NETWORK E-BULLETIN - APRIL 2008 EDITION

Free Network Symposium on June 16 and April eBulletin

Working Together For Kids & Teens with Disabilities … Children's Treatment Network is a new service delivery model for kids with multiple disabilities in Simcoe and York. It links over 40 healthcare, education, recreation, social and community services organizations so they can take a team approach to each child's care. For the first time, parents have one point of contact for a single plan of care for kids from birth to age 19. The Network coordinates services needed and monitors each child's progress through all the phases of their development. The Network is also expanding services that are critically needed in the community to bring more services closer to home and help reduce waitlists. Parents and professionals can contact the Network by calling Bettyanne Sherrer, ProPlanners 905-884-5710 or online at www.ctn-simcoeyork.ca

NEWS AT A GLANCE

• Free Network Symposium for parents, partners and professionals on June 16th - Mark your calendars!
• Team brings more Augmentative Communication education to the community
• Your Network is now 47 partners strong!
• Seneca College student brings unique perspective
• Vaughan and Newmarket Local Team Sites open in May
• Network Evolution Snapshot

Free Network Symposium for parents, partners and professionals on June 16th - Mark your calendars!
$80 daycare subsidy available to parents attending The Network’s 2nd annual Symposium takes place on Monday June 16 at the Nottawasaga Inn in Alliston. This year’s program has been specifically designed to provide parents, partners and professionals with an exciting day of learning, dialogue, innovative thinking and discussion about the Network’s future directions and priorities.

The Symposium kicks off with a Luncheon and Information Fair showcasing services and special programs offered by a wide range of Network partners. A special Seminar for Parents features a panel of experts providing tips and advice to help support children of every age group through all the phases of their development. During a Workshop Series for Front-line Professionals and Clinicians, Network partners will share recent innovations, creative approaches and information on new community based programs that are helping to fill gaps, reduce waitlists and provide more support for kids and families. Internationally renowned researcher, Dr. Gina Browne from McMaster University will preview baseline results and what’s been learned to date from the research study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Network’s integrated service delivery model on kids, families, the community and the system.

Our continued success hinges on our ability to harness the ideas and expertise of parents and professionals to better support kids with special needs. Please join us for a day that promises to fuel our ability to “Work Together for Kids & Teens with Disabilities”.

A Symposium registration form will be posted on the Network’s website shortly and you will receive more details on the Symposium program over the next two weeks.

There is no charge for attendance. In order to support as many families as possible to participate, the Network will provide an $80 daycare subsidy on-site for families of kids with special needs to cover child care costs. Receipts are not required.

ACCS Team brings more Augmentative Communication education to the community
The demand for professional development activities in augmentative communication has grown so strong, the ACCS (Augmentative Communication Consultation Service) Team has expanded space to make room. The most recent educational event drew more than 110 people – almost double the expected number.

On March 27, Network staff, healthcare professionals, parents and community members visited the Southlake Regional Health Centre’s Medical Arts Building. Bogdan Popsielovski of Bridges Canada spent the morning demonstrating a range of technology products and features designed to help kids with communication needs – from the latest software to new single switch products for accessing a computer without a keyboard. After lunch, Dr. Kevin Stewart, Vision Specialist and Head of the Vision Support Team with York Region District School Board, along with Lindsay Hillier of the Ontario Foundation for the Visually Impaired led an informational session on cortical visual impairment and its impact on students who also need some form of augmentative communication.

“These events, sponsored by the Network along with Southlake Regional Health Centre, really help families and professionals understand what they can do for kids with augmentative communication needs and how to work together,” says ACCS Team Facilitator for Simcoe Tracy Hunt, who organized the event along with Nora Rothschild, Team Facilitator for York. “It’s a great way for professionals and local child and family team members to get a working knowledge of strategies to support kids with augmentative communication needs even before they’re referred for ACCS services.”

Tracy reports that since the last update reported in the October 2007 eBulletin, the ACCS Team has been making significant progress in transitioning kids from Bloorview to local services, and reducing wait times. She estimates that they have now dropped the wait time to six to nine months in Simcoe County. The Communication and Writing Aids Service of Bloorview Kids Rehab’s wait list for York region has also decreased significantly.

The Network has also signed a hosting agreement with Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board. The Board has hired two part-time speech language pathologists, Barb Davidson and Kristen Murphy and part-time augmentative Communicative Disorder Assistant, Annette Leibovitch. With the added support, children’s augmentative communication needs can be serviced through the school system more effectively without having to make early referrals to the ACCS team. “This is a big step in building capacity within the system,” says Tracy.

Last but not least, the Assessment Kits have proven a huge hit and are available for sign out from Local Team Sites and the Resource Centres in Simcoe andYork. There is also a growing inventory of augmentative communication equipment available for loan through the Resource Centres.

To find out more about the ACCS Team and its services, contact tracy.hunt@speechclinic.ca or nora@rothschilds.ca

There are still a few openings left for the May 8 Independent AAC Communicators Speak Up workshop. This is a great opportunity for parents and high school students to hear some young adults who use augmentative and alternative communication to clearly articulate their ideas about topics such as inclusion and independence.

The ACCS Team is also still accepting a few registrations for the June 5 workshop on Clarification Strategies That Work – For Kids That Speak. To register for either of these upcoming workshops, e-mail nora@rothschilds.ca

Your Network is now 47 partners strong!
Over the past year, Network membership has grown dramatically. There are now 47 children’s services organizations that have signed formal Member agreements. Currently, Network members include all the school boards and hospitals serving kids with special needs in York and Simcoe alongside numerous rehabilitation providers and social and community services organizations.

Recent additions to the Network are helping to expand the range of professionals focused on providing community-based, integrated care to families and kids with special needs. For instance, our newest Network members include inclusive recreation providers like the YMCA and Able Sail. Brain Injury Services Muskoka Simcoe, York Region Family Services, Grieving Children at Season’s Centre and Learning Disabilities Association of Simcoe County bring additional expertise to kids and families with specific conditions and challenges.

The number of provincial and community agencies, ministries and support groups aligned with the Network has also grown. There are now 17 organizations and associations supporting our members’ efforts to better serve families and kids with special needs in Simcoe & York. To learn more about Network Partners click here www.ctn-simcoeyork.ca/aboutctn/ourpartners.php

Seneca College student brings unique perspective to the Network
The Children’s Treatment Network is pleased to introduce Tara Gersonde, our first student placement candidate. A second year student in the Social Services Worker Program at Seneca College, Tara is very keen to champion initiatives that will help prepare other youth with disabilities to gain independence and successfully pursue post-secondary education and work experience.

Network partners have certainly rallied to provide her with an incredibly broad range of experience during her placement. So far, she’s been getting a first hand look at all aspects of the Network’s new single plan of care model, attending management and clinical meetings, participating in assessments and client interviews, and attending educational workshops and forums at Network partner organizations.

Tara (centre) observed a clinic intake conducted by the Developmental Assessment and Consultation Services Team. The Team includes (from left to right) Linda Lockyear, Psychologist, Deirdre Beckerman, Speech and Language Pathologist, Dr. Donal O’Leary, Developmental Pediatrician, Laurie Schultz, Occupational Therapist and Karen Dillon, Social Worker

Tara is also producing an information video for teens with special needs to help them prepare for their post-secondary education. As a student with cerebral palsy, she has experience with the challenges teens and young adults face when transitioning to post secondary school. This video will provide information and tips on how to get started with the planning process; how to choose the right program and college or university; and how to research and identify the supports needed, such as attendant care, assisted transportation, accessible housing and medical support. It will also provide information on the availability of educational support tools like a scribe or special communications technology used in the classroom. The video will be available at schools and posted on the Network’s website.

Throughout May, Tara will also be participating in special meetings held for teens and young adults with disabilities to get their input and feedback on future directions for the Network, understand their priorities and what programs would be most helpful, and how we can engage more closely with our kids and teens.

And last but not least, she will be speaking at the Transitions Conference sponsored by Bloorview Kids Rehab at Sheraton Hotel Downtown Toronto on May 21 to 23. For more info visit www.bloorview.ca/education/transitionsconference

Although Tara’s student placement at the Network is over at the end of May her input and support has been invaluable. We wish her all the best in her future career.

Vaughan and Newmarket Local Team Sites open in May
The Network’s newest Local Team Sites in Vaughan and Newmarket will be opening in May. These sites provide even more opportunities for professionals and parents to access assessments, treatments and consultations closer to home.

The Vaughan Local Team Site will be officially open for business starting Monday, May 12 at Elder’s Mills Public School, 120 Napa Valley Avenue in Woodbridge (Rutherford Rd. and Islington Ave.). This temporary site was provided by Network partner York Region District School Board.

The facilities include:

• A large therapy gym equipped with parallel bars, Bobath table, rolling mirror, balance beam, working tables, large therapy balls and other basic physical and occupational therapy equipment
• An activity room for occupational therapy and speech and language assessments and treatment
• A full range of therapy games, toys and activities including assessment instruments and kits
• Office and work space complete with access to a photocopier, fax machine, printer, telephone, wireless Internet, desktop computer and scanner which will allow the Local Team to scan documents into the shared electronic record

Parents can also test specialized equipment before making purchase decisions. Specialized equipment available on-site includes a corner seat, Tripp Trapp chair, First Class chairs, deep pressure vests, and a youth slant board.

We are currently finalizing agreements for a permanent Vaughan Local Team Site facility and will update you once details are completed. Vaughan Local Team Facilitator Carolyn James, with York Region Early Intervention Services will be pleased to discuss your needs around the use of these facilities. To book a tour or appointments to use the facility and equipment, you can contact Carolyn at 905-850-3595 ext 2574 or email carolyn.james@york.ca. You can also book appointments using Sharepoint on the Vaughan Local Team page under Room Bookings.

The Newmarket Local Team Site is expected to be fully operational at the end of May. Final touches are being completed at a temporary facility located in Terry Fox Public School in the Mulock Dr. and Yonge St. area in Newmarket. Stay tuned for more details on the facilities and equipment in the next eBulletin.

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NETWORK EVOLUTION SNAPSHOT – as of April 2008

• Transition to Single Plan of Care: 210 kids have started the process
• Recruitment: 83% of target reached; 71 additional professionals hired
• Electronic Record: 394 authorized users
• Single Plan of Care Process Training: 462 professionals trained
• 2 Resource Centres and 6 of 8 Local Team Sites Operational (Barrie, Richmond Hill, Alliston, Midland, Georgina, Markham, Vaughan, Newmarket)
• Research Study: 85% of families needed are confirmed to participate

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To learn more about Children's Treatment Network visit www.ctn-simcoeyork.ca

To submit news or information for inclusion in “Updated from Network Members” please email info@ctn-simcoeyork.ca