Medically Complex Learners
Information, Collaboration and Innovation
Medical-Educational Therapeutic Evaluation TEAM Conference
Who should attend? Classroom Teachers, OT/PT/SLP, Paraprofessionals, School Administrators, Special Education Directors, School Nurses, School Psychologists, Parents, BCBA's, Adult Service Providers, Early Intervention Support
Certificate of Attendance available for 5 hours.
Southeastern Regional Education Service Center, Inc. (SERESC) is authorized to assign 0.5 AOTA CEUs for Medical-Educational-Therapeutic Evaluation Team Conference on October 25, 2014.
Saturday, Oct 25, 2014, 08:30 AM
Seresc, 29 Commerce Drive, Bedford, NH 03110, United States
OVERVIEW
For students with significant medical, developmental, cognitive, and adaptive skill challenges, the educational journey can be complex. Their families, educators, community providers, and others have to work together diligently to achieve their educational goals. When a team can join together in a truly transdisciplinary manner, each member is able to draw upon the skills and knowledge of the others in their work with a student. This type of collaboration, which is the goal of this conference, requires a comprehensive assessment, patience, planning, and leadership.
This conference is designed for all members of a school team working with students with complex educational and/or medical needs. Paraprofessionals, classroom teachers, special educators, and related service providers will all receive valuable information and learn new strategies that can be implemented the next day. Presentations will include specific examples of how assessment results may directly link to IEP goals which, in turn, can directly link to interventions in an understandable and action oriented way for these complex learners.
Participants will learn techniques to promote learning on behalf of students with complex educational and/or medical needs. Conference participants will be able to:
- Define key features of an innovative and collaborative team including why each feature is important and how they can be implemented
- Use presented strategies to integrate educational, developmental, and medical evaluation data into meaningful individualized programs targeting life-long skills
Agenda
8:30-9:00 Registration & Light Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:15 Welcome Kevin & Jane: Our Dreams
9:15-10:30 Keynote Speaker: Stephen H. Mott, MD
- Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: Hot Topics and Evolving Trends
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-11:30 Local Educational Team Panel
- How a Team Can Work Together to Improve Outcomes
11:30 Q&A with Stephen H. Mott, MD and Team Panel
12:00-12:45 Lunch Break
12:45-1:45 Breakout Session 1 (choose 1 of 3 options below)
- 1A) Relate With Me: Social, Emotional & Behavioral Supports by Nathaniel Jones
- 1B) Talk With Me: Communication Strategies by Judith Mikami & Mary Morse
- 1C) Connect With Me: Walk In My Shoes by Mary Bamford & Mary Fontaine
1:45-2:00 Break
2:00-3:00 Breakout Session 2 (choose 1 of 2 options below)
- 2A) Look With Me: Cerebral/Cortical Vision Impairment by Mary Morse
- 2B) Eat & Drink With Me: Understanding the Impact of a Feeding & Swallowing Disorder on a Child's Day-to-Day Learning by Judith Mikami
3:00-3:45 Collaborate For Me: Effective Strategies for Collaboration Between Schools & Physicians by Christine Gialousis, Director of Student Services & Stephen H. Mott, MD
Breakout Session Descriptions
Session 1A) Relate To Me: Social, Emotional & Behavioral Assessment; Planning & Intervention
Presented by Nathaniel Jones
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- Identify unique factors in planning and implementing social, emotional, and behavioral assessment and intervention for students with complex medical disabilities
- Outline key components of social, emotional, and behavioral support plans
- Demonstrate how social, emotional, and behavioral support plans can be integrated into a student’s IEP and other areas of accommodation and intervention
This presentation will discuss factors that should be considered when evaluating and supporting the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students with complex medical and educational needs. The integration between social, emotional, and behavioral supports and the rest of a student’s educational plan is essential for their educational success and long term mental health.
Session 2A) Talk With Me: Communication Strategies
Presented by Judith Mikami & Mary Morse
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- Recognize 2-3 features that distinguish unintentional and intentional communicative behaviors
- Identify at least two characteristics that differentiate non-symbolic from symbolic communication
- Describe at least (2) two communication strategies to promote increased intentional non-symbolic and symbolic communication
The inability to communicate is, perhaps, the most debilitating handicap of all disabilities. This breakout session will discuss the differences between (a) unintentional and intentional communication and (b) non-symbolic and symbolic communication. The link between how students perceive and understand their world and how they respond to various types of demands will be explored. Several non-symbolic and symbolic communication strategies and examples will be demonstrated.
Session 3A) Connect With Me: Walk In My Shoes
Presented by Mary Bamford & Mary Fontaine
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- Identify (3) three patterns of Sensory Processing Disorder and their symptoms
Determine factors effecting a “just right fit” for the individual
Construct/design strategies to support individuals across functional life skills and environments
As a dynamic process, sensory integration is a self-organizing activity of the individual interacting within an environment. This breakout session will discuss how to make a connection with a student with complex medical needs within the context of their present experience. This includes analyzing their efforts with sensory processing to better appreciate their personal perception and self-regulation. Additionally, participants will expand their awareness of postural control and motor planning to meet the learner’s needs in their environment and daily life interactions.
Session 1B) Look With Me: Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment
Presented by Mary Morse
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
Cite at least (4) four functional behavioral benchmarks to watch for as indicators of possible Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)
Discuss possible hidden disabilities associated with Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)
Recall (3) three strategies to consider when working with individuals who have Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI)
Cerebral/Cortical visual impairment (CVI) is the most prevalent visual handicap in the United States and is associated with individuals who have neurological disabilities. It also is one of the most confusing visual conditions to understand. This breakout session will (a) define CVI, (b) discuss the interaction of this brain-based visual disability with sensory-motor processing, (c) highlight possible hidden disabilities associated with CVI, (c) explore the impact of CVI on communication, social interaction, self-recognition and learning. Strategies to consider when working with individuals who have Cerebral/ Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) also will be discussed.
Session 2B) Eat & Drink With Me: Understanding the Impact of a Feeding & Swallowing Disorder on a Child’s Day-to-Day Learning
Presented by Judith Mikami
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- Recognize at least (4) four signs and symptoms of swallowing disorders
- Identify at least (4) four ramifications to a child’s health and education from feeding and swallowing related compromise
- Describe the key federal laws and state guidelines regarding students’ rights to access state and federally funded nutrition programs
- Describe the key components of the Special Meals Prescription form and Safe Eating Plans and how these can be incorporated into students’ IEPs
The skills involved in feeding and swallowing are highly complex and intertwined with other aspects of development, learning and relating. There is a high incidence of serious swallowing disorders among students with complex medical needs, including a high incidence of food and drink silently going “down the wrong pipe”. This causes pain, malnutrition-dehydration and long-term compromise to an individual’s health and well-being which naturally disrupts the individual’s availability to learn and relate to others. Participants will leave this session with a better understanding of (a) what it is like to eat and drink as individuals with feeding and swallowing disorders, (b) the key state and federal safeguards for nourishing and hydrating individuals with disabilities, (c) strategies for incorporating safeguards into IEPs, IFSPs and ISPs.
Wrap-Up) Collaborate For Me: Effective Strategies for Collaboration between Schools and Physicians
Presented by Christine Gialousis & Stephen Mott
Objectives: Participants will be able to:
- Identify effective strategies and materials that can be used to provide information to physicians that is accurate and actionable
- Recognize the important components of a medical note and where important content is located in a medical note
This session will outline how educational teams can better collaborate with physicians through improved communication. Strategies that educational teams can use to summarize information and structure questions for physicians will be discussed. Additionally, the structure of a medical note and how physician’s record information will be described. This session will also provide a final opportunity for all presenters to engage with the audience and identify some key themes for the day.
About the Medical-Educational Therapeutic Evaluation Team
The Medical-Educational Therapeutic Evaluation (METE) Team, a collaboration of the Southeastern Regional Education Service Center (SERESC) and the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (ChAD) offers multidisciplinary evaluation and consultation provided by a collaborative team of educators and physicians, resulting in a single set of clinical impressions and recommendations. .
The multidisciplinary team includes a diverse set of providers. The team for each individual evaluation is configured with those professionals who have the unique competencies necessary to answer specific evaluation questions and concerns.
These services are provided directly to school districts and designed to support the student, school team, and family. The evaluation is designed based on the school district’s and family questions and concerns and the educational component is provided where the student learns and lives. Medical evaluations can be performed collaboratively by Stephen H. Mott, MD at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Lebanon, NH. Impressions and recommendations are designed to be implemented by the school team. Interested school districts can contact clinical services coordinator, Alicia Garcia, 603-206-6838.
About the Presenters
Presentations for the event will be given by members from the METE team, educational staff from the Hooksett school district led by the Director of Student Services, Christine Gialousis, and parents of a student with complex medical needs, Jane and Kevin.
Click Here to Read About the Presenters from the METE team.
When?
Saturday, October 25th
8:30am-9:00am (Registration & Breakfast)
Where?
SERESC
29 Commerce Dr. Bedford, NH 03110
Cost?
*** Early Registration $145.00 (per person) ***
$170.00 (per person)
What does cost include?
- Registration
- Breakfast & Lunch
Registration Deadlines:
- *** Early Registration Friday, October 3rd ***
- Friday October 10th
****Registration is Required****
How to Register
Online: Click Here
- Fax: 603-206-2588 (Attn: Alicia)
- Mail: 29 Commerce Drive, Bedford, NH, 03110
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
- October 10th, 2014
PAYMENT OPTIONS: (Please Note: Payment must be received before attendance including those generated by Purchase Order.)
- Credit Card: (MasterCard, Visa or American Express)
- Check: (Pay to the Order of: SERESC)
- Purchase Order
If you choose to register by way of fax or mail, please include the following information along with your payment or purchase order:)
- Event Name
- Event Date
- School/Organization
- Participant Name
- School Address
- City/State/Zip
- Daytime Phone
- Evening Phone
- E-mail Address
- Session Choices
- Attending as: Parent or Family Member, Classroom Teacher, Special Educator, Guidance Counselor, Paraprofessional or Other (please specify)
CANCELLATION POLICY
- Cancellation should be made in writing. A full refund will be made for cancellations received 7 days before the event.
- No refunds will be given for requests received after 7 days before the event, or for 'no shows'.
- Yes! We do accept substitutions at our conferences 24 hours in advance of the event.
- All received registrations, whether by Purchase Order, Online Registration, Fax or Mail, are subject to Cancellation/ Refund Policy. Cost of registration fee is still liable whether payment is paid or unpaid, if no notice of cancellation is received at least 7 days prior to the event.
If minimum enrollment is not met before registration deadline, seminar may be
cancelled or postponed.