Our April Events have changed a bit and we're offering even more!
April 2 we're working on a group to attend Temple Grandin and Carol Gray's conference in Brentwood. It's $105 for family members and $130 for professionals with the discounted rates. If you're interested please let me know.
April 3 is our Isotonix presentation. This is going to be great and something, I am personally very interested and excited about. It will be from 10-1130am. I hope everyone can make it out.
April 10 will be a CPR course. This is free for the first few that sign up and space is limited. It will be from 10am - 1 pm. Certification will be through the American Red Cross.
April 12 and 16 will be our fundraiser with Thirty-one. Donna has offered us 20% of sales towards the opening of The Ewing School. She'll be set up from 4-5 on the 12th and 330-4 on the 16th.
April 17 will be our garage sale in Watertown. We'll have a booth there with Autism Awareness Ribbons, information on our Isotonix and lots of gently used goods. 100% of these sales will go towards scholarships at ABC Services.
April 24 has proved to be a big day! From 9-11 we'll be having a Train the Trainer presentation with two parent advocated. We'll break from 11-1130 and then return to hear Laura Poteet, MT talk about Music Therapy and it's benefits. Finally we'll end with a session from 12-1 on financial planning, specifically tailored to meet the needs of kids with disabilities.
I hope everyone can make it!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
APRIL IS AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH!
Lots of exciting stuff coming in April to ABC Services!
We're currently registering for Summer Social Skills Camp. Sessions are listed on our web site and rates are as follows:
Session #1 $900
Session #2 $950
Both $1800
We're trying to get a group rate to see Temple Grandin and Carol Gray, so if you're interested in attending with us please let me know. They'll be doing a presentation in Brentwood April 1, 2010.
We're taking donations for the Mile Long Garage Sale in Watertown, TN on April 17, 2010. Items are due no later than April 14, 2010. Children's toys and clothing are hot ticket items. All proceeds will go towards a scholarship fund for kids.
In April, Isotonix will being coming to ABC Services. These wonderful all natural supplements, recommends by so many DAN doctors have a line specifically designed for kids on the Spectrum. You will now be able to purchase these through ABC Services. Ordering information will be listed on our website as well as in our lobby. We'll be doing a free informational presentation April 3, 2010 at our clinic.
We'll be having CPR training Saturday, April 10, 2010. This four hour training will provide certication in CPR. There are limited free spaces available. Once those are full spaces will cost $48/ person. Contact us immediately.
We are currently working on securing a Train the Trainer - Parent Advocacy training for the end of the month. More information will follow.
I hope you'll be able to participate in so many of our opportunities in April. Look forward to seeing you there!
We're currently registering for Summer Social Skills Camp. Sessions are listed on our web site and rates are as follows:
Session #1 $900
Session #2 $950
Both $1800
We're trying to get a group rate to see Temple Grandin and Carol Gray, so if you're interested in attending with us please let me know. They'll be doing a presentation in Brentwood April 1, 2010.
We're taking donations for the Mile Long Garage Sale in Watertown, TN on April 17, 2010. Items are due no later than April 14, 2010. Children's toys and clothing are hot ticket items. All proceeds will go towards a scholarship fund for kids.
In April, Isotonix will being coming to ABC Services. These wonderful all natural supplements, recommends by so many DAN doctors have a line specifically designed for kids on the Spectrum. You will now be able to purchase these through ABC Services. Ordering information will be listed on our website as well as in our lobby. We'll be doing a free informational presentation April 3, 2010 at our clinic.
We'll be having CPR training Saturday, April 10, 2010. This four hour training will provide certication in CPR. There are limited free spaces available. Once those are full spaces will cost $48/ person. Contact us immediately.
We are currently working on securing a Train the Trainer - Parent Advocacy training for the end of the month. More information will follow.
I hope you'll be able to participate in so many of our opportunities in April. Look forward to seeing you there!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Disability Day on the Hill
Today was Disability Days on the Hill for the Middle Tennessee area.
Tamar and I dressed in our nice clothes (heels included) headed to the Capital. We circled downtown several times, with me thinking, "thank goodness our office isn't downtown and we don't have to do this everyday." We finally found parking three blocks from the Capital and started the hike up the Hill to Legislative Plaza.
I've been sort of down with the winter we've had. It's been overcast and we've had multiple snows this year. It's been very draining, but I couldn't be more thankful for the freezing temperatures this morning, as Tamar and I laughed that everything from the waste down was numb and we couldn't feel our heels digging into our feet. I was trying to balance 2 dozen donuts and Tamar was lugging poster boards and boxes of brochures. I had spent hours the night before typing in colorful fonts various statistics on Autism (see below) and cutting and pasting, then typing up these statistics to hand to legislators for their support.
We finally made it there only to find out that all the tables we taken. I was able to snatch a table at the other end of the building from the Dental Hygentist's Association (not quite sure why they were there) and sneak down to our end of the building. We were able to secure a spot only half way covering up the elevator. After we got the table set up I had to leave Tamar to attend two other meetings before returning. I'm sure Tamar has quite a few stories about what happened while I was gone. When I returned a few hours later she was in a new spot, had gathered some hershey's kisses to offer in addition to our donuts and had made friends with several people in legislative plaza.
All in all, it was a good day. I'm not sure how many people we got to, but our issues are listed below. Please read them and contact your legislator about what can be done.
1 in 91 children are diagnosed with Autism
1 in 205 students, ages 3-22 are in our state school system (note that does not account for students not registered in the school system)
Research recommends early intervention prior to age 4 that is intensive 25-40 hours per week. Current research shows that this level of intervention for three years shows significant increases in cognitive, communication and adaptive testing. Some children, after only two years were able to mainstream into a classroom with peers, with minimal to no support.
This level of intervention on average costs approximately $54,000/ annually. Life long care for someone with Autism currently costs between $3.5 million and $7 million.
So, just to be blatent, in case it's difficult to understand, but even if every child doesn't mainstream, those that do would save tax payers, families, everyone a considerable amount of money, if you're comparing ~$150,000 to $7 million (or even $3.5 million).
Our biggest issue we wanted to target with legislators is the current TennCare situation. If you have worked with us for long, then you are aware of the recent problems we've had with TennCare. It has been difficult, at times wondering if our doors would stay open, and on several occassions having to discharge families, due to their lack of or slowness in payment. What we have found through all of this is that TennCare guidelines allow programming to be developed and monitored by a BCBA only, but it does allow for BCaBAs or those equivalent to implement it. So then why won't the MCOs (Managed Care Organizations) allow it? There is a breakdown somewhere. Tenncare does allow programs to be run as intended and as our field normally practices, it is the MCOs that prevent it by refusing to contract with agencies that can provide care like this and individuals that meet the requirements of a BCaBA or equivalent.
Hopefully we made some headway and put this bug in the right person's ear....
Tamar and I dressed in our nice clothes (heels included) headed to the Capital. We circled downtown several times, with me thinking, "thank goodness our office isn't downtown and we don't have to do this everyday." We finally found parking three blocks from the Capital and started the hike up the Hill to Legislative Plaza.
I've been sort of down with the winter we've had. It's been overcast and we've had multiple snows this year. It's been very draining, but I couldn't be more thankful for the freezing temperatures this morning, as Tamar and I laughed that everything from the waste down was numb and we couldn't feel our heels digging into our feet. I was trying to balance 2 dozen donuts and Tamar was lugging poster boards and boxes of brochures. I had spent hours the night before typing in colorful fonts various statistics on Autism (see below) and cutting and pasting, then typing up these statistics to hand to legislators for their support.
We finally made it there only to find out that all the tables we taken. I was able to snatch a table at the other end of the building from the Dental Hygentist's Association (not quite sure why they were there) and sneak down to our end of the building. We were able to secure a spot only half way covering up the elevator. After we got the table set up I had to leave Tamar to attend two other meetings before returning. I'm sure Tamar has quite a few stories about what happened while I was gone. When I returned a few hours later she was in a new spot, had gathered some hershey's kisses to offer in addition to our donuts and had made friends with several people in legislative plaza.
All in all, it was a good day. I'm not sure how many people we got to, but our issues are listed below. Please read them and contact your legislator about what can be done.
1 in 91 children are diagnosed with Autism
1 in 205 students, ages 3-22 are in our state school system (note that does not account for students not registered in the school system)
Research recommends early intervention prior to age 4 that is intensive 25-40 hours per week. Current research shows that this level of intervention for three years shows significant increases in cognitive, communication and adaptive testing. Some children, after only two years were able to mainstream into a classroom with peers, with minimal to no support.
This level of intervention on average costs approximately $54,000/ annually. Life long care for someone with Autism currently costs between $3.5 million and $7 million.
So, just to be blatent, in case it's difficult to understand, but even if every child doesn't mainstream, those that do would save tax payers, families, everyone a considerable amount of money, if you're comparing ~$150,000 to $7 million (or even $3.5 million).
Our biggest issue we wanted to target with legislators is the current TennCare situation. If you have worked with us for long, then you are aware of the recent problems we've had with TennCare. It has been difficult, at times wondering if our doors would stay open, and on several occassions having to discharge families, due to their lack of or slowness in payment. What we have found through all of this is that TennCare guidelines allow programming to be developed and monitored by a BCBA only, but it does allow for BCaBAs or those equivalent to implement it. So then why won't the MCOs (Managed Care Organizations) allow it? There is a breakdown somewhere. Tenncare does allow programs to be run as intended and as our field normally practices, it is the MCOs that prevent it by refusing to contract with agencies that can provide care like this and individuals that meet the requirements of a BCaBA or equivalent.
Hopefully we made some headway and put this bug in the right person's ear....
Intro
Hey! I'm Jane Lott and I own Autism & Behavior Consulting Services, LLC in Nashville, Tennessee. There are a lot of things going on in the Middle Tennessee Autism community and lots of exciting changes at our organization. In an effort to spread news and update people on changes I created this blog. I hope you enjoy hearing about our growing company and changes we hope to make within our community.
A brief history:
ABC Services, LLC was started in January of 2005 by Jane Lott. I has begun working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Tampa Bay area in 1999 and fell in love. I truely felt like this was my calling. After completing my degree in psychology and having my first child, I decided to move home to Nashville. While I got to reknow the area after having moved away 5 years before, I worked as a Family Service Coordinator for Tennessee Voices for Children. I learned a lot about the education system in Tennessee and furthered my knowledge in the IEP process and gained a lot of useful experience and knowledge.
As I worked at TVC I looked for work doing what I had done in Florida and looking for a Behavior Analyst to pair with and continue working with children diagnosed with Autism. I was appalled at the Nashville area's lack of resources for families. After trying several options, I decided to open ABC Services, LLC on my own. Our coal values include the child, family and the science of Applied Behavior Analysis.
I was blessed with meeting Tamar Robinson, MEd, BCBA when she was looking to move from Texas to the Nashville area. Little did I know what that initial meeting would lead to. She is a wonderful asset to the Autism community in Middle Tennessee. She cares a great deal about what she does and succeeds in all that I've known her to do. She provides the top quality of services and is in constant persuit of knowledge in the field to ensure that the level of service we provide is the best.
In October 2007 we opened our clinic doors on Trousdale Rd., off of Harding at I-65 South. We had a small office, and I'm sure we bothered our neighbors quite a bit. Having a clinic location was nice because we were able to train and supervise staff and grow a great deal. We began working with TennCare and expanding our client base, helping many more families. We began working with several school districts and assisting with classroom management. We also began offering summer social skills groups that were able to offer the perfect opportunity for teaching social skills with peer models, supervised and individually developed for our kids.
In August of 2009 we were able to move next door to a larger office and have continued to be blessed with the best staff and best families. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to help others and make a difference in the life of children. I thank God everyday for the opportunities and blessings I've been given. Thank you for your support.
A brief history:
ABC Services, LLC was started in January of 2005 by Jane Lott. I has begun working with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Tampa Bay area in 1999 and fell in love. I truely felt like this was my calling. After completing my degree in psychology and having my first child, I decided to move home to Nashville. While I got to reknow the area after having moved away 5 years before, I worked as a Family Service Coordinator for Tennessee Voices for Children. I learned a lot about the education system in Tennessee and furthered my knowledge in the IEP process and gained a lot of useful experience and knowledge.
As I worked at TVC I looked for work doing what I had done in Florida and looking for a Behavior Analyst to pair with and continue working with children diagnosed with Autism. I was appalled at the Nashville area's lack of resources for families. After trying several options, I decided to open ABC Services, LLC on my own. Our coal values include the child, family and the science of Applied Behavior Analysis.
I was blessed with meeting Tamar Robinson, MEd, BCBA when she was looking to move from Texas to the Nashville area. Little did I know what that initial meeting would lead to. She is a wonderful asset to the Autism community in Middle Tennessee. She cares a great deal about what she does and succeeds in all that I've known her to do. She provides the top quality of services and is in constant persuit of knowledge in the field to ensure that the level of service we provide is the best.
In October 2007 we opened our clinic doors on Trousdale Rd., off of Harding at I-65 South. We had a small office, and I'm sure we bothered our neighbors quite a bit. Having a clinic location was nice because we were able to train and supervise staff and grow a great deal. We began working with TennCare and expanding our client base, helping many more families. We began working with several school districts and assisting with classroom management. We also began offering summer social skills groups that were able to offer the perfect opportunity for teaching social skills with peer models, supervised and individually developed for our kids.
In August of 2009 we were able to move next door to a larger office and have continued to be blessed with the best staff and best families. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to help others and make a difference in the life of children. I thank God everyday for the opportunities and blessings I've been given. Thank you for your support.
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