Raising Kellan

Eric Jorgensen is the Founder of True North Disability Planning, the go-to resource for families who have children with intellectual/developmental disabilities and the professionals who serve them. He is the host of the “ABCs of Disability Planning” podcast which introduces listeners to organizations and resources they may have never heard of or weren’t sure how to use. And he is the author of Waypoints – a monthly deep dive into disability planning topics.

Timeline:

01:45 Eric's Backstory

08:31 Seeing a need and taking action.

09:39 How does Eric help families?

13:05 SSI vs SSDI

17:58 Preserving Medicaid benefits for persons with disabilities

19:48 Eric's roadmaps for 50 States to navigate the maze of disability resources and benefits

20:25 Eric's podcast: The ABC's of Disability Planning

25:00 Eric's vision for disability planning and recommendations for some other podcasts he enjoys: Lomah, Parenting Impossible and Afford Anything.

This episode is Sponsored by Dyersburg State Community College.

The transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org

In today's episode, I chat with Kirst Nordstrom who is a Developmental Therapist in Nashville TN. Kirsti talks about the Family Guided Routines Based Intervention framework which she uses to coach families to help their children with developmental delays or disabilities maximize function with strategies to promote feeding, reading, play, movement, speech, and other milestones of development.

Timeline:

03:00 Kirsti's background

05:40 What is Family Guided Routines Based Intervention and how is it part of Early Intervention?

06:49 How are children referred to Developmental Therapy

07: 56 What are the bright spots in your day as Developmental Therapists

09: 01 Kirsti's career-pathing.

10:25 Kirsti volunteering at AWAKE

11: 30 Coaching 411 in Developmental Therapy

13:30 Kellan's therapy

15:00 Kirsti's PArent Takeaways.

Most states have a free voluntary Early Intervention Program available to families who are concerned about their child's development. In the State of Tennessee, this program is called TEIS and is part of the Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disability.

This program is brought to you by Shari Tidwell FNP at Family Practice Clinic.

In this conversation Erin Riehle talks about Project Search as an intensive transitional program from high school to competitive integrated workplaces as part of a 9-month program

Timeline

03:00 What lead to the formation of Project Search?

08:30 How does the program work?

21:30 How does it work as far as employer buy-in?

26:30 Project Search Conference in Milwaukee week of July 10, 2023

30:00 Conclusion

Transcript can be found www.raisingkellan.org

This is episode is brought to you by Shari Tidwell FNP at Family Practice Clinic in Dyersburg TN

In today's episode, we chat with Sophie Poost, Director of Programs at Disability EmpowHer Network, an organization that empowers girls and young women with disabilities through skills building, community, and mentorship. Their flagship program is a Camp held in June in the Adirondack mountains of Northeastern New York, followed by a project completed by the participants and guided by their mentors who they are paired with at Camp. They then get to share this project with the group when they meet up in July in Washington DC. Camp doesn't stop there! EmpowHer Network provides ongoing mentorship and representation of positive role models as these young persons with disabilities embark on their careers.

Another innovative and ongoing program is "A Letter from a Role Model". Here the youth can apply to receive a letter from a mentor/role model who is further along in their journey. I can't wait to check in with Sophie and some of the program participants later this year to hear about their camp experience!

Timeline:

1:36 Sophie Poost Story from Amputee to Advocate...

8:17 What is EmpowHer Network?

11:54 How does one enroll in Camp?

21: 58 Closing Remarks and contact information.

An edited transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org

This episode is sponsored by Rebecca Renfro from Move Up Physical Therapy.

I spoke with Colleen Starkloff of the Starkloff Disability Institute last year on Episode #66 when we discussed workplace diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, disability as part of the diversity, and the Disability Rights Movement. Today we talk: Universal Design and Accessibility.

Timeline:

3:29 What is universal design?

4:46 Colleen's Kitchen Redo by Compass Design

7:57 Retrofitting a home vs thinking of universal design before the build.

11:30 Disability as part of the aging process.

17:32 Realtor Multi-list servings featuring accessibility.

20:46 Congregate Living and Independent Living.

24:50 Ronald Mace and universal design.

28: 40 Advice on designing a bathroom for access.

33:50 Doorways.

This episode is sponsored by Rebecca Renfro of MoveUp Physical Therapy in Bartlesville, OK

An edited transcript will be available shortly on www.raisingkellan.org

Is toe-walking something we outgrow? These are some of the questions answered in today's podcast with Liesa Ritchie PT, DPT, PCS from Know To Change for both parents and health providers alike.

1:35 Liesa's Background.

4:57 What sparked Liesa's interest in toe-walking?

7:08 "KnowToChange" as a resource guide for both parents and healthcare providers.

9:13 Is toe-walking something you outgrow?

12:13 Causes-Contributing Factors to toe-walking. " Movement begins and happens at the brain"-LIesa Ritchie

14:12 Possible treatment options.

16:21 Liesa's tips to address toe-walking

18:35 Resources. "If there is a lack of research it doesn't mean there is an absence of evidence. Sometimes there is a lot of research but it's not necessarily supported in the research."

An edited transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org.

This episode is brought to you by Move Up Physical Therapy in Bartlesville OK

In today's episode, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel tells us more about the work he and his family are doing at Home Life Community and their goal of establishing a forever home for persons with disabilities to address the increasing housing crisis. Look what they have planned right here in NortWest Tennessee.

TimeLine:

03:00 Dr. Jerry's backstory

06:30 What is Home Life Community?

15:00 Work/Employment opportunities for adults with IDD?

17:00 How can parents find out more?

20:54 Future planning needs of the community?

An edited transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org

This episode is sponsored by Move Up Physical Therapy in Bartlesville, OK

April is Autism Awareness Month. Today we chat with Rachel Jenkins and Colin Peterson. Rachel is an educational consultant, and part of TRIAD, which is an acronym for the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at Vanderbilt Kennedy Center which is part of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. As part of this work, Rachel is also a member of the All Access Inclusion Network.

TRIAD provides a robust library of resources for parents, educators, and providers working with individuals with autism, and the All Access Inclusion Network, is a partnership of community organizations that promote meaningful inclusion and participation of individuals with disabilities.

Colin Peterson is the educational director at Nashville Children's Theater which is one of the community partners of the All Access Inclusion Network.

On this podcast, we discuss:

2:51 What are TRIAD and the AAIN?

7:00 The Nashville Children's Theatre. Sensory-friendly performances vs neuro-inclusive shows. Sensory room, Sensory Interpreters, Sensory Stories, and Try-It-Again Policy. Discounted tickets to the neuro-inclusive shows, when you signed up for the All Access Inclusion Network Newsletter.

19:19 Other partners in the All Access Inclusion Network

Contact info: [email protected]

: [email protected]

An edited transcript is available at www.raisingkellan.org

This episode is sponsored by Move Up Therapy

Mark is the Founder & CEO of Camp Conquest, an overnight camp for children and adults with special needs and disabilities in Millington, TN. He and his wife, Amanda, are blessed with 5 great kids, ages 15 to 27, and 2 grandchildren. Mark and his family live in Arlington, TN. He grew up in Dallas, TX, where his parents took in 28 foster children when he was growing up, and several had a special need or disability. His message is that camp builds confidence, community, and social interaction.

Call to Action: Since we require a 1:1 ratio (camper: counselor), we need lots of volunteers to help make camp safe and fun. We need volunteers, ages 13 - 65. For more information on how to volunteer contact Camp Conquest on their website.

Timeline:

2:00 Origin story of the camp in 2010.

5:16 Original camp was modeled after Camp Barnabus in Missouri.

7:00 Lindsay Hayes.

8:00 Who does the camp serve?

10:00 Logistics of planning camp and the need for 1:1 volunteers.

12:OO Training of volunteers.

15:00 We need your help and how can you serve.

21:00 What a day at camp looks like

23:00 Conclusion.

An edited transcript will be available at www.raisingkellan.org

This episode was sponsored by Move Up Physical Therapy.