Trellis ABA

Trellis provides ABA therapy to help children with autism.

Trellis

The Maryland Autism Waiver Program: What to Expect

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By: Diana Campitelli, Executive Director – Autism Waiver

If you’re a Maryland parent of a child with autism, you may be familiar with the state’s Autism Waiver program. The program provides therapy and support to people with autism at home and in the community. It promotes independent living skills and overall well-being.

For years, the program has had a long waitlist. The “End the Wait Act,” a new law, will change that by cutting the waitlist for autism services in half.

That’s where Trellis comes in. We’re a full-service provider that covers everything to do with autism services. We started as an autism waiver provider in 2001 and have grown to be the largest provider in Maryland today.

We provide services for more than 170 families across 10 counties. And our roster of about 250 employees is growing to meet the demand.

Understanding the Waiting List for the Maryland Autism Waiver Program

Maryland created the Autism Waiver waiting list to prioritize families who needed services the most. The registry has grown to almost 7,000 kids.

You may be among the thousands of families eagerly waiting for your turn to receive services. Being on the waiting list does not imply a lack of eligibility or importance. But it does signify the high demand for these services and the need for careful allocation.

The “End the Wait” legislation should speed up the approval process. You will receive a letter from the state saying when you can leave the waitlist and apply for services. Once you have met the eligibility criteria, your child will be able to begin accessing services.

Hope on the Horizon: Senate Bill 636

While the wait can be frustrating, it’s crucial to remain patient and persistent. The “End the Wait Act” (Senate Bill 636) offers hope. It signals a commitment from the state to reduce the waiting list for services by 50 percent.

As a parent, it’s natural to feel frustrated and anxious while waiting for your child to receive the autism waiver services. Staying informed can help you navigate this waiting period with resilience and hope, though.

Remember, you are doing your best to care for your child. The Autism Waiver program is here to assist you, and Trellis can help you through it. Together, we can help make your transition to our services easier.

Three Questions

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Anne McHugh recently joined Trellis as the ABA Program Director. We sat down to ask her three questions to learn more about her vision. Read her bio on our Leadership Page and read below for the answers to our questions.

Q. What attracted you to Trellis?
Trellis Services is client-centered. I have always been impressed with their dedication to each individual child and meeting his/her needs in every way possible.

Q. What’s your vision for your role as ABA Program Director?
My vision is to bring Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services to every child who can benefit. I look forward to growing the clinic, social skills and in-home programs so that Trellis can continue their excellent quality of care on a larger scale.

Q. What are 5 things you want parents to know about Trellis?
1. Trellis can provide ABA services to children in practically every aspect of their lives: home, school, clinic (for children under school age), and community.
2. Our ABA treatment plans are designed using only evidence-based procedures for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
3. When a child receives ABA services through Trellis, the child is always learning and getting closer to reaching his/her potential.
4. ABA services through Trellis not only teaches new skills but makes them usable in real life.
5. Trellis staff members are some of the most talented and dedicated individuals you will find in this field.

Welcome Back To School Trellis

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-Submitted By Allison Barnes, Trellis Lead Instructor

The new school year is underway and the Trellis staff is so excited to see our leaner’s smiling faces once again. Jumping back into a routine after vacation is hard for any child, and can be especially difficult for a child with autism. Adjusting back to school after a summer break can feel frustrating and overwhelming for anyone. Fortunately, our learners have remained motivated to learn and are happy to be back.

Exciting changes have happened inside Trellis, making it more fun than ever to be back at school. Our NET space has been revamped with newer and more functional toys, allowing our learners to increase manding and pretend-play more appropriately and functionally.

“I love the new NET space. My learners need to use more communication to get what they want and it’s exciting to see them more motivated by functional play.” -Allison Killion, Early Intervention Instructor.

Additions to the NET include a play grill set, pretend laundry station, a brand new Dora The Explorer kitchen, improved train sets, and many more new toys. New items keep our learners MO high and promote functional play with peers. The staff is just as excited as the learners for these new additions and the opportunities they bring to teach new skills.

Inside the classroom, learners are adjusting enthusiastically to new curriculum and working hard with their teachers and instructors.

“We’re integrating the Baltimore County curriculum to incorporate ELA components of the Common Core. It’s exciting that I’ll be teaching the same concepts and using some of the same materials that a typical peer uses in public school,” explains preschool teacher Jessica Volz.

Guided by the Baltimore County curriculum, our learners get the opportunity to learn and interact with peers in groups of 3-4, in addition to our usual 1:1 instructor-to-child ratio.

Setting up the stage for success in social engagement is Julia Miller-Iarossi. Julia worked in the Love 2 Learn program from 2010-2014, and has recently rejoined the Trellis team as Social Skills Specialist this school year. We are so excited to have her back!

“I’m looking forward to meeting all the new students and getting to know them. I am excited to make our learners motivated by peer interaction, and to make social interaction as meaningful as possible so that they are still motivated in their homes and communities.”

Social groups at Trellis incorporate sensory strategies, gross motor movement, and academic skills to motivate each learner and fit their individual needs. Interactive peer play is essential to our students’ progress and independence, both in school and in the community. Our learners have happily jumped back into their social groups, focusing on skills such as greetings, sharing with friends, asking questions, high-fives, and other appropriate attention skills.

We’re off to a great start of the new school year. Our learners have had a successful transition back and we can’t wait to see the progress to follow. We hope everyone had a fantastic break, and that everyone is just excited for the fall as we are!

Back To School

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Getting ready for the new school year can be a hectic and exciting time. For children with autism (and their parents), all this change can feel overwhelming.

Here are some suggestions for how to help ease your child’s back-to-school anxieties:

Get a sneak peak
Scope out the school and classroom in advance. If your child is going into a new classroom, visit it at least once before the first day of school. If transition has been a struggle in the past, consider taking as much time as your child needs to explore the classroom. Make it as much fun as possible, playing in each of the new areas.

Check out seat assignments
For older children, ask the teacher if a seat assignment has been made. Do some enjoyable activities in that seat. If familiar classmates will be in the room, show where they will be sitting, too.

Rehearse new activities
Find out from the teacher what new activities are planned. Then, prepare your child by performing, practicing, and talking about them. This rehearsal will reduce anxiety when the new activities come up in the first week of school.

Anticipate sensory overload
The noise and chaos of a typical classroom can sometimes be a bit much to handle. Establish a plan for what to do in this situation – perhaps there is a quiet room where your child can “take a break” for a short time. The Trellis School has several quiet rooms for learners to “take a break” and instructors are able to provide the positive supports that may be needed.

Volunteer in the classroom
Most teachers welcome assistance from parents. Your presence may be a source of comfort to your child during those challenging first weeks. The Trellis School needs volunteers to assist with creating experiential learning environments for our learners. If you are interested in participating or donating supplies please send an email to info@trellisservices.com.

Establish regular communication with your child’s teacher

Create a daily communication plan that works best for you and your child’s teacher. This plan will assist with smooth transitions from the classroom to home.

Going to school can pose many challenges for children with autism, as well as countless opportunities for building crucial social, language, and academic skills. Be positive and encouraging, and your child will be off to a great year!

Summertime Fun

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Summer is well under way and along with the joy of a lighter schedule comes the challenge of navigating so many unscheduled, unpredictable, and unexpected elements of the season.

Here are some helpful tips for planning your family’s summer activities that we hope will help create more fun and reduce the stress:

Maintain Some Structure
Try to maintain your child’s typical eating and sleeping schedule as much as possible. It’s not easy to stick to a schedule during summer, especially as this is a time when you want to let go a bit and relax. If you can maintain the basic structure of your child’s routine, you are less likely to have an overwhelmed child and the disruptive behavior that results.

Theme Park Programs
Visiting theme parks is a summertime family favorite, but it also can bring a host of challenges for any child on the spectrum. Many parks offer Ride Accessibility Programs or Fast Pass programs for individuals with disabilities. If this is not an option for your family, there are other strategies such as planning your route ahead of time, splitting up (one parent goes with one child to an attraction while the other parent goes with another child to a different one), and bringing noise cancelling headphones to give your child a sensory break, etc.

Prepare in Advance
Travel requires specific preparation for children on the spectrum. It is important to familiarize your child ahead of time with the destination using photographs, videos etc. If your child has never flown or stayed in a hotel before, practicing these on a small scale (a one-hour flight first and a one-night stay at a local hotel are a really good idea).

Travel Safety
It is really important to understand a lot about where you will be staying during your vacation and the level of security of those locations. For example, if you are renting an apartment or home, it is critical that you check that each door has a lock and that the perimeter of the house is secure. Check whether your child can exit the location unassisted and be aware of what you need to do to secure the premises.

It Takes a Village
While vacationing, introduce your family.  Families who share with those around them, (especially in unfamiliar places like vacation destinations) about their child’s special needs tend to experience a more accommodating and supportive community. Helping others understand how they can help, can make your experience more relaxed and enjoyable.

Get Support From Your Team
Remember to use what works for your child while planning your family’s activities.  If you are working with an ABA provider, ask for assistance with goals that support a specific outing or trip.

Here are some additional resources to help make your season great for the whole family:

Happy Father’s Day

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There have been numerous studies about the positive impact that involved fathers play in the development of their child’s life. This Sunday we join many families around the nation to celebrate the complex role that fathers play in our society. Trellis recently held a Donuts with Dad Day where everyone was treated to plenty of hugs, smiles and quality time to recognize the fathers who are nurturing caregivers, fierce advocates and all around good guys.

Today, we pay tribute to every dad and caregiver who advocates tirelessly for those affected by autism. Trellis recognizes your dedication and says thanks to the dads who fight every day for the care, services and supports for their children on the spectrum. We applaud your resilience and courage and stand with you in providing nothing less than the absolute best for your children. We know that it takes additional resources to positively impact the quality of life of every individual on the spectrum and we honor those individuals that are caregivers and participants in the daily challenges and successes of life.

When you plan your celebrations for the weekend, remember to show your appreciation to every dad you encounter and know that we appreciate you! Happy Father’s Day!

A Letter from a Trellis Parent

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Trellis means home to me…

I remember the first day I came into visit the school, two months after Max was diagnosed with Autism. For the two months before walking through the Trellis doors, I felt lost and, honestly, sad every time I met with an ASD service provider. The approach was “we know best” and “your son has this laundry list of limitations” … as a result my expectations were low and actually misguided.

When I walked through the door of Trellis, children were laughing, teachers were smiling. It was a school not a “treatment center”. I was asked all about Max and said “he sounds great” and I felt proud of Max for the first time after his diagnosis. I will never forget that moment. I have never stopped feeling proud of Max since then.

Thank you. All of you. Thank you for ignoring behaviors, counting and manding, working patiently when Max’s sensory needs carry him away and make him unavailable for a while and even taking a right hook or two.

Today, Max is soaring – he is talking. Yes talking. At one point in time, that was not clear he would talk. You all did that. You pushed him. You coached me and you never, never, never gave up on us. Max’s behaviors are manageable. Before Trellis, Max had broken my nose, and more things at home than I care to remember. Now he says “no” when he is unhappy at home. If he has behaviors, I know the ABCs and can manage them along with the latest protocol that we are generalizing at home. You did that. You implemented the protocol. You coached me and you never, never, never gave up on us.

When you are the parent of a kid on the spectrum you feel like you are either fighting or apologizing with everyone in your child’s path. When Max started at Trellis, for the first time that feeling changed. Now I feel like I have a team of people in my corner. From the front desk, the program managers, Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists and Instructors on our team.

At the end of the day, Trellis means home to us. Max is known and loved for his whole self. You accept him for who he is and at the same time push him to reach his potential. Thank you for teaching my son with love and respect. You will never know what you mean to Max and me. He and all of the children you serve will reach their potential thanks to you.

– Audra Jones