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Upcoming Bancroft
Events |
Community
Services for Adults Summer Picnic
September 5,
2009
12PM-5PM
Liberty
Lake
(856) 428-0685, ext. 128
2010 School Year
Begins
September 3, 2009
(856) 429-5637, ext. 222
Back to School Night
Haddonfield Education Programs
September 18, 2009
7PM-9PM
(856) 429-5637,
ext. 222
Back to School Night
Early Education Program
September 18,
2009
7PM-9PM
(856) 354-
2966
BNH Workshop Series: Teaching Choice
Selections for People with
Autism
September 19, 2009
6:30PM-8:30PM
Farrington Conference Room,
Haddonfield Campus
(856) 429-5637,
ext. 371
Securing the Future for
Individuals with Special Needs: Estate Planning
and Financial Planning 101
Webinar
September 23, 2009
7PM-9PM
(856) 348- 4009
Public Meeting of the New Jersey Council on
Developmental
Disabilities
September 24, 2009
10AM-3PM
Trenton, NJ
York Lecture Series on Autism
September
25, 2009
9AM-12PM
Cherry Hill Library
(856) 429-5637, ext.
279 | | |
Congratulations to our
youngest graduates, Aidan Aha and Michael
Villanueva, who celebrated the big event with
family and staff in the Early Education Program
last week. They were presented their diplomas by
Matthew Sharp, principal (also pictured above with
Elizabeth Fuzy looking on). Aidan and Michael then
entertained the guests with a short singing
performance, followed by cake and ice cream for
all. |
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Free estate- and financial-planning webinar
Bancroft will
host a webinar (Internet broadcast) for family
members, titled Securing the Future for
Individuals with Special Needs: Estate Planning
and Financial Planning 101. The webinar
will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7
p.m.
The following speakers will
participate:
Estate
Planning
Herbert D. Hinkle,
Esq., who has represented people with
disabilities and the elderly since 1974. He served
as director of the New Jersey Division of Advocacy
for [people with developmental disabilities] the
Developmentally Disabled for 10 years. Hinkle has
served on the boards of a variety of nonprofit
organizations, including United Cerebral Palsy,
The ARC, Autism New Jersey, and Easter
Seals. He holds a JD from Rutgers University
and a master's in taxation from Temple University.
He is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania
bars. Mr. Hinkle is also an adjunct professor
at Rutgers Law School in Camden, where he
teaches estate planning.
Financial
Planning
Robert Hoffman is
first vice president/financial advisor with Fulton
Financial Advisors. He works comprehensively with
his clients' wealth-management issues,
specializing in investment strategies. Prior to
joining Fulton, Hoffman served as a senior vice
president with Commerce Bank and Wachovia
Securities.
To register for this
webinar, please click
here.
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Catch international
experts at fall lectures
We're excited to host several
prominent authorities at our upcoming Clarence
York Lectures. These events are designed to enrich
and expand innovation and excellence in programs
that support people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and acquired brain
injuries.
Below is brief
information. To register or for more details,
please contact Sue Crouse at (856) 429-5637, ext.
279, or e-mail scrouse@bnh.org. Advance
registration is required.
Autism Treatment
Controversies: Navigating an Effective Course
Friday, September 25
9 am to
noon
Cherry Hill (N.J.)
Library
Keynote speaker:
Oliver Mudford, Ph.D.,
BCBA-D
University of Auckland, New
Zealand
Panel of experts:
Dan Baker, Ph.D.,
of the Elizabeth Boggs
Center
Mark Mintz, M.D.,
of the Center for Neurological and
Neurodevelopmental
Health
Jim Varrell, M.D.,
of the Center for Family
Guidance
Caroline Eggerding, M.D.,
Bancroft's vice president of clinical
services and chief medical officer,
who will serve as moderator
Mudford
will speak about treatment methods for people with
autism and how to determine which ones are most
effective. The panelists will provide their unique
perspectives on effective therapeutic
interventions.
Person-centered
Planning: Lessons from the Front
Lines
Wednesday, Oct. 21
10 am to
noon
Tavistock Country Club (Haddonfield
area)
Keynote speaker: Angela
Novak Amado,
Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
Amado will
share lessons learned from organizations that have
successfully implemented person-centered planning.
As Bancroft is working to implement this model
organization-wide, we look forward to learning
more from Dr. Amado.
The York
Lectures are provided through a generous bequest
from Charlotte Taylor, the mother of an individual
served by Bancroft, and former emeritus trustee of
the organization. Therefore, there is no
charge for Bancroft staff, but there will be a $25
fee for all others, with the exception of adults
served by Bancroft who may wish to attend the
lecture on person-centered planning.
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Bancroft Day 2009: Celebrating our
World!
Plan to join us for our
annual Bancroft Day, which will be held in
Haddonfield on Saturday, October 17, from 11 a.m.
to 3 p.m. (rain date: October 18). This big,
annual "block party," features music,
dancing, games and prizes, craft sales, great
food, and all the fun you can fit into a day!
Watch for further information in the weeks to
come.
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Federal audit underway
As the federal government deals
with challenging economic and health-care issues,
it's increasing scrutiny of Medicaid and the
services it funds.
As a result, New Jersey has been
selected by the federal Office of the Inspector
General (OIG) to participate in an audit of the
state's Medicaid Community Care Waiver, which
funds community programs and services through the
Division of Developmental Disabilities. Since
Bancroft is one of the largest providers in the
state, DDD has selected Bancroft as one of the
providers to participate in the audit.
The OIG is here now to review the records
of 80 individuals served by Bancroft, making sure
that services billed were indeed
provided. Records being reviewed include
service plans (e.g., IHPs), monthly progress
notes, attendance records and clinical
notes.
These reviews will most
likely result in regulatory changes and,
therefore, we are taking this opportunity to
review and improve our own internal
processes. |
Dietitian's Update
By Robert Trombley, R.D.
Where does the time
go? I began my career here at Bancroft NeuroHealth
a year-and-a-half ago and have really enjoyed each
moment. I have been faced with many
nutrition-related concerns throughout our
organization, and I'd like to share with you a few
highlights of how I am addressing these concerns.
I have delivered a "Nutrition Fair"
to all programs throughout Bancroft for existing
staff. This traveling show presented an overview
of Bancroft's nutrition services. Topics included
the Food Guide Pyramid, portion control, menu
modeling, shopping and substitutions. This
presentation also became a standard part of
Bancroft's orientation program for all new
employees.
We have also produced and
distributed three nutrition training videos. These
are narrated Powerpoint presentations in DVD
format to facilitate convenient training in our
community living programs. The titles
are:
- MyPyramid -- an in-depth training on food
groups and serving sizes.
- Portion Control -- tips and
strategies to determine the amount of food we
should eat.
- Supermarket Savvy -- a guide to food
packaging and what it
means.
The
fourth DVD, Menu Planning (a guide to planning
healthier menus) is undergoing final edits at this
time.
In
addition, I have collected about 200 recipes that
we've compiled into a cookbook. Each recipe was
objectively analyzed and scored. Based on these
scores, each recipe received an icon to indicate
-- at a glance -- its nutrient and calorie
density. Each recipe also has a Nutrition Fact
Panel, analysis for selected nutrients, and Food
Guide Pyramid exchanges. This collection is now
available on our staff Intranet, The Buzz. Coming
soon is a similar guide to convenience
meals/foods.
Perhaps the most
exciting development is the Train the Trainer
Cooking Classes currently being conducted at the
Lebensfeld Center by and for our staff. We focus
on healthier methods of cooking, food
temperatures, and using the cookbook on The Buzz
for menu planning. The goal is for these staffers
to train new and existing colleagues on cooking
skills within their programs.
Also,
the adults attending our Brick (N.J.) Day Program
are receiving monthly lifestyle strategy training
for weight management, to help them make healthier
food choices.
It's been a great
beginning and I look forward to bringing more
innovative and exciting nutrition education
programming to our family and friends here at
Bancroft. |
Friends of Bancroft
One of the best-kept secrets around Bancroft
is the Friends of Bancroft organization. The group
helps in many ways -- and they're always looking
for more "friends"!
Last year,
the Friends celebrated their 35th anniversary of
providing gifts and services to the people served
by Bancroft and staff. For most of those years,
the Friends have purchased books and staffed The
Bancroft School Library, which is currently
located in Bancroft Hall on the Haddonfield
Campus. Two mornings a week, students come to the
library to listen to stories and take out books.
The Friends of Bancroft also support
the Holiday Wish List, providing gifts for those
who may not otherwise receive them. Last year, the
Friends purchased a cash register for the Jacob
Schaefer Center Snack Shack, and provided funds
for the Campbell Soup label competition, Art for
Teens, and awards for the Employer-Employee
Luncheon.
The Friends' only
fundraising endeavor is an annual raffle. The
drawing this year will be held on December 15,
just in time for the holidays. Prizes are Visa
gift cards of $300, $200 and $100. Tickets are $2
each or three for $5. Only 2,500 tickets are
printed, so your chances of winning are much
better than in lotteries! Tickets will be sold at
Back-to-School Night and Bancroft Day, as well as
at various Haddonfield Campus locations. Tickets
may also be purchased from Deb Conner in the
Volunteer Office at (856) 429-5637, ext. 273, or
through Margot Fowles in The Bancroft School at
ext. 356.
The Friends of Bancroft
meet on the third Tuesday of September, November,
January and March, and they welcome new members.
Dues are only $15 a year. For additional
information, please contact Deb
Conner. |
New resources on Boggs Center's Web
site
The following items are
available on the website of the Elizabeth M. Boggs
Center, New Jersey's federally designated
university center on developmental disabilities.
Simply click on the links below.
Writing Our Journey: Poems and Essays by
Family Caregivers. In
July, The Boggs Center started a writers' group to
give family caregivers the opportunity to write
about their experiences. "Writing Our
Journey"is a sampling of some of the powerful,
moving, and thought-provoking works that were
created during this past year. The group is
facilitated by Kathy Roberson, policy and
information coordinator at The Boggs Center. Kathy
has master's degrees in both social work and
English/creative writing, and is a parent of a
young adult with developmental disabilities.
The new edition of Dimensions of Faith and Congregational
Ministries with Persons with Developmental
Disabilities and Their Families. The resource guide for clergy,
laypersons, families, and service providers is
divided into areas of congregational ministry and
outreach (e.g. worship, outreach, pastoral care,
religious education, and awareness videos).
Sections also cover respite care,
community-building, person-centered planning,
coping with grief, and more. The 2009 edition is
available online as a free PDF
download. |
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Training Opportunities from The Boggs
Center
Register now for the
Fall 2009
Developmental
Disabilities Lecture Series!
October
2 & 16, 2009 at the Hilton Woodbridge,
Iselin, NJ
October 30 & November 17, 2009
at the Doubletree Guest Suites, Mt. Laurel,
NJ
View the brochure and register online
at: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=axieq5cab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0413&p=http%3A%2F%2Frwjms.umdnj.edu%2Fboggscenter%2Fdd_lecture%2FDD_lecture.html&id=preview
Registration
deadline: September 11,
2009 |
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Input needed on autism treatment
choices
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Autism New Jersey's fall workshops
The following sessions are being
offered by Autism New Jersey this
fall. Advance registration is
required.
Guardianship
& Estate Planning
Planning for
the future for your child with autism can be
complicated. Should you have bonds and savings
accounts in your child's name? Who should you
designate as guardians for your child(ren)? When
should you begin this process? This seminar will
help you to understand the issues surrounding your
decisions when planning for the future. Click here to
register.The
following sessions are from 7 to 8:30
pm:
September 8 in Middlesex County
(Edison)
September 10 in Burlington County
(Moorestown)
September 14 in Mercer County
(Ewing)
September 22 in Bergen County
(Rutherford)
Parent
Series Workshop
The Parent Series is
a free, 15-hour course focusing on teaching a
behavioral approach to parenting. Topics
include: how to assess and change behavior, how to
teach new skills, and your child's educational
rights. Parents, family members and
caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum
disorders are welcome. Click here to
register.September
22, 29; October 6, 13, 20
9:30 am to 12:30
pm
South Jersey Healthcare Fitness
Connection, 1430 W. Sherman Avenue, Vineland,
NJ
Healthcare,
Medicaid and other
Entitlements
Learn how to maximize
your health coverage, navigate the system, gain
coverage under other programs such as Medicaid and
Medicaid-funded waivers, and master appeal
procedures. This workshop will be presented by
Valerie Powers-Smith, Esq., from Hinkle, Fingles
& Prior.
Click here to
register.The
following sessions are from 6 to 8
pm:
October 14 in Passaic County
(Totowa)
October 19 in Camden County
(Cherry Hill)
October 22 in Monmouth County
(Manalapan)
Educational
Rights and the IEP
Understanding
your child's educational rights is fundamental to
ensuring that your child receives appropriate
services and support. This free seminar discusses
special education law as it relates to IEP
development and delivery of services. Participants
will learn strategies to prepare for and actively
participate in IEP meetings, and how to advocate
for their children's rights.
Topics
include the essentials of a good IEP and the
special education delivery cycle. An interactive
session will assist parents in writing goals and
objectives. Participants will then have the
opportunity to gather in groups to ask specific
questions regarding their IEP. Please be sure to
bring a copy of your child's IEP as well as a list
of questions.
Click here to
register.The
following sessions are from 6 to 9
pm:
November 3 in Essex County (West
Orange)
November 12 in Burlington County
(Maple Shade)
November 17 in Ocean County
(Little Egg
Harbor) |
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U got brains?
Every nine minutes, a teen is
involved in a motor vehicle crash in New Jersey.
In an effort to increase awareness and safety
among young drivers, the Brain Injury Association
of New Jersey is excited to announce the new
website ugotbrains.com, a website geared for
teenagers that addresses traffic safety and brain
injury prevention.
This website is a new approach to reach
teens, who are at the highest risk for brain
injury and car crashes. The site provides
information and education while showing teens the
real life consequences of their behaviors. The
material is presented in a manner which appeals to
this age group, and was developed based on
feedback from actual teens. There are some graphic
videos, pictures, true stories and a comment page
where people can post their questions and
thoughts.
The Brain Injury Association of New
Jersey has a mission to support and advocate
for individuals affected by brain injury and raise
public awareness through education and prevention.
The Association is our state's chartered
affiliate of the Brain Injury Association of
America. For more information visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=axieq5cab.0.0.7n9pimcab.0&ts=S0413&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bianj.org%2F&id=preview.
The Association also offers a toll-free
helpline in New Jersey, 1-800-669-4323, for people
who have sustained brain injuries, their families,
and professionals seeking information and
resources. |
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