Springbrook Participant Honored at Luncheon
Katie, a 2005 Cherry Valley-Springfield and 2008 Springbrook graduate, was honored on June 16, 2009 at a luncheon
coordinated by Springbrook’s Staff Development, CSS and
HCBS departments.
Katie volunteers several hours each day at the front reception desk of The School at Springbrook and teaches a Sensitivity class during Springbrook’s New Employee Orientation. Katie engages the attendees in activities and exercises that offer insight into some of the challenges she and others with disabilities face daily; her class has become a favorite in the three day orientation process.
Katie also volunteers at Little Bears Day Care, Cherry Valley Central School and the Farmers Museum, works out at Clark Sports Center, enjoys having lunch with friends and partakes in many other community activities with her staff support, Tina. Katie shows some of her family’s 300 sheep at the Morris Fair each year, and loves to travel and ski. View Katie and her sheep on Flickr.
We are very fortunate to have such a talented young lady as part of the Springbrook family.
Cameron's Success Story
Cameron is a twenty year old high school graduate with autism. For him and his family CSS has become the glue that keeps his life together in an otherwise frustrating and sometimes confusing world. Independence does not come easy, but he can learn it and that is the goal!
Cameron gets help from his family and staff through CSS.
He works at Pizza Hut and the Guernsey Memorial Library. He volunteers at Roots & Wings, participates in Chef’s Club and goes to the YMCA each week. Recently he began doing speaking engagements used as a support for other families of kids with autism and as trainings for area school districts. He wants to take college courses while continuing to work to gain more independence and he hopes to have a girlfriend one day.
Every person takes a different path, yet through CSS they strive to arrive at the same destination: happy, independent adults, with satisfying jobs and personal relationships that provide them with a sense of connection and belonging. For Cameron, learning how to a part of the world around him is an ongoing process. He keeps learning and doing better all the time. Living with autism has been a process, like a series of doors, each with a key of its own. Cameron’s staff helps open these doors. Imagine what he can become with CSS - independent, able to handle money, hold down a job, live in his own home and have successful relationships.
Cameron is proof that through Self-Determination and Consolidated Supports and Services he can be helped to develop a life, even in a rural area, that is meaningful. It allows him to get the supports and services he needs to be a contributing member of his community. He has a path to jobs and freedom to hire staff he feels comfortable with. It has provided community inclusion, social skill development, exercise and wellness; help with personal care, job developments, volunteering and transportation. His program is based on needs and reasonable wants. It keeps him happy, safe, functioning and included.
Independence is the ultimate goal. With this program in place his family can now see that possibility.
Katie's CSS Summer
I had a nice summer. I decided to take the summer off from working the front desk at Springbrook's School. This is what I did instead. On Mondays I worked at the CROP Program at Cherry Valley Springfield School reading to
K-2nd Graders and teaching wheelchair safety.
On Tuesdays I volunteered at Little Bears, reading to some great listeners 2 to 4 years old. They never missed a question we asked about the story we read. One week I had the opportunity to tie-dye shirts with the kids. It was fun! On Wednesdays I worked at the Farmers Museum in Cooperstown in the petting barn educating the public about sheep. There were different questions every week, many about my farm. I had a lot of fun and it was quite challenging. I hope to go back there next summer. On Thursdays I volunteered at Little Lambs in Cherry Valley and read stories to toddlers and preschoolers. Each week we planned an activity to go with the story and the kids really liked this. Fridays were a free day for me to get together with friends and have a picnic or go out to lunch. Once a week I work out in the weight room at the Clark Gym. I also did hippotherapy every week. I look forward to this every summer.
In July I was asked to help at the Junior Livestock Show and handed out programs as people entered the show. I was not able to bring my sheep to the show so it was nice to help out. They had never had someone able to do this before. In August I showed my three sheep at the Otsego County Fair in Morris, NY. We did excellent! Our ewe lamb won Grand Champion and Reserve Champion. You can see photos of my sheep on Flickr - thank you Heather for coming to watch me at the show and for taking great pictures. I had fun at the fair and hope to do it again. My CSS plan has been successful and has helped me meet my goals. I'm looking forward to being back at the front desk in September and seeing some of my old friends.
Clifford Celebrates at 16
Clifford celebrated his 16 birthday with 2 boys from his special school program. We met a neighbor down the road who had a larger John Deere than ours. He brought up the big tractor and
was in his glory with this larger tractor!
New Experiences
“Samuel was able to attend the school Christmas Dance last
year. Together with his friends, he enjoyed the music, the food,
and danced around the room full of colorful balloons. One of many new experiences he has successfully achieved now because of
the support out in the community he gets through Springbrook.” - Mom
Introducing the Chef's Club!
The Chef's Club is a group of young men, with Autism and other developmental disabilities, who are learning beginning cooking skills. They are learning to read and prepare new recipes, socialize with others and eat what they have prepared. The Chef's Club meets one Saturday per month and has been operating since August, 2008. Currently eight men attend Chef's Club. The number of Chef's Club members has stayed consistent, which only affirms its success.
Not all Chef's Club participants are part of the CSS (Self-Determination) program. Many of the young men, who attend, have previous connections with Cindy and Andrea. However, the young men who have CSS plans, attend this club with their paid staff person. These staff people provide kitchen support for participants and can engage in social networking with other CSS staff people.
The Chef's club wishes to acknowledge the hard-working, dedicated staff people who attend each month. They would also like to give a HUGE "thank you" to the Emmanuel Episcopal Church for their generosity in providing the Chef's Club the kitchen and dining area, free of charge. They also say "thanks" to Derek Jones and Pizza Hut of Norwich.
Consolidated Supports and Services (CSS) is a program that allows individuals and families to receive an annual budgeted amount of money based on need. The resources are managed by the individual and/or family with Springbrook being the Employer of Record (Fiscal Employer Agent) and the family being the managing employer. The purpose is to assist families to keep their loved ones in their own home rather than seeking a more restrictive environment and allowing families to manage the fiscal resources. Services for other than residential are also available. The program requires a strong advocate to do the hiring of staff and assist with the paperwork. Eligible individuals must be part of the Home and Community Based Waiver Program.
