Family, Adult & Child Therapies
By Linda Andron-Ostrow, LCSW On October 14 and 15th, our old friend TED made his presence felt at the Electric Lodge in Venice through the voices of over 30 individuals whose lives have been touched by autism and other disabilities. I can say that it was as amazing as I hoped it would be. Families, professionals, interns and individuals with disabilities were in the audience, both live and remote, where wisdom was shared 15 minutes at a time. And as…
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When the philosopher Heraclitus (alive before Socrates) said “The Only Thing That Is Constant Is Change,” he couldn’t have been more correct, and it applies especially for our modern times. Not only is the whole field of support and family-driven involvement in the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities changing, but the demands on organizations like FACT continue to evolve and change as well. Fortunately the driving force behind the development of FACT and its portfolio of services has been…
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By Simone Stewart The pantry at the Church on Pearl in Santa Monica, runs every Wednesday afternoon from 2:30 to 5:30pm. They provide a service to people in need of food in the Los Angeles community. They offer fresh produce, canned goods, dairy and poultry. There have been many students at GAP that have taken an interest in working at the pantry. It truly symbolizes how a community can come together and help individuals and families who need assistance. The…
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Leadership One of the most important elements that ensures the relevance and success of any nonprofit organization is that special group of individuals who devote their time, resources and expertise to ensure that the organization is true to its mission. This is often referred to as the “governance” level of the organization, and it comprises the board of directors, advisory board(s), as well as standing and special committees. At FACT we have been especially blessed to have had the devotion…
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Welcome to Staff Spotlight! Here we honor special members of the FACT staff who help our community and give them the kudos they deserve! This month, we celebrate Destinie Hernandez. Destinie supports one-on-one with college student Christian on areas like mobility training and college prep like campus navigation and safety plans and strategies. FACT recently received a call from Christian’s mother about how Destinie has touched Christian’s and her lives. With her permission, we’d like to share that wonderful message:
By Linda Andron-Ostrow, LCSW Yes, he is a talking bear that’s has starred in two movies. But the TED I’m referring to is a series of short talks of 15 to 18 minutes on various subjects with the aim to teach and expand people’s minds. You may have seen TED’s videos all over the Internet and make up conferences all over the world. TED himself was not available as he works for a corporation. But he did think that the idea of…
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Thanks to all who attended in person or online. If you would like to view some of the presentations, contact [email protected] This was the full line-up: October 14, 2016 8 to 9 AM Check In/Welcome: Marc Haupert, Interim Executive Director 9: 00 AM Linda Andron-Ostrow: Opening Remarks 9:45 AM Susan Schmidt Lackner, MD: “Biomedical Interventions: Healing the Whole Child” 10: 20 AM 15 MINUTE BREAK 10:35 AM Erika…
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Weylin Wagnon has been part of the FACT family for a long time. From a dedicated sibling to GAP staff member, he has been a beloved part of our tight-knit community. It is with a heavy heart that after over a decade of support and service, we bade farewell to Weylin as he pursues an exciting new path. Weylin has touched the lives of so many of our community and we will all miss him greatly. Read below for how GAP…
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It’s that time of year where summer fun comes to a close and it’s time for our children to hit the books for the school year. And as school comes with many challenges for students with special needs, here are a few tips on how to make our kids’ school years as amazing as possible!
As I settle into my position, I am impressed every day with the important work that FACT and our staff do for our clients and families. I also hear of the high regard in which FACT is held by the community at large. We operate in a changing and challenging environment. I am sure you are aware of the various federal and state changes that are in the works having to do with funding streams, the implementation of California’s “Self-Determination”…
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