Welcome to Yampa Valley Autism Program
NEWS FROM THE DIRECTOR:
December 2011
“Black Friday” is over and the rush and “hustle bustle ” to get all of our shopping finished, presents wrapped and meals planned is upon us. The holiday season can cause a lot of additional stress for those of us with a family member who is on the spectrum or has a developmentally delayed disorder. Some of you who are reading this and do not have a special needs child or adult, this is a reminder of the challenges our families face all year round.
I am proud of the progress and growth of our program! We were fortunate to hire two outstanding staff members this year. Jamie Cimo is our new program director for all of our social cognition and speech therapy programs. Jamie brings twenty years of hands-on experience and from the feedback from the parents is making a giant leap forward in our programming.
Lorelei Ernst is our new director of our Community Cultivation program. Lorelei provides not only vocational-work ready skills, but taught high school for many years. Just having completed her first summer vocational garden program, Lorelei is anxious to add her expertise in expanding this transitioning program from school to the workplace in the coming year.
Our big news is the money we have received through grants, Ciao Gelato and Sara and Michael Craig-Scheckman that will enable us to purchase a self-sustaining solar greenhouse. Rocky Mountain Youth Corp. has donated the land and we will be ordering the greenhouse in early spring. This will allow Community Cultivation to run programs almost year around. You will hear more about the greenhouse in a few months.
We are very pleased to announce that we have two very qualified candidates participating in our ABA (Applied Behavior Analyst) certification program. ABA is the “gold standard” in behavioral therapy and we will be able for the first time to provide our community with this service.
In collaboration with BOCES, we have begun a pilot program, Peer Mediation Intervention and Instruction Program in the classroom in the Steamboat School District. This is designed and implemented by Jamie Cimo to teach “typicals” and special needs individuals in the earliest grades how to socialize, communicate and learn to embrace the differences in each other. This innovative program will not only benefit “our kids” but everyone in the classroom including the teachers and paraprofessionals. Our goal is to eventually expand the program to more grades.
Just maybe the skills taught will prevent some of the bullying!
Our thanks to the Sievert Family Foundation for their generosity in donating money for iPads for therapy in speech, communication and social cognition. This technology has proven to make a huge difference in these skills and we are pleased to add this to our service delivery early next year.
SAVE THE DATE: Our Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball is March 3rd. More details to come. You won’t want to miss this one. Last year was our biggest and best ever.
Although this year has been challenging with adding new staff and an increasing number of families requesting services, we know we are making a difference in the community. We can’t do this without the resources to sustain our programs. Please help us to help our kids and take a moment to contribute whatever amount you are able.
From all of our staff and board of directors, we wish you a blessed and happy holiday season.
Lu Etta Loeber
Executive Director
Board of Directors
Tom Gangel, Board Chair
Jason Lacy, Treasurer
Steve Ivancie, Secretary
Holly Nelson, Fund Development
Susan Mizen
Christine McKelvie
Lisa Lorenz
Jack Dysart
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