Kristin Berg
Associate Professor
Il LEND Training Director
Disability and Human Development
Department of Pediatrics
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About
Kristin Berg, LSW, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), where she also serves as Training Director for the Illinois Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program. She earned both her A.M. (MSW equivalent) and Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. As a self-identified disabled scholar, Dr. Berg is deeply committed to partnering with the disability community to advance equity through research, training, and systems change. Her research explores how social determinants influence the health and service outcomes of youth with disabilities, and focuses on developing interventions, care coordination models, and workforce training to improve access to responsive behavioral health and related services. Grounded in lived experience and community-engaged methods, her work bridges discovery and implementation while centering the voices of youth and families. Dr. Berg serves as Co-Principal Investigator of the largest clinical trial to date for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), evaluating a tiered behavioral health care coordination model across three states. The study is guided by co-researchers from the disability community to ensure relevance and accessibility. Her complementary projects include the adaptation of cognitive-behavioral therapies, international collaborations to develop culturally relevant and digitally accessible interventions, and federally funded training initiatives that strengthen the capacity of health and education systems to deliver inclusive, disability-competent care. Across all efforts, her work reflects a sustained commitment to health equity, systems innovation, and real-world impact.
Selected Grants
HRSA, Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities Program (LEND), Training Director
Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute, Behavioral Health Stratefied Treatment to Optimize Transition to Adulthood for Youth with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities, Co-Principal Investigator
Selected Publications
Delayed diagnosis and treatment among children with autism who experience adversity
Children with developmental disabilities experience higher levels of adversity.
Adverse childhood experiences and obesity among young children with developmental delays.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S245186542400142X?via%3Dihub
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-024-06338-x
Professional Leadership
Training Director; Social Work Discipline Director, Illinois Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) Program
Education
Ph.D. in Social Work (University of Chicago)
A.M. (MSW) in Social Work (University of Chicago)
Licensures and Certifications
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW), State of Illinois
License No: 150107613 | Expires 11/30/2025 - Mental Health First Aid Certified | Completed 2022
- PEERS for Adolescents Certified | Completed 2025
Selected Presentations
Berg, K. L. (2024, October 10). Advancing health equity for youth with disabilities through accessible, integrated behavioral health care coordination [Invited speaker]. National Institutes of Mental Health, Office for Disparities and Workforce Diversity Webinar Series on Disability and Mental Health.
Berg, K. L. (2024, October 22). People with intellectual and developmental disabilities in all phases of research [Invited speaker]. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute 9th Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
Berg, K. L., Danguilan, C. R., Thornton, A., Mihaila, I., & Bernard, L. (2025, October). Advancing disability inclusion in social work: Strategies for teaching, clinical practice, and research [Interactive workshop, Disability Issues Track]. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 71st Annual Program Meeting, Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, Denver, CO, United States.
Lee, P.-C., Jackson, L., Berg, K. L., Bogenschutz, M., & Powell, E. (2025, October). Advancing social work education: LEND and interprofessional training for disability-inclusive practice [Panel session, Disability Issues Track]. Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 71st Annual Program Meeting, Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, Denver, CO, United States.
Mihaila, I., Shiu, C. S., Buchholz, K., Gladstone, T., Kuhn, J., & Berg, K. L. (2025, April). Child Opportunity Index and mental health in youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Panel presentation]. Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, San Diego, CA, United States.
Thornton, A., Powell, E., Mihaila, I., Shiu, C. S., & Berg, K. L. (2025, January). Expanding mental healthcare for youth with developmental disabilities [Paper presentation]. Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) Conference, Seattle, WA, United States.
Herrman, D., Powell, E., & Berg, K. L. (2024, November 5). De-mystifying the PCORI process: CER and Engagement Awards [Panel presentation]. Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Annual Conference, Washington, DC, United States.
Thornton, A., Mihaila, I., Diviak, K., Feinstein, R., Patriarca, C., & Berg, K. L. (2024, August). Developing an informed assent/consent process for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Poster presentation]. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) Conference, Chicago, IL, United States.
Acharya, K., Berg, K. L., Mihaila, I., Buchholz, K., Gladstone, T., Van Voorhees, B., & Shiu, C. S. (2024, August). Perceived stigma and mental health outcomes in youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Poster presentation]. International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD) Conference, Chicago, IL, United States.
Mihaila, I., Diviak, K., Feinstein, R., Thornton, A., Patriarca, C., & Berg, K. L. (2024, June). Developing an informed assent/consent process for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Paper presentation]. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.
Patriarca, C., Berg, K. L., Buchholz, K., Gladstone, T., Van Voorhees, B., & Mihaila, I. (2024, June). Caregiver-youth cross-informant agreement on mental health of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Poster presentation]. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.
Thornton, A., Berg, K. L., Mihaila, I., Buchholz, K., Gladstone, T., Van Voorhees, B., & Shiu, C. S. (2024, June). Perceived stigma and mental health outcomes in youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities [Poster presentation]. American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) Conference, Louisville, KY, United States.