Reality to Teach Safe Pedestrian Skills to Autistic Children

Behavioral Interventions

Emily Ferris - integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD)

Nicole Rodriguez, PhD - integrated Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders (iCASD)

Ryan Thomas - Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Research

James Gehringer, PhD - Department of Physical Therapy

A Stepwise Evaluation of Pairing and Shaping for Children With Autism and Feeding Difficulties

Behavioral Interventions

Nicole Demchuk - Department of Pediatric Feeding

Angelica Ibarra - Department of Pediatric Feeding

Bethany Hansen, PhD - Department of Pediatric Feeding

Links of the month

Houston Chronicle: Michaela Benthaus will be the first wheelchair user to fly to space on Blue Origin's next mission

Disability Scoop: Sensory-friendly Santa coming to hundreds of malls

Contact us

To learn more about initiatives featured in this publication, contact Community Engagement at MMICommunityEngage@unmc.e du or 402-559-9828.

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