I had the honor of speaking at the Project SEARCH graduation held on the campus of AHN St. Vincent Hospital this week.
Local sponsors of Project SEARCH include AHN St. Vincent Hospital, the Erie School District, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Erie County Department of Human Services, and the Barber National Institute.
Project SEARCH began over 27 years ago at Children’s Hospital in Cincinatti. It was designed to assist students with disabilities in their final year of school in making the transition to work. Students attend the program for a full school year at the host business (AHN St Vincent) where they become familiar with the culture of the organization, the various job opportunities available and work as as a contributing team member. Students receive hands on training through worksite rotations, supportive job coaching and individualized career exploration. Through this training they are able to build their communication, problem solving, technology and team building skills which will assist them in securing employment upon graduation.
Project SEARCH is definitely a win for employers as well. They can achieve a diverse and inclusive work culture where people of different backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas are given the opportunity to learn and grow within their career path. Much has been written about the many, many benefits of employing persons with disabilities. We do know that organizations whose workforce reflects the diversity within their community are resilient, innovative and adaptable.
It was great to have one of own preschool graduates, Averi, who also graduated from Project SEARCH.
When Dr. Barber established the Barber Center over 70 years ago, it was with the goal that all children and adults with disabilities would become active participants in their community. It was a dream at that time. Today, Project SEARCH makes that a reality.
This week marks National Nurses Week, and I want to highlight our exceptional nurses who provide the most skilled and compassionate care to our students. We have two wonderful nurses, Keri Moore, Kayla Litz, and Etta Loreti. I recently asked each of them about what they find most rewarding about working at the Elizabeth Lee Black School and what motivated them to enter into the nursing profession.
Keri
Every day is different and has its own unique set of challenges. I enjoy watching the students grow and learn new skills throughout the year. This is my second year at ELBS!
I would recommend anyone considering nursing try to gain some experience as an aide in a local hospital or nursing home to see if nursing is really right for them. Nursing is a very rewarding career, but it takes a special individual to become a great nurse!
Kayla
My favorite part of working at ELBS is the interaction with the students. The diversity in them and getting to know each student on deeper levels to not only fulfill their needs but to also show them how important and valued they are. September marks one year working at BNI.
It is an incredibly rewarding career if you find a location that drives you, makes you happy and allows you to find your purpose.
Etta
I have been a nurse for 26 years, at BNI for 8 years and ELBS for 2 years. The kids at ELBS are fun to work with since I see the world through their eyes, and you never know what they are going to say! The hallways are always filled with the kids’ artwork, and it is so cheerful.
We are so grateful to our nurses for all they do to make our students as comfortable, safe, and healthy as possible!
In celebration of Better Speech and Hearing Month, I wanted to recognize Amy Moczulski, Carly Stewart, Colleen Klenz, Stephanie Jordan, and Abigail Hagan, our school’s exceptional speech pathologists who impact our students in a positive way in and every day.
I asked each of them about their experiences at the Elizabeth Lee Black School and what they enjoy best about their work. Undoubtedly, our incredible team of speech pathologists provide life-altering treatment for so many of our students!
From left, Stephanie Jordan, Carly Stewart, Amy Moczulski, Colleen Klenz, and Abigail Hagan.
Amy
It’s hard to list only one thing I love about my job!! The most exciting part is working with such a diverse group of students with varying complex communication needs. I love that after all these years, I am still learning alongside my students every day. They push me to continually adapt and grow as a clinician to meet their communication needs to reach their fullest potential. This is my 14th school year at ELBS!
I would encourage anyone pursuing speech language pathology as a career path. It offers so many opportunities across so many different areas. Many people don’t realize how large the scope of practice is for speech-language pathologists. SLPs treat across the lifespan working in areas of practice including fluency, speech production, language, cognition, voice, feeding and swallowing, and so many more. Additionally, SLPs work in a multitude of settings, including schools, hospitals, NICU, private practice, skilled nursing facilities, etc.
Colleen
I find it most exciting that no two workdays or students are the same! Every student at ELBS is so unique – from the way they communicate to their personalities. Figuring out how best I can serve my students while promoting increased communication throughout their school day makes my job so rewarding! I have only been employed by BNI since October 2022, however, I worked as an SLP in a skilled nursing facility for 5 years prior to coming here.
A career in speech-language pathology is so rewarding! Because our scope of practice is so broad, SLPs have the ability to work in multiple different settings (e.g., schools, hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, etc.) with individuals of all ages ranging from infants to geriatrics. Many people aren’t aware that we not only work with individuals with speech & language needs, but can also treat those with swallowing, hearing, voice, and cognitive disorders.
Carly
At ELBS, there is a big focus on working as a comprehensive team with other professionals to best help our students. It is so beneficial to be able to have the support of others on the team all working together to accomplish the same goals for the students. Also, I love being able to work with such a wide range of students who all have different skills and needs. There is never a boring day at ELBS! This is my 7th school year.
One of the major perks of becoming an SLP is that you are constantly learning and growing in this field. There are so many different settings, age groups, and areas you can work in. It is also amazing to see a student/client find their voice and to be able to know that you were a part of helping them achieve that.
Abigail
I enjoy providing augmentative and alternative access and methods to communication to students who are unable to communicate through verbal means. It is a constant challenge, always evolving with new technology, and very rewarding to help them communicate with others around them. I have been working here for 5 years.
I would let them know how rewarding this career is. It is important to remember the difference we make in others’ lives, especially our students.
Stephanie
The most exciting part of my job is feeling like I learn something new every day from my students and the teachers, classroom staff, and therapists I work with. It is also exciting to watch my students grow and make progress. I have been here since August 2017 (currently in my 6th school year).
The field of speech pathology is great because it gives you so many possibilities. You can work with anyone from newborns to the geriatric population and every age in between in a variety of settings including schools, nursing homes, hospitals, and more. This is a field that never gets boring!
Each September, the Barber National Institute offers the Beast on the Bay, which is comprised of a rigorous 10-mile course with 30 obstacles – it’s a challenge that tests even the most skilled athletes.
While many are getting ready for the Beast, which is several months away, the Mini-Beast is in full swing this week. “What exactly is the Mini-Beast?,” you may ask. It’s an opportunity for Elizabeth Lee Black School students to hop, jump, skip, toss, and push their way through unique and fun obstacles at their own pace.
After all, everyone deserves the opportunity to Beat the Beast!
The Mini-Beast contains a variety of activities that are accessible to a diverse array of activities and provides a high level of engagement to each of our students. Brent Manti, our school’s physical education teacher, is very instrumental in creating a physical education program that is inclusive and supports each student in his or her development.
Thanks to the Emergency for Non-Publics Schools (EANS) Grant, the Elizabeth Lee Black School was able to obtain Lü Interactive Playground, which transforms traditional school environments into immersive and interactive spaces using a wide range of applications in combination with world-class audiovisual equipment. The Lü Interactive Playground will certainly provide an added level of engagement during this year’s Mini-Beast! You can learn more about the Lü Interactive Playground by visiting https://lu-play.com.
The Mini-Beast is in full swing this week, which is preparing us for the Beast in September. Learn more about the 10th annual Barber Beast on the Bay taking place on September 9 by visiting the office website, www.barberbeast.org.
As you may have seen and heard in the news recently, the 2023 Jay and Mona Kang Art Show, which was to take place both in-person and online, is being offered exclusively through our virtual platform located at https://2023.barberartshow.org.
You may ask, “Why was this change made?” Last week, the Barber National Institute was faced with a credible threat from a member of the community. For the safety and security of our employees, children, adults and families we serve along with a wide range of stakeholders from the community, we chose to offer the experience online.
While it may be disappointing to not be able to see so much beautiful artwork in person, we are committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible. We are working with local agencies to ensure that the highest levels of security are followed.
The Art Show continues to be a great way to support the work of local artists, and it also serves to support the mission of the Barber National Institute. Our patrons are supporting the show as well as our mission to provide the highest quality of services to children and adults with disabilities. We are hopeful that next year’s event will have an in-person component.
You still have time to browse this year’s online gallery. Don’t delay or your favorite piece of art may be sold!
The annual Art Show has been a Barber National Institute tradition since 2006. Initially, we wanted to have an event that would celebrate “April is Autism month”. As we discussed ideas, we felt that it was important to recognize both children and adults with autism and other disabilities as well professional and amateur artists who support people with disabilities. And so began the first Art Show.
We were assisted by the Erie Art Museum who loaned us their panels for the exhibit. There was an overwhelming response the first year. People wanted to participate, and the public responded with their interest in attending the show.
The show grew over the years until 2019 when we were forced by the pandemic to move to a virtual platform. Yet the show continued to grow as persons across the country could participate since it was virtual.
This year, we have nearly 300 paintings, photography, and scriptures from youth, adult, adult amateur and adult professional artists.
The in-person galleries will be available for viewing at the main campus of the Barber National Institute from April 15-April 17, 2023. This will be the first in-person art show since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Online galleries will also be available from April 14-April 27, 2023 for those who want to conveniently browse a wide range of artwork from anywhere.
The Jay & Mona Kang Art Show is one of the region’s largest and most diverse art exhibits, featuring creative works of youth and adult artists across a variety of media.
The Art Show is a great way to support the work of local artists, and it also serves to support the mission of the Barber National Institute. Our patrons are supporting the show as well as our mission to provide the highest quality of services to children and adults with disabilities.
Don’t delay or your favorite piece of art may be sold.
As we begin the Autism Acceptance month of April, I thought that I would review some of the basic facts about Autism.
Autism is a neurological disorder that impacts social skills, communication skills and may result in repetitive behaviors and restricted interests.
In 2023, the CDC reported that approximately 1 in 36 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to 2020 data.
Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.
Most children were still being diagnosed after age 4, though autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2.
It is a spectrum disorder. 31% of children with ASD have an intellectual disability (intelligence quotient [IQ] <70), 25% are in the borderline range (IQ 71–85), and 44% have IQ scores in the average to above average range (i.e., IQ >85).
Autism affects all ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Early intervention/Education affords the best opportunity to support healthy development and deliver benefits across the lifespan.
There is no medical detection for autism.
There is no one cause for autism, but it is believed to be a genetic disorder with many genes involved.
As I looked back on the Autism month blogs that I have written these past 10 years, I am struck by the fact that the incidence of Autism has increased so dramatically. I would guess that is in part due to the exponential increase in awareness among parents, physicians, educators and the general public. No longer, I hope, is there a stigma attached to having a child with a disability. If 1:44 children have autism, then many if not most people would know a child or adult with Autism.
So, in 2023, what should our focus be moving forward? I believe it should be on supporting, including and engaging adults with Autism in all aspects of our lives. For children with Autism, Early intervention and educational programs are provided from infancy to 18 or 21 years of age. But the mandate for services ends. There are programs for adults, but the availability can be based on where you live. And, of course, as it is a spectrum disorder, some adults are pursuing higher education while others may be looking for vocational training, day programs, supported employment.
We, as individuals, and as a society need to continue to explore how adults with Autism can find meaningful engagement. What works for one person may not work for another.
On a personal note…. My son, Ryan, would tell you that he has 3 jobs. He is employed at Bello’s grocery store and does maintenance work. His 2 other jobs are “helping the kids at the Barber Center by cleaning their classrooms and reading to the kids every Tuesday.” He is very proud of his work, which offers him dignity, confidence, and drive. Vacation is not a word in his vocabulary. He plans to continue working forever as he does not want to ever retire. Then, when he is 90, he will go to heaven and do the same work there. Of course, we will be going together….
Due to the important announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week regarding an increase in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rates, I posted a blog on Friday, March 24.
What are your thoughts on the factors leading to increased diagnosis in the U.S.? Undoubtedly, this will be a discussion point for years to come as children with ASD move into adulthood and require continuation of care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released 2 reports yesterday looking at the rate of children diagnosed with ASD. These findings are based on surveillance data from 11 communities that participate in the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. The data are not nationally representative and vary widely by location – from a prevalence of 1 in 22 children in California to about half as many in Maryland. The CDC says more research is needed to understand this variation.
In 2020, about 1 in 36 children had been diagnosed with autism by age 8, according to the CDC – about 2.8%. That’s up from a prevalence of 1 in 44 children in 2018 and 1 in 150 children in 2000.
Some important findings:
For the first time, diagnosis was more common among Asian, Black and Hispanic children than it was among Caucasian children. The CDC researchers note that this shift “may reflect improved screening, awareness, and access to services among historically underserved groups.” In fact, between 2018 and 2020, autism prevalence rose more than twice as fast among Asian, Black and Hispanic children than it did among Caucasian children.
Still, some trends have stayed consistent.
Autism prevalence is significantly higher among boys than girls – in 2020, there was about a four-fold difference. But it was the first year that more than 1% of 8-year-old girls had been diagnosed with autism.
In recent years, good progress had been made in early detection of autism – an earlier CDC report found that children born in 2014 were 50% more likely to receive an autism diagnosis or special education by age 4 than those born in 2010.
I was very interested to read what if any impact did COVID have on diagnosis. CDC found that there were “sustained lower levels” of evaluations and identification of autism across most of the surveillance network.
In first six months of the pandemic, there were 217 fewer evaluations for every 1,000 children at age 4 than there were four years earlier. There were also nearly three fewer identifications for every 10,000 children, according to the CDC report.
Since we know the impact of Early Intervention, my concern would be that many children did not receive evaluations, did not get a diagnosis and so were unable to start services until a later age…which could have long term impact.
Looking back to 1995 when Ryan was diagnosed by my brother, Dr. Joe Barber, an Erie pediatrician and child neurologist, we have come so far. My question always is where will we go from here?????
Many if not most people are familiar with Down syndrome. However, for those who are not, a few facts:
World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is celebrated annually on March 21 to bring global awareness about Down syndrome, a condition in which a child is born with an extra 21st chromosome.
The 21st day of March, which has been observed by the UN since 2012, was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. The medical term for having an extra copy of a chromosome is “trisomy” so Down syndrome is also known as Trisomy 21.
Each year, 1 in 700 babies are born with Down syndrome in the U.S., which is about 6,000 babies annually.
The theme for World Down Syndrome Day 2023 is “With Us Not For Us.” The Down syndrome international network (DSi) seeks to establish a human rights-based approach to disability. They are campaigning for the right to legal capacity, supported decision-making and easy-to-understand communication.
We celebrate World Down Syndrome Day at the Elizabeth Lee Black School with the ROCK THE SOCKS DAY, as the karyotype for Down syndrome looks like mismatched socks. So, when you are walking through our halls and you see our staff and students with mismatched socks, you will know that we are celebrating a very special day.
All About Autism 