Easterseals Northern California

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AUTISM SERVICES: IN 2021, AFTER ESTABLISHING SAFETY PROTOCOLS AND STAFF VACCINATION POLICIES, WE WERE ABLE TO TRANSITION FROM EXCLUSIVELY OFFERING TELEHEALTH TO A HYBRID MODEL THAT ALLOWED FOR TRADITIONAL IN-PERSON AUTISM SERVICES WHEN POSSIBLE AND PERMISSIBLE. MAINTAINING CONTINUITY OF CARE AND SUPPORT FOR THE OVER 1,112 CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IN OUR PROGRAMS AND THEIR FAMILIES WAS PARAMOUNT, AND IT HAD BECOME CLEAR THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS REQUIRED IN-PERSON CARE TO REACH THEIR TREATMENT GOALS. WITH PARENTAL AND FAMILY STRESS CONTINUING THROUGH 2021, WE EXPANDED OUR PARENT-LED APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS (ABA) SERVICE LINE SO THAT FAMILIES WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO PROVIDE ABA TECHNIQUES ANYWHERE, ANYTIME WHEN IT WORKS BEST FOR THE FAMILY. THIS COMPASSIONATE AND COMPREHENSIVE PARENT COACHING MODEL HELPED PARENTS FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT HOME, DURING SCHOOL (ESPECIALLY IF RECEIVING REMOTE LEARNING), AND IN THE COMMUNITY TO FACILITATE THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL GROWTH IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR TREATMENT PLANS. LEARNING HOW TO DELIVER CARE FROM THE PROFESSIONALS HELPED MAKE EVERYDAY TASKS THAT HAD BEEN SO STRESSFUL IN 2020 MORE MANAGEABLE AND ENJOYABLE. THE FLEXIBILITY AND INDEPENDENCE THAT OUR PARENT-LED MODALITY PROVIDES LED TO SIGNIFICANT GROWTH WITHIN THE PROGRAM, INCREASING PARTICIPATION FROM 189 TO 379 FAMILIES IN 2021. SOCIAL SKILLS GROUPS WERE ALSO PROVIDED IN-PERSON AND VIA TELEHEALTH.

EARLY INTERVENTION (EI): EASTERSEALS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA'S EARLY INTERVENTION (EI) PROGRAM SERVED OVER 700 FAMILIES IN 2021, HAVING BEEN ABLE TO TRANSITION FROM A FULLY REMOTE MODEL TO ONE INCLUDING IN-PERSON SERVICES, ENSURING CHILDREN COULD CONTINUE TO CLOSE DEVELOPMENTAL GAPS VIA INDIVIDUALIZED TREATMENT PLANS THAT ADDRESS DELAYS IN OVERALL DEVELOPMENT, MOTOR SKILLS AND LANGUAGE. EARLY INTERVENTIONISTS HELPED SUPPORT FAMILIES THROUGH EDUCATION AND COACHING, CONSULTATION WITH SCHOOLS, CHILDCARE AGENCIES AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS. HISTORICALLY, OUR EI PROGRAMS HAVE SERVED CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE 3, BUT THROUGH OUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL CENTER OF THE REDWOOD COAST, WE ARE NOW ALSO BRINGING THESE CRITICAL DEVELOPMENTAL SUPPORTS TO 4 AND 5-YEAR-OLDS. IN CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST 5 LAKE COUNTY, OUR EI PROGRAM IN LAKE COUNTY WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE FREE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS AND A RESOURCE LINE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF LAKE COUNTY, CALLED HEALTHLINE. THIS SERVICE LINE FIELDED 118 CALLS IN 2021 AND ENABLED THE EXPANSION OF CRITICAL SUPPORTS TO THE COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN FAMILIES IN THE REGION WERE STRUGGLING MORE THAN EVER. TO EXPAND OUR REACH, WE INCREASED OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS TO PROMOTE ESSENTIAL SERVICES AT NO COST TO FAMILIES BY ADDING BI-LINGUAL RESOURCES TO OUR STAFF AND SERVICE OFFERINGS. IN ADDITION, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE ACT AND OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST 5 LAKE COUNTY, OUR TRAVELING TOY LIBRARY IN LAKEPORT AND CLEARLAKE HAS ALLOWED US TO REACH OUT TO LOCAL PARENTS AND FAMILIES IN NEED OF TOYS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. PARENTS SELECT TOYS FROM A CATALOG, AND OUR STAFF DELIVER THEM AS WELL AS PROVIDE RESOURCES ON HOW TO ENGAGE WITH THE CHILD IN A DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE MANNER. THE LAKE COUNTY EI TEAM HAS ALSO BEGUN PARTNERING WITH THE LOCAL WIC PROGRAM TO OFFER OUR TRAVELING TOY LIBRARY RESOURCES TO THEIR CLIENTS. ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMING THAT LAUNCHED IN 2021 FOR EI SERVICES INCLUDES OUR LEARNING FOCUS GROUPS, AVAILABLE IN 6 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNTIES. THESE 30-MINUTE SESSIONS, CURRENTLY BEING PROVIDED VIRTUALLY, INCLUDE GROSS AND FINE MOTOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT TECHNIQUES, ART AND SENSORY ACTIVITIES, MODELING FOR PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS, EXPRESSIVE AND RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, WITH A FOCUS ON IMPORTANT PRACTICES SUCH AS SHARING, HANDWASHING AND TOILETING. PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS HAVE A SAFE, JUDGMENT-FREE SPACE TO CONNECT AND DISCOVER NEW PARENTING TECHNIQUES. OUR GOAL IN 2022 IS TO BRING THESE GROUPS TO AN IN-PERSON MODEL ONCE SAFE TO DO SO. OUR EI PROGRAM HAS ALSO MAINTAINED ITS VIRTUAL CIRCLE TIME SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, WHERE YOUNG CHILDREN AND INFANTS CAN RECEIVE THE SAME VITAL EDUCATIONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL STIMULATION THEY WOULD RECEIVE IN A GROUP SETTING. PARTICIPATING FAMILIES CAN EXPERIENCE SINGING SONGS TOGETHER, LEARNING NURSERY RHYMES, PRACTICING EARLY COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND READING BOOKS TOGETHER. WE LOOK FORWARD TO GREATER EXPANSION OF OUR EI PROGRAM FARTHER NORTH INTO THE MENDOCINO AREA, AS RECOGNIZING A DELAY IN CHILDREN EARLY, BEING ABLE TO OFFER AN ASSESSMENT AND MOVE THEM QUICKLY INTO TREATMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO HELPING CHILDREN CATCH UP DURING CRITICAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. OUR GOAL IS THAT, ONCE SHARING SPACES WITH OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES BECOMES SAFE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO OFFER IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING TO MORE RURAL FAMILIES WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE IN TELEHEALTH DUE TO TECHNOLOGY AND CONNECTIVITY CHALLENGES.

KALEIDOSCOPE COMMUNITY ADULT PROGRAM: IN 2021, OUR KALEIDOSCOPE COMMUNITY ADULT PROGRAM (KCAP), WHICH SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS AGES 18 AND UP WITH DISABILITIES, WAS ABLE TO TRANSITION BACK SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY TO A COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM ALLOWING FOR SOCIALIZATION, SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND CONNECTION-BUILDING AMONGST THE PARTICIPANTS WITH A FUN, EDUCATIONAL AND CREATIVE CURRICULUM. DURING 2021, KALEIDOSCOPE GREW FROM 22 TO 32 PARTICIPANTS. 4 PARTICIPANTS TRANSITIONED OUT OF THE PROGRAM, WITH ONE OF THESE LEAVING THE PROGRAM TO ATTEND COLLEGE. IN 2021, KALEIDOSCOPE PROVIDED MORE THAN 6600 DAYS OF SERVICE, ENSURING CONTINUITY OF CRITICAL SUPPORT. OUR PROGRAM ALSO EXPANDED TO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE REGIONAL CENTER OF THE EAST BAY, UTILIZING A NEW CLINICAL SPACE IN WALNUT CREEK. THIS NEW EXPANSION WILL ALLOW US TO OFFER KCAP TO MORE PARTICIPANTS IN 2022 AND BEYOND. CRITICAL PROGRAMS LIKE KALEIDOSCOPE OFFER PARTICIPANTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIALIZATION AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRAINING, LEISURE AND RECREATION, AND TRAINING FOR INDEPENDENT LIFE SKILLS INCLUDING HOME AND PERSONAL HYGIENE, MONEY MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY AND SELF-ADVOCACY.