Byesville Rotary learns Guernsey County Developmental Disabilities provides services to many age groups

Pictured:1) GCDD staff members--Tanya Hitchens, Deb Gingerich, Joe Rosen, and Kelly Burkhart.

Pictured 2) GCDD staff members--Michael Jackson, Deb Gingerich, Tanya Hitchens, and Joe Ford.

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny is this Saturday, March 23, 8:30-11:30am, at the Stop Nine Church of Christ Youth Center. If you can't volunteer to help--show up for a great breakfast.

Reading for March 26: March Rotarian, "Talking with Korea's 'mother of medicine', " p. 13 and "World roundup," p. 14-15.

Guernsey County Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) offers a range of services to people with disabilities of all ages. PLAY (Play and Language for Autistic Youngsters) is a new program being offered for autistic children. Kelly Burkhart stated that in 1950, 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed as autistic. By 2012, the number increased to1 in 88.

  

Research indicates many autistic children respond well to early training on how to interact with other. Burkhart stated that the PLAY program combines two effective methods to help very young children learn: 1) babies learn well through play, and 2) parents are a child’s best play partners. Trained GCDD staff teach parents on how to play effectively and how to use everyday occurrences as learning opportunities for their children. She recommends that parents spend 25 hours a week playing with their autistic child. 

Joe Rosen, who is trained to work with children aged birth to three, explained he teaches parents how to develop behaviors that encourage autistic children to interact with world around them. Tips for parents of autistic children include parents setting rules that limit TV time and use of technology by the child. Rosen pointed out that the basic technique involves teaching parents how to enter the child’s world and engage with their child on his level. 

At a higher level of the age spectrum, GCDD offer the “Bridges to Transition” program aimed at young adults 14-22. Deb Gingerich explained that this program is designed to help young adults prepare for job interviews and for successfully keeping a permanent job
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Gingerich said that building an effective program is important because evidence indicates that once a person with disabilities enters a sheltered workshop, they rarely leave to get a permanent job in the community. The Bridges program works to insure that disabled clients become independent members of the community. 

Joe Ford is a Guernsey Industries vender. One of the first steps for a GCDD client to become an independent worker is to participate in a 4 week summer program. The client is assigned to a job coach who helps the client to develop good work habits. The goal is to have the client develop work skills needed to get and keep a job in the community. Ford’s role is to match GCDD clients with job in their area of interest
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Michael Jackson works to get employers to give GCDD clients an opportunity to interview for a job. He stated the first step a client must take is to identify what kind of work he or she would like. The second step is to teach the client what he or she needs to learn to reach their goal. This step is challenging because GCDD staff wants to help clients grow and not become discouraged.

The club meets 7:30 am every Tuesday at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary can call Membership Chairs Marty Patchen, 740-685-3828, or Evelyn Spring, 740-439-4343.