1. pets
2. dogs

Raising Special Kids
Families Helping Families
Thank You for
Your Service, Dog
Connecting
Fall 2014
Staff Spotlight
Rachel Hanzuk - Administrative Assistant
The first voice families often
hear when they call Raising Special
Kids is Rachel Hanzuk’s. Rachel
has a keen ear for finding the right
place to start when helping families.
Rachel remembers struggling
emotionally when her son Patrick
was born. His diagnosis of Down
syndrome started the Hanzuk family
on a new and unexpected journey.
“I did not know where to turn. I had no idea there was an
organization who helped new moms like me. I thought I was
destined for despair.” She connected with a support group, and
she began to recognize the power of parent-to-parent support.
When Patrick was a toddler, Rachel attended a
presentation on inclusion. She recalls, “Most of the stuff
was above my head as my son was more than a year
away from entering his first preschool classroom. But,
the seed was planted; to begin with the end in mind.”
Rachel epitomizes the term ‘team player.’ Since Patrick,
now 11, began school, she has worked with the school
team to ensure success in the general education classroom.
In her self-described ‘previous life,’ Rachel traveled
around the globe leading tours and helping others discover
the as yet unknown-to-them treasures of the world’s
most iconic locations. Now, it’s no coincidence that she
uses those skills to welcome and help guide families on
a similar treasure-seeking journey with their children.
“I am a caregiver by nature and I really enjoy being
the welcoming face and voice for Raising Special
Kids.” She adds, “I find it most rewarding when I
receive a frantic call from a parent, and by the end of the
conversation I can hear them breathing at a normal rate.”
Contents
Thank You for Your Service,
Dog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Facilitated IEP . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Workshops & Training. . . . . 5
Family Story. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Referrals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Contenido
Gracias por sus servicios. . . . 6
Talleres y Entrenamientos. . . 7
raisingspecialkids.org
Connecting is published by
Raising Special Kids
5025 E. Washington St., #204
Phoenix, AZ 85034
602-242-4366 • 800-237-3007
Fax: 602-242-4306
raisingspecialkids.org
[email protected]
Flagstaff Office
928-444-8802
Tucson Office
520-441-4007
Yuma Office
928-444-8803
STAFF
Joyce Millard Hoie
Executive Director
Anna Burgmann, Brianna Carreras,
Cat Coscia, Gloria Demara, Kathy Freeman,
Vickie French, Kathy Gray-Mangerson,
Rachel Hanzuk, Denise Hauer,
Marie Hoie, Wendi Howe, Maureen Mills,
Janna Murrell, Kim Obert,
Gabriela Parra, Dolores Rios Herrera,
Vicky Rozich, Nannette Salasek,
Paulina Serna, Peggy Storrs,
Nilda Townsend, Kathleen Temple,
Christopher Tiffany, Alice Villarreal,
Leslie Williams, Neil Wintle
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Paula Banahan, President
Blanca Esparza-Pap, Vice President
Elizabeth Freeburg, Treasurer,
Tom Batson, Secretary
Barbara Brent
Leslie Cohen
Tonya Gray
Karen Hinds
Mike Horne
Regan Iker-Lopez
Jennifer Kupiszewski
Jacob Robertson
Gabriela Sanchez-Orozco
Dr. Wade Shrader
Karin Smith
Janelle Tassart
Parent to Parent support is the heart of
Raising Special Kids. Information about local
services, educational programs, advocacy,
or special health care needs is available in
Spanish and English. Services are provided
at no charge to families in Arizona.
Raising Special Kids is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Thank You for Your Service, Dog.
Human beings have long depended on dogs
to provide protection, affection, emotional support, comfort, and companionship. Some dogs
are even capable of performing specific functional
tasks that benefit an individual with a disability.
Known as service animals, these dogs allow greater access to places, help remove barriers to opportunities, and offer a more independent life for an
individual with a disability.
Sometimes service animals are identified by the
type of work they do, such as ‘guide dog,’ ‘seizure
dog’ or ‘mobility dog.’ However, a service animal
may provide more than one type of support (such
as guidance and seizure detection for a person
with vision impairment and a seizure disorder).
The generic term ‘service dog” has replaced the
previous usage, providing a level of privacy for
the individual that does
not disclose their specific disability.
Jen Turrell’s daughters have autism. They
also have service dogs.
Turrell heard about
service dogs for individuals with autism at
an event she attended
soon after Tallulah, her
oldest daughter, was
diagnosed with autism.
Turrell’s hope was to
have a dog trained to help Tallulah stay nearby,
explaining that her daughter “is prone to bolting
and an expert at hiding.” It wasn’t until Turrell
saw their daughter with one of the trained dogs
that her eyes were opened to other possibilities.
She explained, “Tallulah was not able to put her
socks on by herself, although taking them off was
a piece of cake for her.” Recalling the events of the
day Turrell continued, “She was excited about the
dog and brought over every toy she had with her
to share. After that, she brought over one of her
discarded socks, put it on the dog’s paw, and then
put the sock on her own foot for the first time! It
was so exciting!”
However, Turrell found both the cost and the
training proved to be more challenging than she
anticipated. Tallulah’s dog, Dahanna, was trained
by an agency before arriving at their home (including water rescue), but the family also had to
participate in a ‘boot camp’ to become certified as
handlers through the service dog agency, Arizona
Goldens LLC.
Turrell’s younger daughter Myffanwy (Myffy
for short) was diagnosed with autism around
the same time that Tallulah got her service dog.
Myffy is more talkative than her sister and was
not shy about imitating and interrupting her lessons which made training and bonding difficult
for Tallulah and Dahanna. The trainer suggested
getting another service dog for Myffy.
Myffy’s dog, Carebear, is a ‘career change
dog.’
Carebear had
trained to help someone in a wheelchair but
never received an assignment. With just a
little more training to
meet Myffy’s needs,
Carebear finally found
her human. Dahanna
and Carebear can chase
and follow the girls if
they take off without
supervision and circle
them until a responsible adult arrives to help.
The dogs also allow the
girls to have their own room. When the girls wake
up, Turrell or her husband are alerted with a wetnosed nudge.
When visiting with family in the United Kingdom, Carebear traveled with the girls. Turrell recommends families begin planning far in advance
to find out if there are different rules your destination may have for service dogs. Because their
family will be returning for future visits, they
were issued a pet passport for Carebear. (A pet
passport requires a visit to a veterinarian licensed
in the European Union but makes it much easier
to enter countries within the EU.) You can read
about Turrell’s family on her blog at http://jenandstew.com/blog. continued on page 2
raisingspecialkids.org
1
continued from page 1
Service dogs can be very expensive. Estimates are
between $15,000 and $35,000 per dog. Some agencies have scholarship or donation programs for
people who qualify. When faced with a long waiting list to receive a dog, some parents are starting
to train their pets to become service animals.
Jade Whitney is a service dog trainer and handler with Team Canine, Inc. She has worked with
families to train their pets to act as service dogs.
When asked about how easy it is for dogs to make
the switch, she explained, “Although not legally
required, specialized vests or leads [leashes] that
you only use when your dog is working can help
signal to them that
they are ‘on the
job’ and that they
need to act a certain
way.” She added,
“It’s sort of like a
uniform.”
Not every dog is
cut out to be a service dog but many
different breeds of
dogs can be trained
to perform jobs for
individuals
with
disabilities.
The
Assistance
Dogs
International website notes that many assistance or service dogs are
Golden Retrievers and Labradors. Their personalities typically make for a good service dog. However, there are examples of many other breeds that
have been successfully trained as service dogs.
What is important is matching the needs of the
person with the dog’s personality and size. For
example, a dog whose job is to provide stability
for an individual to stand would need to be sufficiently large and sturdy enough to allow the
person to lift or stand safely. A small dog might
not be right for that job, but might be perfect for
signaling a ringing telephone for a person with a
hearing impairment.
Currently, there is no official agency that regulates or certifies service dogs. Several agencies
have their own certification processes but there is
a movement toward standardized requirements
and certifications. Many agencies are affiliated
with Assistance Dogs International which pro2
vides suggested standards for service dogs performing specific jobs (e.g. guide dog, hearing dog)
as well as suggested minimum standards for public appropriateness for any service dog (see box).
Service dogs may go anywhere a member of
the public can go. Public places may not exclude
service animals even if they have a ‘no pets’ policy. In Arizona it is considered discrimination to
require an individual to disclose disability-related
information to prove their dog is a service animal.
However, it is acceptable for a business to ask
someone if their dog is a service animal being used
because of a disability, and what tasks the dog has
been trained to perform.
Under the Americans
with Disabilities Act,
service animals “must
be harnessed, leashed,
or tethered, unless these
devices interfere with
the service animal’s
work or the individual’s disability prevents
using these devices. In
that case, the individual
must maintain control
of the animal through
voice, signal, or other effective controls.” Many
states have laws against
service animal misrepresentation.
Besides performing work for individuals, dogs
can provide support in other ways. An emotional
support animal (ESA), according to the Michigan
State University Animal Legal & Historical Center,
“is a companion animal that provides therapeutic
benefit to an individual with a mental or psychiatric disability.” One key difference between a service animal an emotional support animal is that
an ESA does not require any specific training.
A therapy dog provides affection and comfort to people in places like hospitals, retirement
homes and schools. They differ from service dogs
and ESAs because they are providing support or
therapy to more than one person and those people
are not their handlers or owners.
Cindy Ferrante is a Speech Language Therapist in the public school system with more than 25
years of experience and a Masters in Special Education. She believes that “children with special
raisingspecialkids.org
needs learn more when exposed to a variety of elements, incorporating all five senses.” To assist her
students, she works with Gus, her trusty golden
retriever, in her classroom and in her private practice as a way to encourage communication. Some
children are more willing to have a conversation
with Gus than with her and that’s fine with Cindy.
Some researchers are collecting data to provide
proof that pet therapy is beneficial. The Sam and
Myra Ross Institute in Brewster, NY recently began studying what happens when certified therapy dogs are included in therapy sessions with
groups of children who have autism. One of the
researchers noted the students are more enthusiastic about attending the therapy sessions and
may provide a basis for the students to get more
out of those sessions.
Whether helping someone safely cross a street,
warning of danger, or assisting a little girl with
autism to wait patiently and safely near her mom
in a crowded store, service animals provide safety, comfort, and convenience. It’s clear dogs can
be more than man’s best friend; they can also help
people with disabilities to have the same access
and opportunities as everyone else.
If you want to speak with another parent who
is experienced with service animals, call Raising
Special Kids at (800) 237-3007.
Photos by Brian Daughtery. Used with permission.
Arizona Goldens, LLC. http://www.azgoldensllc.com.
Standards for Assistance
Dogs in Public
Assistance Dogs International : Assistance Dogs in Public, http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/assistance-dogs-in-public/ (accessed August 14, 2014)
Public Appropriateness
• Clean, and does not have an offensive odor.
• Does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations.
Behavior
• Does not solicit attention, visit or annoy any member
of the general public.
• Does not disrupt the normal course of business or vocalize unnecessarily, i.e. barking, growling or whining.
• Shows no aggression towards people or other animals.
• Refrains from soliciting or stealing food or other items from the general public.
Training
• Specifically trained to perform three or more tasks to mitigate aspects of the client’s disability.
• Works calmly and quietly on harness, leash or other tether.
• Able to perform its tasks in public.
• Must be able to lie quietly beside the handler without blocking aisles, doorways, etc.
• Trained to urinate and defecate on command.
• Stays within 24″ of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it to be
working at a greater distance.
raisingspecialkids.org
3
Raising Special Kids Helped Me Develop My Toolbox
Jill remembers being in the recovery room the
day her son Jon was born. When her husband returned to her side after checking on the baby, she
described him as “changed.” The doctor then explained to her what he had already shared with
her husband; he had identified a few markers for
Trisomy 21. When the doctor used the more common
term, Down syndrome,
Jill’s limited understanding
and experience provided
her with a not-so-optimistic
vision for her son’s future.
It did not take Jill long to
adjust to what she refers to
as “the new normal” which
included weekly visits from
an early interventionist and
various therapists. Jill connected with other families
of children with Down syndrome and the fears Jill felt the day he was born
began to subside.
Life went along smoothly until Jon was in first
grade. His teacher was not as eager or adept at including Jon, as was his Kindergarten teacher who
was enthusiastic and creative. Jill reached out to
Raising Special Kids. She recalls, “One of the most
important things I’ve learned from Raising Special
Kids is that parents are valuable members of any
team decision-making process and their participation is required by law. Parents are powerful when
given the right tools and Raising Special Kids
helped me develop my toolbox.”
Jill feels Jon has also provided her with a
“unique perspective” in her current position as a
program advisor with
Disability Resources
and Services at Estrella
Mountain Community
College. Jill recognizes
the students she works
with as “risk-takers
and overcomers” and
hopes her experience
with them will help her
help Jon when it is time
for him to make posthigh school plans. It
is a very different and
much more fulfilled future than Jill envisioned the day he was born.
Jill has continued to expand her toolbox as Jon
has gotten older and other parents often turn to
her for advice. “I regularly refer parents to Raising
Special Kids and I tell them how much the organization has helped me. I explain that the Family Support Specialists really understand because
they are parents, too. And, most importantly, Raising Special Kids never turns anyone away.”
Parent Leaders are the Heart of Raising Special Kids
May-July, 2014. Thank You!
Avondale
Jennifer Priddy
Buckeye
Jill Nico
Cave Creek
Kat Rivera
Chandler
Dawn Bailey
Marti Baio
Martha Burrer
Samantha Flores
Kristina Hunt
Lisa Myers
Cathy Turner
4
Noelle White
El Mirage
Rosa Ramirez
Natalie Trujillo
Flagstaff
April Judd
Cindy May
Tina Rabe
Jen Turrell
Gilbert
Louise Murphy
Heather Prouty
Glendale
Meriah Houser
Cathy Humphrey
Dawn Kurbat
Susan Sunseri
Mesa
Kim Cohill
Cynthia Elliott
Christy Holstad
Kristina Park
Danielle Pollett
Kari Taylor
Erika Villanueva
Peoria
Lisa Aaroe
Sharon Blanton
Tricia Mucklow
Phoenix
Ana Arjona
raisingspecialkids.org
Jeannie Bremerkamp
Inilda Christensen
Nancy Gunderson
Nicole Kauffman
Maura Knoell
Cynthia Macluskie
Heather Magdelano
Kathy McDonald
Kelly Morris
Gloria Rodriguez
Ched Salasek
Michael Sanderfer
Sherri Scruggs
Paulina Tiffany
Rio Rico
Maria Scholnick
San Tan Valley
Elizabeth Bird
Latasha Whitaker
Scottsdale
Lynn Michels
Katie Petersen
Tempe
Janet Romo
Laurie Shook
No Cost Workshops & Training
Register online at www.raisingspecialkids.org or call 800-237-3007
Phoenix
Disability Empowerment Center
5025 E Washington St #204
Phoenix, AZ 85034
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Raising Special Kids’
Party With a Purpose
raisingspecialkids.org
5
Gracias a los perros de servicio.
Los seres humanos han dependido de los perros
desde hace mucho tiempo para que les brinden protección, afecto, apoyo emocional, consuelo y compañía. Algunos perros hasta son capaces de realizar
tareas funcionales específicas de las que pueden
beneficiarse las personas con discapacidad. Se conocen como animales de servicio. Los perros mejoran
el acceso a determinados lugares, ayudan a superar
dificultades y le permiten tener una vida más independiente a las personas con discapacidad.
Las hijas de Jen Turrell tienen autismo. También tienen perros de servicio. Turrell se enteró de
los perros de servicio para personas con autismo en
un evento al que asistió poco después de que se le
diagnosticara autismo a Tallulah, su hija mayor. La
esperanza de Turrell era tener un perro entrenado
para ayudar a Tallulah a mantenerse cerca, porque,
como explica, su hija “solía escaparse y era una experta en esconderse”. No fue sino hasta que vio a
su hija con uno de los perros entrenados que descubrió un mundo de posibilidades. “Tallulah no podía
ponerse los calcetines por sí misma”, indicó Turrell,
quien continuó rememorando los eventos del día
que llevó el perro a casa: “estaba emocionada por el
perro y trajo todos los juguetes que tenía para compartir. Después trajo uno de sus calcetines y se lo
puso en la pata al perro… y luego se lo puso en el
pie por primera vez en la historia”.
Sin embargo, Turrell descubrió que el costo y el
entrenamiento del perro representaban más dificultades de las que esperaba. El perro de Tallulah fue
entrenado por una agencia antes de llegar a casa
–incluso para rescate en el agua– y la familia también tuvo que participar en un entrenamiento para
certificarse como cuidadores a través de la agencia
de perros de servicio.
Los perros de servicio pueden ser muy costosos. Algunos estimados están entre 15.000 y 35.000
dólares por perro. Algunas agencias tienen becas
o programas de donación para personas que sean
elegibles. Al verse en largas listas de espera, algunos
padres están comenzando a entrenar a sus mascotas
como animales de servicio.
No todos los perros tienen aptitudes para desempeñarse como perros de servicio, pero muchas
razas de perro pueden entrenarse para realizar tareas para personas con discapacidad. En la página
6
web de la organización Assistance Dogs International se destaca que muchos perros de asistencia
o de servicio son golden retrievers y labradores. Su
personalidad hace que sean buenos perros de servicio. Lo importante es que las necesidades de la persona coincidan con la personalidad y tamaño del
perro. Por ejemplo, un perro cuyo trabajo sea proporcionarle estabilidad a una persona para que se
levante debe ser lo suficientemente grande para que
la persona pueda impulsarse o levantarse de forma
segura. Un perro pequeño no sería el adecuado para
esa labor, pero podría ser perfecto para señalarle a
una persona con deficiencias auditivas que el teléfono está sonando.
En la actualidad, no hay ninguna agencia oficial
que regule o certifique perros de servicio. Muchas
agencias están afiliadas a la organización Assistance
Dogs International, la cual proporciona estándares
sugeridos para perros de servicio que realicen tareas específicas y estándares mínimos sugeridos de
convivencia pública para perros de servicio.
Los perros de servicio pueden ir a todos los lugares a los que las personas pueden ir. Los sitios públicos no pueden excluir a los animales de servicio
aunque tengan una política de no admitir mascotas.
En Arizona se considera como un acto de discriminación solicitarle a una persona información sobre
su discapacidad para demostrar que el perro es un
animal de servicio. Sin embargo, es válido que un
comerciante le pregunte si su perro es un animal de
servicio que se utiliza por una discapacidad y qué
tareas está entrenado para hacer. Conforme a la Ley
de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (Americans with Disabilities Act), los animales de servicio
“deben estar con arnés, correa, o atados, salvo que
estos implementos interfieran con el trabajo del animal de servicio o que la discapacidad de la persona
impida su uso”. Muchos estados tienen leyes contra
las declaraciones falsas sobre los animales de servicio.
Además de desempeñar tareas por las personas, los perros pueden ayudar de otras formas. Un
animal de apoyo emocional (ESA, por sus siglas en
inglés) es un animal de compañía que proporciona
beneficios terapéuticos a personas con problemas
mentales o psiquiátricos. Una diferencia clave entre
un animal de servicio y uno de apoyo emocional es
raisingspecialkids.org
que este último no requiere ningún entrenamiento
específico.
Cindy Ferrante es terapeuta del lenguaje y trabaja en el sistema de educación pública. Considera
que “los niños con necesidades especiales aprenden
más cuando están expuestos a una variedad de elementos que incorporen los cinco sentidos”. Para
ayudar a sus estudiantes, trabaja con Gus, su confiable golden retriever. Algunos niños están más dispuestos a conversar con Gus que con Cindy.
Ya sea ayudando a alguien a cruzar una calle de
forma segura, advirtiendo algún peligro o haciendo
que una niña con autismo espere pacientemente y
a salvo cerca de su madre en una tienda repleta, los
animales de servicio proporcionan seguridad, alivio y ventajas. Está claro que el perro puede ser más
que el mejor amigo del hombre. Los perros también
pueden ayudar a las personas con discapacidades a
tener el mismo acceso y oportunidades.
Si desea comunicarse con Raising Special Kids
para hablar con otros padres con experiencia con
animales de servicio, llame a nuestra oficina al (800)
237-3007.
Fotos por Brian Daughtery. Utilizado con permiso.
Arizona Goldens, LLC. http://www.azgoldensllc.com.
Perros de asistencia en público
Assistance Dogs International : Assistance Dogs in Public, http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/assistance-dogs-in-public/ (accessed August 14, 2014)
Convivencia pública
• El perro debe estar limpio y no tener un olor desagradable.
• El perro no debe orinar ni defecar en lugares inapropiados.
Comportamiento
• El perro no debe solicitar atención, acercarse ni molestar a ninguna
•
•
•
•
persona del público.
El perro no debe interrumpir el curso normal del negocio.
El perro no debe vocalizar innecesariamente, es decir, ladrar, gruñir o gimotear.
El perro no debe mostrarse agresivo con otras personas o animales.
El perro no debe pedirle alimentos ni otros artículos ni robárselos a las personas del público.
Entrenamiento
• El perro debe estar específicamente entrenado para realizar tres o más tareas que minimicen dificultades de personas con discapacidad
• El perro trabaja con calma y tranquilidad en el arnés, correa u otra atadura.
• El perro es capaz de realizar sus tareas en público.
• El perro debe ser capaz de permanecer echado en silencio al lado del guía sin bloquear pasillos, puertas, etc.
• El perro está entrenado para orinar y defecar en el comando.
• El perro se queda dentro de las 24 pulgadas de su manejador en todo momento a menos que a naturaleza de una tarea entrenada exige que sea trabajar a una distancia mayor
Talleres y Entrenamiento Sin Costo
Regístrese en línea en www.raisingspecialkids.org o llame al 800-237-3007
Central Arizona
Disability Empowerment Center
5025 E Washington St #204
Phoenix, AZ 85034
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Cumpliendo los 18 –
Opciones Legales
Vie. 9/26/2014, 10-11:30 am
Vie. 10/17/2014, 10-11:30 am
Vie. 11/7/2014, 10-11:30 am
Vie. 12/5/2014, 10-11:30 am
Entrenamiento del IEP
Sáb. 9/27/2014, 1-3 pm
Sáb. 10/25/2014, 10 am-12 pm
Sáb. 11/15/2014, 10 am-12 pm
Sáb. 12/13/2014 10 am-12 pm
El Comportamiento Positivo
Sáb. 9/27/2014, 10-12 pm
Sáb. 10/25/2014, 1-3 pm
Sáb. 11/15/2014, 1-3 pm
Sáb. 12/13/2014, 1-3 pm
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Southern Arizona
El Comportamiento Positivo
Mié. 10/22/2014, 9-11 am
Van Buskirk Elementary School
Tucson, AZ 85714
Conferencia sobre Transición
para Adultos Jóvenes
Vie. 10/17/2014, 9am-3:30pm
Goodwill Career Center
3097 S 8th Ave
Yuma, AZ 85364
7
FIEP for FAPE. What’s That?
The Dispute Resolution Unit at the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) will be doing some
travelling this fall. Early Dispute Resolution Specialists Amy Dill and Jeff Studer will be providing facilitated individualized education program
(IEP) trainings at seven school
districts in an effort to improve
outcomes for IEP teams and the
students they serve.
IEP facilitation is a student-focused process in which
a trained individual (facilitator)
assists the IEP team to develop an IEP that provides a free
appropriate public education
(FAPE) to the student.
The two-day trainings will
incorporate three components
needed to facilitate a successful IEP meeting: standardized
meeting practices, knowledge
of the IEP process, and the use of meeting management skills that aid in minimizing conflict and
maximizing collaboration.
Dill stated, “Through my experience as a complaint investigator for ADE, and more personally,
as the parent of a teen with autism, I know how
easy it can be for a parent to feel as though they
have not been heard at an IEP meeting.” She continued, “I’m convinced that many of the disputes I
have assisted with have been caused by the team’s
inability to effectively communicate with one another.”
Using their past experience
Studer,
whose
background is in behavioral
health, and Dill include techniques for schools to involve
parents in the IEP process
and to recognize opportunities for providing them with
additional resources and
training.
Similar to the state’s
current Mediation System,
facilitated IEPs will be available via parent or school request by the 2015-2016 school
year.
Although the trainings are scheduled outside
of Maricopa County, spring may bring trainings
to the state’s most populous county. School personnel can register to attend any of the currently
scheduled trainings by contacting the Arizona Department of Education Dispute Resolution Unit at
(855) 383-9801.
Thank You for Referring Families to Raising Special Kids
January-June 2014
To refer a family to Raising Special Kids, please visit our website and download a referral form
ABIL
April Reed
Alhambra School District
Christina Carolan
American Academy of Pediatrics AZ Chapter
Imelda Ojeda
Arizona Autism Coalition
Diedra Freedman
Arizona Autism United
Paulina Tiffany
Arizona Charter Academy
Jennifer Watson
Arizona Cooperative Therapies
Stephanie Badilla
Rachel Gibbons
Christina Heinzel
Andrea Rivinius
Arizona Counseling and Treatment Services
Monica Lervold
8
Arizona Department of Economic Security
David Viajos
Arizona Department of Education
Jennifer Atkinson
Amy Dill
Beth Jahsman
William McQueary
Suzanne Perry
Becky Raabe
Hilda Salazar
Oran Tkatchov
Arizona Department of Health
Services
Rita Aitkin
Arizona Early Intervention
Program
Alma Torres
Maureen Casey-Waid
Arizona’s Children Association
Amanda Coe
Lorena Ferro
Jeff Garcial
Adriana Gomez
Andrea Hall
Amy Jordan
Anna Longoria, MSW
Jane Lord
Kendra Pulley
Joshua Simpson
Beth Sopjes
Meagan Vasey
Amanda Wolfe
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and Blind
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Arizona State University
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Aurora Behavioral Health
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Autism Academy
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Autism Speaks
Amy Hummell
Avondale Elementary School
District
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Banner Cardon Children’s
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Ed Walwork
Jessica Wells, MSW
Dr. Tamara Zach
Banner Health Clinic
Dr. Jacqueline May Carter
Bathesda Pediatrics
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Bayless Health Care
Stephanie Johnson, LMSW
Benevilla Family Resource
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Blackwater Community School
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Chandler School District
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Kymberly Marshall
Channel 12
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Chicanos Por La Causa
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Maria Pimentel
Kim Pearson
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Solomo Madrid
Araseli Ramirez
Jewel Riley
Jackie Roman
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Child Safety and Family
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Marcia Joslin
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Selina Stark
Danielle Stockton
Children’s Medical Group
Jeffrey Maxcy, MD
Children’s Rehabilitative
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Sarah Anderson, PhD
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Maibys Vargas
Tiffany Vaughn
David Viellos
Arlene Washington
Debbie West
Michell Wiley
Elizabeth Williams
Simon Woo
Lori Woodman
Sandra Zamayoa
Dynamite Therapy
Jessica Gruner
Easter Seals Blake Foundation
Kelsey Dehmer
Teri Koenig
Jessica Mikels
Lindsey Rhett
Bertailicia Vazquez
Family Involvement Center
Benita Westfall-Klym
Family Learning Center
Maritsa Beltran
Vimbai Madzura
Family Medical Center
Dr. Dang
Family Preservation
Dawnmarie Montero
Foster Ed Arizona
Andrea Molina
Fun Van-AJPL
Felicia Smith
GANE
Gaby Orozco
Healing Hearts Pediatrics
Jeanie Pefferly
The Hogle Firm
Karen Gruninger
HopeKids
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Horizon Human Services
Schphine Miles
HRT
Shawn Padilla
Indian Health Services
Perci LaNae
Indian Medical Center
Jessica Armendariz
Jewish Family and Children’s
Services
Corina Felix
Tammy Pantoja
Jordan Developmental Pediatrics
Dr. Jordan
Kayenta Unified School District
Delphina Jones
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Maricopa County Dept of
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Maricopa Medical Center
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Melmed Center
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Mohave Mental Health
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Mountain Park Health Center
Barbara Hare, PsyD
Neurologic Music Therapy
Services of Arizona
Beth Eriksen
Pantano Behavioral Health
Damian Parkinson, MD
Parent Aid
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Pediatras Arizona
Dr. Hugo Juan Carlos
People of Color Network
Heddy Trevino
Peoria Unified School District
Mellisa Donohue
Nakita Westrich
Phoenix Children’s Hospital
Dr. Robin Blitz
Anica Herrera
Dr. Mohan Belthur
Candice Danford
Stephanie Esparza
Jennifer Farabaugh
Stephanie Goettl
Megan Hunter
Dr. Steve Pophal
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Dr. Beth Trevino
Christa Waltersdorf
Julia Wise, RN
Candice Welsh
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Phoenix Children’s Hospital The Emily Center
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Phoenix Interfaith Counseling
Janice M. Daniel
Phoenix Union HS District
Kathryn Baumgardner
Geraldine Henry
Pima County School Superintendent’s Office
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Pinal Gila Community Child
Services
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Pinal Hispanic Council
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Primavera Online HS
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RISE Services
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Roosevelt School District
Meagan Orban, MS, OTR/C
SARRC
Janet Kirwan
Scottsadale Healthcare-Shea
Shannon Hickson
Annamarie Ricci, LCSW
Sharing Down Syndrome
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Sonoran Sky Pediatrics
Melissa Ochoa
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South West Key Refugee
Program
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Southwest Behavioral Health
Kelly Williams
Southwest Human Development
Priscilla Avila
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raisingspecialkids.org
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Upward Foundation
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