MAY 2011 PROGRAM REPORT



PROGRAM REPORT MAY 2011

SUPPORT GROUPS

Bucks County

Facilitators: Sue Livingston & Denise Taylor

1st Thursday of each month

St Mary Medical Center, Langhorne

Topic for Discussion: Living with Epilepsy Day to Day

20 people in attendance

Lehigh Valley

Facilitator: Ellen Baca

2nd Thursday of each month

Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown

Open Discussion

8 people in attendance

Monroe County

Facilitator: Ellen Baca

6 times per year

Pocono Health System, East Stroudsburg

Open Discussion-Main issue was Transportation

4 people in attendance

Philadelphia

Facilitator: Susan Bolno

3rd Tuesday of each month

JFK Community MH/MR Center, Philadelphia

Speaker: Sue Tuckerman, Work Incentive Program

Topic: financial incentive for people on Social Security disability & Supplemental Security Income to return to the workforce.

10 people in attendance

Scranton

Facilitator: Mary Loughlin

3rd Wednesday of each month

CMC Professional Building, Scranton

Introduction and round table discussion about SSI and Center for Independent Living; handed out material about both

4 people were in attendance

Wilkes-Barre

Facilitator: Marianne Sailus

4th Wednesday of each month

John Heinz Institute, Wilkes-Barre

Open Discussion- 3 new members. After an hour of the group being together, split into 2 groups: one group with people with seizures, the second group consisted of caregivers for people with epilepsy, parents and spouses.

24 people were in attendance

Total of 70 people attended support groups in May.

Hazelton

Facilitator: Rose Douglas

2nd Wednesday of each month

General Hospital, Hazelton

Cancelled due to illness of facilitator. Members were called/emailed to make them aware of cancellation.

Lancaster

Facilitator: Kerri Michnya

4th Wednesday of each month

Lancaster General Hospital, Lancaster

May’s Lancaster support group meeting was cancelled in lieu of a scheduled educational program:

“Living with Epilepsy: Current Treatment Options” Wednesday, May 25

Susquehanna Association for the Blind Building, Lancaster

Speaker: Christopher Skidmore, MD

Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center

Approx. 60 people in attendance

CLINICS

CHOP- Bucks County Satellite Office: Sue visited with five families, assisting with school issues, discussion of camp when appropriate and information and support for one child newly diagnosed.

CHOP- Philadelphia Office: Sue visited with five families. Alicia Dlugos, an intern with EFEPA this summer, attended with Sue to observe. Dennis Dlugos, MD, introduced Sue at Prep meeting. He told the physicians, nurses, residents that health professionals need to use the Foundation more to supplement what they don’t have the time or resources to offer their patients. Dennis then allowed Sue the time to talk about the Stroll, Camp Achieve and Project School Alert program.

PENN- Susan visited and met with 2 people. The main issue of concern for both was the high cost of prescription medications, Susan offered information on prescription plans as well as various websites that offer discounts.

PROGRAM REPORT MAY 2011

SCHOOLS

Elementary – 1

25 teachers, 1 school nurse and the principal of Leedom Elementary in Delaware County were trained in the Project School Alert* program as a result of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) school meeting that Sue attended at the request of a parent. An IEP meeting consists of the student’s parents and teachers, and can include administrators, special education supervisors and the school nurse.

High Schools – 2 Presentations - 12

The program for Perkiomen High School in Montgomery County, was requested by the school nurse. This was a “repeat”—the nurse has been in touch with the Foundation for several years and EFEPA has done several training for schools in her district. This program was requested for 10 school nurses, and 6 guidance counselors throughout the Perkiomen Valley School District.

260 students, 6 teachers, 1 nurse and 4 support staff in the senior class at North Pocono High School in Lackawanna County were trained in seizure first aid and recognition. 11 presentations were given, and material and handouts on first aid were provided to the students.

Totals

Students 260

Support staff /Guidance 10

Nurses 11

Teachers 6

Total Trained 287

*Project School Alert teacher training consists of seizure recognition, first aid and classroom management training, offered for continuing education credits (ACT 48), free of charge.

SCHOOL MEETINGS

Ellen attended an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting for an incoming kindergarten student at Pleasant Valley School District, Lehigh County. There were 13 in attendance at the meeting.

HEALTH FAIRS

Timber Ridge Health Care Center, Luzerne County, a rehabilitation and skilled nursing center hosted a health and wellness fair. Mary Loughlin attended with Kathleen Gill, volunteer, to talk to approximately 50 people and hand out information to approximately 130.

Minquas Fire Company #2, Chester County, held an open house for the community. EFEPA was the only health organization that attended, Sandy Kaercher, volunteer, represented the Foundation. Sandy had a chance to speak to the approximately 50 people who attended. Some attendees were EMTs, others were from within the community.

State Representative Jewell Roberts Health Fair, Philadelphia, the health fair took place at a Senior Retirement Residence in West Phila. and Susan attended and met with approximately 40 members of the community as well as representatives from other health and resource organizations .

Hug-a-Vet Appreciation Day was sponsored by State Representative Vanessa Lowrey Brown and took place Memorial Day weekend. It was a street fair honoring community veterans of all ages. We participated and dispensed material specifically for veterans in regards to TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)and TBE (Traumatic Brain Epilepsy). Susan attended and spoke to approximately 60 attendees.

PROGRAM REPORT MAY 2011

Sue attended the 35th Annual Philadelphia Conference on Developmental Disabilities and attended workshops on Advocacy and on Traumatic Brain Injury Transition.

Russlyn Ali, Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights, Department of Education and members of the disability community in Philadelphia held a round table for the purpose of discussing discrimination in education. The meeting was hosted by State Representative Josh Shapiro at his Philadelphia law office and Sue was invited by the EF National Office to participate.

The Disability Rights Network, Philadelphia Unemployment Project and Lance Haver, Consumer Advocate invited Susan to attend a meeting concerning the procedures of the PA Insurance Commission with respect to health insurance rates.

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