A Newsletter for Families
and our Community
Our Journey Together | June 2022
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Spotlight on Success:
Agency Announcements!
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Autism Acceptance Night a "Hit" at Utica Blue Sox! |
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Thank you to the Utica Blue Sox and Birch Wealth Management for a great game during the "Kelberman Center Autism Acceptance Night at the Park." The game, which was attended by over 1,000 people, was a thank you to all community partners, staff, donors and fundraisers who helped to raise over $160,000 for our Walk for Autism. Families and friends enjoyed a beautiful night out together, cheering on the Blue Sox as well as the Grimaldi Family, top fundraising team for the Walk for Autism, who threw out the first pitch! Travis Leone, another top Walk for Autism team, sang the National Anthem and did a wonderful job. Thank you to Birch Wealth Management for sponsoring the event and for providing the beautiful autism acceptance jerseys for the Blue Sox team, which were then auctioned off with proceeds benefiting The Kelberman Center. We appreciate everyone who attended and participated in some way to promote autism acceptance within our community. |
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Focus on Excellence: How to Get Unstuck
Rosanne J. Westgate, Ph.D, CBIS
Kelberman Center Consultant
Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) often show an inability to be cognitively flexible. They basically become stuck on a one-way road to solving a problem and keep repeating the manner in which they do something, or think about something, even if it does not lead to a solution to the problem.
Cognitive Flexibility is an ability to shift or adapt cognitive representations and/or attention to changing situational demands and is one of the important executive functions that affects learning novel concepts as well as to the executive functions of inhibition and working memory (Deak, 2004). Let’s face it, we can often feel deflated if our day is interrupted by something unexpected, an appointment is cancelled, or an opportunity that one has looked forward to is delayed. Now multiply that tenfold for some individuals with ASD. What might follow is what is known as “the meltdown.’’ When stressed or anxiety ridden, the student may lack the necessary cognitive ability to quickly bring into working memory (from long-term memory) a myriad of ways to solve an issue. (Please click <here> to continue reading.)
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Program Spotlights
News and updates from Kelberman Center programs
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In May The Kelberman Center welcomed our newest Manager of College Partnerships, Merritt Harris! Merritt will be on-site at Syracuse University as a part of our collaboration with the InclusiveU program. Through this partnership, the Kelberman Center helps support 25-30 students per year while they navigate college and campus life. Support activities include help with self-advocacy, organizing and balancing schoolwork alongside recreational activities, registering for classes, navigating the campus, and attending classes.
During Merritt's first week he talked to more than 20 families, introducing himself and finding out their thoughts about the program. One parents' story in particular stood out. Kyle F. has been with the program since his freshman year. He is going into his senior year this upcoming fall and will take part in the internship program. His mother had positive comments about Kyle's most recent semester, stating that he enjoyed all of his interactions with his peer mentors and found great value in their support on campus. Kyle is excited about the continued mentorship opportunities this fall, especially the ones centered around socialization! Throughout the summer, several individuals, including Kyle, will be invited to take part in programming that maintains the positive relationships they built throughout the year. For information on InclusiveU, please contact Danielle Kall-Marrone at [email protected].
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Social Inclusion/DDPC Partnership |
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This past month our Coordinator of Social Inclusion Initiatives, Laura Mangano-Smith and one of our LMSWs, Carlyne Hazer, hosted our final community training as a part of our 3 year Social Inclusion Initiative Grant. This grant, funded by the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council, focused on helping local community agencies build socially inclusive programs and practices that could be sustained following the grant period. The Inclusion 101/Behavior Management training was provided to 14 childcare and camp staff at the Oneida YMCA. Over the course of the 3-year grant period, we are proud to announce that we provided social inclusion training topics to over 700 community agency staff! Although the grant period ends this month, the Kelberman Center is committed to continuing to offer community trainings to support efforts that create welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone. If interested in learning more, contact Kelly Mullin at [email protected].
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The students in the Promise preschool learned about a variety of themes including pond life, food/nutrition and zoo animals this month. Teachers at Promise use a multi-sensory approach which includes art and crafts, gross motor movement and sensory play. Promise has also been celebrating recent graduations! 26 students just graduated from our programs - 16 from our Whitesboro site and 10 from our JCC site. This was an emotional time for both staff and parents alike, celebrating all of the graduates' accomplishments made throughout the year. For information on the Promise Program, please contact Michael Davis, Director of Early Education Services, at [email protected] or (315) 927-3970. |
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Spotlight on Staff:
Cause-Driven Leader
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Our Cause-Driven Leader is an employee who embodies the mission and vision of The Kelberman Center. The honoree for June is Todd Turner, Self Direction Navigator at The Kelberman Center. Todd, pictured to the right, has been at The Kelberman Center for over five years. In his role, Todd guides families through what it means to self-direct their services, as well as the process and what needs to be done. He also works with our Direct Care staff to provide them with support and education to help them serve the people we support effectively.
Todd's supervisor, Marcus Gillespie, commented, "Todd has been an integral member of the community service team in Syracuse and Utica. Todd started working for the Kelberman Center in 2016 as a Direct Support Professional and is now one of the longest standing Self Direction Navigators within the Self Direction Department. Over the years, Todd has opened 50+ cases and has maintained a caseload of 40 between Syracuse and Utica. Todd has always gone above and beyond to support individuals and families, having even been praised for his diligence by employees of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Todd has worked very hard and long hours to ensure his families are taken care, advocating fervently for his individuals' needs."
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Be Someone Who Changes Lives Everyday
Join The Kelberman Center Team Today!
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Career Spotlight:
Licensed Master Social Worker
The Kelberman Center clinic is designed to support individuals and their families who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or a related developmental disability. Therapy services support individuals and families in the developmental disability community, who also present with social-emotional or behavioral needs. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, the Social Worker provides regular therapeutic interventions to a caseload of individuals and/or their families and collaborates with team members on best practices and ongoing care.
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Upcoming Events:
Pedal for Autism
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