Fall 2014 - Service Dogs

Thank You for Your Service, Dog

Fall 2014Connecting

Raising Special KidsFamilies Helping Families

Staff SpotlightRachel Hanzuk - Administrative Assistant

The first voice families often hear when they call Raising Special Kids is Rachel Hanzuk’s. Rachel has a keen ear for finding the right place to start when helping families.

Rachel remembers struggling emotionally when her son Patrick was born. His diagnosis of Down syndrome started the Hanzuk family on a new and unexpected journey. “I did not know where to turn. I had no idea there was an organization who helped new moms like me. I thought I was destined for despair.” She connected with a support group, and she began to recognize the power of parent-to-parent support.

When Patrick was a toddler, Rachel attended a presentation on inclusion. She recalls, “Most of the stuff was above my head as my son was more than a year away from entering his first preschool classroom. But, the seed was planted; to begin with the end in mind.”

Rachel epitomizes the term ‘team player.’ Since Patrick, now 11, began school, she has worked with the school team to ensure success in the general education classroom.

In her self-described ‘previous life,’ Rachel traveled around the globe leading tours and helping others discover the as yet unknown-to-them treasures of the world’s most iconic locations. Now, it’s no coincidence that she uses those skills to welcome and help guide families on a similar treasure-seeking journey with their children.

“I am a caregiver by nature and I really enjoy being the welcoming face and voice for Raising Special Kids.” She adds, “I find it most rewarding when I receive a frantic call from a parent, and by the end of the conversation I can hear them breathing at a normal rate.”

Connecting is published by Raising Special Kids

5025 E. Washington St., #204 Phoenix, AZ 85034

602-242-4366 • 800-237-3007 Fax: 602-242-4306

raisingspecialkids.org [email protected]

Flagstaff Office928-444-8802

Tucson Office 520-441-4007

Yuma Office928-444-8803

STAFFJoyce Millard Hoie Executive Director

Anna Burgmann, Brianna Carreras, Cat Coscia, Gloria Demara, Kathy Freeman,

Vickie French, Kathy Gray-Mangerson, Rachel Hanzuk, Denise Hauer,

Marie Hoie, Wendi Howe, Maureen Mills, Janna Murrell, Kim Obert,

Gabriela Parra, Dolores Rios Herrera,Vicky Rozich, Nannette Salasek,

Paulina Serna, Peggy Storrs,Nilda Townsend, Kathleen Temple, Christopher Tiffany, Alice Villarreal,

Leslie Williams, Neil Wintle

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPaula Banahan, President

Blanca Esparza-Pap, Vice President Elizabeth Freeburg, Treasurer,

Tom Batson, Secretary Barbara BrentLeslie Cohen Tonya Gray Karen HindsMike Horne

Regan Iker-Lopez Jennifer Kupiszewski

Jacob Robertson Gabriela Sanchez-Orozco

Dr. Wade ShraderKarin Smith

Janelle Tassart

Parent to Parent support is the heart of Raising Special Kids. Information about local

services, educational programs, advocacy, or special health care needs is available in

Spanish and English. Services are provided at no charge to families in Arizona.

Raising Special Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Thank You for Your Service, Dog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Facilitated IEP . . . . . . . . . . . 4Workshops & Training . . . . 5Family Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Referrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Gracias por sus servicios . . . 6Talleres y Entrenamientos . . 7

Contents Contenido

raisingspecialkids.org

1raisingspecialkids.org

Thank You for Your Service, Dog.

Human beings have long depended on dogs to provide protection, affection, emotional sup-port, comfort, and companionship. Some dogs are even capable of performing specific functional tasks that benefit an individual with a disability. Known as service animals, these dogs allow great-er access to places, help remove barriers to oppor-tunities, and offer a more independent life for an individual with a disability. Sometimes service animals are identified by the type of work they do, such as ‘guide dog,’ ‘seizure dog’ or ‘mobility dog.’ However, a service animal may provide more than one type of support (such as guidance and seizure detection for a person with vision impairment and a seizure disorder). The generic term ‘service dog” has replaced the previous usage, provid-ing a level of privacy for the individual that does not disclose their specif-ic disability. Jen Turrell’s daugh-ters have autism. They also have service dogs. Turrell heard about service dogs for indi-viduals with autism at an event she attended soon after Tallulah, her oldest daughter, was diagnosed with autism. Turrell’s hope was to have a dog trained to help Tallulah stay nearby, explaining that her daughter “is prone to bolting and an expert at hiding.” It wasn’t until Turrell saw their daughter with one of the trained dogs that her eyes were opened to other possibilities. She explained, “Tallulah was not able to put her socks on by herself, although taking them off was a piece of cake for her.” Recalling the events of the day Turrell continued, “She was excited about the dog and brought over every toy she had with her to share. After that, she brought over one of her discarded socks, put it on the dog’s paw, and then put the sock on her own foot for the first time! It was so exciting!”However, Turrell found both the cost and the

training proved to be more challenging than she anticipated. Tallulah’s dog, Dahanna, was trained by an agency before arriving at their home (in-cluding water rescue), but the family also had to participate in a ‘boot camp’ to become certified as handlers through the service dog agency, Arizona Goldens LLC. Turrell’s younger daughter Myffanwy (Myffy for short) was diagnosed with autism around the same time that Tallulah got her service dog. Myffy is more talkative than her sister and was not shy about imitating and interrupting her les-sons which made training and bonding difficult for Tallulah and Dahanna. The trainer suggested getting another service dog for Myffy. Myffy’s dog, Carebear, is a ‘career change

dog.’ Carebear had trained to help some-one in a wheelchair but never received an as-signment. With just a little more training to meet Myffy’s needs, Carebear finally found her human. Dahanna and Carebear can chase and follow the girls if they take off without supervision and circle them until a responsi-ble adult arrives to help. The dogs also allow the

girls to have their own room. When the girls wake up, Turrell or her husband are alerted with a wet-nosed nudge. When visiting with family in the United King-dom, Carebear traveled with the girls. Turrell rec-ommends families begin planning far in advance to find out if there are different rules your desti-nation may have for service dogs. Because their family will be returning for future visits, they were issued a pet passport for Carebear. (A pet passport requires a visit to a veterinarian licensed in the European Union but makes it much easier to enter countries within the EU.) You can read about Turrell’s family on her blog at http://jenand-stew.com/blog. continued on page 2

2 raisingspecialkids.org

Service dogs can be very expensive. Estimates are between $15,000 and $35,000 per dog. Some agen-cies have scholarship or donation programs for people who qualify. When faced with a long wait-ing list to receive a dog, some parents are starting to train their pets to become service animals. Jade Whitney is a service dog trainer and han-dler with Team Canine, Inc. She has worked with families to train their pets to act as service dogs. When asked about how easy it is for dogs to make the switch, she explained, “Although not legally required, specialized vests or leads [leashes] that you only use when your dog is working can help signal to them that they are ‘on the job’ and that they need to act a certain way.” She added, “It’s sort of like a uniform.” Not every dog is cut out to be a ser-vice dog but many different breeds of dogs can be trained to perform jobs for individuals with disabilities. The Assistance Dogs International web-site notes that many assistance or service dogs are Golden Retrievers and Labradors. Their personal-ities typically make for a good service dog. How-ever, there are examples of many other breeds that have been successfully trained as service dogs. What is important is matching the needs of the person with the dog’s personality and size. For example, a dog whose job is to provide stability for an individual to stand would need to be suf-ficiently large and sturdy enough to allow the person to lift or stand safely. A small dog might not be right for that job, but might be perfect for signaling a ringing telephone for a person with a hearing impairment. Currently, there is no official agency that reg-ulates or certifies service dogs. Several agencies have their own certification processes but there is a movement toward standardized requirements and certifications. Many agencies are affiliated with Assistance Dogs International which pro-

vides suggested standards for service dogs per-forming specific jobs (e.g. guide dog, hearing dog) as well as suggested minimum standards for pub-lic appropriateness for any service dog (see box). Service dogs may go anywhere a member of the public can go. Public places may not exclude service animals even if they have a ‘no pets’ pol-icy. In Arizona it is considered discrimination to require an individual to disclose disability-related information to prove their dog is a service animal. However, it is acceptable for a business to ask someone if their dog is a service animal being used because of a disability, and what tasks the dog has

been trained to perform. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service animals “must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individu-al’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other ef-fective controls.” Many states have laws against

service animal misrepresentation. Besides performing work for individuals, dogs can provide support in other ways. An emotional support animal (ESA), according to the Michigan State University Animal Legal & Historical Center, “is a companion animal that provides therapeutic benefit to an individual with a mental or psychiat-ric disability.” One key difference between a ser-vice animal an emotional support animal is that an ESA does not require any specific training. A therapy dog provides affection and com-fort to people in places like hospitals, retirement homes and schools. They differ from service dogs and ESAs because they are providing support or therapy to more than one person and those people are not their handlers or owners. Cindy Ferrante is a Speech Language Thera-pist in the public school system with more than 25 years of experience and a Masters in Special Ed-ucation. She believes that “children with special

continued from page 1


needs learn more when exposed to a variety of ele-ments, incorporating all five senses.” To assist her students, she works with Gus, her trusty golden retriever, in her classroom and in her private prac-tice as a way to encourage communication. Some children are more willing to have a conversation with Gus than with her and that’s fine with Cindy. Some researchers are collecting data to provide proof that pet therapy is beneficial. The Sam and Myra Ross Institute in Brewster, NY recently be-gan studying what happens when certified ther-apy dogs are included in therapy sessions with groups of children who have autism. One of the researchers noted the students are more enthu-siastic about attending the therapy sessions and

may provide a basis for the students to get more out of those sessions. Whether helping someone safely cross a street, warning of danger, or assisting a little girl with autism to wait patiently and safely near her mom in a crowded store, service animals provide safe-ty, comfort, and convenience. It’s clear dogs can be more than man’s best friend; they can also help people with disabilities to have the same access and opportunities as everyone else. If you want to speak with another parent who is experienced with service animals, call Raising Special Kids at (800) 237-3007.

Photos by Brian Daughtery. Used with permission. Arizona Goldens, LLC. http://www.azgoldensllc.com.

Standards for Assistance Dogs in PublicAssistance Dogs International : Assistance Dogs in Public, http://www.assis-tancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/assistance-dogs-in-pub-lic/ (accessed August 14, 2014)

Public Appropriateness• Clean, and does not have an offensive odor.• Does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate loca-

tions.

Behavior• Does not solicit attention, visit or annoy any member

of the general public.• Does not disrupt the normal course of business or vocalize unnecessarily, i.e. barking, growl-

ing or whining.• Shows no aggression towards people or other animals.• Refrains from soliciting or stealing food or other items from the general public.

Training• Specifically trained to perform three or more tasks to mitigate aspects of the client’s disabil-

ity.• Works calmly and quietly on harness, leash or other tether.• Able to perform its tasks in public.• Must be able to lie quietly beside the handler without blocking aisles, doorways, etc.• Trained to urinate and defecate on command.• Stays within 24″ of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it to be

working at a greater distance.


Parent Leaders are the Heart of Raising Special KidsMay-July, 2014. Thank You!

Avondale Jennifer PriddyBuckeye Jill Nico Cave Creek Kat RiveraChandler Dawn Bailey Marti Baio Martha Burrer Samantha Flores Kristina Hunt Lisa Myers Cathy Turner

Noelle WhiteEl Mirage Rosa Ramirez Natalie TrujilloFlagstaff April Judd Cindy May Tina Rabe Jen TurrellGilbert Louise Murphy Heather ProutyGlendale Meriah Houser

Cathy Humphrey Dawn Kurbat Susan SunseriMesa Kim Cohill Cynthia Elliott Christy Holstad Kristina Park Danielle Pollett Kari Taylor Erika VillanuevaPeoria Lisa Aaroe Sharon Blanton

Tricia MucklowPhoenix Ana Arjona Jeannie Bremerkamp Inilda Christensen Nancy Gunderson Nicole Kauffman Maura Knoell Cynthia Macluskie Heather Magdelano Kathy McDonald Kelly Morris Gloria Rodriguez Ched Salasek

Michael Sanderfer Sherri Scruggs Paulina TiffanyRio Rico Maria Scholnick San Tan Valley Elizabeth Bird Latasha WhitakerScottsdale Lynn Michels Katie PetersenTempe Janet Romo Laurie Shook

Raising Special Kids Helped Me Develop My Toolbox Jill remembers being in the recovery room the day her son Jon was born. When her husband re-turned to her side after checking on the baby, she described him as “changed.” The doctor then ex-plained to her what he had already shared with her husband; he had identified a few markers for Trisomy 21. When the doc-tor used the more common term, Down syndrome, Jill’s limited understanding and experience provided her with a not-so-optimistic vision for her son’s future. It did not take Jill long to adjust to what she refers to as “the new normal” which included weekly visits from an early interventionist and various therapists. Jill con-nected with other families of children with Down syn-drome and the fears Jill felt the day he was born began to subside. Life went along smoothly until Jon was in first grade. His teacher was not as eager or adept at in-cluding Jon, as was his Kindergarten teacher who was enthusiastic and creative. Jill reached out to Raising Special Kids. She recalls, “One of the most important things I’ve learned from Raising Special Kids is that parents are valuable members of any

team decision-making process and their participa-tion is required by law. Parents are powerful when given the right tools and Raising Special Kids helped me develop my toolbox.” Jill feels Jon has also provided her with a “unique perspective” in her current position as a

program advisor with Disability Resources and Services at Estrella Mountain Community College. Jill recognizes the students she works with as “risk-takers and overcomers” and hopes her experience with them will help her help Jon when it is time for him to make post-high school plans. It is a very different and much more fulfilled fu-

ture than Jill envisioned the day he was born. Jill has continued to expand her toolbox as Jon has gotten older and other parents often turn to her for advice. “I regularly refer parents to Raising Special Kids and I tell them how much the orga-nization has helped me. I explain that the Fami-ly Support Specialists really understand because they are parents, too. And, most importantly, Rais-ing Special Kids never turns anyone away.”


Save The Date

March 21, 2015

Celebrate the

Fabulous 50s

Phoenix Art Museum

Raising Special Kids’ Party With a Purpose

No Cost Workshops & TrainingRegister online at www.raisingspecialkids.org or call 800-237-3007

PhoenixDisability Empowerment Center5025 E Washington St #204Phoenix, AZ 85034Our office is a fragrance-free envi-ronment.

Bully PreventionSat, Oct 25, 1-3 pm High School TransitionSat, Sep 27, 10 am-12 pmIEP TrainingSat, Oct 25, 10 am-12 pmSat, Nov 15, 1-3 pmThu, Dec 4, 6-8 pm Positive Behavior SupportTue, Oct 14, 6-8 pmThu, Nov 6, 6-8 pm Sat, Dec 13, 10 am-12 pmPreschool to KindergartenThu, Nov 6, 6-8 pmSat, Dec 13, 1-3 pm

Turning 18 - Legal OptionsSat, Sep 27, 1-3 pm Tue, Oct 14, 6-8 pm Sat, Nov15, 10 am-12 pmThu, Dec 4, 6-8pm

Northern Arizona100 N West St #300Flagstaff, AZ 86004Early Intervention ConferenceSat, Nov 15, 9am-3:30pm AzEIP to Preschool Transition Organizing Your Child’s Records Parent Professional Collaboration

Organizing Your Child’s RecordsWed, Sep 17, 5:30-7:30pm

Understanding 504Wed, Oct 22, 5:30-7:30pm

Southern ArizonaYoung Adult TransitionConferenceFri, Oct 17, 9am-3:30pmGoodwill Career Center3097 S. 8th AvenueYuma, AZ 85364 High School Transition Journey to Adulthood Turning 18 - Legal Options

IEP TrainingTue, Oct 21, 6-8pm Flowing Wells School District4605 N La Cholla BlvdTucson, AZ 85705

Positive Behavior SupportWed, Oct 22, 9-11 am Van Buskirk Elementary School725 E Fair StTucson, AZ 85714


Gracias a los perros de servicio.

Los seres humanos han dependido de los perros desde hace mucho tiempo para que les brinden pro-tección, afecto, apoyo emocional, consuelo y com-pañía. Algunos perros hasta son capaces de realizar tareas funcionales específicas de las que pueden beneficiarse las personas con discapacidad. Se con-ocen como animales de servicio. Los perros mejoran el acceso a determinados lugares, ayudan a superar dificultades y le permiten tener una vida más inde-pendiente a las personas con discapacidad. Las hijas de Jen Turrell tienen autismo. Tam-bién tienen perros de servicio. Turrell se enteró de los perros de servicio para personas con autismo en un evento al que asistió poco después de que se le diagnosticara autismo a Tallulah, su hija mayor. La esperanza de Turrell era tener un perro entrenado para ayudar a Tallulah a mantenerse cerca, porque, como explica, su hija “solía escaparse y era una ex-perta en esconderse”. No fue sino hasta que vio a su hija con uno de los perros entrenados que descu-brió un mundo de posibilidades. “Tallulah no podía ponerse los calcetines por sí misma”, indicó Turrell, quien continuó rememorando los eventos del día que llevó el perro a casa: “estaba emocionada por el perro y trajo todos los juguetes que tenía para com-partir. Después trajo uno de sus calcetines y se lo puso en la pata al perro… y luego se lo puso en el pie por primera vez en la historia”. Sin embargo, Turrell descubrió que el costo y el entrenamiento del perro representaban más dificul-tades de las que esperaba. El perro de Tallulah fue entrenado por una agencia antes de llegar a casa –incluso para rescate en el agua– y la familia tam-bién tuvo que participar en un entrenamiento para certificarse como cuidadores a través de la agencia de perros de servicio. Los perros de servicio pueden ser muy costo-sos. Algunos estimados están entre 15.000 y 35.000 dólares por perro. Algunas agencias tienen becas o programas de donación para personas que sean elegibles. Al verse en largas listas de espera, algunos padres están comenzando a entrenar a sus mascotas como animales de servicio. No todos los perros tienen aptitudes para de-sempeñarse como perros de servicio, pero muchas razas de perro pueden entrenarse para realizar tar-eas para personas con discapacidad. En la página

web de la organización Assistance Dogs Interna-tional se destaca que muchos perros de asistencia o de servicio son golden retrievers y labradores. Su personalidad hace que sean buenos perros de servi-cio. Lo importante es que las necesidades de la per-sona coincidan con la personalidad y tamaño del perro. Por ejemplo, un perro cuyo trabajo sea pro-porcionarle estabilidad a una persona para que se levante debe ser lo suficientemente grande para que la persona pueda impulsarse o levantarse de forma segura. Un perro pequeño no sería el adecuado para esa labor, pero podría ser perfecto para señalarle a una persona con deficiencias auditivas que el teléfo-no está sonando. En la actualidad, no hay ninguna agencia oficial que regule o certifique perros de servicio. Muchas agencias están afiliadas a la organización Assistance Dogs International, la cual proporciona estándares sugeridos para perros de servicio que realicen tar-eas específicas y estándares mínimos sugeridos de convivencia pública para perros de servicio. Los perros de servicio pueden ir a todos los lug-ares a los que las personas pueden ir. Los sitios pú-blicos no pueden excluir a los animales de servicio aunque tengan una política de no admitir mascotas. En Arizona se considera como un acto de discrimi-nación solicitarle a una persona información sobre su discapacidad para demostrar que el perro es un animal de servicio. Sin embargo, es válido que un comerciante le pregunte si su perro es un animal de servicio que se utiliza por una discapacidad y qué tareas está entrenado para hacer. Conforme a la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (Ameri-cans with Disabilities Act), los animales de servicio “deben estar con arnés, correa, o atados, salvo que estos implementos interfieran con el trabajo del ani-mal de servicio o que la discapacidad de la persona impida su uso”. Muchos estados tienen leyes contra las declaraciones falsas sobre los animales de servi-cio. Además de desempeñar tareas por las perso-nas, los perros pueden ayudar de otras formas. Un animal de apoyo emocional (ESA, por sus siglas en inglés) es un animal de compañía que proporciona beneficios terapéuticos a personas con problemas mentales o psiquiátricos. Una diferencia clave entre un animal de servicio y uno de apoyo emocional es


que este último no requiere ningún entrenamiento específico. Cindy Ferrante es terapeuta del lenguaje y tra-baja en el sistema de educación pública. Considera que “los niños con necesidades especiales aprenden más cuando están expuestos a una variedad de el-ementos que incorporen los cinco sentidos”. Para ayudar a sus estudiantes, trabaja con Gus, su confi-able golden retriever. Algunos niños están más dis-puestos a conversar con Gus que con Cindy. Ya sea ayudando a alguien a cruzar una calle de forma segura, advirtiendo algún peligro o haciendo

que una niña con autismo espere pacientemente y a salvo cerca de su madre en una tienda repleta, los animales de servicio proporcionan seguridad, aliv-io y ventajas. Está claro que el perro puede ser más que el mejor amigo del hombre. Los perros también pueden ayudar a las personas con discapacidades a tener el mismo acceso y oportunidades. Si desea comunicarse con Raising Special Kids para hablar con otros padres con experiencia con animales de servicio, llame a nuestra oficina al (800) 237-3007.

Fotos por Brian Daughtery. Utilizado con permiso.Arizona Goldens, LLC. http://www.azgoldensllc.com.

Central ArizonaDisability Empowerment Center 5025 E Washington St #204Phoenix, AZ 85034Somos una oficina libre de fragrancias.

Cumpliendo los 18 –Opciones LegalesVie. 9/26/2014, 10-11:30 amVie. 10/17/2014, 10-11:30 am Vie. 11/7/2014, 10-11:30 am Vie. 12/5/2014, 10-11:30 am

Entrenamiento del IEPSáb. 9/27/2014, 1-3 pm Sáb. 10/25/2014, 10 am-12 pmSáb. 11/15/2014, 10 am-12 pm Sáb. 12/13/2014 10 am-12 pm

El Comportamiento PositivoSáb. 9/27/2014, 10-12 pmSáb. 10/25/2014, 1-3 pm Sáb. 11/15/2014, 1-3 pmSáb. 12/13/2014, 1-3 pm

Southern Arizona El Comportamiento Positivo Mié. 10/22/2014, 9-11 amVan Buskirk Elementary SchoolTucson, AZ 85714Conferencia sobre Transición para Adultos JóvenesVie. 10/17/2014, 9am-3:30pmGoodwill Career Center3097 S 8th AveYuma, AZ 85364

Talleres y Entrenamiento Sin CostoRegístrese en línea en www.raisingspecialkids.org o llame al 800-237-3007

Perros de asistencia en públicoAssistance Dogs International : Assistance Dogs in Public, http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assis-tance-dogs/assistance-dogs-in-public/ (accessed August 14, 2014)

Convivencia pública • El perro debe estar limpio y no tener un olor desagradable.• El perro no debe orinar ni defecar en lugares inapropiados.

Comportamiento• El perro no debe solicitar atención, acercarse ni molestar a ninguna

persona del público.• El perro no debe interrumpir el curso normal del negocio.• El perro no debe vocalizar innecesariamente, es decir, ladrar, gruñir o gimotear. • El perro no debe mostrarse agresivo con otras personas o animales.• El perro no debe pedirle alimentos ni otros artículos ni robárselos a las personas del público.

Entrenamiento• El perro debe estar específicamente entrenado para realizar tres o más tareas que minimicen dificulta-

des de personas con discapacidad • El perro trabaja con calma y tranquilidad en el arnés, correa u otra atadura. • El perro es capaz de realizar sus tareas en público. • El perro debe ser capaz de permanecer echado en silencio al lado del guía sin bloquear pasillos, puer-

tas, etc.• El perro está entrenado para orinar y defecar en el comando. • El perro se queda dentro de las 24 pulgadas de su manejador en todo momento a menos que a natu-

raleza de una tarea entrenada exige que sea trabajar a una distancia mayor


ABIL April ReedAlhambra School District Christina CarolanAmerican Academy of Pediat-rics AZ Chapter Imelda OjedaArizona Autism Coalition Diedra FreedmanArizona Autism United Paulina TiffanyArizona Charter Academy Jennifer WatsonArizona Cooperative Therapies Stephanie Badilla Rachel Gibbons Christina Heinzel Andrea RiviniusArizona Counseling and Treat-ment Services Monica Lervold

Arizona Department of Eco-nomic Security David ViajosArizona Department of Edu-cation Jennifer Atkinson Amy Dill Beth Jahsman William McQueary Suzanne Perry Becky Raabe Hilda Salazar Oran TkatchovArizona Department of Health Services Rita AitkinArizona Early Intervention Program Alma Torres Maureen Casey-WaidArizona’s Children Association Amanda Coe

Lorena Ferro Jeff Garcial Adriana Gomez Andrea Hall Amy Jordan Anna Longoria, MSW Jane Lord Kendra Pulley Joshua Simpson Beth Sopjes Meagan Vasey Amanda WolfeArizona Relationship Institute Vallerie Alston Lisa GoldArizona School for the Deaf and Blind Matt FranzArizona State University Sean StorrsAurora Behavioral Health Fred Burgmann

Autism Academy Rose MarieAutism Speaks Amy HummellAvondale Elementary School District Elisa MedranoBanner Cardon Children’s Medical Center Ashley Gershanor Shayla Paap, MSW Ed Walwork Jessica Wells, MSW Dr. Tamara ZachBanner Health Clinic Dr. Jacqueline May CarterBathesda Pediatrics Jesse SandrikBayless Health Care Stephanie Johnson, LMSWBenevilla Family Resource Center

Juan MarquezBlackwater Community School Matt DrowneBlake Easter Seals Teri Koenig Stacey TuckerCentro de Amistad Adriana Arzola-Sierra Rosemary MirandaChandler School District Carrie Day Kymberly MarshallChannel 12 Lin Sue CooneyChicanos Por La Causa Emily Torres Silvia Zavala Norma Rojas Maria Pimentel Kim Pearson Summer Spalding, BSBHT/CMChild and Family Resources

Thank You for Referring Families to Raising Special KidsJanuary-June 2014

To refer a family to Raising Special Kids, please visit our website and download a referral form

The Dispute Resolution Unit at the Arizona De-partment of Education (ADE) will be doing some travelling this fall. Early Dispute Resolution Spe-cialists Amy Dill and Jeff Studer will be provid-ing facilitated individualized education program (IEP) trainings at seven school districts in an effort to improve outcomes for IEP teams and the students they serve. IEP facilitation is a stu-dent-focused process in which a trained individual (facilitator) assists the IEP team to devel-op an IEP that provides a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to the student. The two-day trainings will incorporate three components needed to facilitate a success-ful IEP meeting: standardized meeting practices, knowledge of the IEP process, and the use of meeting man-agement skills that aid in minimizing conflict and maximizing collaboration. Dill stated, “Through my experience as a com-plaint investigator for ADE, and more personally, as the parent of a teen with autism, I know how easy it can be for a parent to feel as though they

have not been heard at an IEP meeting.” She con-tinued, “I’m convinced that many of the disputes I have assisted with have been caused by the team’s inability to effectively communicate with one an-other.”

Using their past ex-perience Studer, whose background is in behavioral health, and Dill include tech-niques for schools to involve parents in the IEP process and to recognize opportuni-ties for providing them with additional resources and training. Similar to the state’s current Mediation System, facilitated IEPs will be avail-able via parent or school re-quest by the 2015-2016 school year.

Although the trainings are scheduled outside of Maricopa County, spring may bring trainings to the state’s most populous county. School per-sonnel can register to attend any of the currently scheduled trainings by contacting the Arizona De-partment of Education Dispute Resolution Unit at (855) 383-9801.

FIEP for FAPE. What’s That?


Lauryn Bates Sarah Deurloo Solomo Madrid Araseli Ramirez Jewel Riley Jackie Roman Tina AdamsChild Safety and Family Services Marcia Joslin Samantha Nordvold Selina Stark Danielle StocktonChildren’s Medical Group Jeffrey Maxcy, MDChildren’s Rehabilitative Services Sarah Anderson, PhD Anne Chase, LCSW Noreen Clancy Nicole Frazier-Zaruba, DNP Bonnie Hartley Samantha Nordvold Christa Schmitz FNP, BC Linda Thunn, PT Judi Tyler, MSW Andrea VlachCity of Phoenix Early Head Start Sophia Garcia Mayra MoralesCity of Phoenix Head Start Deborah Alvy Jessica MikelsCoconino County Juvenile Probation Nicole SnowCommunity Care Donna TurnerCorazon Behavioral Health Rosa LopezCovenant Homeschool Resource Center Janet ForteCrane School District Jaime HainesCrisis Nursery Anselma BerumenD&G Therapies Jessica Klan, PT, DPTDavis & Todd Counseling Megan DavisDevelopmental Discovery Center Drake D. DuaneDiocese of Phoenix Carmen PortelaDivision of Developmental Disabilities Sylvia Acosta Tiffany Adams Julie Amodeo Mary Anderson Tiffany Arenas Yee Sun Armstrong Laura Austin Kim Becker Kim Bell Cyndy Bensema Dominique Blackmon-McKinley Karen Boehm Shawna Brabart Karissa Brnak Lois Brooke Deidre Brooks Kathleen Calder Ashley Cannella Amanda Carter Tina Chaffin Robin Chanto Lien Cipolla Lisa Collier Vicki Collins Susan Courinos Urcisia De Guzman Debra Dennis

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Vimbai MadzuraFamily Medical Center Dr. Dang Family Preservation Dawnmarie MonteroFoster Ed Arizona Andrea MolinaFun Van-AJPL Felicia SmithGANE Gaby OrozcoHealing Hearts Pediatrics Jeanie PefferlyThe Hogle Firm Karen GruningerHopeKids Bridget AsheimHorizon Human Services Schphine MilesHRT Shawn PadillaIndian Health Services Perci LaNaeIndian Medical Center Jessica ArmendarizJewish Family and Children’s Services Corina Felix Tammy PantojaJordan Developmental Pedi-atrics Dr. JordanKayenta Unified School District Delphina JonesKids Blitz Michelle LunkaKids Kare Pediatrics Klint WebbLa Frontera Empact Leticia RamirezMaricopa County Dept of Public Health Ashley AvellaMaricopa Medical Center Nicole Carlson Rachel Cunningham, LMSW Christine Fruchey, LCSW Autumn Livinghouse, RN, BSN Sara PaxtonMelmed Center Dr. DesaniMesa Public Schools Doug PrenticeMIHS Ana Herrera Julie NgiriyeMIKID Joyce ParmelyMohave Mental Health Tiffany Denchsweiler Sonja R McGrawMountain Health and Wellness Mythea LacyMountain Park Health Center Barbara Hare, PsyDNeurologic Music Therapy Services of Arizona Beth EriksenPantano Behavioral Health Damian Parkinson, MDParent Aid Merry PlacerPediatras Arizona Dr. Hugo Juan CarlosPeople of Color Network Heddy TrevinoPeoria Unified School District Mellisa Donohue Nakita WestrichPhoenix Children’s Hospital Dr. Robin Blitz Anica Herrera Dr. Mohan Belthur Candice Danford Stephanie Esparza Jennifer Farabaugh

Stephanie Goettl Megan Hunter Dr. Steve Pophal Kristen Samaddoyr Dr. Beth Trevino Christa Waltersdorf Julia Wise, RN Candice Welsh Amber Wright, CPNPPhoenix Children’s Hospital - The Emily Center Brianna ScottPhoenix Interfaith Counseling Janice M. DanielPhoenix Union HS District Kathryn Baumgardner Geraldine HenryPima County School Superin-tendent’s Office Jaymie JacobsPinal Gila Community Child Services Toni LimbrickPinal Hispanic Council Tessa ArvizuPrimavera Online HS Sarah GambleRISE Services Marybelle Aguilar Rafaela Estrada Beltran Lauren Finley Malea Grace Joanna Resh Amy Lee VerfaillieRoosevelt School District Meagan Orban, MS, OTR/CSARRC Janet KirwanScottsadale Healthcare-Shea Shannon Hickson Annamarie Ricci, LCSWSharing Down Syndrome Gina JohnsonSonoran Sky Pediatrics Melissa Ochoa Amanda SummerSouth West Key Refugee Program Griselda RodriguezSouthwest Behavioral Health Kelly WilliamsSouthwest Human Develop-ment Priscilla Avila Mylda Carrillo Emily SingletonSouthwest Network Jennifer Atkinson Deborah SinesSouthwest Pediatrics Jessica Armendariz Laura FrenchSRPMIC Child Find Kim CohillSt. Agnes Catholic Preschool Michelle FinleySt. Anne Roman Catholic Parish Sr. Balbina RetamaSt. Joseph Hosptial Nicole Curtis Mary ElmoreSunrise Therapy Debby Alvarez Rosemarie StroutTeam Select Home Care Garrett BrillTouchstone Behavioral Health Kathy Allen Tanisia Avent Christina Kruggel Minerva VicunaTu Nidito Children & Family Kristin HarrisonUMOM Michelle Mada Sonia K. Marshall

United Cerebral Palsy of Central AZ Dale King, LMSW Laura SmithUnited Healthcare Judie WalkerUniversity of Arizona Heath Network Kimberly Browning, RN Deborah Rumans, RNUpward Foundation Angie Bekos Courtney StevensVail Unified School District Macy RemolinaValle de Sol Sandra Lerma-Espinoza Lizzette Novelo, LACValley ENT Christina Kelso, AUDWashington School District Donna Denial Travis Harris Carla TrumanWest Valley Family Develop-ment Center Dr. Valerie KemperWest Valley Pediatrics Anandihi Gunder, MDWestern Arizona Council of Government Erika Argueta Jamie Dukstra Yadhira MongeYarnell School District Pat AlbrechtYETC Larissa Carrillo Claurdia Lopez Tara Perdue DeAna PerryIndividuals Tiffany Arenas Sue Arnpriester Shelly Arthur Dr. Judith Barnes Clark Elizabeth Danielson, PhD Amy Dennis Joe Donaldson Anne Forrester Fabiola Galindo Vianet Garcia Robyn Griggs Sheryl Halls Alanna Hollaway Beth Jahsman April Judd Raymond Lafleur Steve Lee Teresa Lobo Jane Lord Sharon Lynch Debbie Miller Doreen Muir Dr. Mustafa Annemarie Patterson Carmen Portela Roxanna Reid, Psy Adrian Reznik Kat Rivera Maria Rondal Gloria Rory Dr. Karlsson Roth Karls Sachs Hilda Salazar Dr. Shapiro Ms. Stair Lorraine Tallman Dr. Michael Tansy Ruth Thomas Dr. Beth Trevino Debbie Voll Dr. Williams

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