150th Anniversary Technological Initiative at Sarah A. Reed Children's Center

Celebrating 150 Years!

April 2021

Vol. I

150th Anniversary Technological Initiative Update Thank You to Our Donors For Donating Over $208,000 Towards Technology to Date!

As we celebrate 150 years of service to the Erie community, we are honored by the number of people who have reached out in so many ways. The global health crisis one year ago was only a precursor to some of the most challenging and transformational times. COVID-19, political uncertainty, financial insecurity and the social injustice have complicated the best of strategic plans and reshaped the way we deliver services.

Adrienne Dixon, Ph.D. President/CEO

Despite this unprecedented season of adversity, we experienced a great outpouring of support from our donors. On behalf of the entire Sarah Reed Children’s Center family, I want to extend our sincerest thanks for choosing to partner with us. Your investment in the lives of the children and families has already made a significant difference. To date, we have raised over $208,000 towards the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative to help build stronger, more well prepared students and increase our overall access to technological resources.

Thank you for investing in what matters—community!

Your support allows us to not only provide effective access to quality care but positions the Children’s Center to secure critical technology that will increase our footprint and impact in the digital era.

Thank you again for your commitment, which strengthens our capacity to transform quality care, advance our mission, and improve the overall well-being of the Erie community.

With great appreciation,

Adrienne Erie Insurance Donates 125 Chromebooks for Students and Staff Our friends at Erie Insurance saved the day when they donated 125 Chromebooks to our agency in September 2020! This contribution came at a critical time. We had begun placing orders for Chromebooks when the pandemic first hit in Spring 2020, but due to the incredible demand for Chromebooks and other technology across the country, our orders were placed on backorder. These Chromebooks from Erie Insurance are making a huge impact on our programs across all five campuses and enabling us to continue providing vital services to our 1,700 children, adults and families in Erie County and across Pennsylvania.

(L to R) Hamilton staff members Joel Dombrowski, Steve Lasoski, Jacob Murzynski, Twila Zellefrow, John Kathman, Lisa Kalagassy, Carrie Tomczak, Heather Muse and Kevin Dildine show off their new Chromebooks!

"You have no idea what a blessing it was to receive the Chromebooks! With COVID-19 and everything else going on, it was next to impossible to use a computer. I personally did not like the thought of using a shared computer or working in a large shared place. As a behavior counselor, it is imperative to be watching and documenting everything that occurs during the day, and just having something as simple as a Chromebook to do so is such a relief. I honestly can compare it to giving a child a paper assignment and not giving him a pencil to complete it.

Thank you for providing us the tools that we need to be safe and to keep our students safe too!" ~Lisa Kalagassy, Behavior Counselor at the Partial Hospitalization Program

Chromebooks Keep Children and Families Connected During the Holidays "This Christmas, for the first time, we were able to set up a small Christmas concert using Zoom so that our 62 children in the Residential Program could connect with their parents since they could not be home with them this year due to COVID-19. One of the parents e-mailed me shortly after to say how proud she was of her son, who is 8-years old. She had never seen him in a choir or a performance or a play because he had never really been in a school long enough to participate in activities like this due to his behavioral and mental health issues. And even though our caroling was done virtually and not in-person, it really made her Christmas.” ~Kyle Shreve, Educational Specialist at the Residential Treatment Program

Technology Makes a Difference in the Classroom

Sarah Reed offers an eight-week Summer Reading & Math Program each year for the children in the Residential Treatment Program. Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Summer Program was held virtually, and all 62 children connected remotely from their cottages and used Chromebooks daily for their math, reading and psychoeducational lessons. According to Darrylanne Adams, campus school supervisor:

“It was a leap of faith moving from in-person learning to virtual, but it worked out great and really allowed us to tailor each child’s education plan. The kids love using the Chromebooks every day, and we had less behavioral issues overall during the Summer Program. The Chromebooks and the educational software we use allow each student to work at his or her own pace. Some of our younger students are currently learning to read by listening to audiobooks, and we have some older students working on calculus and studying for the SATs!" ~Darrylanne Adams Campus School Supervisor at the Residential Treatment Program

New Software Helps Track Children's Progress and Aids in Research Project

"I know the Chromebooks made the 2020 Summer Reading & Math Program possible this year. Without the Chromebooks, it’s difficult to say where the children would be, from both an academic and a therapeutic standpoint. Due to the pandemic, the children spent most of their days inside their Residence Halls. In-person learning was no longer possible, so the Chromebooks were a lifesaver! They also Kristen Heisler broadened the kids’ access to many different online programs and resources, and we are so thankful for those learning opportunities!" Activities Coordinator

Funds raised through the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative were used to purchase computerscoring software for the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children/Youth. Our team utilizes this measure at intake and discharge to track children's progress from the day they start at Sarah Reed until the day they are discharged. Prior to having the software, the child's individual therapist would administer the measure, the intake clinician would score it by hand, and then the data would be entered into an Excel spreadsheet. The new software improves efficiency, decreases error, and provides accurate information for both treatment planning and tracking of outcomes.

The software is also being used for an in-depth research project that's being conducted by Sarah Reed's doctoral interns in collaboration with Penn State Behrend. This targeted research project focuses on the variables that influence the need for behavioral restraints at Sarah Reed's Residential Treatment Program. This research project has the potential to inform clinical treatment at psychiatric residential facilities throughout the country. Sarah Reed's project team, led by Dr. Wilson Brown and Dr. Laura Amoscato, is writing up the results of their research and will be submitting a presentation to the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Annual Conference in November 2021.

Wilson Brown, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Applied Clinical Psychology in the M.A. Program and Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at Penn State Behrend. He is a Sarah Reed Board Member.

Dr. Wilson Brown

Dr. Laura Amoscato

Laura Amoscato, Ph.D. is the Director of Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement and Director of Psychology Internship Training at Sarah Reed.

Technology Transforms Our Programs and Keeps Children, Staff and Families Connected We are thrilled by the outpouring of support our community has shown towards our agency over the past year during extremely difficult and uncertain times. When COVID-19 first hit in Spring 2020, we created the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative in order to address the rapidly growing costs associated with our new provision of care, such as online therapy, virtual education, video conferencing and more.

$300,000 GOAL

Because of the generosity of the donors who've contributed to date, we've been able to raise $208,589 as of March 26, 2021! These funds were put to immediate use to help keep our teachers, therapists, psychologists and behavior counselors connected to the 1,700 children, adults and families we serve $208,589 annually throughout the Commonwealth. Thanks to our donors, we've been able to provide: RAISED TO

70%

DATE!

157 Chromebooks for children and staff 61 Laptops for teachers, therapists and staff 49 Webcams for staff computers 4 SmartBoards for Residential, Hamilton and Emerson-Gridley campuses 6 Printer/Scanners for each of our six residential units 40 HIPAA-compliant Zoom licenses for therapy sessions and for children to keep in touch with their families 40 Headphones for the children to listen to audiobooks and complete classroom assignments 80 GoGuardian software licenses to keep children safe while they're online Educational and Research software

As we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for technology remains strong across all of our campuses and programs. To learn more about the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative and discuss the ways you can make a difference, please contact Gary L. Bukowski, MA, CFRE, associate vice president of development, at (814) 835-7602 or e-mail GBukowski@sarahreed.org.

Technology Has Significant Impact on IBHS Program Intensive Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (IBHS) are designed to provide supports for children and their families who are having difficulty managing behavior and emotions in the home, school and community. Sarah Reed provides Behavioral Consultation (BC) Services, Mobile Therapy (MT) Services, and Community and School Based Behavioral Health (CSBBH). Our philosophy for IBHS is to promote independence and provide resources for our clients and their families so they are ultimately able to live independently of our services.

Ways to Give to Our 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative There are many ways you can support this historic effort and help the children we serve!

Consider making an:

Contributions to the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative are providing essential laptops, Chromebooks, HIPAA-compliant Zoom licenses and other technology that continue to be critical to our provision of service during COVID-19.

Online gift at www.SarahReed.org/donate

According to Lauren Hunter, LCSW, supervisor of IBHS:

Gift through your Donor Advised Fund

"Due to Covid-19, we have been primarily doing virtual sessions via the HIPAA-compliant Zoom software this past year, which has really allowed our clinicians to provide the ongoing, intensive services that are required in IBHS. Our clients are typically authorized to receive 2 to 3 hours per week of mobile therapy and behavior consultation services, so longer sessions/Zoom time is a necessity.

We have also been able to setup Zoom with some of the daycares and schools, allowing our behavior consultants to monitor behaviors in the classroom setting and collect the data needed to develop appropriate behavior plans and interventions.

Lauren Hunter, LCSW Supervisor of Intensive Behavioral Health Services

Some of our clinicians have also used the Share Screen option on Zoom to create a virtual playroom with their clients. This has been particularly helpful with our younger clients and has created an environment for them to feel safe and have fun while participating in therapy sessions."

Gift through your IRA

Gift of Stock Call us at (814) 835-7602 Mail your gift to: Sarah A. Reed Children's Center ATTN Development Office 2445 West 34th Street Erie, PA 16506 Our donors are changing lives every day through their generosity. Please join us as we honor our late foundress and celebrate 150 Years of Service to our community!

Sarah A. Reed

To learn more, contact Gary L. Bukowski, MA, CFRE, associate vice president of development, at (814) 835-7602 or e-mail GBukowski@sarahreed.org.

Help Plant the Seeds for the Future of Our Agency Did you know that Sarah A. Reed was one of the first donors to leave a planned gift to the agency?

Join Sarah and become a member of the Sarah A. Reed Legacy Society by making your planned gift today and helping to support the future!

Planned gifts come in all shapes and sizes and can be tailored to fit any budget. Consider naming Sarah A. Reed Children's Center as a beneficiary of your: Will or Trust IRA Or Other Retirement Plan Life Insurance Policy Over the last year, we have responded to the technology needs brought on by the COVID-19 cloud. You can make a planned gift today and support the future technology needs of Sarah A. Reed Children's Center through our Computer Refresh Program, which was established to maintain and update the equipment and replace outdated technology moving forward.

Please visit our planned giving website at https://sarahareed.plannedgiving.org/ and create a legacy of your own for our future children, adults and families. Contact Gary L. Bukowski, MA, CFRE at (814) 835-7602 for more information.

Have you seen our new planned giving commercial? Visit the video section of our Facebook page!

GoGuardian Software Improves Online Safety

Due to social distancing and the increase in online learning, many of the educational programs that Sarah Reed uses are web-based, such as MobyMax (which is the educational site used by the Millcreek Township School District), the Khan Academy, Kahoot and Google Classroom. To ensure an added layer of protection, we purchased GoGuardian software, which allows the teachers to closely monitor and control the websites the children are accessing. GoGuardian will only allow the children onto certain sites and will freeze the screen if the child tries to navigate to other sites.

Emerson-Gridley Campus Introduces "Walking Classroom" Sarah Reed has a long-standing partnership with Erie's Public Schools to provide educational and behavioral programming for K-12 students in the Erie School District.

The Sanctuary© Based Learning Program (SBLP) and Sanctuary© Education for Learning Fundamentals (SELF) serve children in grades K-5, and in September 2020, the program introduced The Walking Classroom, where teachers accompany students on an outdoor walk while the class listens to a variety of educational podcasts.

The students loved being able to walk and learn, and they're looking forward to resuming their twice weekly walking lessons once classes resume (and the weather cooperates!).

"The children were always excited to use the kits - it was a break from the doldrums of the four classroom walls! We walked outside around the school then around Gridley Park across the street and listened to social studies- and science-themed lessons. It's a wonderful way for the students to learn and get some fresh air!”

Marcia Staudt, Teacher in the SBLP K-5 Program at Emerson-Gridley

"We implemented GoGuardian software beginning in June 2020 with the Summer Reading & Math Program. It's an invaluable tool! It allows us to strictly monitor the websites the students are on, and it works great during times when staff can’t be right next to the kids due to social distancing. GoGuardian has a policy that only allows the kids to access certain staffidentified websites beyond the usual school day, allowing our kids to safely keep learning in the evenings and on weekends.” ~Darrylanne Adams, Campus School Supervisor at the Residential Program

Sample of Daily GoGuardian Report from Susan Hirt Hagen Hall on 2/18/2020: 18%

16%

29% – meet.google.com 12%

27% – www.youtube.com 18% – web.kamihq.com 16% – hangouts.google.com

27% 29%

12% – kahoot.it

Darrylanne Adams, campus school supervisor, shows how the GoGuardian Software can be used to monitor students while they are online. In this photo, she is overseeing a student who is currently completing a reading assignment for school using Google Classroom.

Special Thanks to All of Our Donors Who've Contributed to the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative as of March 26, 2021

We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our dedicated donors for their support of the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative.

Your generosity ensured that we were able to continue providing our programs and services through one of the most challenging years our agency has faced. Thank you for keeping our staff, children, adults and families safe, connected and learning!

Accudyn Products, Inc. Mr. Don Albaugh Anonymous (11) Ms. Mary Barr Ms. Cynthia Belczyk William & Jill Bengel Blackbaud Giving Fund - Highmark Health Mr. Michael Bloeser Ms. Lori Bly Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Bojc Dr. Dennis Borczon & Dr. Mary Anne Albaugh Ms. Lois Borowy Ms. Adelyn S. Brinker Britton Family Foundation Gary & Roberta Bukowski Mr. Ryan Bukowski Mrs. Fran Buseck Ms. Donelle Ann Davey Decision Associates, LLC Mr. & Mrs. Jon DeMarco William & Elizabeth Detisch Bill & Sally DeWitt Ms. Margaret DiLuzio & Family Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Dinger Ms. Barbara Dougherty Timothy J. & Lucia P. Doyle The Honorable Michael Dunlavey Ms. Donna Ellman Erie Community Foundation Erie County CARES Nonprofit Assistance Grant Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority Erie Federal Credit Union Erie Gives Day 2020 Erie Insurance Ernst Conservation Seeds, Inc. Ms. Kimberly Faulkner Ms. Eileen Flanagan Rob & Mary Freeman Frontier General Contracting, Inc. Ms. Brenda Gack Kevin & Sally Gearity Ms. Heidi Ghaemaghamy Daniel & Julia Goodman Court & Sherri Gould AJ & Dory Grack Steve & Debbie Hafner

Ralph & Cynthia Heidler Henry A. and Mary J. MacDonald Family Foundation Ms. Karen Hollinsworth Dr. Robert Iddings Kathy Iorio & Tony Snow, M.D. iRock Fitness Nick & Chris Iwig Danny & Angela Jones John H. & Becky Kathman Bruce & Nancy Kern C. Bruce & Bonnie Kern, II Ms. Kathleen Kern Kiwanis Club of Erie Dr. Ryan Kobylinski Mike & Marian Kohan Mr. James Kosco Mr. Larry Lechtner Ms. Marilyn Mackowski Jim, Mary Margaret and Jenn Malue Jim & Cindy Mando Mr. Michael P. Martin Ms. Karen J. McEnery Mr. & Mrs. James McKibben Daniel & Michelle Miller Alyson & Aislyn Moss Ms. Kim Myers Ms. Molly Myers Northwest Tri-County Intermediate Unit 5 Mrs. Karen B. Oliver Deacon Jerry & Joan Peterson Ms. Barbara R. Pollock Mrs. Judy Pratt Ms. Patty Puline Tom & Allie Quick Dennis & Elaine Renz Richard Pitts Agency Rite Aid Foundation Mr. Cole Ruffo Dr. Ravi Sabherwal Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Samol Sanford Company David & Debbie Saxton Jim & Jenna Schreiner Ms. Colleen Gildea Shaffer Ms. Helen P. Shimek Harry & Martha Sinden Mr. Alan Smith Solvedt Enterprises, Inc Michael & Karen Sullivan David & Mary Teufel Mr. Rich Tregaskis Mr. Michael J. Whitley

Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of all donors who made a contribution to the 150th Anniversary Technological Initiative as of March 26, 2021. We apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions. If you have any questions regarding this report, please contact our Development Office at (814) 835-7604.