Save the Date! 3rd Annual DIR® Conference & Evening Gala

by admin on April 16, 2013

The DIR®/Floortime Coalition of California presents the Third Annual DIR®/Floortime Conference & Evening Gala!
DIR® Throughout the Day: A Floortime State of Mind

Friday, October 18th, 2013 • 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday, October 19th, 2013 • 9:00am – 12:30pm
Los Angeles Marriott – Burbank, California

For the first time, the Annual DIR®/Floortime Conference, geared toward parents & professionals, will be a 2 day conference!

This conference will examine the success of the DIR®/Floortime–Developmental, Individual-difference, Relationship–based approach for children with special needs. A variety of renowned speakers will describe their experiences utilizing DIR®/Floortime with children of all ages and their families, in diverse settings, including the home, clinic and school, as well as results of clinical research.

Friday, Oct 18th
8:45am “Cortical Systems and EEG Connectivity Underlying Treatment Change in Pre-School Aged Children With Autism” by Keynote Speaker, Jim Stieben, Ph.D.
10:15am Case Study & Panel Discussion
12:30pm Complimentary Boxed Lunches provided by the Marriott Hotel
1:15pm “DIR® Approach to Feeding Issues” by Julie Miller, MOT, OTR/L, SWC
2:15pm Presentation by Cherisse Sherin, M.A.
3:30pm Young Adult Panel

Saturday, Oct 19th
9:15am Break out Sessions moderated by Jonine Biesman, PSY.D> ABPdN and Diane Cullinane, M.D.
10:45pm Parent Panel: “How to Access DIR: Advocacy for Your Child”
12:00 Q&A Session
12:30pm Adjourn

Registration Now Open!!
Go to www.regonline.com/DIRConferenceOct2013 to register

Conference Registration: $145 per person for both days, additional $35 for Continuing Education credits.

Saturday Evening Gala Dinner, Casino Night, and Auction
5pm-10pm $85 per person
Bring staff and families and relatives and friends to fill a table of 10!
Support the DIR/Floortime Coalition of California to keep ensuring Parent Choice of developmental treatment methods!

*For every table of 10 you bring with to the Gala, you will receive a free ticket to the event!

Register for the Gala HERE: http://www.regonline.com/DIRFT_Gala

For more information, go to:
http://pasadenachilddevelopment.org/dirconference/
Or contact Julia S. at (626) 793- 7350 ext. 284 or email Julia@pasadenachilddevelopment.org

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How to Advocate for Developmental Treatment for your child

by admin on April 11, 2013

Steps to Gain DIR/Floortime Services

1. Don’t be intimidated by requirements for evidenced based practices: DIR/Floortime is scientifically validated in peer-reviewed research! Evidence based practice also requires informed consent about treatment choices.

2. Contact your health insurance: they are required by law to pay for behavioral health treatment for Autism in California.

3. Contact your regional center service coordinator. Policies vary in their coverage for DIR/Floortime. Document all correspondence with your regional center.

4. If you are not getting a response, partner with DIR/Floortime providers in your local area to advocate for parent choice in your situation. ICDL.com provides contact info

5. A private assessment with a specific recommendation for a DIR/Floortime program for your child will support your advocacy efforts.

6. Contact the Coalition of California at http://www.dirfloortimecoc.com. We are gathering information on and supporting any efforts for parent choice.

7. Private funding of parent training in DIR/Floortime may be an affordable option to consider for your family while you are advocating.

8. Perseverance is essential: You are your child’s strongest advocate. Stand up when companies try to steer you away.

Testimony from a parent who has been where you are
“When it comes to communicating with Regional Center or insurance representatives, it is important for parents to express, to our best ability (and it’s okay to sound like learning parents and not experts), that your primary concern is your child’s emotional health and development. That is the very foundation that supports all learning, and the stronger it is, the better. Relationships, connectedness, feeling joy and sadness, safety, self-respect and self-love–experiencing these, have been vital to our daughter’s amazing growth and learning. This could not have happened without the support of her parents and her DIR/Floortime therapist. Focusing on the social emotional development does not mean that you do not want your child to develop skills and be academically successful. Quite the opposite–it is the very foundation that so strongly supports those very things. Always speak from your heart.”

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ADVOCACY UPDATE October 2012

October 17, 2012

Advocacy Update 12/12: The DIR/Floortime COC Second Annual Conference in Burbank, CA spearheaded by Jeanne White, was a resounding success. We had a superb lead off talk by Dr. Devin Casenhiser of the York University MEHRI Projects describing more groundbreaking research demonstrating the efficacy of the DIR /Floortime model on Speech Acts. [...]

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ADVOCACY

August 21, 2012

Advocacy Update: COC Members Active on the Diversity Access and Fairness Taskforce Work Groups.
When California State Senate President Pro-Tem Darryl Steinberg appointed our own COC legislative advocate Jim Lantry to the taskforce, Jim facilitated our participation on all of the work groups. Diane, Ricki, Josh, and Charisse are serving on different work groups. We [...]

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2012 Floortime Family Fun Day — A Success!

May 2, 2012

Floortime – where fun and learning interact!
UPDATE — We had over 200 families with children and teens join us for the really fun and important 2012 Floortime Family Fun Day festival on Sunday April 15th Griffith Park, Los Angeles’ Shane’s Inspiration Universally Accessible Playground, 4800 Crystal Springs Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027. It was a [...]

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DIR/Floortime Coalition of California Conference and Evening Gala to Follow

July 11, 2011

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the First Annual DIR/Floortime Coalition of California Conference DIR/FLOORTIME: A STATE-OF-THE-ART APPROACH FOR PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.  The conference was attended by over 200 parents and professionals followed by an Evening Gala and Auction that resulted in positive fundraising strides and much enjoyment.  Now more than ever, [...]

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FLOORTIME FAMILY FUN DAY! Sun APRIL 10 2011

February 4, 2011

Fun for Kids, Answers for Parents: Funding and legislation for developmental treatment for autism
On Sunday April 10th, 2011 (last year) the Coalition hosted its first annual Family Fun day at Griffith Park in Los Angeles with more than 400 persons in attendance. The event was a huge success that will be offered on an annual [...]

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SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS

November 30, 2010

Our individual subcommittees have begun to meet.  3 formal subcommittees are up and running:
1) Education and Outreach Chairperson: Jeanne White

Agenda Items:  Planning of the First Annual California Floortime Coalition Fall Conference.  Tentatively scheduled for Saturday Oct. 15th in the greater Los Angeles area.  Also discussing the Coalition’s official name and a North Los Angeles County [...]

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Settlement statement in the case against Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center for denying DIR services

June 8, 2010

The case against Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center for denying DIR services has reached a proposed settlement. Among a series of important key provisions of the agreement, ELARC is unable to terminate or deny funding for DIR treatment programs, fail to make them available, or to classify DIR as experimental… READ MAJOR PORTIONS [...]

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SACRAMENTO RALLY

April 20, 2010

The Rally in Sacramento on June 9th was a huge success! There was a balanced mix of parents and professionals from across the state with close to 30 meetings scheduled with State Senators, Assemblymen, and their legislative aides. Significant progress was made and key relationships established to help strengthen our position regarding parent choice, responsible [...]

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