公告
Keeping Children Connected to Clinical Support During COVID-19
2020年12月1日
孩子的观点通常取决于他们的年龄, and their understanding of events going on in the world around them. 当我们考虑帮助孩子们应对变化时, we consider age and level of development to help gauge what degree of explanation and support they may need. The psychosocial implications of the pandemic have been far-reaching and few have gone unaffected but what has it meant for 绿色的烟囱 students, children who faced mental and developmental disorders well before COVID-19?
“There is no common way that people have dealt with the health crisis,” says Dr. Steve Klee，临床副执行董事 & 绿烟囱的医疗服务. “这取决于你的生活状况, 获取资源, 你可能会有什么样的精神或情感斗争. 我们的学生突然被遣送回家, 和他们的家人一起, 要学习很多新信息, 大部分都是远程共享的.”
学校之间的战略协作, 住宅, clinical and student support programs began in February to prepare staff, students and families for the emerging health concern. 当时, no one imagined that it would lead to a complete change in how 绿色的烟囱 delivered its services, 而且持续了很长一段时间.
Keeping vulnerable children connected to the therapies and services they need
Director of Social 服务 Kristin Licardi oversees 21 social workers, 心理健康顾问, and transition coordinators who provide daily clinical support to 绿烟囱学校 学生及家人. “The social isolation had a tremendous impact on the kids. The specific needs of the population we serve require ongoing support; these kids don’t readily have the coping skills and social-emotional aptitude to navigate a long-term crisis or to be disconnected from the support they’re accustomed to.”
绿色的烟囱 pivoted quickly to using a variety of platforms to ensure continuity of students’ education and treatment plans. 迁移到虚拟临床治疗, 也被称为远程医疗, was a serious challenge for staff and students but it was imperative. “There are limitations in a virtual setting and it can feel strange not sitting face-to-face but even in a remote session, 重点仍然是现有的治疗计划,克利说. “It’s vital support that has to happen for the people who need it. 尽管孩子和家人都很遥远, it was critically important to continue to provide mental health services and therapeutic support.”
Regression was fully anticipated by staff; educationally for all students in some form, and those who had progressed emotionally and socially in their treatment were bound to suffer setbacks due to few, 或没有, opportunities to practice social and developmental skills. 临床医生, occupational therapists and student support teams pressed on with all-virtual sessions to meet students’ regular treatment plans. The clinical team also developed a steady stream of online resources, 自我保健视频, and virtual support groups to give families additional tools as they became service providers in their own right, 现在他们有特殊需要的孩子在家.
Resuming in-person instruction while maintaining online clinical services
今年夏天, when New York State permitted special education programs to provide in-person instruction, a portion of 绿色的烟囱 students returned to campus. The start of the fall semester saw about 70% of day and 住宅 students return in person but online clinical treatment continues. Some beneficial outcomes of the past months include knowledge of new tools and increased self-reliance among families, which has led to some students stepping down to a lower level of care, and some students have even returned to their home school district.
“During our campus closure, we offered a wide range of services and support to our families. It was important for us to model flexibility and willingness to make it continue,克利说. “The risk of not continuing was simply too great; it would mean rupture to the therapeutic relationship with the child and family, 以及我们之间建立的信任.”
利卡迪说:“不交付从来不是一个选择. “这感觉与我们的使命和目的相悖. 我们员工的承诺, 还有我们的学生和家庭, has never been clearer and we are working in a ‘new normal’ with the benefit of new skill sets – it’s empowering.”
支持脆弱儿童的治疗教育.
请考虑送一份年终礼物给十大网赌靠谱网址平台. As we continue to serve the needs of fragile children and their families, 你的慷慨, 无论多少, will help maintain therapeutic education and nature-based programs for children who need them.
