Free Webinars and Training P.13
TIMES
MAGAZINE
Exceptional
What's Going ON?
From the Executive Director, Mary Jacob GIVING THANKS P.04
ISSUE 09
NOVEMBER 2018
IF WE DID IT, YOU CAN TOO! P.09
COVER STORY
EXCLUSIVE
MISSION The Mission of Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans is to educate and connect children and adults with disabilities, and their families to resources, services, and supports to attend school, work, and thrive in their communities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gregory Brenan, CPA, CCIFP, CGMA Lisa Gennusa Ledet Jo Ann D. LoRusso, Ph.D. Denise Barrera, MPH, MSW Judith Otto, LOTR, CDRS Debra Dixon M.Ed.+30 Jedidiah Jackson Ashley Bourg
OFFICE HOURS Monday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Tuesday: AFTER HOURS 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Thursday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Friday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
OUR TEAM Mary Jacob, Executive Director mjacob@fhfofgno.org Ext. 207 Sharon Blackmon, Community Outreach Specialist sblackmon@fhfofgno.org Ext.208 Bebe Bode, Director of Public Relations bbode@fhfofgno.org Ext. 226 Nicole Desroche, Information & Training Specialist ndesroche@fhfofgno.org Ext.218 Liz Dumas, Administrative Assistant ldumas@fhfofgno.org Ext. 202 Laura S. Nata, Director of Peer to Peer Support lsnata@fhfofgno.org Ext. 209 Thuy Nguyen, CSHS Parent Liaison tnguyen@fhfofgno.org 504.896.1340 phone | 504.896.1360 fax Steven Nguyen, CSHS Youth Liaison snguyen@fhfofgno.org 504.896.1340 phone | 504.896.1360 fax Denise Sweatman, Director of Administrative Services dsweatman@fhfofgno.org Ext. 203 Minerva Flores, Outreach Assistant mflores@fhfofgno.org Jessica Rodrigue, Lead Training Specialist jrodrigue@fhfofgno.org Paul LeBlanc, Property Manager
700 Hickory Avenue Harahan, LA 70123 504.888.9111 800.766.7736 504.353.2350 fax info@fhfofgno.org fhfofgno.org
November 2018
Contents
04 From the Director - Giving Thanks 05 To understand picky eaters, eat a snack as you read this story 07 Jefferson Parish Community Resource Fair 08 Awkward No More! 09 Cover Story: If We Did It, You Can Too! 11 Discipline in Detail 13 Special Education Due Process Hearing & State Complaints 14 What's Going On? 16 Success Story - Santiago Elizalde 17 FHF of GNO Virtual Book Fair 18 Childhood Trauma - Information and Resources 19 Views from our Shoes 23 Louisiana School Finder 24 JPHSA - Regional Advisory Committee
I’m going to go out on the limb and say if you are reading this, you probably are not the newest billionaire from the recent megabuck lottery. However, you probably do have children, and in my opinion, that makes you richer than any amount of money you could win. I’ve had many parents of children with disabilities or other special health care needs tell me they’ve learned more from their child than they could ever imagine. Those lessons have enriched their character and life. But can we get real for a second? Endless sleepless nights, meltdowns, tantrums, hospital stays, IEP meetings, or food fights never entered into your mind when you were planning for the arrival of that sweet child. Everything was going to be glorious, and your child was going to be perfect – as in normal. But what is a “normal” child? A friend used to tell me normal was a setting on her dryer. What if a normal child was the child you have? Let’s face it, there isn’t a real mold of normal, and I’d like to think every child is normal in his or her own way. I was reminded of this lesson this past month when I visited SOAR in Ponchatoula. I had the opportunity to meet 13 great children. Each one was very different from the next one, and yet, each one was normal in their own way. Each one of them reminded me of how ALL children are more alike than different. Regardless of the fact they all had Autism, didn’t prevent them from loving Superheroes, Bubble Guppies, dinosaurs and Paw Patrol. They loved scooters, showing me their favorite toys in the toy room, and snacks. They still loved Spiderman shoes and Batman shirts. These 13 kiddos were just as normal as any other child labeled normal. Yet, in society and often in our own families, others still want to point out how our kids are different, rather than the same. As the holidays approach and you spend more time with family and friends, remind them: Your child is special, just like every kid. They are all unique. Even if your child doesn’t speak it does not mean she doesn’t understand. Meltdowns happen when your child can’t communicate his needs. Help understand his needs by helping him communicate. Just because your child has a disability doesn’t mean he isn't smart, kind and funny. Stern discipline won’t “fix” your child. That your child is awesome just the way, he is and needs family and friends in his life. Also, remember if your child has limits to how much celebrating they can handle during the holidays to plan accordingly. Don’t let others guilt you into doing something that you know will stress your child out. The holidays are supposed to be happy times, and you can have the happiest of holidays. Thanks for doing what you do every day to make your child’s life great. I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving filled with lots of family, friends, and new memories.
From the
Mary Jacob
Executive Director
Giving Thanks
continued on p. 23
To understand picky eaters, eat a snack as you read this article
“But. But. I just don’t know how to chew it!” –feeding therapy patient, age 4 These are the words that were said to me by a four year old during an occupational therapy feeding session. We were working on trying a singular piece of cooked pasta. After moving it around his mouth for a while, unsuccessfully attempting to chew it, he finally took the piece out. His statement of frustration reigns today as the most clear, genuine summary of the struggle of children with feeding deficits. It is a general misconception that eating is instinctual. Infants just come out of the womb knowing how to eat, right? Eating is actually one of the most complex actions that the human body completes, using all of our senses and incorporating many different muscle groups. It’s an action that we learn. When there is a break down in any part of the individual components that make up eating, the whole process falls apart, and that’s where we see our problem feeders. Breakdown in the sensory processing component of eating is a common one in picky and problem eaters; this is a topic necessitating its own post. Today what I want to address are the oral motor deficits in children who have limited diets. “I can’t move it.” –feeding therapy patient, age 4 After we take a bite, there is a cascade of events that happen within our mouth that require coordination of the highest caliber. Seriously, if you have ever really been completely present to what exactly is happening in your mouth when you chew and swallow, it’s astounding. The first thing we do after we take a bite is move it to our rear molars, our strongest teeth that are made for grinding down food. This skill of tongue tip lateralization is learned at around 8-10 months, when babies begin to explore small dissolvable foods. Your mother wasn’t crazy when she dumped a pile of cheerios on your high chair tray- learning how to move a small item of food from the tip of your tongue to your rear molars is a vital part of learning how to eat. Now, we have glorious inventions such as the dissolvable Gerber puffs, which is a great food for babies to learn how to move food items within their mouth safely. Once we’ve learned how to move the food to our rear molars, we have to keep it there. The side of our tongue along with our cheeks work together to keep the food in a cohesive unit on the back molars while chewing takes place. A piece escapes to the front of your mouth? No worries, your tongue can grab that and place it back with the group on the molars, no problem. Too big of a bite? That’s okay, your tongue can divide the food and swallow manageable amounts while keeping the rest in the side of the mouth. Our tongue then gathers the food together to the back as it elevates to the roof of the mouth, moving the cohesive bolus backwards for the swallow. “I don’t eat that food. It’s too hard.” – feeding therapy patient, age 5 Eating is not so simple, is it? Just like learning any motor skill, sometimes you can learn an inefficient pattern in order to compensate for some sort of coordination or strength deficit. This is what we see in our problem feeders. Often, “picky eating” is an adaptive strategy that children learn in response to their mouth failing them. Children with oral mechanical difficulty gravitate towards a food profile that they are able to successfully handle. By looking at a basic list of the foods a child “prefers,” we can start to hypothesize what difficulties may exist. Your child only eats processed, packaged foods and starches? These foods are mechanically easy to manage in the mouth, so there could be a coordination deficit. Your child doesn’t have any real meats in their diet besides chicken nuggets? Meats are mechanically difficult to manage and require a coordinated rotary chew along with sufficient strength and endurance; chicken nuggets are shaped pieces of already ground-up meat, so are much easier to chew and manage. As we delve further into reports, we hear about gagging, coughing, and messy eating. Gagging? Maybe their tongue can’t keep all of their food in a cohesive unit, losing pieces to the back of the mouth and gagging as a protective response. Coughing? Maybe they have an inefficient and unsafe swallow that is causing them to cough up pieces that go down the wrong way. Messy eating? Maybe your child cannot lateralize their food to the back molars, resulting in doing most of their chewing on their front teeth with their lips open. Or, they have to eat with their hands in order to place the piece of food in the back where it needs to go, because their tongue cannot do it for them. As we watch a child eat during an evaluation, these deficits show themselves. Specific inefficiencies are identified and we can begin treatment to address them. Treatment activities are chosen in such a way to teach more efficient patterns for improved success when eating. This feeding therapy can take a long time, because often children have gone months or years with these inefficient patterns, requiring lots of practice and skill building. Once we realize how complex the process of feeding actually is, we begin to change our mind set and can see how real of a struggle our “picky eaters” can have. Some children, like my insightful patients mentioned throughout this article, are aware of their difficulty and can verbalize it, but many cannot. If you think your child’s picky eating is affecting their health and well-being, seek out an evaluation from an occupational therapist or speech therapist specializing in feeding. There could be an underlying mechanical deficit that can be treated.
continued on p.8
Eating is actually one of the most complex actions that the human body completes, using all of our senses and incorporating many different muscle groups.
continued from p. 6
Awkward No More! is an insightful video about interacting with people who happen to have a disability. It is short, cute, fun, and meant in good spirit. So, if you feel awkward, struggle, or find yourself avoiding talking to people with disabilities because you think you don't know how, this short video is a must watch. Relax... We are more alike than different.
Awkward No More!
Rebecca Connick is an occupational therapist at Crane Rehab Center- Pediatrics in New Orleans as well as an Early Steps provider. A certified user of The Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding and a Mentored Clinician of the STAR Institute's SPD Level 1 Advanced Intensive Mentorship program, Rebecca treats many children with sensory processing deficits and feeding disorders. For more educational articles by Rebecca, follow her blog at https://fingertips.home.blog/ or on Facebook @fingertipsblog. For questions, comments, or more information contact Rebecca at rconnick@cranerehab.com.
By Mary Jacob
If We Did It, You Can Too!
Alex, I’ll take Northshore Autism Resources for $500. The answer is SOAR. What happens when five Northshore moms of kiddos on the Autism Spectrum can’t find services and supports for their kids? They create them. Yep, that’s exactly what happened and the birth of Strengthening Outcomes with Autism Resources (SOAR). In 2010, five moms from the Northshore committed to attend Partners in Policymaking, a six-month program that requires monthly overnight trips to Baton Rouge. Traveling overnight alone is a huge commitment for anyone that has a child with a developmental disability. Partners participants not only agree to do this, but they also have homework and actively work toward improving systems for individuals with disabilities. This national leadership training program, offered by the Louisiana Developmental Disabilities Council trains parents of children with developmental disabilities and adults with developmental disabilities on the History of Disabilities, Philosophy & Values, Assistive Technology, Inclusive Education, The Legislative Process, Supported Employment, Supported Living, Community Building, Community Organizing, and Systems Change Advocacy. One of the graduation requirements is a Partners Project. Five of the individuals accepted into the class of 2010 were Sherri Houin, Gina Sternfels, Rebecca Ellis, Anne Galiano, and Amy Brumfield. These five moms found themselves with several things in common. They were all moms of kiddos on the Autism spectrum. They all lived in the Northshore area, and they all were desperate for service availability on the Northshore. So these moms decided by graduation to do something about the lack of services on the Northshore. According to Liz Gary, Louisiana Partners in Policymaking Coordinator, Partners projects are very individualized and relevant to each Partner graduate. “What these ladies decided to do was a huge undertaking, but they were determined to do it. We knew it was a huge project, but not so insurmountable that it couldn’t happen. It would just take more time than other projects”, says Gary. In 2011, SOAR became a program of Northshore Families Helping Families (NFHF). Since several of these moms currently or previously worked for NFHF, it seemed like a natural fit. The program under NFHF offered support groups and social skills training, but these moms knew this was only a chip of the iceberg of what parents of children on the autism spectrum needed. Eventually the decision was made to take SOAR to the next level and in 2012 SOAR became an official non-profit organization with their own 501 (c) 3 status with Sherri Houin becoming the Executive Director. From 2012 to 2015, SOAR operated out of a one-room office while continuing to provide support groups and social skills training. The only funding they had was from their annual autism walk. Sherri worked nonstop volunteering her time during these next three years to take SOAR to the next level. The next goal was to create an actual ABA Center. It’s a Family Affair In 2015, SOAR opened their ABA Center with three employees under the direction of Amber Deano, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Speech-Language Pathologist. Amber is Sherri’s niece and didn’t start with a goal of becoming a BCBA. Her original college interest was math, and after helping out with Julian, her cousin, and Sherri’s son, Amber decided to switch majors to communication sciences and disorders. It wasn’t until she was in graduate school and attended a conference put on by Families Helping Families that she was hooked on becoming a behavior analyst. Without Julian, the field of speech therapy and applied behavior analysis may still be foreign to me, says Deano. In 2017, SOAR purchased their building in Ponchatoula where they currently operate. They now employ thirty-four people including two individuals on the Autism spectrum. They also added another relative, Sherri’s husband, James Houin. James is responsible for the insurance billing and the upkeep of the building. Sherri says, without family, this dream would have never happened. SOAR does their best to help as many families affected by autism as they can. People love to come here, and we continuously have a waiting list because we are a family-run center, says Sherri. The life-long mission of SOAR is to provide all the resources they can get so that people with autism have all the opportunities to live happy, fulfilling lives, and to soar beyond limits. Currently, SOAR offers ABA, Speech Therapy, Support Groups in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes, Adult Social Activities, Educational Advocacy, and Community Events. SOAR is ready for their next step and hopes to open up a small ABA center in St. Bernard Parish, Sherri’s hometown. Today, Sherri and Anne Galiano are the only two of the original five moms actively involved in SOAR. Anne recently received her master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and is a program manager and supervisor at SOAR. She is currently waiting to take the national certification to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). Sherri wants other parents to know that they have the power to do the same exact thing. SOAR was not created out of a special degree or knowledge - it was created by five moms that decided they had the power to do something. They had passion and determination to see this through. This story is not about promoting one ABA Center over another, but about the power of parents. Parents frequently think they don’t have the power to change things. Parents do have the power and can change the status quo. This story is a great illustration of what happens when passion and determination intersect. These were five moms on a mission and proved anything is possible.
Leisure Education A CTRS can help students develop the skills necessary for independent recreation opportunities, knowledge of how to engage with certain recreation games, and identify recreation resources at home, school, or within the community.
Discipline in Detail
The first time that specific discipline procedures were included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was in the amendments made to the law in 1997. Those discipline procedures addressed how public agencies could respond to behavioral infractions of children with disabilities. They were also rather complicated. You’ll be pleased to hear that those procedures have been revised in the 2004 Amendments to IDEA and that disciplinary processes have been streamlined. They are still complicated, so we’ve split the discussion into separate sections of more digestible length. The links below will also help you more quickly find IDEA’s requirements in specific disciplinary areas. The case study at the end looks at how IDEA’s discipline procedures apply in a real-life situation. General Authority of School Personnel What authority do school personnel have to discipline a student with a disability who has violated a code of student conduct? Details here, including the school’s general authority, case-by-case determinations, the 10-day rule, and what constitutes a “change of placement.” School Authority in Special Circumstances “Special circumstances” involve weapons, drugs, or serious bodily injury. Find out what authority school personnel have to remove a student with a disability whose violation of the student code of conduct involves any of these three factors. Manifestation Determination One purpose of a manifestation determination is to determine whether or not the child’s behavior is linked to his or her disability. Find out when this process is required and who is involved. Are Services Provided During Disciplinary Removals? What is the school system’s obligation to provide special education and related services to a student with a disability during his or her disciplinary removal? IDEA addresses this critical question in its “extent of services” provisions. Appeals and Expedited Due Process Both the LEA and the parent of the child with a disability have the right to request a due process hearing to appeal decisions taken during disciplinary procedures, although the reasons these parties may do so differ. Child’s Placement During the Appeal Process Where will the child be placed until a decision on an appeal is issued—the original placement from which the child was removed during the disciplinary action, the interim alternative educational setting, or another setting that the parents and school agree to? If you’re wondering what happened to the “stay-put” provision, you’ll find your answer here. What is Basis of Knowledge? How do IDEA’s discipline procedures apply to children not previously determined to be eligible for special education and related services ? It all depends on whether or not the school system had what’s known as a “basis of knowledge.” Reporting Crimes Are school systems allowed to report crimes committed by children with disabilities? Yes, with conditions. Putting It All Together: A Case Study See how IDEA’s discipline procedures apply in real life by looking at the case of Charlie. HELPFUL RESOURCES Louisiana Compilation of School Discipline Laws and Regulations Discipline Laws and Regulations Compendium
Center for Parent Information & Resources
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The case study at the end looks at how IDEA’s discipline procedures apply in a real-life situation.
Free WEBINARS
What's Going On?
Basic Rights in Special Education - Whether you’re new to special education or involved for a while, this workshop is for you. This presentation provides families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities as parents of children with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Parents begin to identify dreams and goals for their children, understand laws and learn advocacy strategies that will help them help their children reach those goals. Date: Thursday, November 1, 2018 Time: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Understanding the Importance of Inclusion - Why is inclusion of children with disabilities in schools, classrooms, and communities important? This webinar answers that question. It explores what inclusion is and is not, who’s involved in making meaningful inclusion successful, and its underpinnings in federal law. Date: Thursday, November 1, 2018 Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Introduction to Special Education - Do you suspect your child could benefit from special education and related services? or, Is your child newly evaluated? If so, this training is perfect for you. This intro to special education will give you a strong foundation to build future knowledge. You will learn the very basics through the philosophy of special education, the laws, evaluation process, and ultimately an IEP. Date: Saturday, November 3, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Accommodations vs. Modifications - Meeting after meeting, parents and teachers use the words “accommodation” and “modification” almost interchangeably when discussing IEPs and student needs. If understood and used correctly, these words can greatly impact the success of a child’s educational program. Get answers to these questions and more: How can accommodations and modifications help my child in the general education classroom? How are accommodations and modifications included in IEP? Which accommodations are provided for state testing? Accommodations and Modifications can be a game changer for your child. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana Date: Monday, November 5, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. IEP versus 504 Plans - Students with disabilities will usually qualify for either an IEP or a 504 Plan – but what is the difference and is one better than the other? This training will take you through the eligibility process of both plans, the laws that regulate both, the differences in the plans and parental rights. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana Date: Monday, November 5, 2018 Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. IEP Tips and Pointers - This webinar features tried and true tips on how to positively advocate for your children, strengthen the relationships between parents and service agencies, and help create the appropriate IEP program. This webinar is perfect for families looking for ways to make the IEP meeting a more positive experience for everyone involved. Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Anatomy of an IEP - Like a biology student, this presentation will dissect the parts of the IEP document and examine their functions individually, learning their meanings and application. It will provide constructive and practical tips to help create an IEP that supports all of the student's needs. We will explore the parent’s role in the IEP process and learn the basics of their child’s right to special education services, the process of developing special education plans, and the parent’s role. Date: Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Time: 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Discipline Rights of Special Education Students - This webinar will focus on the procedures when disciplining students with disabilities at school and the rights of parents and students during the discipline process. Participants will also learn more about manifestation determination review, the 10 day rule, and behavioral intervention plans. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Southwest Louisiana Guest Presenter: Natasha Quiroga, PREP Director & Senior Counsel, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Extended School Year (ESY) Services - Summer IEP Services - Did you know that data collected during the holidays often determine if your child will qualify for ESY Services? This training provides an overview of the ESY process for children with disabilities including how children qualify and why in many circumstances the school uses the holiday breaks in determining if a child will qualify for ESY. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Northeast Louisiana Date: Wednesday, November 14, 2018 Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Getting and Keeping Your First Job - Getting and then keeping a job for someone with a disability can be tough. This training will go over why work is important, challenges for youth, the labor market, disability disclosure, accommodations and more. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Acadiana Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018 Time: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, Transition Professionals, Adult Service Providers, Youth with Disabilities and Adults with Disabilities
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Pictured: Griselda & Santiago Elizalde
I called Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans because a person that I trust recommended me to this agency and since I trust her, I knew this was the place to get some guidance. I was happy to meet Ms. Laura S. Nata, someone who is knowledgeable about educational rights and was able to help me with the other concerns that I had. This was the beginning of my true advocacy for my son. When I shared what was happening with my son at school, Laura took the time to listen and explain how to address my concerns. She provided me with educational materials in my native language to keep regarding my parental rights. She also provided me with a record-keeping binder so I could organize all of my son’s information and keep it in one convenient place to refer to when I need it. I got compliments by the committee at my child’s IEP meeting on how organized I was. It is amazing and I use it whenever the school staff requests any documentation. Because all this was made available to me, I am happy to share my information with my friends. Always glad to refer families to Ms. Nata when in need. As a new parent, I am eager to learn as much as possible. Laura helped me do that by providing lots of information to use and sites to read in Spanish. This has been most helpful to me and a true eye-opener. I am glad to get this information especially since Santiago is in his primary years of education. Since my English is limited, it is amazing knowing that there is information out there in my native language and that my son’s school can provide me with his educational information this way. Thank you and God Bless every one of you. Additionally, thank you for the trainings given to Spanish speakers.
By Griselda Elizalde
Success Story
Santiago Elizalde
For more information on the Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans Virtual Book Fair, please visit bit.ly/2qlj6EkFHFofGNOvbf or call us at 504-888-9111 or 800-766-7736.
Please join Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans in donating new books to children in Jefferson, Orleans and St. Bernard Parish SPDG schools. Our goal is to collect 500 books by Giving Tuesday, November 27, 2018. Many children do not have books in their homes and research shows this is a key reason for poor literacy rates. Our early literacy project is geared to children in 3rd to 5th grades, many which already read below their grade level. You can help solve this problem by purchasing books on our selected book list. Each book purchased will be donated to a student in one of the participating schools. Each book will also generate points which can be exchanged for extra books.
Welcome to Families Helping Families of GNO’s Virtual Book Fair! We need your help!
continued on p. 22
Childhood Trauma
Information and Resources
Children and Trauma: What Can You Do? This 1-page fact sheet comes from Formed Families Forward, the CPRC serving foster families in Northern Virginia. The fact sheet provides information to understand the types of trauma, potential responses to the trauma, and ways to support a child who has experienced trauma. Infographic | What is Childhood Trauma? This is a 7-page infographic booklet in PDF format (1.4 MB) from the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC). What is Child Trauma? This online resource briefly describes what childhood trauma is and then includes sections about traumatic events (what are they?), ACES, childhood traumatic stress, the signs and symptoms of traumatic stress, and the 3 “E”s of trauma. The article then has multiple branches you can follow to find additional information. Types of Trauma and Violence Learn about the different kinds of traumatic events that can impact the behavioral health of individuals, families, and communities. This succinct, albeit grim, list of types of trauma comes from SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The list includes many links to hotlines and other federal resources of information and response. Signs of Trauma in Children (Also available in Spanish: Señales de trauma enlos niños) After a disturbing event or tragic loss in the lives of children, parents and teachers do their best to help kids cope with their grief and anxiety in a healthy way. This article from the Child Mind Institutes provides tips on how best to engage kids in a calm and supportive dialog about their feelings. It’s also important to recognize the signs of unhealthy coping that would suggest a visit with a professional might be needed. Understanding Trauma | Video This 10-minute video is the first in a 3-part series of the CPRC in northern Virginia, Formed Families Forward. It comes with several accompanying fact sheets and handouts. Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence, and Trauma | Video This 8-minute video says it all and is an excellent resource to use with staff, schools, and community members. It discusses how violence and trauma affect children, including the serious and long-lasting consequences for their physical and mental health; signs that a child may be exposed to violence or trauma; and the staggering cost of child maltreatment to families, communities, and the nation. Victims lend their voices to this video to provide first-hand accounts of how their exposure to violence as children affected them. What is Trauma? | Video This 4-minute video set to music (no spoken words) uses pictures and short text to show different kinds of trauma, trauma’s impact, and what it means to be “trauma-informed” in how you respond to others. From the Trauma Informed Care Project. InBrief: The Science of Neglect | Video This 6-minute video from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University provides a simply-put explanation of how neglect affects young children and changes their brain architecture and development. How to Manage Trauma This 2-page attractive infographic from the National Council for Behavioral Health identifies the main causes of trauma, provides data on its frequency, lists its common symptoms and helpful coping strategies, and offers suggestions for how to talk to your doctor about trauma. Great for sharing with families and others. The 12 Core Concepts: Concepts for Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and Families - A 5-page summary of core concepts, from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Cam Vincent, 7 says his Mimi cooks for everyone on Thanksgiving. She first gets a turkey from the store, puts it in the oven and cooks it for around 30 minutes. She also makes mashed potatoes and homemade cookies. Cam says he loves playing with his Grass Nerf guns with his brother, Max. Recently, they bought a whole bunch of them for like $30. His favorite thing to do at SOAR is riding the scooters.
Views from our Shoes
Garrett May, 16 shared that his family spends Thanksgiving either at his Mamaw Pat’s house or camping. If they go to Mamaw Pat’s house, she is in charge of the turkey, and it takes her about 30 minutes to cook it. Sometimes his daddy and sister go turkey or deer hunting. He says the best part of Thanksgiving is no school. For fun, Garrett likes to go to the Baton Rouge Mall to play the Plucky Ducky Claw Machine. He currently has 241 rubber duckies – but is still missing a Ghost Duck and the American Eagle duck. Garrett is also a comedian. He asked us, “What do you call a witch at the beach?” A sandwich!
During our recent visit to SOAR, we wanted to get down to the nitty-gritty with the VIP’s of SOAR – the kids. In anticipation of Thanksgiving, we decided to get some kid perspectives on the holiday as well as their perspective on other things that are important to them. Interviewing children with autism can go – well, just about any way you can imagine. One thing is for sure; you never know what to expect. Here are their thoughts on Thanksgiving, life, and other really important stuff.
Matthew Ramirez, 4 was so excited to show us his recently filled teeth. Thanksgiving wasn’t a bleep on his radar. He did say he does like turkey and his mama cooks it in the oven, but he was more interested in getting birthday presents and playing with Paw Patrol. Chase is his favorite, but he also likes Spiderman, evidenced by his Spiderman shoes he was wearing. Matthew also shared that he likes playing in the playroom at SOAR and likes being a firefighter.
Jacob Sanchez, 4 loves dinosaurs, and the big one is his favorite. His favorite food is chocolate cereal, which seems to be his go-to food for every meal. Jacob says Mimi cooks for Thanksgiving and cooks the turkey till 4:30 while Papaw is at work. Once it is cooked, Mimi cuts it up for everyone.
Korbyn Brister, 7 was quick to correct me when I asked if his name started with the letter C. He said Thanksgiving Day was kind of like Valentine’s Day. It was a day to send people cards. He said Thanksgiving is also close to his mom’s birthday and this year she will be 29. For Thanksgiving, Korbyn’s mom goes to Wal-Mart and buys a turkey. She cooks it for 2 seconds, but he doesn’t eat any. He prefers a cheese sandwich. Korbyn’s favorite toy is his bumblebee transformer. He likes that the head moves and the legs and arms snap off and back on. He also likes Batman, Spiderman, and the peacock that lives at his dad’s house.
Wyatt Fava, 14 thinks the best part of Thanksgiving is getting off school because he gets to go hunting with his Uncle Gillis. He is not sure what Aunt Jeannie does on Thanksgiving Day while he is hunting but thinks she is probably out shopping. Wyatt said he has shot 12 deer and likes eating the back strap. He says his aunt soaks it in buttermilk before cooking it. When Wyatt isn’t hunting, and in school, he likes to go fishing. He catches a lot of speckled trout and once caught a 45-pound bull red. Wyatt loves coming to SOAR and talking to Ms. Parris.
Logan Hartley, 3 loves playing with cars, trains, fish and the dollhouse at SOAR. He also enjoys riding scooters, which is his favorite thing to do at SOAR. He wasn’t much into Thanksgiving but says he loves chicken nuggets and his mommy cooks his chicken nuggets for him.
Jeremiah Cockeiham, 11 loves eating macaroni and fish sticks at school. He wasn’t sure about Thanksgiving but said his mama cooks brown steaks and he likes to eat pretzels at SOAR. His favorite color is purple, and he was looking forward to eating a cookie with purple icing. Jeremiah reported that Sponge Bob is his favorite TV show.
Sheena Batson, 5 likes bologna, cheese, and Cheez-Its. She enjoys playing pretend cooking in the kitchen in the toy room. She loves Bubble Guppies, and the red Bubble Guppie is her favorite. Sheena also likes the minions, but the highlight of our interview was her dancing to the Bubble Guppie song and twirling around at the very end.
Reece Serpas, 12 wants to be a cop or firefighter because he likes to help people. He said if he were a firefighter, he would cook fries, dip them in ketchup, and drink root beer for Thanksgiving. He really likes the gloves, boots, and hat firemen get to wear. Reece also likes superheroes and says HE IS HIS favorite superhero. He declared himself Batman.
Julian Houin, 17 and his family go to his Aunt Tina’s house for Thanksgiving. She gets a turkey from the store and cooks it for about an hour in her kitchen. She also cooks baked macaroni. Julian said he does not eat desserts, so he doesn’t know what kind they have for Thanksgiving. He likes to watch videos and is looking forward to going to Disney World. He likes Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Test Tracks, but does not like Tower of Terror. While in Disney World, he plans to eat pizza, salad, and pasta.
Jace Richard, 4 loves Paw Patrol and knew all the pups but reported Marshall as his favorite. Jace loves eating Cheesy Puffs. He was also eager to tell me cats meowed; dogs say ruff-ruff and the blue Paw Patrol was Chase, but Marshall was still his favorite.
Trauma - continued from page 18
Mateo Rojo, 6 likes raisins, apple juice, popcorn, and goldfish. His mama makes his popcorn and gives him chocolate chip cookies. Mateo’s favorite number is three, and his favorite color is red. He also loves to sing and dance at which time we all sang all ten verses of the “This Old Man” song.
Graduation Pathways for Students with Disabilities
Families Helping Families of GNO will be closed on November 12th in observance of Veterans Day, and the 22nd, and 23rd for Thanksgiving.
The Louisiana Department of Education is committed to helping families find the right school or early childhood center for their children, and providing them with helpful information about Louisiana’s schools. The Louisiana School Finder is an interactive, online tool that provides families with: school performance scores and early childhood performance ratings to show how well schools and centers are preparing students for the next grade-level; basic information about schools and centers such as their address, website, hours of operation, and principal or director’s name; and listings of course offerings, clubs, enrichment and extracurricular activities. To find out information about schools and early childhood centers in your area, visit www.louisianaschools.com, and type in a school or center’s name, or your zip code.
While most students with disabilities in Louisiana will pursue a traditional pathway to a high school diploma, certain students with disabilities who have an IEP have alternative pathways to a diploma available to them. Students at the high school level who are eligible under Act 833 (2014) can pursue a standard high school diploma by meeting standard graduation requirements through alternate means. Students at the high school level who are assessed on Louisiana Alternate Assessment Level 1 (LAA 1) can pursue a diploma pathway by meeting alternate requirements. Resources are available which can assist both educators and families in planning and implementing a successful high school experience for students with disabilities who have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
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The Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center (LaPTIC) is a program of Families Helping Families of GNO and a grant from the US Department of Education; Office of Special Education (OSEP) as Louisiana's official and only statewide federally funded Parent Training and Information Center.
The following meetings will be held at Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority 1500 River Oaks Road, Suite 200, Harahan January 29, 2019 July 30, 2019
e-Learning Mini Modules are formatted for all devices so even if you are at a ball game, dance practice or waiting for your dinner to arrive in a restaurant, you can log onto our website and watch one of our e-Learning Mini Modules in approximately 10 minutes. That's right - you only need about 10 minutes! CLICK HERE to go to our website and learn more about the e-Learning Modules!
Any information provided by Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans (FHF) and/or Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center (LaPTIC), its staff, and/or its volunteers is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Any information expressed or implied is not intended nor should be construed as legal, medical, or other professional advice. FHF and/or LaPTIC does not render legal, medical, or professional advice or recommendations; nor is legal, medical, or other professional advice implied by any information given. Any information provided should not replace consultations with qualified legal, educational, healthcare, or other professionals to meet individual or professional needs. Reference to any program, service, therapy, or treatment option does not imply endorsement by FHF and/or LaPTIC or by its organizational staff/members and should not be construed as such.
The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) has four developmental disability home and community-based waivers, New Opportunities Waiver (NOW), Residential Options Waiver (ROW), Supports Waiver, and Children's Choice Waiver have now been operationalized to a tiered waiver system of service delivery, which will allow for individuals to be supported in the most appropriate waiver. To learn more, click here.
Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) Meetings
700 Hickory Avenue Harahan, LA 70123 504-888-9111 800-766-7736 504-353-2350 fax info@fhfofgno.org fhfofgno.org
Parents and Caretakers of individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals with developmental disabilities, and concerned citizens are invited to attend this meeting. All guest will have the opportunity to make public comments about developmental disability topics.
The following meetings will be held at Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority 5001 West Bank Expy., Room 118, Marrero April 30, 2019 October 29, 2019