Re: HOORAY - and what is co-options?

August 12, 2000

Debby,

Your program sounds fantastic! Congratulations!! I hope that it all works

out well for your son.

What is a co-options program? Is it like a play group for PDD kids? My son

is 2 1/2 and I'd like to get him involved in something if it is structured.

We live in Midland Park.

Thanks,

>From: debkoco@...

>Reply-To: Mosaic-List (AT) e

>To: Mosaic-List (AT) e

>Subject: HOORAY

>Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 18:04:46 -0000

>

>I have just returned from my son's IEP meeting, and it went well!

>Some of you may remember I was pushing for my son to remain in his

>private day care and be shadowed by an aide plus receive his

>therapies...well, I changed my mind based upon input from his one-to-

>one special ed. teacher (trained at ), who is now one of his

>home ABA therapists. Evan will go to school from 9:00 to 2:30 daily,

>have speech therapy everyday from 9:00 to 9:30, join the pre-school

>disabled class containing slightly developmentally disabled children

>from 9:30 to 11:30 to participate in circle time, arts & crafts (the

>structured stuff) while shadowed by either an ABA trained spec. ed.

>teacher or aide and be pulled out of the class for discrete trial

>during the unstructured stuff, from 11:30 to 12:00 more discrete

>trial, (12:00 to 12:30 lunch, 12:30 to 12:45 some unstructured quiet

>time with teacher/aide, i.e maybe a walk, or the like to lead into a

>brief rest/nap period 12:45 to 1:15), OT three times a week or PT two

>times a week for 30 minutes in afternoon and then more discrete trial

>until he comes home.

>PLUS...10 hours a week in-home ABA therapy. The district is also to

>pay for the coordination of school and in-home therapy.

>Evan has rapidly progressed during the extended year program in this

>type of schedule/program...I hope it continues!!!

>

>I would like to get involved in a co-options group so Evan can

>generalize/transition his skills in a community type setting. I live

>in Clifton but am willing to travel to Bergen Co. with him as I can

>access major highways (80, 46, GSP) blocks from my home.

>Can anyone advise me of a group that we can join

>Call me or email me.

>Thanks for all the support and good advise (which helped me

>tremendously in the meeting)

>

>Debby

>

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August 13, 2000

I am the coordinatior for Cooptions in Bergan Passaic & Hudson counties. (I

am also the parent of 10 year old Jennnifer who I believe is " on the

spectrum " ) It is a statewide support program for families who have children

with disabilites. It is unique in that it is for the entire family so

siblings are included and have been a great asset. It is run by the families

in the coops.

My job is to find interested families & help the coops plan & organize & the

groups & access whatever funding is needed. Most of the groups have a

therapist to provide a structured activity for the children, however parents

can do that for themselves if they wish.

I have a number of existing coops and some in formation & need to add

families. All the groups are in the planning stages for the coming year.

Too many families go away in august to continue group meetings, but many have

formed friendships and meet informally or stay in touch by phone which is one

of our goals-to bring families together so we can help each other.

If there are any families who can share the responsibility of planning &

running their groups let me know.

Groups are being planned for Rutherford, New Milford, Ringwood, Bagoda,

Leonia, Hillsdale, Little Falls, Garfield, Spanish speaking in the Passaic

area, and maybe Union City.

August 13, 2000

I would like to be part of one of these groups so that my son could

participate in a structured activity. Are there any openings in Hillsdale?