The Power of the Parent
By Jessica Judd, Grafton Adult Services Community Engagement Program Manager Parents are fixers. It’s what we do. If something isn’t going right for our children, we take the bull by the… Read More
December 6, 2017
January 10, 2017
Boiling Down to Job Prep
As my own children have entered middle school and late elementary school, I find myself analyzing the nature of their schoolwork in terms of job preparation. It typically begins with an innocuous question like ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ Now, I realize my 11 year old son will likely change this answer a hundred times before entering the work force, but as an inquisitive father, I ask. The brief conversation then leads us along the path of ‘what classes do you like?’ and ‘what are your interests?’ We chat about what school assignments have been exciting, which were painful, and which ones would fit in careers of their interest. It’s usually a quick conversation that ends in a shrug or two, and I’m left contemplating much more than originally planned.
March 1, 2016
HIPPA 101
Healthcare is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the country. One of the broadest and most comprehensive sets of Federal healthcare regulations in America today is broadly labeled as ‘HIPAA’. Every one of us knows about HIPAA by now. As healthcare consumers, we have all seen and signed those Notices of Privacy Practices forms wherever we receive healthcare services. As Grafton employees, we are subject to its provisions from the provider standpoint.
February 9, 2016
Why is Ukeru Important?
There are many different crisis intervention systems that exist to aid staff working in the behavioral and mental health field in managing crisis situations. Most agencies select a system whose philosophy matches the philosophy of the organization.
August 12, 2014
Establishing a Vision: Navigating the Waters of Special Education in a World Teeming with Contradiction, Limitation, and Disparate Agendas
The vision
In the world of high finance, corporate mergers, and strategic business plans, the key to a successful venture starts with establishing a clear roadmap or vision, so all members work toward the same objective. Conversely, failing to establish a vision leads to splintered projects that lack focus, waste human and monetary resources, and often end in failure.
April 15, 2014
Are Those with Autism More Likely to Be Bullied?
Hardly a day goes that we don’t see a story in the media about bullying, especially with regard to how children and teens are treating each other, and this increased awareness has resulted in a sort of hyper-vigilance about the problem all across our society. Now another aspect of the issue has rightfully entered the public conversation: bullying children with autism. A recent study conducted by the Interactive Autism Network (IAN) revealed that 63% of children with autism have been bullied at some point in their life.
April 1, 2014
Action for Autism
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that Autism Spectrum Disorder affects one out of every 68 births in the U.S. In the past two decades alone, the incidence of autism has increased by 600 percent. So how do we cope with the growing challenge? And how will we pay for it?
March 25, 2014
Striving towards Superior Customer Service—Are we there yet?
“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises; he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.” Mahatma Gandhi
In today’s social economy, the key to standing apart from the competition is the ability to provide exemplary customer service. Although there are many tools, strategies and trainings available to help organizations provide exemplary customer experiences, it really boils down to engaging in three activities:
March 18, 2014
Evidence-based Practice or Practice-based Evidence?
In the mental health community, we have all come to live under the hegemony of “empirically based care,” led by payors, auditors, governmental authorities (read SAMSHA), our own licensing boards, and administrators—like myself—desperate to demonstrate that their psychotherapeutic services are cost effective.
But are they? I’m not convinced that we are doing our profession or our clients a great service by following this policy, and I’m unsure where it ultimately leads us.
March 11, 2014
Developing a Tool for Meaningful Employment Opportunities
Individuals with disabilities represent one of the largest minority groups seeking employment in today’s marketplace. One crucial step to their success lies in assessing their readiness for supported or competitive employment, but there is currently no broadly available tool to help public educators make this kind of evaluation.