Sinergia's Family Care Providers Appreciation Luncheon

On July 22 Sinergia will host a Family Care Appreciation Luncheon, where we acknowledge the invaluable contributions of five dedicated Family Care providers. Our Family Care Program, which has been in operation for 20 years, consists of families living in the community who open their homes to people with developmental disabilities. Presently there are ten individuals living with families in the community. Some have lived in a family care home since infancy while others have lived with the same family for as long as twenty years. Two brothers who are now in their teens consider their family care provider their Mom since they joined the family when they were babies. The individuals with developmental disabilities living in family care homes become integral members of these families; they participate in all family activities and go on vacation with them. It also affords them the opportunity to partake in all aspects of community living. We salute the following Family Care Providers for their nurturance, love and dedicated care: Angela Baez, Guadalupe Guillen, Ana Guzman, Leydi Dominguez, Carmen Ulloa. Pictured above is last year's luncheon.

Speak Out on Services for Children with Special Needs

On April 12, the MPC co-sponsored a Speak-Out event along with the ARISE coalition. The Speak Out, or ¡Hablando Claro! in Spanish, was an opportunity for parents of children with special education needs to voice their concerns with the provision of special education services before elected officials, the Department of Education and key stakeholders. The event was attended by a diverse parent population who don not often get a chance to speak.  In repeated instances, and many trying to withhold long pent-up emotions, the parents reported feeling anguish over their child not having made progress after years of special education services. Others described being treated with disrespect by school staff and/or their child refusing to go to school. One parent told of her son having been in District 75 since the age of 8, when he was classified as emotionally disturbed. She was repeatedly called to pick up her child due to his disruptive behavior and asked to increase his medication. Now 17 years of age, he is still in District 75 with the ED classification, despite having matured and his behavior calmed. When the parent sought a reclassification and move to a community school, to her dismay the school psychologist suggested re-classifying her son as mentally retarded and placing him in a 12:1:4 program (a program for multiply disabled), stating that this way she could continue getting SSI services. Sinergia and the MPC laud the courage and perseverance of the parents who poured their hearts out in testimony and shared their challenging experiences in trying to secure special education services for their children.

NYC Public Advocate Bill DeBlasio made an appearance and heard the parent's stories. Stating that he was very concerned about the issues with special education, the Public Advocate announced that his Office was conducting a survey which parents were invited to complete. The surveys are being collected through the month of May, after which their outcomes will be reported and published.

Spotlight on the We Are Parents Too Program

Parents with developmental disabilities are frequently considered unable to provide adequately for their children, and as a result the youngsters then end up being placed in the foster care system. According to Through the Looking Glass (TLG), a disability nonprofit agency in Berkeley, California, the out-of-home placement rate in foster care for children of parents with intellectual disabilities is 25 to 60%.

In the 1980’s Sinergia pioneered a parent training and education program for parents with developmental disabilities.  It was prompted by our experiences providing community housing and supports for families headed by persons with developmental disabilities who lived with their infants and young children.  The premise was that intensive services, supports and parent training were needed in order to help the mothers and fathers become effective parents and keep their families together. This was the beginning of the “We Are Parents Too” program.   We are very appreciative that through these many years the NYS Office of People with Developmental Disabilities has supported and funded this program which has helped countless families that traditionally have been invisible and underserved.

The program continues to train and help parents to preserve their families by offering a 10 week series of workshops which focus on appropriate discipline, custody issues, nutrition, domestic violence and housing topics (the pictures in this article were taken during a graduation ceremony for this course). In addition to the informational workshops, the program coordinator also conducts supervised visits with the parent and child, and assists in the reunification process. The parent coaching we offer is unique to Sinergia.

The “We Are Parents Too” has also formalized a parent support group for parents with developmental disabilities. This support group is especially important for the participants who have lost custody of their children, since the separation can often be traumatic, confusing and distressing. The support group helps parents to become self-advocates, gain insight into their own behavior and establish a network. Studies report that 90% of parents with disabilities are socially isolated.  Through the support group parents have an opportunity to meet others that are going through similar experiences.  Parents with developmental disabilities, especially those from low socio economic groups, often feel discriminated and judged when assumptions are made about their parenting abilities. A specially designed peer support group brings hope, increases socialization skills and the sharing of information, resources and advocacy strategies.

Isabel Malavet (pictured left in the background), the coordinator of the program, is a tireless advocate on behalf of participating parents and works with the Agency for Children’s Services, Family Court, the Community Partnership Program in East Harlem and the Parent Advocates for the Child Welfare Organizing Project. For more information contact 212-643-2840.

Enlaces en Español sobre "Bullying"

¿Está su hijo o hija siendo acosado por niños malos? Este comportamiento, conocido por "bullying," es muy dañino y cruel, especialmente para aquellos con incapacidades. Infórmese sobre cómo proteger a su hijos con estos artículos preparados por PACER: Creencias Comunes Acerca de Bullying
Hable con su Hijo acerca de Bullying
Mantenga un Registro
Notificando a los Administradores de Escuela de las Preocupaciones de Acoso
Utilce el Programa Individual Educativo (Individual Education Program - IEP) del Niño

Recap of July Events at Sinergia

On Friday, July 9th Sinergia held its Annual Family Picnic in Central Park.  Thanks to the assistance and hard work of the staff this picnic turned out to be just as successful as the ones we have had in the past.  Again this year we featured games, gift bags, balloons and prizes for the young kids as well as music, food and good times for the adults.  The weather was perfect (well maybe a little hot) but the estimated 250+ guests that the staff entertained all seemed to have a great time.  Thanks to our friends at Chem-Rx for their generous donation that once again made the picnic possible.  See you all next summer!



 

 On Thursday July 29, 2010, Sinergia celebrated the dedication, hard work and passion of its Family Care providers with an Appreciation
Luncheon. Family Care Coordinator, Kenia Peralta and her team organized a fabulous luncheon and also presented each coordinator with flowers and a framed certificate of appreciation.  Sinergia Executive Director, Myrta Cuadra-Lash attended the luncheon and personally thanked these long-term providers for their invaluable contribution to the lives of the people with disabilities in their care.  These providers open their homes to these individuals with disabilities and treat them like a member of the family.  Many of them have had the same person in their care for more than ten years and in one case, over twenty. The Family Care program is a very unique service provision and the kind of dedication that is required cannot be taught or paid for. We thank the following providers for their continued service:
 
Regular providers:
ANA GUZMAN
ANGELA BAEZ
GUADALUPE GUILLEN
CARMEN ULLOA
LEYDI DOMINGUEZ

Substitute providers:
ADRIANA POLANCO
SIRIACA BAUTISTA

FAST Project Update

In previous posts we have written about the FAST Project, a project of national significance which Sinergia is partners of along with the PACER Center in Minnesota. Our involvement includes piloting four curricula with parents for feedback and conducting focus groups. We also translate into Spanish the four modules, which include: Working for Change, Getting and Keeping the First Job, The Journey to Adulthood and Skills for Effective Parent Advocacy.

On May 18 and 19, over 220 participants from 107 federally funded parent centers attended a two-day "Train the Trainer" FAST Conference held in Washington, DC. Cassandra Archie (left), co-Director of the Metropolitan Parent Center, co-presented a session on Skills for Effective Parent Advocacy along with Carolyn Anderson from the PACER Center (right). The second day of the conference was designed for participants to meet with their legislators on Capitol Hill. Staff from Parent Centers from New York City met with aides from Senator Schumer’s and Representative Nadler's office, informing them of our center's work and the families we serve.

Sinergia Participates in Self Advocacy Pilot Program for Parents of Children with Disabilities

Sinergia is participating in piloting the curriculums of the Family Advocacy and Support Training project (FAST), a Project of National Significance with funding from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD). It focuses on the development of training modules to teach families and their children to become self-advocates. We invite parents to participate in one or more of the upcoming free pilot workshops listed below (for more details of each session visit our calendar of events). Your feedback will help to ensure that training materials are appropriate and effective.



Getting and Keeping the First Job
Monday, February 22, 2010 10:00am to 12:00pm
Presenter: Lizzette Dunn-Barcelona

Skills for Effective Parent Advocacy
Wednesday, February 24, 2010 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Presenter: Cassandra Archie

Working for Change: Using the Power of a Personal Story
Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:00am to 12:00 pm
Presenter: Cassandra Archie
Please bring a picture of your child for the workshop.

The Journey to Adulthood: What Parents Need to Know (Sexuality)
Friday, February 26, 2010 11:00am to 1:00 pm
Presenter: William Bird

Location: Sinergia, 2082 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor
Dr. Nivia Zavala Conference Center
New York, NY 10035
RSVP: (212) 643-2840

The first phase of the collaboration took place in December. It involved conducting discussions with five parent support groups at Sinergia for feedback from underserved and underrepresented families of children with disabilities.

Each focus group was conducted in Spanish, and facilitated by a Sinergia staff person that was familiar to and had the trust of the participants. The groups were held on weekdays at different times of the day and lasted for two hours. Facilitators were provided with a set of open ended questions that were asked of each focus group and recorded. These are some sample questions and answers from focus groups held at Sinergia:

Question: What type of trainings appeal to you?
"A workshop to prepare parents for their children's independence - for those parents having difficulty letting go"

Question: What would be the most successful way of gaining your participation in a survey 3 months after training to find out if the information was helpful?
"Internet - we need to know how to use the internet because our children know how to use it and we must be able to supervise them and we need to get the knowledge"

Question: What do you think your son or daughter will be doing as an adult?
"My daughter will be an artist or dancer because she is talented artistically"

Question: Have you seen or known of people with disabilities who are in relationships?
"I have seen normal people in a relationship, the thought of my child being in a relationship concerns me because I don't want him being taken advantage of"

Question: Have you ever needed to speak on your child's behalf to an educator or professional?
"Yes"

Please email us at information@sinergiany.org if you're interested in participating in the upcoming focus group sessions.

Workshop Recap: Behavior Management for Parents of Children with ADHD

On November 13th, Criando Nuestros Hijos, one of Sinergia's Metropolitan Parent Center (MPC) programs, hosted a workshop on Behavior Management Strategies for Parents of Children with ADHD. The presenter, Miriam Cusicanqui-Messoud, LMSW at St. Lukes Roosevelt Hospital, provided an introductory parent skills training that focused on a methodology that emphasizes the liberal use of praise and rewards, having clear household rules and consistent follow through. Research supports the effectiveness of behavior therapy for parents and has shown that teaching parents these techniques is one of the best predictors of success in adulthood (See US News & World Report article "ADHD Medication: Can Your Child Go Without? Behavioral therapy for ADHD—and parent retraining, too—can be good alternatives to medication).

MPC parents receiving this type of therapy have reported incredible improvement in their child’s behavior and helped to maintain their child in a less restrictive environment.

For a full list of upcoming workshops visit Sinergia's calendar of events.

Children with disabilities at higher risk for swine flu

As a follow up to our last post, there's a new report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) which found that children with disabilities are at higher risk of contacting the H1D1, or swine flu. According to this article from Disability Scoop, "of the 36 children who died from swine flu by early August, two-thirds had a chronic illness or developmental disability such as cerebral palsy, developmental delay, muscular dystrophy, respiratory troubles or cardiac problems."

And from "Swine flu risk higher for children with disabilities, CDC reports", here are some warning signs to look for:

-Fast breathing or trouble breathing

-Bluish or gray skin color

-Not drinking enough fluids

-Severe or persistent vomiting

-Not waking up or not interacting

-Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held

-Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

But the good news is that only one shot shot is needed, which effectively doubles the supply of shots available, as reported in this video clip from Bloomberg:




So make sure you get all your family vaccinated this season!

Parent Involvement in their Children's Schools

It has been known for many years that families have a major influence on their children’s achievement in school and through life. When schools actively support families to be involved at home and at school, students of all backgrounds achieve at higher levels. Studies find that when parents have a sense of confidence and power, their children do better in school. When parents are involved in education, children do better in school, and schools get better.
There are many practices that help empower families, and it is not known by many that these practices are actually required by the the federal No Child Left Behind law. Some of these practices include:

•Engaging families in planning how they would like to be involved at school. Parents have a voice in determining school policies and practices;
•Procedures that make it easy for parents to meet and discuss concerns with the principal, talk to teachers and guidance counselors, and examine their children's school records;
•Schools offering workshops for families on child development and communicating with their children. Parents can suggest topics, such as talking with children about drugs, dating, problems with friends or family, and values.

When parents are engaged with the school, they feel empowered to change and control their circumstances, and their children tend to do better in school. When schools work with families to develop their connections, families become powerful allies of the school.

However, the reality regarding some New York City schools may be quite different for many families and parents as they try to engage the schools their children attend. Too often they encounter problems and barriers as they attempt to get involved. Sometimes even the act of trying to get into the school building proves to be difficult.

What are some of your stories concerning how you get involved in your child's school?
Does the school support your involvement or create challenges?
What are some of your ideas for improving communications with school officials and teachers?

The 6th Annual Sinergia Family Picnic will be held from 12:00 to 3:00 on Friday, July 10, 2009 on the west side of Central Park at 66th St (just across the street behind the Tavern on the Green restaurant). This event is held each year to celebrate summer with the families that we serve. Families and freinds are most welcome to attend and there is no admission. So, if you would like to come enjoy some games, gifts for the kids, food and fun for all, please call 212-643-2840 for more information or to confirm your attendance. Here's a link to view the flyer.