Disbelief followed us from dry, scorching Tucson to wet, hot Georgia and Florida: how could we go from one cauldron to another? Our invitation from Eckerd Youth Alternatives, La Amistad and Pasadena Villa was the purposeful reason: presentation of ‘Communications with Educational Consultants (IEC’s)’ and ‘Emotional and Physical safety’ to Eckerd, Blue Ridge , and visits to Brooksville, La Amistad and PV. Tuyet Abdullaj deserves plaudits for her arrangements and orchestration of the trip. We will recommend all of these excellent programs to families.
The evaluations from the BR program were glowing (despite a malfunctioning AC): for Nancy:
• How relevant and helpful to learn the time frames and contexts of communication with IEC’s-short, to the point and structured but personal
• How insightful to learn the meaning of true transparency among all stakeholders to do the best for the child and family
• How at ease you put all of us with your personal teaching style “You are knowledgeable and genuine in your presentation, and obviously enjoy your work-awesome job!”
• How important to learn the ‘MUSTS” for working with IEC’s:
o Pre-Admission: help with getting testing records, diagnosis
o Set up regular talks, emails, right away
o Include in developing treatment plan,
o Contact re major incidents/ dismissal before/simultaneously with family
o Follow up with both previous and next therapist, and with family after discharge
o Remember the Four Agreements: Don’t take anything personally/or make assumptions; speak impeccably and DO YOUR BEST
For Rebecca:
o How to plan for the ‘unforeseen’, the unexpected, prepare for total safety: environment, community, if disaster
o How ‘thinking out of the box’ can generate new ideas, insight and perspectives into risk management
o How to set up meetings to refine emergency procedures, role play crisis scenario, check lists
o How engaging, interactive, eye-opening, helpful ,balanced between information and personality
o How sharing with confidence your personal experiences strengthened the other points made-great speaker.
See the web How to Effectively Visit and Evaluate Therapeutic Programs