Developmental Disabilities Archives - Page 3 of 4

Watch our Developmental Disabilities Programs in Action

Each day, The Foundling works to ensure that those we serve have the resources to reach their fullest potential – and this is extremely evident in our programs for people with developmental disabilities. These programs are rooted in the belief that people of all abilities – given proper support and encouragement – can become thriving members of their communities.

We are excited to highlight our Residential Services, Day Habilitation, and Employment Services programs in our latest promotional videos. Watch the videos below for an overview of each service, and hear from staff and participants about their experiences.

Residential Services:

Day Habilitation:

Employment Services:

July 23, 2021/by Elefant Design

New York Botanical Garden Celebrating Disability Pride Month

The New York Botanical Garden is a long-time partner with The Foundling, providing inclusive opportunities to participants in our Employment Services program. As volunteers in the garden’s Edible Academy, Foundling participants learn best principles for organic gardening, general maintenance, propagation, and more – learning useful job skills to aid in their long-term career journey.

In celebration of Disability Pride Month, two Foundling participants – Sophia M. and Adeola O. – shared their reflections on their volunteer experience with New York Botanical Garden’s staff. “My experience was one of the best things I have done,” says Adeola.

July 9, 2021/by Elefant Design

Blog, Child Welfare, Developmental Disabilities

Keeping our Community Safe and Healthy: Celebrating our Dedicated Nurses

At The Foundling, we appreciate and value the team of nurses who care for children and people with developmental disabilities each and every day – but during this year’s National Nurses Week, we’re recognizing this essential segment of our workforce over the turbulent events of the past 15 months.

Nurses have always been an integral part of The Foundling—from our early days, when we operated a pediatric hospital and nursing school – to now. And while our services have evolved, this legacy of care continues with our nurses today.

The reach and scope of what nurses at The Foundling do is far-reaching. In our four medical clinics across New York City, nurses provide routine care for the young people in our foster care programs. In our residential program for adults with developmental disabilities, nurses make regular visits across the City and surrounding counties to direct and monitor the health and medication regiments of the adults living in our 104 residences. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the role and work of our nurses even more important – and they have gone to great lengths in helping our program participants move forward during this unprecedented health crisis.

For our healthcare professionals and frontline staff at The Foundling, the past 15 months have been a true test of dedication. COVID-19 presented many challenges to providing patients with high-quality and compassionate care, but our nurses’ strong Foundling values and commitment to our mission drove them to continue their vital work– even when this required them to take extreme precautions to balance their work and personal lives.

Kendra, a nurse practitioner in the Bronx, continued to treat children at Foundling medical clinics during the pandemic – all while carrying a baby of her own. “I found out I was pregnant a bit before the start of the pandemic,” she says. From exchanging shifts, providing car rides to work, and being available for emotional support, her team rallied around her, providing care and compassion to ensure that she and her growing family was safe.

At the same time, Jolene showed true strength and determination as a nurse supervisor in our group residences for people with developmental disabilities. In the early weeks and months of the COVID outbreak in New York City, PPE and other protective gear was difficult to obtain—yet Jolene worked on the frontlines each and every day, committed to keeping the people in our care safe. Jolene tirelessly supported the residents with their health needs, provided comfort to their loved ones, and showed strength when infections began to show up in the workplace. When the virus hit even closer to home, and Jolene and her son contracted the coronavirus, her caring staff continued to be in contact and helped her pull through the tough times. Now, as the city begins to reopen, Jolene sees light at the end of the tunnel – and is proud and grateful for the resilience of her nursing team and the relationships she’s built along the way.

As many across our community look to thank nurses this week, we celebrate our Foundling nurses—both past and present—for the commitment, compassion, and care they provide to those we serve.

May 11, 2021/by Elefant Design

NYF

Developmental Disabilities, Media Coverage

Generosity: For People with a Disability, Poverty Rates are High and Employment Rates Low. Can Workforce Development Help?

In Generosity’s recent article on employment for people with disabilities in Philadelphia, reporter Jaya Montague looks at New York City’s workforce development efforts as a potential model. The article contains insights from The Foundling’s Mia Guidel-Joshi, who shares how “the climate of workforce development for people with disabilities in New York City is very collaborative.”

Read more at Generosity

February 3, 2021/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Health and Behavioral Health, Media Coverage

MedPage Today: Forgotten Populations and COVID

MedPage Today’s new op-ed focuses on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on two high-risk populations served by The Foundling – people with developmental disabilities and those in foster care. Written by two members of The Foundling’s leadership team – Dr. Joe Saccoccio, our Chief Medical Officer, and Sashoi Grant, our Vice President of Nursing – the article details the lessons learned in providing medical care to these communities, from the importance of educating on safety measures to maintaining a focus on mental health.

Read the op-ed below:

Op-Ed: Forgotten Populations and COVID — Learning the right lessons
by Joe Saccoccio, MD, MPH, and Sashoi Grant

At The New York Foundling — one of New York’s longest-serving non-profit organizations — we know all too well how COVID has upended countless lives across the city. The communities and populations we support, totaling 30,000 each year, have been hit particularly hard — from people with developmental disabilities to children and families in crisis.

We now know that COVID-19 is three times more likely to have fatal outcomes among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities than the general population. And the data tells us that most children in foster care have higher instances of medical and mental health diagnoses than children who are not in foster care — from asthma, to obesity, to long-term illnesses like diabetes — all putting them at higher risk for contracting the coronavirus without intervention. The communities in our care at The Foundling have faced immense challenges this year and are some of the most at-risk heading into the next few months.

While we may be entering a second wave and a dark winter, we do know what could be in store. We’ve been intentional about revisiting the most challenging moments of the first wave in New York, and reflecting on lessons learned. Medical care is a critical part of the history and legacy of The New York Foundling. And today, we continue to support hundreds of thousands of our neighbors — and during COVID, our work has not changed.

New York has learned some of the toughest lessons from the pandemic and stands to be more prepared as we head into a difficult holiday season. Gov. Andrew Cuomo himself addressed the current surge, saying, “We lived this nightmare. We learned from this nightmare. And we’re going to correct for the lessons we learned.”

With more than 37,000 COVID-related deaths in New York and over 200,000 new cases a day across the country, what have we learned, and how can we correct it?

Lesson #1: Continue to educate on and adapt to new safety measures. As the state proceeds with its plan to emphasize mask-wearing, enforce social distancing, and prevent overflow at hospitals, we must do our part to educate and support people with developmental disabilities, children in foster care, and children and families receiving preventative services.

And it’s not just why, but how we educate people that is so important heading into the winter. It’s important to find the right way to explain and demonstrate how severe the virus is, why social distancing is important. And with many people, especially those with developmental disabilities, unable to tolerate mask-wearing and other standard precautions, we must get creative to find new ways to keep ourselves and our clients safe. Staff at The Foundling have worked tirelessly throughout the year to find alternative safety measures for those who struggle to comply with the status quo, and will continue to do so.

Lesson #2: We need to prioritize mental health and emotional wellbeing, alongside physical health. In 2020, we learned that many of the people living in Foundling-run homes and residences for people with developmental disabilities faced difficulties understanding isolation. In instances of a positive case of COVID in a group home, there were times when the individual didn’t understand what was going on with their body, were unable to advocate for themselves, and when isolated, didn’t fully recognize why they couldn’t see their friends or loved ones. Supporting these individuals takes a tremendous investment from our staff in not just the physical, but also the emotional and mental wellbeing of our residents – in these difficult times, safety goes beyond physical health.

Lesson #3: We learned a valuable lesson on staying connected. Take, for example, families and children in the child welfare system, who we know are at a higher risk for contracting the coronavirus without intervention.

Compounding to these factors are the strict “shelter in place” orders — which not only affect the children who have been placed into safe, stable, supportive, and loving homes, but also have a devastating effect on children receiving preventive services, and children who live in under-resourced communities and neighborhoods across New York City.

Children in foster care and in preventive services already have heightened rates of anxiety and depression, and the winter cold, combined with a lack of one on one connection, only serves to intensify those issues moving forward – both from a public health and mental health perspective.

This winter will look very different from years past. Yet while we reflect on how much things have changed this winter, this is also a time to examine what we’ve learned. Let’s work together to find new ways to support each other so that we can all stay safe and healthy into the New Year.

Joe Saccoccio, MD, MPH, FAAP, is senior vice president for medical services, and Sashoi Grant is vice president for nursing, developmental disabilities, at The New York Foundling.

Read more at MedPage Today

January 4, 2021/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Media Coverage

Bronx Times: New York Foundling clients highlight National Disability Employment Awareness Month

The Bronx Times highlighted two participants in our Developmental Disabilities program, and their experiences throughout the pandemic:

“The New York Foundling, one of the city’s oldest social services organizations, provides health care, social-emotional support, entertainment and friendship for hundreds of adults, most of whom live in their group homes full time.

Desiree and Nancy, 37, two residents of The Foundling’s Laconia residence in the Bronx, have been friends for 25 years. They leaned on each other to get through the newly enforced safety measures and had to learn to remain patient as both became unemployed.:

Read more at Bronx Times

November 3, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Developmental Disabilities

Celebrating Our Direct Support Professionals

By Renee Pili, AVP, Developmental Disabilities Division

Direct Support Professionals Week is September 13-September 19. To meet some of our DSPs, make sure to follow us on social media. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The New York Foundling’s Developmental Disabilities programming has doubled in size in recent years. This growth makes me proud to work at The Foundling and shows just how powerful and committed our organization is to fulfilling needs across the community. Today, we provide Residential Housing, Community Habilitation, Day Habilitation, Employment Services, Nutritional Services, and Clinical Services to 1,000 men and women across New York City and surrounding counties.

We wouldn’t be able to do this work without our incredible team of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who help our program participants achieve the highest quality of life possible. Bringing love and compassion to their jobs every day, Foundling DSPs have brightened the lives of the people we serve during a year that has posed enormous challenges.

The essential and critical role our DSPs play in shaping the lives of the people we serve cannot be overstated. They do so much more than what’s in their job description. They connect with program participants on a personal level as they would with members of their own family. DSPs at The Foundling show up early and stay late. They will run to the pharmacy in the middle of the night – or drive hundreds of miles to help facilitate a family visit in another state.

In previous years, Foundling DSPs traveled with residents on vacations. One group flew to West Palm Beach, Florida for a week! Many of them had never flown on a plane before, been to the beach, experienced nightlife, or stayed in a resort. Another group of residents spent over a month and a half in a house on Lake George while their residential home was renovated, and their DSPs took two-week shifts to make it happen. The group got to enjoy the walkable lake town, watersports, mini golf, arcades, and steamboat rides. Our residents were able to have these wonderful experiences because of their DSPs’ willingness to be with them.

Most of our staff work full-time and meet with our program participants four to five days a week. Each person in our care has different needs and abilities, so our team is trained to provide a wide range of supports. Some people need 24-hour care—assistance eating, bathing, and dressing. Others may need help cooking a healthy meal, doing laundry, or maintaining friendships and relationships with others. For those seeking employment, DSPs will take them to job interviews and work with them on resume building, workplace etiquette, meeting deadlines, and travel training.

This year, when the pandemic hit, our team of DSPs educated all 1,000 program participants in mask wearing and social distancing—it has since become an ingrained part of their day-to-day routine. Many worked overtime to cover shifts when colleagues got sick—some working round the clock. A few DSPs even volunteered to transfer to a residence where residents and staff member tested positive for COVID-19, because they needed help. And staff did everything they could to keep morale up. One house manager slept at one of his rental apartments so he wouldn’t potentially infect his wife, son, and mother-in-law.

With all the time they spend together, with everything they’ve experienced this year, our Direct Support Professionals really have become like family to the men and women who call The Foundling home. For some, the DSPs are the only family and friends they have. Ironically, it’s when a person becomes less and less reliant on a DSP over time that we know we are achieving success.

Our DSPs have shown again and again that they will do whatever it takes to give the individuals in our care happy, healthy, well-rounded lives. Their generosity and their commitment know no bounds. And I am proud to call them my colleagues, now more than ever.

September 10, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Developmental Disabilities, Our Work Continues

Our Work Continues: Perseverance and Compassion in our Homes for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (Part 2)

For over 150 years, The New York Foundling has worked in partnership with our neighbors to ensure that everyone can meet their full potential when facing challenging situations. This hasn’t changed, and our staff continue to provide life-changing and meaningful support in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This series shares how The Foundling’s many programs are responding to the needs of their community.

While some adults with developmental disabilities are able to live independently, or in the care of a close family member, others require more intensive round-the-clock services tailored to their level of need. For these people, many of whom have complex medical needs, The Foundling provides supportive and nurturing housing that is fully integrated into the surrounding community. The Foundling provides residential services for people with developmental disabilities in all five boroughs of New York City and in Westchester, Rockland, and Orange Counties.

We help the people in our residential programs engage with their community, gain more autonomy, and participate in gainful activities – from day programs to volunteer work and paying jobs.

As we featured last week, the incredible residential services staff of our Developmental Disabilities Division have selflessly worked the frontlines since the pandemic began, adapting to every challenge they have been faced with, while also providing round-the-clock support to the people in our care.

Across all of our residences, we’ve heard countless stories of staff working tirelessly – and often beyond their usual schedule – to fill the needs in our programs. Direct Support Provider Sandra Thompson, for example, did not hesitate to cover an overnight shift the day a client in the residence where she works received confirmation of COVID-19 infection. “She had just become an American citizen and felt it was her civic duty to go in and help wherever needed,” Assistant Vice President Mary Pell Bidwell, supervisor for Sandra’s residence, shared.

Similarly, Brian Montilla was asked to temporarily relocate his work to a residence that was hit hard by COVID-19. As one might imagine, this was a difficult request to make, as Brian would be going from a familiar workplace where no clients were COVID positive to a home that had multiple cases of sick residents and staff. In addition to an unfamiliar location, he did not know any of the residents or staff, and had to quickly adapt in a crisis situation with new and different stressors.

“Brian is a team player,” Assistant Vice President Renee Pili shared, “and, as usual, he politely accepted the directive and provided support at the other location for over a month as the situation there stabilized. Through all of this, Brian performed his duties calmly, professionally, and with a smile.”

In the same vein, Felecia Sloan immediately adjusted her schedule to fill shifts after our day habilitation programs closed. Felecia went above and beyond to arrange a socially distant celebration for a resident who was hospitalized on his birthday. Thanks to Felecia’s initiative, via a video call, the staff and residents sang happy birthday and watched the candles be blown out.

“Our staff have really gone above and beyond to uplift the spirits of our residents,” Mary Pell continued, “Von Hemert, one of our residence managers, connected with the community to receive deli food donations for residences. She personally picked up the donations and delivered them to residents!”

Staff members Diaka Doumbouya and Reginald Mason have displayed the same degree of creativity and thoughtfulness. “Diaka brings her skills as a beautician to the residence and pampers the ladies who are accustomed to going to the hair salon,” Assistant Vice President Thelma Adams Moore said, “And Reginald has served residents roast duck with stuffing and all the fixings. He also does smoothie bars and engages them in the kitchen with meal preparation.”

Residence Manager Liv Lauser received PPE donations from the city government to protect residents.

Despite the incredible pressure they’ve endured, these staff members – and many others – have displayed incredible compassion and creativity. Thank you to the valiant staff of our residential services for their selfless service.

To learn more about how The New York Foundling is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, visit our emergency response page. Stay tuned for more stories from the frontlines as we continue to support our neighbors on paths to stability and strength.

May 29, 2020/by Elefant Design

Developmental Disabilities, Media Coverage

Our Town NY: The Other Side of the Front Line

Due to COVID-19, organizations have had to change the way their group homes are run and also help the residents cope with the new reality of the pandemic.

Denise Flores, the assistant vice president for the developmental disabilities’ division at The New York Foundling, said that during the beginning of the pandemic they had to ration out the protective equipment they had. They would only give masks, gloves and gowns to residences with sick individuals.

“I mean we don’t have any to waste, but we do have a system in place that everyone has now either face shields, gowns or masks,” said Flores.

Read more at Our Town NY.

May 27, 2020/by Elefant Design

Blog, Developmental Disabilities, Our Work Continues

Our Work Continues: Perseverance and Compassion in our Homes for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (Part 1)

For over 150 years, The New York Foundling has worked in partnership with our neighbors to ensure that everyone can meet their full potential when facing challenging situations. This hasn’t changed, and our staff continue to provide life-changing and meaningful support in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This series shares how The Foundling’s many programs are responding to the needs of their community.

While some adults with developmental disabilities are able to live independently or in the care of a close family member, others require more intensive round-the-clock services tailored to their level of independence. For these people, many of whom have complex medical needs, The Foundling provides supportive and nurturing housing that is fully integrated into the surrounding community. The Foundling provides residential services for people with developmental disabilities in all five boroughs of New York City and in Westchester, Rockland, and Orange Counties.

We support the people in our residential programs as they work to engage with their community, gain more autonomy, and participate in gainful activities – from day programs to volunteer work and employment.

On any given day, hundreds of staff from The Foundling’s Developmental Disabilities Division are reporting to work at 104 separate supportive residences across the New York metropolitan area. Each home houses several individuals, and is staffed by direct care workers and nurses. With so many in people in every home, the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak among our staff and the people we serve has been a critical focus of The Foundling since the onset of the pandemic, especially as many of these residents live with complex pre-existing conditions or are otherwise immunocompromised.

The dedicated nurses who work with our residents have fought tirelessly since March to keep their community healthy. They rely on the incredible perseverance and commitment of the direct care staff in every home to ensure that the residents – many of whom have suffered trauma from isolation and abuse – are comfortable and happy at home, despite these challenging times. Our Developmental Disabilities division staff members have faced incredible challenges and heartbreaks over the last two months, but they, have and continue to go above and beyond to bring joy and hope to the residents in their care.

There are hundreds of stories of perseverance and compassion from our many residences for people with development disabilities.

When our residents could no longer visit the barbershop or salon for a haircut, staff from The Bronx to Staten Island stepped in – including Ricardo Wright, Jeremiah Harris, and Okechukwu “Stanley” Nwanyanwu – and established makeshift barbershops, cutting residents hair for both hygiene and fun.

Elsewhere, staff members went above the call of duty in efforts to fill in for staff who were sick, taking care of a loved one, or unable to come to work. Their colleagues took on additional shifts and worked non-stop with no questions asked, knowing that their clients needed them. Nichole Guions took on extra shifts and stayed late even while caring for her fiancé, who was ill with the virus at home. Randy Brown, meanwhile, even slept at the residence where he was assigned, to be sure he would be there if any of the residents needed him.

With the return of warm weather, our residential staff have sought to comfort residents by planning barbecues and cookouts.

There are countless stories like these to share, but Renee Pili, Assistant Vice President of Residential Services, summarized the sentiment best:

“In times like these, it is very easy to succumb to frustration, anxiety, and fear. The easy way out would be to run, hide, and leave the worrying to other people. But that has not been the case for our residential managers and staff.”

Renee elaborated that despite incredible personal challenges, staff have risen above the call of duty, “Many have endured illnesses and passings, have embraced new roles as teachers for their children, or are living separately from their families, because they work with sick residents and do not want to risk bringing the virus home.

“They have faced crisis after crisis, and yet our people remain united and strong. They keep persevering—not only adapting to challenging new work routines but offering support to the individuals in our residences in new and creative ways. They are valuable team members, and I cannot express my gratitude enough.”

We are humbled daily by the care that our team gives to make others’ lives better. Thank you to all of our residential staff. Stay tuned next week for more updates from our Developmental Disabilities Division.

To learn more about how The New York Foundling is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, visit our emergency response page. Stay tuned for more stories from the frontlines as we continue to support our neighbors on paths to stability and strength.

May 22, 2020/by Elefant Design

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