Behavior and Therapy Support for DSAmd Members
Membership is free and available to anyone who has a loved one with Down syndrome. Complete this short “membership” survey for access to programs and events that benefit your entire family.
Individual Behavior Appointments, Heavily Subsidized
Join Annie McLaughlin Consulting, LLC for a virtual, one-on-one meeting with your family to discuss, assess, and plan for behaviors that are causing concern. After your initial meeting, you will have time to implement the ideas and strategies you discussed, and then you'll be scheduled for a follow-up appointment.
These Behavior Help appointments are intended to be stop-gaps for those families on months-long waitlists to find a permanent home with a behavioral specialist. Find a day/time that works for you and we will also schedule a follow-up, check-in appointment for 2-4 weeks after your initial meeting.
The $100 fee is 22% of the cost of the two appointments you'll receive. We are happy to subsidize the rest on behalf of the families we serve! For confidential scholarship opportunities, kindly email: director(at)DSAMD(dot)org
We know that the pandemic has amplified behaviors and anxieties that are affecting activities of daily living. We're here to help as best we can, and hope this helps!
CLICK HERE to sign up for behaviorist help:
Quarterly Confidential Conversations with a Behaviorist
Join Annie McLaughlin Consulting, LLC for an interactive conversation with other DSAMD families about managing behavior that’s affecting everyday activities of daily living in individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.
We hear you; we know that many behavior specialists have long waitlists, and they can be expensive to see for individual counseling. This is your chance to have your concerns addressed in a semi-private but confidential setting.
We will meet via Zoom, meeting-style and camera "on" where possible. This is expected to be a group conversation with coaching and a presentation that's personalized to the needs of the group. Please come prepared with writing materials.
See the upcoming conversations and register on our Events page.
*** ABOUT ***
Dr. Annie McLaughlin - Dr. Annie specializes in the integration of contemporary applied behavior analysis with positive behavior supports in order to increase the quality of life and education for individuals with disabilities. Her areas of expertise include data-based educational programs and classrooms, IEPs for students with disabilities, inclusive practices and functional behavior assessments.
Kaitlin Fernandez, BCBA: Kaitlin is a licensed behavior analyst with experience supporting individuals of all ages in public and nonpublic schools, home, community and inpatient settings. Kaitlin focuses on applying behavior analytic strategies to improve learning outcomes and increase independence and adaptive functioning. She focuses on supporting meaningful change for her clients and taking into consideration their individual needs.
Follow along with the team at https://www.facebook.com/AnnieMcLaughlinConsulting/
Therapy Program
We know arranging therapy and finding group support for siblings and self-advocates is daunting and confusing. We're here to help.
Details
Who: Samantha Childs, MS, CCLS (Child Life Specialist) from Kids Cope Baltimore
What:
Individual appointments every month to serve DSAMD youth-aged siblings and/or self-advocates of any age. Samantha will provide therapeutic intervention, discussion, and resource guidance/connection.
Siblings groups (monthly)
Grief & Loss group (quarterly)
Why: DSAMD recognizes that arranging therapy, finding a therapist, and/or finding a support group can be daunting and confusing. Further, we know that it’s sometimes best to have a professional leading and facilitating the conversation, and listening for warning signs.
We are here to help. We want to reduce the barriers to good mental health supportive care. We will subsidize 75%- 100% of the cost:
Of individual therapy - TWO (2) virtual or in-person (your home) visits with Samantha to help your family build a plan, coping mechanisms, get connected with an ongoing therapist, etc.
Of group support…
A. Sibling groups meet monthly
B. Grief & Loss group meets quarterly
Cost:
Individual Therapy: A $50 fee covers two appointments. Confidential scholarships are available - email director@DSAmd.org to request support, no questions asked.
Groups: free, with donations appreciated
How:
For individual appointments for youth siblings or self-advocates, visit: https://bit.ly/signup-behavior-therapy-programs
For group therapeutic activities, register and see the details on our Events page.
From the American Psychological Association:
How do you know if therapy is needed?
Two general guidelines can be helpful when considering whether you or someone you love could benefit from therapy. First, is the problem distressing? And second, is it interfering with some aspect of life?
When thinking about distress, here are some issues to consider:
Do you or someone close to you spend some amount of time every week thinking about the problem?Is the problem embarrassing, to the point that you want to hide from others?Over the past few months, has the problem reduced your quality of life?When thinking about interference, some other issues may deserve consideration:
Does the problem take up considerable time (e.g., more than an hour per day)?Have you curtailed your work or educational ambitions because of the problem?Are you rearranging your lifestyle to accommodate the problem?
A “yes” response to any of these questions suggests that you might wish to consider seeking professional help.
Source: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/seeking-therapy