What's Happening

Introducing Special Training Series on Behavior
by Partners In Excellence – La Crosse

During the winter months of November through March, Partners In Excellence – La Crosse  is presenting a five-part series on Behavior.

This series is specifically designed for parents and caregivers of children with special needs.

If you are experiencing crying, screaming, meltdowns, defiance, arguing, and any or all of the other challenging behaviors that children throw your way, then this series is for you.

Please join us on Tuesday, November 15, 2011 for the first presentation in this informative series:

The Basics of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis)
and AVB (Applied Verbal Behavior)

We invite you to come early, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., to enjoy refreshments while you mingle with parents, Partners’ staff, and other professionals during our Mini Vendor Fair where local vendors will be available to discuss their products/services.

Date and Time:
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Mini Vendor Fair/Social Hour
6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - Presentation

Location:
Partners In Excellence
99 Milwaukee Street
La Crosse, WI 54603

To Register:

Contact Krista at kanderson@partnerswi.com or by phone at 608.785.4100, ext. 221

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a specific application of behavior therapy that has been shown to be effective in treating children with autism spectrum disorders. Applied Verbal Behavior (AVB) is a specific application of ABA that is used to help children develop better language and communication skills.

Partners In Excellence uses both ABA and AVB as the principle guide for the therapeutic interventions that are used to treat the children served through our programs.

This workshop will help participants gain a better understanding of the basic concepts of ABA and AVB therapies, and how these concepts are transformed into specific therapy interventions to help teach new language and learning skills, and to manage children’s challenging behaviors.

Participants will learn how the ABC’s (Antecedents, Behavior, Consequences) function to determine and control behaviors, and will have an opportunity to identify and analyze basic functions of behavior and language. Participants will be given strategies to use to help teach a child new skills and to help generalize those skills in other environments.

Participants will also have the option, if they choose, to do a take-home exercise with their child to practice these skills and then receive follow-up feedback from the trainer, if desired.

WE DID IT!!

Last Saturday, Partners in Excellence was proud to be a sponser of the 2011 Minnesota Walk Now For Autism Speaks event.

In addition to being a sponsor, we were the #1 fundraising team!!!

As of Saturday morning, we raised a total of $10, 307.71!!! 

(More money was turned in on Saturday, so we will actually be over $11,000!)

THANK YOU so much for your energy, ambition and generosity in this fundraising campaign. 

Our walk team and supporters are truly amazing!!!

Click here to see our photos from the event.

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FREE ASSESSMENTS!

Friday, September 23, 2011 is

FREE Assessment Day

at Partners In Excellence in La Crosse, WI! 

Do you know a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder

who would benefit from therapy at Partners? 

Spread the word and share the information about
 Free Assessment Day!  

Partners in La Crosse, WI will be doing

FREE Assessments all day long

on Friday, September 23, 2011!

There are limited number of slots available

so please call soon to reserve your time.

To register, please contact Krista at 608-785-4100 ext. 2

or by email at kanderson@partnerswi.com

Exciting news for our Wisconsin friends!!  

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has distributed the proposed revisions to the autism waiver and we are very happy to tell you that one of the proposals is that there is consideration of additional options to service location: including center-based services!!  

We have been advocating for this as it provides families with choice with regard to the best manner for their child to receive intensive early intervention.  

The Department of Health Services would like to solicit the input and support of families prior to making decisions on the proposed changes.  We highly encourage you to review the document highlighting these changes and provide them with your feedback.  The document can be viewed here:   http://www.asw4autism.org/ServiceChangeProposal.pdf  

They need this feedback by August 26th, so don’t hesitate~ review the proposal now and give them your feedback!!

The feedback from Partners will include the following:
We like:
1) The increase of hours from 20-35 hours to now 30-40.  It allows more treatment to be available to the child and the families.  The state is taking out reimbursement for travel and staffing hours with this increase.  We would encourage the consideration of the continued inclusion of staffing to allow for coordination of services with everyone on the treatment team.  
2) The inclusion of center based and community options for service.
3) The family involvement as partners as treatment providers.  
4) The increased expectations that children are making progress as a consequence of their treatment.  

We would like the Department of Health to consider the following input:
1) In the proposed Tier 1 children would have to apply for Tier 1 services before age four.  Our concern is that unfortunately some children may not be diagnosed until age four or older.  Additionally, they have the potential to be on the waiting list for up to two years.  Children can still benefit from intensive early intervention after age four and we would not want some children to not be able to access the services because of this age restriction.  

Please give the Department of Health Services your feedback and thank them for their hard work in considering the proposed changes and always considering the needs of children with autism and their families!

Here is that link again!   http://www.asw4autism.org/ServiceChangeProposal.pdf