Exceptional Commitment & Care
A Roundup of ECF Program Outreach and Activities During This Health Crisis
Across the spectrum of ECF’s programs and services, our dedicated staff, specialists and instructors are finding new ways to connect with our clients and families to ensure their health and empower their ongoing success. Take a virtual trip with us to see how the power of creativity, determination and commitment is continuing to provide connection and care that makes a critical difference – and defines our ECF family.
It’s a challenging time for all families with young children sheltering at home. For families with infants or toddlers with developmental delays, disabilities and special needs, the additional stresses are many, and ECF’s Early Start Program is a lifesaving tether to critical resources, services and support.
Early Start programming is continuing to be provided to client families in real time, via a variety of video conferencing platforms, teleconferencing and apps. Staff have created tools that can assist families virtually and have sent families strategies to continue enhancing skills for gross motor, fine motor, language development, sensory activities, overall cognitive skill. Each family who has accepted virtual services (via face time, text, cell phone) receives sessions on a weekly basis along with “tools and homework” to continue promoting developmental skills until the next teletherapy occurs.
Early Start also continues to conduct virtual initial evaluations to determine eligibility for infants and toddlers to receive ongoing services, including physical therapy developmental evaluations, occupational developmental evaluations and speech therapy evaluations.
Early Start physical, occupational and speech therapists are also providing services remotely to clients. Our social work unit is available for families in need, and our medical director is providing support for those children with the most severe needs, or for families who suspect their child might have been exposed or infected with COVID-19.
For many of our Early Start families, already struggling with financial challenges before the current health crisis, access to resources for support and basic necessities is another heightened hurdle. Early Start provides families with shelter and food bank information, and, through our partnership with Baby 2 Baby, we’re providing donations of diapers and other baby/toddler supplies and necessities.
All of the caring staff and specialists are dedicated to providing our ECF Early Start families with support and guidance throughout this difficult situation of COVID-19 and beyond. The families tell staff that the ongoing contact and support has been a great source of relief to them.
Thirty-two-month-old Uziel’s parents wanted to access his Early Education program through Facetime, as the family does not have internet service. They are engaged and eager to assist Uziel on his development as much as they can. During the last several weeks, Uziel and his parents have been exploring and doing the activities while staff provide support and one-on-one assistance.
His parents are worried about the pandemic and resources, but they feel supported by ECF, Uziel’s teacher and his occupational therapist. They expressed gratitude to Uziel’s teacher for the weekly wellness calls and the remote services provided to Uziel during this time. Uziel’s father says he’s grateful also to ECF for providing diapers and wipes when he can’t afford them for his son. He says, “We feel so thankful that they are reaching out to us daily and checking on Uziel and our family.”
Twin brothers Johnny and Sonny started the home-visit early intervention program at Exceptional Children’s Foundation in October 2018, when they were referred to the program due to being born prematurely at 34 weeks. Their mother, Daisy, is a full-time care provider for the twins and two older siblings. Transitioning from in-home visits to virtual has been challenging but positive, and they are benefiting from the connection.
Johnny and Sonny enjoy sing-along and reading. They have shown great improvements in their development since they started the program. Johnny and Sonny are growing and showing each day more and more their own unique personalities!
32 month old Nicholas, who began attending Early Start last year, also is adapting well to the virtual sessions. His mother, Lizette, says she’s grateful for the continuity.
“Continuing to receive remote support has helped Nicholas continue to develop and work on skills he’s learned,” she said. “He’s very verbal, and being able to communicate with him while engaging in activities is helping him speak more clearly and learn new words at the same time. A plus is that big brother gets to join in on the fun. They both work on the activities together, helping them bond more as siblings.”
Twin brothers Johnny and Sonny enjoy Facetime with their therapist.
Lizette and Nicholas
Practicing motor skills at home.
Uziel playing at home.
ECF’s Kayne Eras School is providing ongoing academic instruction to students in myriad ways during the school closure. Teachers are reaching out to students via Zoom and phone calls and providing work packets. They are also utilizing a number of fun, educational online programs, including pbskids.org, readwork.org, getepic.com and HearBuilder.
The school is also planning to launch “It’s Storytime with KEN!” where students can join KE’s longtime substitute teacher Ken Jones as he reads stories to kids and their families.
Another group of teachers is setting up an online skills class to help students sharpen their skills from home.
School staff are working hard to provide critically-important enrichment activities, including art projects with step-by-step PowerPoint instructions that can be adapted for different ages and abilities. Students can continue to learn coding via an online lesson program that allows them to save and print certificates upon completion.
Older students are continuing to receive transition preparation online in four focus areas: customer service; giving and receiving feedback; growing your grit; and becoming a leader. Students complete each section, then save and print their certificates.
“We are here for our students,” says Enrichment Program Director Francziska Steagall. “We’re dedicated to their learning, character development and enrichment during this time of distant instruction!”
The Kayne Eras School counselors, occupational therapists, language and speech therapists and educational therapists are also doing Zoom sessions when appropriate and checking in with families and students via telephone.
As we monitor developments during the school closure, Kayne Eras School will continue to update families via Gradelink, and staff will be in ongoing contact with families via phone and email, according to George Woods, Director of School Programs.
“I am so proud of our ECF Kayne Eras staff as we work to provide quality instruction to our students while practicing social distancing,” he said. “We are all in this together.”
Enrichment Program Director Francziska Steagall creates art assignments for students of all ages.
Jacob keeps up with studies at home.
ECF’s mental health department has transitioned to 100% HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing and telephone sessions using Zoom for Healthcare, providing online therapy with children and adolescents. Therapists adapt play and art interventions as well as talk therapy to the mode (phone or videoconferencing) preferred by the client and family.
While some sessions are shorter due to the amount of privacy a client has at home, their comfort with technology and presence of more distractions, many clients have adapted easily to this new mode of therapy.
One client who successfully ended their services recently shared, “I’m not happy all the time. That’s an unrealistic goal, and I still have bad days. But now I am willing to go through those bad days because I know a good day will come. I may not be happy, but I’m really close to being there. I don’t want to lose all the progress I’ve made to get here, and I don’t want to forget what it took to get here.
“The things I have gone through are a part of who I am. They show my growth as a human being. I hold on to those memories to see how far I have come. I can be proud of that.“
“We are dedicated to our clients’ progress,” says Linda Shing, Director of Mental Health Services. “We want our team to stay healthy and continue to provide service so that our clients and families receive the support and connection they need to weather this crisis.”
Mental Health Supervisor Cheyna Young, LCSW, helps clients remotely.
ECF’s behavioral health team is committed to our children and families and always operates with their best interest at heart. Under these unprecedented circumstances, the health and wellbeing of clients is particularly critical. Behavioral Health is working to bridge the gap created by being unable to see clients either at home or school with the use of telecommunication and Skype video sessions.
Layla Bou-Khaled, Director of the Home ABA Program, is creating home projects for her clients that parents can easily participate in and setting up virtual sessions so that we can serve our families without interruption. For older children, sessions include completing language and math worksheets and having conversations, while sessions for younger children include circle time songs, short stories, alphabet and simple math. Skype sessions are temporarily replacing face-to-face sessions to ensure each child’s progress, provide group conversations with peers, and to offer interesting and structured activities to engage the children. Materials are sent prior to the sessions, and therapists work with parents to facilitate activities.
Denee Jordan, Director
Behavioral Health
For our school-based program, therapists are assigned to individual children to help facilitate access to education and deal with any behaviors that may impede their learning. These services are difficult to provide without direct contact.
To help with some continuity with our clients, Temi Treibatch, Director of School Based Behavior Therapy, and her supervisory staff plan for weekly phone consultations with all parents while school is out. Consultations include support for parents with the child’s remote learning lessons and any behavior issues that might arise due to academic challenges or isolation from friends and family, as well as direct sessions with clients to maintain connection during their isolation.
“Both the ABA and school-based programs are focused on offering individual support to our families based on the specific needs of their child,” says Denee Jordan, Director of Behavior Health. “We want them to know that we care and are there for them in these troubling times and when services can again resume as usual!”
ECF Exceptional Works Program staff have been busy developing innovative methods for service delivery that can be rendered remotely. Two to three times times each week, staff contact their clients to check on their health status and see how they’re coping with the change to their daily lives.
Case managers have created a client Instagram page to foster interaction with participants and their family members. They’re also utilizing a Remind app, which enables participants to receive updates and health and life tips, as well as communicate and ask questions, to help them succeed and stay connected with their ECF community.
Training instructors are using Zoom video conferencing to support distance learning, training and meetings. Initial sessions have focused on coronavirus wellness and self care. The opportunity to have discussions, share tips and ask questions has been well-received and popular among participants.
Culinary Training students are continuing their studies toward certification in food handling and safety. Chef Karly is also encouraging students to virtually explore the world of cooking, learn how vitamins in healthy foods can boost immunity, and cook fun healthy meals for their families. She’s created a slideshow series of “Culinary Quickies” — simple recipes with few ingredients that are fun to make. She’s also sending information on food scrap gardening: how to grow vegetables in your home from leftover scraps. She is sharing links to movies related to food and cooking available for free on YouTube or by subscription on Netflix.
“It really is important that we use this time to learn more about how we can benefit from the food we eat, and hone our practical and creative culinary skills,” she says.
EW staff check in regularly via Zoom.
Checking in with clients using the Remind app.
Exceptional Works APP Lead Instructor creating a Person Centered Thinking packet for participants and their circles of support.
Culinary students are learning how to grow vegetables from scraps.
Chef Karly keeps her culinary students busy from her home kitchen.
Shawntice and family enjoy a sunny day of exercise.
Felicia takes a walk.
While most of ECF’s Exceptional Works participants are sheltering at home and learning remotely, some of our supported employment worksites remain in operation as usual to provide essential services.
ECF clients employed at the Federal Building, Hawker Aerospace, Brilliant Corners and area grocery stores are working on the front lines of the current crisis with an exceptional commitment to service and safety. And,they are not alone.
ECF Supported Employment Program staff continue to see clients face-to-face with 100% support for the Federal Building, Brilliant Corners, Kayne Eras Center Janitorial and Hawker Aerospace. For other clients, staff provide face-to-face contact at least once weekly. Job coaches and case managers provide the rest of the services by phone.
Job coaches are calling clients looking for work and helping clients who want to set up video conferencing so that they can work on resume writing and job searching, or honing special skills.
“Exceptional Works staff have answered the call by demonstrating extraordinary creativity and pace to convert to remote service and support delivery to our participants during this time of crisis,” says Exceptional Works Program Director, Samson Mulugeta. “I couldn’t be prouder of their commitment and service to our clients.”
Terrance working at Food4Less.
James is working safely at Pavilions.
The ECF Art Centers have developed a remote studio learning plan that supports all of our artists’ diverse needs and interests as well as their at-home studio capabilities and amenities.
Each artist was initially sent home with project plans and supplies from their instructor. Because some artists weren’t able to come to the studio during the last few days before the closure, our staff dropped off supplies to their homes to make sure everyone was stocked up. Art Centers staff also began one-on-one phone check-ins to see how participants are doing and to help them get their studio spaces set up at home.
The Art Centers Program website, ArtECF.org, has converted to a resource hub for ECF artists as well as the public, offering links to public art classes, virtual tours, self-care tips and helpful YouTube videos. Virtual Art Classes provide private group instruction from ECF Art Centers instructors. Instructors are also offering a wide array of online opportunities, including drawing clubs, animation, movement and stretching — even virtual field trips to The Louvre art museum in Paris.
“ECF artists will have a variety of virtual art classes to choose from each day during our closure,” says Adriane Mota, ECF Art Centers Program Director. “We are excited to stay connected with everyone and see the incredible projects that our artists are working on at home.”
During a recent online video forum, 27 ECF artists discussed the COVID-19 virus, and shared tips with each other for getting through the temporary shutdown.
Participants had received a prior training session on how to video conference, learning how to set up their environment and lighting to optimize their video appearance. The artists were shown how to mute their audio to limit distracting background noise and unmute themselves to address others. After a roll call and check-in and a video presentation about COVID-19, the group opened up to comments and questions, with many sharing positive thoughts and suggestions for coping during the crisis.
“I’ve been calling and talking to people I haven’t spoken to in a long time…”
“Stay with people who are positive and supportive…”
“My mom and I go out on walks…”
“You can do jumping jacks. You can keep your mind active, too…”
ECF artist Chuck, summed it up for many: “Open the window and look out at the sky and the sunlight. This is a good time to paint. Just paint, and paint, and paint — and you’ll get better.”
ECF artist Andrea works on
a hooked rug.
ECF artists gathering in an Art Centers Program Zoom forum.
“This is a good time to paint,” says ECF Artist Chuck, who is now working from home.
House managers and staff at ECF’s six Residential Program homes have been keeping the residents engaged with a variety of activities throughout the day since they started staying home.
Residents are doing various exercise activities such as stretching and taking walks, as well as playing backyard games. They enjoy working on arts and crafts projects, playing table games and also doing educational activities, including reading and working on mathematics. Some of the residents stay occupied by playing video games, listening to music, and watching their favorite television shows and movies. Some of the homes have been taking the residents out for drives to break up the monotony of being home all the time.
“During the pandemic I have been going on drives and walking around the block, but keeping my distance from other people,” reports Diana, a resident in ECF’s Barman Home in Culver City and an artist in ECF’s Art Center Westside Program. “I’m playing new video games, writing in my journal, and calling my family to keep in touch. I miss the day program, but I am still doing some art work at home.”
Barman House resident Diana enjoys a drive by the beach.
All residential staff have been providing additional training on proper hygiene, stressing the importance of washing their hands and using hand sanitizer, covering coughs with the inside of their elbows, and not touching their faces. The staff continue to work with the residents on their normal daily goals and objectives.
The independent living services (ILS) staff and apartment managers have done a great job with residents in our apartment complexes. They help with whatever the residents might need, such as applying for unemployment. The ILS staff continue to provide residents with their normal ILS training and assistance, as well as additional training on hand washing and other hygiene safety measures.
Director of Residential Services Mike Roll continues to make regular visits to all of the homes. “The residents seem to have taken this whole ordeal very well,” he said. “Our residents always amaze me with how well they handle different situations when they come up. Our program managers, house managers, and staff have really done a great job keeping the residents engaged and calm through this crisis period, and they also deserve praise for what they have done and continue to do to care for and support the residents and their families who depend upon on us.”
Barman House residents play games in the backyard.
Barman residents enjoy some backyard sunshine.
Fairbanks resident Jolie plays UNO to pass the time.
