Comcast Foundation Grant

New grant to help people achieve independence

Easterseals Crossroads has received a $20,000 grant from the Comcast Foundation to collaborate with the Rehabilitation Center of Indiana on its Brain Injury Technology Education and Support Program to run a support group for people with traumatic brain injuries. Members of the group have access to state-of-the-art equipment and assistive technology, along with expert guidance to help them navigate the cognitive challenges they experience.
Easterseals Crossroads was one of six local Easterseals across the country selected for the grant by the Comcast Foundation through the Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund. Established in 2011, the fund supports technology programs and services that benefit children and adults, including veterans living with developmental disabilities. Assistive technologies can vary from braille-equipped handheld computer systems and voice command telephones to height adjusted tables and augmentative communication systems – all helping individuals with disabilities to overcome barriers in the home, on the job, at school or on the go.
The chosen affiliates excel in programs that help with assessment, training and ongoing support for individuals with a disability. Services are designed to meet an individual’s assistive technology needs throughout his or her lifetime. At the national level, Easterseals has allocated $80,000 in grant funds to develop a Public Service Announcement and support Make the First Five Count, a free online developmental screening tool for parents and caregivers of children aged newborn to 5 years old designed to help ensure they are meeting developmental milestones.
Since 2011, The Comcast NBCUniversal Assistive Technology Grant Fund has empowered nearly 50,000 Americans living with disabilities by providing expanded assistive technology training and services. To date, Comcast NBCUniversal has provided more than $25 million in cash and in-kind support to help with Easterseals’ assistive technology efforts.
About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities—promoting service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow’s leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $200 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:55-04:00July 12, 2017|Our Blog|

Pressure Switch Product Line

Easterseals image of three pressure switches Crossroads has acquired A.J. Antunes & Co.’s Pressure Switch product line, bringing about a dozen jobs to the area and growing our Crossroads Industrial Services (CIS) arm in Indianapolis to have a more international impact.
The Antunes Control product line we are acquiring is used in commercial boilers and HVAC applications and was previously based in Carol Stream, Illinois, with operations in Suzhou, China. The acquisition was finalized on May 15, and Easterseals Crossroads is currently in the process of moving the operation to our eastside Indianapolis plant with the start date goal for production lines as early as August 1, 2017.
“The exciting difference about this acquisition from past business is we are no longer solely relying on other companies to provide work for our plant,” said Greg Roberts, General Manager of Operations, at Easterseals Crossroads Industrial Services. “By owning this line of switches, we can now create a better future for our employees with a product of our own that provides repeatable and steady employment.”
Easterseals Crossroads is confident that this business move will help continue our mission of taking on disability together by creating more employment opportunities at Easterseals Crossroads Industrial Services where 80 percent of the workers are individuals with disabilities.
“This acquisition builds on the rich history at CIS,” said J. Patrick Sandy, president and CEO of Easterseals Crossroads. “These efforts fit well with our strategic plan to grow employment, leverage our proven capabilities and bring more independence to our CIS operations all while positively impacting the economy and community of Central Indiana.”

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:55-04:00July 7, 2017|Our Blog|

CampAbility Staff

Our CampAbility summer program is designed for children with disabilities and special needs ages 4 – 10. We are fortunate to have an amazing group of counselors who give their all to make CampAbility a great experience for campers.
Angie Hilligoss • Manager, Respite Services
Angie joined us two years ago as a lead counselor at CampAbility; she liked it so much that she was quick to accept the position as our manager of respite services when it became available. In this position, Angie oversees all of our respite programs, which include not only our summer camps, but our Parents’ Night Out, Teen Night Out and CHEER (adult respite). Angie received her degree in child development from Owens College; she has over 20 years of experience working with children with
special needs and disabilities and we are thrilled that she has made Easterseals Crossroads her home!
Tim Blanusa • Lead Counselor
Tim is very excited to be back at camp for his third year. He is a lead counselor again this summer. When Tim is not working at camp, he is a 4th grade teacher in Washington Township. Tim loves working with all of the CampAbility staff members, families and campers. In his free time he enjoys cooking and riding his bike.
Tim Keating • Lead Counselor
This is Tim’s third summer at CampAbility and his second summer as a lead counselor. He has his bachelor’s in social work and is working on his master’s in special education. He currently works at Nora Elementary school. In the past, Tim has done ABA therapy, in home respite and he has worked in multiple settings with adults with disabilities. In his free time, he enjoys running and reading. Tim is looking forward to all of our field trips and fun activities we will do during the day. He is so excited to meet your kids and have an awesome time this summer!
Chris Tyler • Lead Counselor
Chris has returned to camp for her second year as a classroom lead. She is very excited to use her experience working in a developmental preschool to apply fun activities to camp. Chris loves to spend her free time going on hikes and practicing yoga. We are so excited to have Chris back again this year.
Jodi Churchill • Behavior Specialist
This is Jodi’s third year at camp as the behavior specialist and she is so excited to be back! Jodi graduated in 2008 from Indiana University with degrees in psychology and criminal justice. During the school year she works in the PACES program at Nora Elementary School. In her free time she loves being with her friends and family laughing and having fun! Jodi can’t wait to meet all our campers this year!
Chelsea Flores • Camp Counselor
Chelsea is a self-proclaimed small town girl, born and raised in Indiana. She has her bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy from Indiana University and dreams of becoming a school-based or pediatric occupational therapist. She works at a local elementary school as an instructional assistant in a life skills classroom and loves every minute. In her spare time, she likes to play with her 1 year-old Australian Shepherd, Maverick, spend time with her family and friends and explore her new home of Indianapolis. This is Chelsea’s first summer working at CampAbility and she is ready to have fun and make memories!
Hannah Fogo • Camp Counselor
Hannah is back for her third year at CampAbility. She is a senior at the University of Indianapolis studying elementary and special education. Hannah is looking forward to meeting all of the new campers and their families. Hannah loves to travel and try new things!
Courtney King • Camp Counselor
This is Courtney’s first year working with CampAbility. She is a senior at Anderson University studying elementary education, special education and nonprofit leadership. She is one of four kids and is a triplet who was born on Leap Day (February 29)! Some of her favorite things to do include hiking, reading, sports and almost anything outside. She is so excited to work with CampAbility and is looking forward to getting to know all the campers!
Lauren Lewis • Camp Counselor
This is Lauren’s first year at CampAbility. She is a sophomore at Ball State studying psychology. She is a part of a sorority and has a position as Director of Parent & Alumni Relations; the group’s philanthropy project is fundraising for Women’s Heart Health. Lauren loves to bake, play with animals and go to the park. She has a 16 year-old brother who attends Fishers High School, which is where she graduated in 2016. Lauren teaches swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School where she has worked for two years.
Jessica MacLean • Camp Counselor
Jessica is a graduate of Indiana University where she studied violin performance and neuroscience. She is pursuing her master’s in music therapy with undergraduate equivalency at the University of Miami. This is her first summer at CampAbility as a classroom assistant; she will also lead music activities during the week. Jessica enjoys yoga, running, and all sorts of food-related adventures (especially baking). She loves spending time with her parents, younger brother and her dog.
Erin Mills • Camp Counselor
This is Erin’s third summer as a classroom assistant for CampAbility. She is a senior at University of Indianapolis and will graduate in December with a degree in psychology with a concentration in occupational therapy. She plans to earn her master’s degree in ABA therapy. Erin went to Mazatlán, Mexico, this past March to serve at orphanages and had the opportunity to work at an orphanage that housed children with disabilities.
Leia Peterman • Camp Counselor
Leia is a student athlete at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) where she plays on the women’s soccer team. Her major is biology, and she hopes to attend graduate school for genetic counseling. Leia has two younger brothers – Andrew, who is 10 years old, and Jacob, who is 17. Leia is looking forward to all the activities and field trips at camp this year and is excited to meet everyone.
Megan Saunders • Camp Counselor
Megan is a junior health science major with a Spanish minor at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. Her hobbies include drinking copious amounts of coffee and reading. She has been involved with CampAbility for the past two years and is so happy to be part of this incredible experience this summer.
Alexa Susemichel • Camp Counselor
Alexa is a sophomore Ball State University majoring in exercise science with a minor in the psychology of human development and a concentration in occupational therapy. Alexa has a younger brother and sister who are her best friends and an amazing mom and dad. She loves being with family, traveling, shopping, hiking and anything that involves being outside and enjoying nature. She is very adventurous; last year she went skydiving with her dad. This is Alexa’s first year at CampAbility.
Jamie Whalley • Camp Counselor
Jamie is from Lafayette, Indiana, where she is a student at IUPUI majoring in elementary education with a dual certification in special education. Her family is her everything; her mom lives in Lafayette and she has a sister who lives in Chicago with her brother-in-law and ADORABLE niece. Jamie has two dogs, Daisy and Gizmo. Jamie coaches a local high school volleyball team in Lafayette. This is her first year at CampAbility and she is very excited for this opportunity!

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:55-04:00June 27, 2017|Our Blog|

Camp FUEL Staff

Summer means camp season for our Easterseals Crossroads families and we offer quite a selection of camps designed for children and adolescents. Our Camp FUEL is designed for adolescents with disabilities and special needs who are ages 11 – 17 years old.
Meet our Camp FUEL staff — an amazing group of people who are revved up for summer fun!
Angie Hilligoss • Manager, Respite Services
Angie joined us two years ago as a lead counselor at CampAbility; she liked it so much that she was quick to accept the position as our manager of respite services when it became available. Angie oversees all of our respite programs, which include not only our summer camps, but our
Parents’ Night Out, Teen Night Out and CHEER (adult respite). Angie received her degree in child development from Owens College; she has over 20 years of experience working with children with special needs and disabilities and we are thrilled that she has made Easterseals Crossroads her home!
Bailey Brown • Counselor
Bailey graduated from Trine University with her two bachelor’s of science degrees in exercise science and psychology. She is taking the next year off to apply and prepare for grad school for occupational therapy. She played on the lacrosse team throughout her college career, as well as serving as a resident assistant for three years, and is a member of Theta Phi Alpha. This is her third year at Camp FUEL.
Loren Crisp • Speech-Language Pathologist
Loren Crisp is a speech-language pathologist at Easterseals Crossroads who works with students of all ages and abilities in our facilities and charter schools in the community. He graduated from Indiana University in 2016 with his master’s degree in speech-language pathology. This is Loren’s first year working with Camp FUEL, and he is especially excited to meet new campers and help them practice their communication skills as they build and renew friendships. Loren enjoys photography and spending time outside. He and his wife are excited to meet their first child this summer!
Kelly Hendricks • Counselor
Kelly graduated from the University of Indianapolis with a double major in social work and psychology. She will be starting her master’s degree in social work this August. Kelly has been working at Parents’ Night Out since 2013 and is looking forward to her third year at Camp FUEL! Kelly is also celebrating her recent engagement to her college sweetheart!
Tyler Napier • Speech-Language Pathologist
Tyler Napier has been a speech/language pathologist at Easterseals Crossroads for 7 years, working in clinics/schools with children of all ages and abilities. He also works with children under 3 in the First Steps program. He has been involved in CampAbility and Camp Fuel most summers during his time at Easterseals Crossroads. He graduated with his master’s degree from the University of Connecticut in 2010. In his spare time, Tyler loves to travel, listen to music, try new restaurants and swim. He is looking forward to meeting the campers and helping them have a great summer!
Sami Schweiger • Counselor
Sami graduated from Ball State University with a degree in special education (intense interventions). She has lots of experience working with children and adults with disabilities through her work at Ball State and as a direct service professional. She has also recently accepted a teaching position at Ben Davis High School as a life skills teacher and is excited to have her own classroom in the fall.
Learn more about Camp FUEL

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00June 20, 2017|Our Blog|

June 15 – June 22 . . .
National Certified Nursing Assistant Week

This week in June is dedicated to Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) in celebration of the many contributions made by CNAs. A CNA typically helps patients, clients or consumers with healthcare needs under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
CNAs are typically employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes or rehabilitation centers. CNAs deliver immediate, hands-on care to individuals and in addition to medical knowledge and certification, they possess

Strong decision-making skills
Respect for the individuals whom they serve
Attention to detail
Great communication skills
Problem solving skills
Creativity
High ethical standards and integrity
Ability to develop and maintain interpersonal relationships

Easterseals Crossroads employees CNAs to work in our Adult Day Services programs at our South and Main locations. Our CNAs assist with daily programming in our blended social and medical models of day services for adults 18+ years of age with developmental or acquired disabilities. We meet the needs of all consumers in a safe, supportive environment.
O cna assisting with daily living skills cooking ur CNAs provide supervision and assistance with activities of daily living and include social and skill building activities such as group exercise, memory strengthening activities, current event lectures/discussions, games, creative expression, pet therapy, computer literacy, skills training/education and scheduled outings.
Thank you to our CNAs!
Willowbrook                            Thompson Road
Rochelle Brown                         DaShawn Meadows
Robin Johnson                          Brittni Viles
Michelle Mickles
Scott Wilcher
Learn more about Adult Day Services at Easterseals Crossroads.

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00June 15, 2017|Our Blog|

Celebrating Ten

submitted by Nikol Prieto
In 2007 Easterseals Crossroads partnered with the State of Indiana- Bureau of Rehabilitative Services to establish The Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA) Project. The INDATA Project is one of 56 similar federally funded projects designed to increase access and awareness of assistive technology.
“The term “assistive technology device” means any item, piece of equipment, or product system,whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase,maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.”
–Assistive Technology Act of 1998
To increase access and awareness, the INDATA Project provides

information and referral
funding assistance
public awareness and education
device demonstration
device loan
reutilized computer and equipment reutilization

The INDATA Project spreads the word about assistive technology through full-day trainings, YouTube videos, podcasts and social media. We hold 4 full-day trainings per year and have produced over 400 tech tip videos that have had over 411,000 views. We use social media channels to post 5 blog posts each week that are pushed out through platforms such as Twitter (with 3K followers) and Facebook (with over 950 followers). We also spread the word about assistive technology at public events with a presence at 40-50 events throughout the year and we present at 10-20 universities throughout the state of Indiana. We now have 3 podcasts and those podcasts get an average of 10,000 downloads a month where they are heard in 165 countries.
The INDATA Project has i fun image of assistive tech ninja sayings ncreased access to assistive technology through device demonstration, equipment loans and computer reutilization with an average of 176 demonstrations per year and over 1100 device loans per year. Device loans help people make educated decisions about what type of technology is the most useful for them prior to purchasing equipment. The program gives away almost 200 reutilized computers yearly to people who have a disability, live in the state of Indiana and who could not afford a computer.
The INDATA Project is proud of all we have accomplished in the 10 years we have had the grant. Daily, we see how assistive technology is improving the lives of people with disabilities and we look forward to continuing to spread awareness and increase access to as many Hoosiers as possible.
Happy Anniversary to our INDATA Project staff members who include:

Wade Wingler, Vice President of Technology
Brian Norton, Director of AT
Nikol Prieto, Community Outreach Coordinator
June White, Administrative Assistant
Laura Medcalf, Social Media Content Specialist
Justin Amber, Equipment Lending Specialist
Steve Carter, Equipment Assistant
Alvin Alviar, ReUse Coordinator
Tracy Castillo, ReUse Technician

Learn more about the INDATA Project

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00June 8, 2017|Our Blog|

Build your Parenting Toolkit

Tracy Gale, PsyD, HSPP, and Emmaleigh Badeaux, BS
Children’s tantrums can be challenging for parents. Tantrums can be triggered by the desire to obtain access to a favorite item, to escape a situation, to get attention or to meet a sensory need. Luckily, there are strategies for making such outbursts less frequent while also teaching our children better ways to communicate their needs.
Here are some time-tested techniques:
Tell your child what to do, instead of what not to do.
When directions are stated in a positive manner, they quickly inform a child of your expectations. Instead of telling your child to “stop running,” say “please walk” to clearly and positively state your expectation for behavior.
Praise your child specifically.
When praising your child, be specific about what they did to earn it. Instead of saying, “Good job” try “Good job walking down the hall!” Again, this is an effort to identify expectations plainly. When a child knows how to earn praise, they are more likely to engage in appropriate behaviors.
Provide choices.
When you give a command, try to phrase it as a choice. That way, the choice is not whether to complete the task, but instead how to complete it. Aim to provide two choices within the command, such as, “Would you like to sit in the red or blue chair at the table?” Identify your goal, as well as possible choices.
Ke two children at table eating lunch ep in mind that as children attempt to balance their desire for independence with their current skills, tantrums are bound to occur. Children often become frustrated with the discrepancies between what they want to do and what they can do. If we increase their skills by clearly stating expectations, acknowledging their strengths, and providing opportunities for decision-making, their frustration and tantrums will decrease, and everyone will feel better-equipped.
Contact us for more information about behavior strategies for your child.

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00June 1, 2017|Our Blog|

Recognizing Speech-Language Professionals

As May comes to a close, we want to thank our Speech-Language professionals who assist the many individuals in our community who are living with communication disorders.
We thank our highly-skilled speech-language pathologists and professionals:

Theresa Armstrong
Erin Bailey
Chantal Bibeau
Hillary Brinson
Loren Crisp
Amy Downer
Sara George
Raynell Herring
Hayleigh Kanzler
Erin Mayer
Kat Muir
Tyler Napier
Joni Prihoda
Wendy Strickland
Mary Zagzebski

Accordin speech pathologist working with young boy g to the US Department of Health & Human Services, approximately 46 million Americans experience some form of communication disorder. A communication disorder can affect all aspects of an individual’s life — from social and recreational activities to educational and vocational areas.
Each year, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association join resources to create awareness of communication disorders.
Learn more about speech-language therapy at Easterseals Crossroads

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00May 25, 2017|Our Blog|

Resolving Sibling Conflicts

Tracy Gale, PsyD, HSPP and Emmaleigh Badeaux, BS
One of the most common behavioral challenges reported by families is sibling conflict. Siblings live in close proximity, compete for limited resources, and may have rivaling goals, resulting in frequent conflict. Although such conflict is unpleasant for all involved, it presents an exceptional opportunity for children to learn a variety of skills, including perspective taking, affect regulation, negotiation, cooperation, and strategies for handling anger. Sibling conflict creates opportunities for learning and practicing these and other skills. Caregivers can support this learning by following some simple rules:

Approach your children as a neutral third party. Deescalate each child, and set ground rules for the conversation.
Identify the issues, allowing each child to explain their perspective. To ensure understanding, have each child repeat what their sibling said, without judgment or additional details. This may require you to remind children to keep their comments short or to break them into multiple comments.
Guide your children towards solutions that are future-focused, encouraging them to come up with compromises, discuss their feelings, and come up with a plan. They will be more inclined to adhere to the solution if they have ownership over it, and the process of negotiating a solution is valuable in itself.
After the conflict has been resolved, privately speak with each child and provide specific praise for the skills that they exhibited.

During moments of familial harmony, be sure to describe positive social behaviors that you would like your children to exhibit. Explicit instruction will advance their social skills, and by teaching them when they are calm, your child will be better able to learn and practice the skills. Also, reward your children for engaging in appropriate conflict resolution, playing together without conflict, sharing, celebrating a sibling’s victory, losing gracefully, and showing appreciation for each other in order to increase the likelihood of their engaging in such behaviors in the future.
Contact us for more information about behavioral services for families

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00May 17, 2017|Our Blog|

Career Expo 2017 for Job Seekers

Wednesday, May 17, 2017 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Sponsored by
Anthem, Inc. | Dick’s Sporting Goods | Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis | Knowledge Services | RPM Pizza Midwest LLC | TownePark | UIndy Dining Services | UPS
Easterseals Crossroads | 4740 Kingsway Drive | Indianapolis, IN 46205
Are you a job seeker with a disability?
If so, Career Expo is for you! Returning to Easterseals Crossroads for the fourth year, this one-day career event brings employers and qualified candidates together. We have partnered with the State of Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Midtown Community Mental Health and Sycamore Services to make this event possible.
You must register to attend Career Expo 2017. Job seekers can register to attend Career Expo during the morning from 10 a.m – 12 p.m. or during the afternoon from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Job seekers can opt to attend a one-half hour presentation “Networking to Make the Best Impression” prior to visiting Career Expo. This presentation will be offered at 9:30 a.m. – 10 a.m. for individuals who wish to attend the morning session of Career Expo and again from 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m. for individuals who wish to attend the afternoon session of Career Expo. You must register to attend a presentation, as well.
View a full list of businesses scheduled to attend Career Expo
View some tips on Career Fair Strategies

Error: Contact form not found.

Katie Harris2021-06-29T12:51:56-04:00May 4, 2017|Our Blog|

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