Building skills and discovering work

Building Skills and Discovering Work By Kate Adkins-Dix, UCP community employment manager

People with disabilities social interaction, parents community setting. Individual represent the single largest and caregivers can reinforce needs are assessed through minority group seeking job readiness skills at home person-centered planning and employment in today’s job and set a clear expectation are reviewed periodically for market. Employment services, for competitive integrated progress in meeting employment such as those provided by employment. From practicing goals. As such, OakLeaf Partners OakLeaf, a Center of Excellence basic money management, provides employment services to at UCP of Greater Cleveland, utilizing household chore/ individuals with a wide variety of address and help to overcome responsibility schedules, and path to community-based disabilities, ranging from mild to challenges that individuals discussing process-related employment by enhancing complex. with disabilities often face tasks in a step-by-step manner, their understanding of career “OakLeaf Partners offers while seeking employment individuals with disabilities can interests, job skills and employment services at all opportunities. learn or solidify important soft employment priorities. levels,” says Paul Soprano,

Various programs support job skills, frequently taught by People with competitiveDirector of OakLeaf Services. adults and students with job training and development level skills are supported to “From identifying preferences disabilities to thrive in professionals, in a home identify, apply for, obtain and and interests to developing employment while also enjoying environment. retain jobs available in the general employment goals greater financial and personal Parents and caregivers community. OakLeaf Partners and assisting them getting independence. Services also can have ongoing, open helps them discover work settled into their new job in the provide career discovery and conversations with their preferences, learn job-seeking community, our staff is there to exploration, skill development, loved ones to gauge and skills and receive travel training support.” job placement and retention start determining their workto ensure they succeed on For more information, contact activities that support individuals related interests. Consistent the job. Job preparation and your local Opportunities for throughout the process to support at home coupled with employment skill building in Ohioans with Disabilities ensure success. professional services that are OakLeaf Job Training prepares (OOD) office (oodworks.com)

During challenging times available allow individuals with individuals with complex and/or local county board of that restrict community and disabilities to advance on the needs for employment in a developmental disabilities.

By Angela Gartner • Photography by Kim Stahnke

AYESHA ABDULLAH y

Founder, The Therapeutic

School House

In 2017, Ayesha Abdullah took a leap of faith and left her special education teaching position in East Cleveland City Schools after 17 years with the district to open a one-of-a-kind childcare program specializing in young children on the autism spectrum. An intervention specialist with 20 years of teaching experience, she also is a mother of four children, including a teenage son on the spectrum.

“When my son was first born, as a mother and being in the field, I knew something was up. When he was 2, he would only make sounds, so I took him to speech,” Abdullah says, recalling his diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome (in 2013, it became part of one umbrella diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, or ASD).

She adds, “He didn’t speak, he was a runner and he had meltdowns. I had to home in on his triggers. No one knew how to care for him, and I still had to work. I experienced frustration because I wanted my son to have the best individualized care in a home setting.”

It was during this process that Abdullah noticed a need that required filling and made it her goal.

“I didn’t want to leave my teaching position, but I had the opportunity to loop with my special education students for three years, so I knew it was time to go,” she says.

Abdullah used her entire life savings of $150,000 to renovate a 2,800-square-foot home in Richmond Heights and convert it into The Therapeutic School House. It provides a functional and play-based curriculum in a home setting. As a Type B Home Provider, Abdullah — with the assistance of her mother — services up to six children (four typical and two with special needs) ages 2 to 5. In addition to the daycare, they offer tutoring for ages pre-K to third grade, open play hours on weekends, and respite/parents’ night out opportunities that are open to members of the community.

“Most traditional daycares aren’t equipped, knowledgeable, or experienced in caring for young children on the spectrum — we focus on the whole child,” Abdullah explains, adding that her philosophy is centered around building relationships. “Once a connection is created, both teacher and student can embrace the whole teaching process.”

Abdullah knows the need is there; she encourages parents to seek intervention early, saying, “Accept your child’s differences as unique talents and don’t be ashamed of behaviors. You don’t have to explain anything. Don’t try to change them into what everyone expects them to be.”

For more information on The Therapeutic School House, visit therapeutic-school-house.business.site or contact Abdullah at 216-526-1907 or therapeuticschoolhouse@gmail.com. SARAH RINTAMAKI y Executive Director, Connecting for Kids

Sarah Rintamaki, of Westlake, wanted to provide other families with the same connection she herself found through an informal support group. Both of Sarah’s sons struggled with speech and developmental delays and between the doctor, specialist and therapy appointments, she was feeling overwhelmed and lonely.

By finding other families in similar situations, she says she felt connected and less alone.

“Not only did these families share new therapies and program information, but they also had a safe place to express feelings of grief, frustration, pride and joy,” she says.

Connecting for Kids currently serves 3,150 families in Cuyahoga, Lorain and surrounding counties who have concerns about their children ages 12 or younger. The organization serves all families, including those children with and without formal diagnoses.

Connecting for Kids provides resources for a number of concerns, including anxiety, attention issues, developmental delays, epilepsy and sensory issues. It offers presentations by pediatric professionals, interactive workshops and hands-on training. For example, it will be offering a six-week workshop called “Healing from the

Trauma of Institutional Racism,” a Managing Meltdowns program in Spanish, and a LGBTQ+ Support and Resources program.

“During this pandemic, it is even more important that parents become their child’s teachers and focus on the social and emotional development of their child — to aid them, their education and support their social and emotional development,” Rintamaki says. “Connecting for Kids offers education and support, including not only virtual programs for which parents can register, but also online resources, videos and toolkits.”

Connecting for Kids offers Coffee and Chat support groups that usually meet in person but have been offered virtually through Zoom during the pandemic. These interactive groups, which allow families to meet others facing similar struggles, consist of local families because they are only open to families in Northeast Ohio.

“One of our most popular means of support is Facebook groups that are offered for families, dads only, parents of gifted children, caregivers of those with moderate-to-severe disabilities, and familias hispana (a Spanish language group),” Rintamaki says. “Families can ask questions, give encouragement and share resources.”

When asked about the future of Connecting for Kids, Rintamaki says it is expanding programs to help families as they navigate hybrid and virtual learning environments and deal with high levels of stress and anxiety.

“We are working with BIPOC professionals and organizations to create specific education and support programs for families who identify as Black Americans and Latinx,” she says. “These programs are designed to help families deal with institutional racism and help their children achieve the best outcomes. Finally, we will be rolling out specific programming targeting families of children with moderate-to-severe disabilities because we know many of these children are struggling in this new socially distant world.”

Local families can reach out via phone or text at 440-570-5908 (para español, 440-907-9130) or email at info@connectingforkids.org. Families also can visit connectingforkids.org. AMY CLAWSON & y

Amy Clawson, Northern Ohio Family Specialist for

Ohio Family to Family Health information Center

Timmy Clawson, 23, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after being born prematurely, is like his mom: adventurous.

In the days before the pandemic, Timmy was involved in the community by volunteering at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, where he gets to be surrounded by something he loves — dinosaurs; and participating in Youth Challenge in Westlake. Timmy also is passionate about football and attends as many sports events as possible.

Amy Clawson, his mom and Northern Ohio Family Specialist for Ohio Family to Family, says she and her husband, Paul, taught Timmy through high school to show people what he can do and he has a full life because he worked hard with many people who supported him. His brother, Ben, who lives in Cincinnati, is a huge advocate for Timmy’s good life today.

Amy Clawson says that just like the families' advocates before her, whom she considers her mentors, she wants to use her

voice to make changes and help families who have children with special needs.

It began over 20 years ago, when she was a co-chair of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Family Advisory Council. She went on to a role as a parent coordinator for the division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the hospital.

“That was a meaningful position when I grew passionate about helping families on a regional and statewide level,” she says, adding that she spends a lot of time educating families on how to navigate systems.

The biggest hardship for families is when their child becomes an adult, she says. Families who struggle the most are those who have children that are entering into adulthood with little to no supports in place. Recreation and social activities, job training/experiences, medical supports, and local developmental disability agencies all can play a vital role in an adult with a disability having a good life, she advises.

“You need a very strong safety net before that child leaves high school,” Clawson says.

She advises families to get trained, learn the systems, build your networks, and take classes, because they need to become knowledgeable and reach out to people who are interested in the child/ person’s well-being.

“The connections in Timmy’s community had to be strong or strengthened — the community connections as well as the interpersonal relationships,” she says, adding that due to his involvement in the community, his confidence has grown and he has a pretty good life.

Visit ohiof2f.org

By Cerrie Burnell, illustrated by Lauren Mark Baldo These short biographies tell the stories of people who have faced unique challenges that have not stopped them from becoming trailblazers, innovators, advocates and makers.

LAUGHING AT MY NIGHTMARE By Shane Burcaw Shane Burcaw, a 26-year-old with spinal muscular atrophy, writes about how he handles his situation with humor and a “you-only-live-once” perspective on life. While he does talk about everyday issues that are relatable to teens, he also offers an eye-opening perspective on what it is like to have a life threatening disease. Check out his co-creation YouTube channel “Squirmy and Grubs” with his girlfriend Hannah at youtube.com/c/squirmyandgrubs.