Our Outreach Department has taken on a new look and feel since mandatory closure of schools took place. Our biggest challenge has been the transition to the way we interact with our students. Our staff has shown innovation and persistence to make sure learning doesn't stop.
Our Long Island Behavior Clinic Staff have been working very hard to keep our students engaged in learning through these unsettling times. Switching from in person to virtually learning in less than a week was not an easy task, but our teachers, coordinators and speech staff were able to start working remotely utilizing the Google Classroom platform without missing a beat. Our behavior specialists bravely put themselves on the frontline, going into the homes of our students to support them and their families through this pandemic. We are pleased to say that have been able to support a majority of our behavior clinic students during this time.
Our In-Home program has had a slow start in providing services due to learning curve of virtual learning for many of our students. Now that we are a few months into virtual learning and the majority our students and our staff are more comfortable with the platform, we are able to engage our students in their home services. Hopefully, very soon, we will be up and running as we were before the Covid-19 pandemic. Our teachers and behavior specialists have been so creative in their planning and are able engage our students; some with pretty challenging behaviors, with fun learning activities that keep them engaged. Thank you for your selfless commitment while encouraging our students, supporting them and for caring about them the way you do.
All of our Directors and Coordinators have been working tirelessly to put together much needed webinars and trainings on topics to guide our families, direct support staff and colleagues in the field during these trying times. Topics range from stress management, eating-sleeping-toileting issues, managing behaviors using visual strategies, functional behavior assessments and many more. Starting this month, we are implementing a parent support series for anyone who feels they need to be connected with others who are going through the same struggles they are; coping with the disruption in routines, feelings of increased anxiety as well as living with the challenges of autism during a pandemic. This will be a great opportunity for many to share their concerns as well as any ideas that have worked for them. A big shout out to those who volunteered on such short notice, the feed back we have received has been very positive.
One of our newest Outreach programs developed during this pandemic is the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) training. We will be offerings the 40 hours of coursework to anyone interested in becoming an RBT. We already have interest in the program; a Long Island school district inquired about having all their one to one aides complete the trainings. We are very excited to be able to offer this training sequence. Please share with anyone you think may want to complete the course.
We are in the process of creating a bridge program for those individuals who are graduating from high school but who are currently struggling with approval from OPWDD for adult services. This virtual program will focus on the skills necessary to participate in a program after graduation. Courses may include but are not limited to: Strategies for Post-Secondary Success, Effective Social Connections/Communication, Wellness, Personal Hygiene, Self-Advocacy, Strategies for Time Management and Safety in the Community during a Pandemic.
Our goal is to support our families as well as outside families who are struggling for placement and have no services during these uncertain times.
So, to ALL of you working so hard to make all this happen, the simplest way to thank you is also the easiest way – just say thank you. So, THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts. It’s often not only what we teach in the classrooms, but in our personal interactions with students and their families that we accomplish the most. Your dedication, commitment and courage deserve our deepest gratitude and admiration.
