Written by Adrienne Hedger, Easterseals Internal Marketing Manager

For Autism Acceptance Month in April, we sat down with Rick Gutierrez, Ph.D., Vice President of Clinical Strategy & Operations at Easterseals Southern California, to talk about a powerful approach that is creating more balance and wellness in people’s lives.

Is it possible to focus on the good, even during times of difficulty and crisis? At Easterseals Southern California (ESSC), the answer is a definitive YES. We have been using the science of positive psychology in Autism Services with our participants and associates. Here’s how it works, and the effect it’s having.

What is Positive Psychology?

This approach is a scientific look at what constitutes a pleasant, engaged and meaningful life. The focus is on human strengths and virtues.

“We learned about it from Proof Positive, a national autism wellbeing non-profit,” says Rick Gutierrez, PhD., Vice President of Clinical Strategy & Operations at Easterseals Southern California. “We recognized right away that this approach could make a real impact on the people who participate in our services, as well as their families.”

Applying it to Autism Services

Within Autism Services, ESSC is using positive psychology tools with teens and adults and their families.

People might come to ESSC feeling frustrated, stressed, or scared—and on top of that, families are used to being told what’s wrong with their loved one. Positive psychology balances all of this out by introducing optimism and hope, and opening up new avenues of thinking. The tools include:

Character Strengths. With the VIA Character Strength Survey and follow-up conversations, ESSC helps participants and their caregivers identify the aspects of their life that are essential to who they are.

“I like to ask people what their loved one or family member looks like at their best,” adds Rick. “This simple question completely changes the conversation.”

Strength Spotting. Once they identify their character strengths, individuals and family members practice “Strength Spotting,” where they identify and regularly recognize the Character Strengths in themselves and others.

Jolts of Joy. This tool is all about quick actions someone can take during the day to immediately boost happiness. At ESSC, this means taking the time to truly understand what brings joy to the people we serve. What will quickly cheer them up? How can we give them more control to create their own joy and happiness?

“We were seeing great progress with these tools in Autism Services,” says Rick, “so we decided to apply them internally as well.”

How Associates Are Using the Tools

The first group to receive positive psychology training within ESSC was the START Crisis Support Team. This program supports individuals experiencing a crisis who have a history of developmental disability and mental health concerns.

“Working on the crisis hotline is an intense job, and we wanted to help associates stay in a position of wellness,” says Rick. “With the positive psychology tools, our team is able to consistently put their best selves out there to help people in really difficult moments.”

Associates are using all the tools mentioned above, and also regularly ask “What went well?” and then share their answers. This encourages everyone to focus on gratitude, and associates say that it’s making a difference in their work.

Spreading the Joy

Now Rick and his team are training other groups within ESSC to use positive psychology in their own lives and with the people we serve. From Strength Spotting to Jolts of Joy to What Went Well, it all adds up to a transformative mindset. One that helps people effectively face challenges and live a happier, healthier life.

“This approach just makes sense,” says Rick. “People are making a conscious effort to approach life with a positive attitude, and that has a ripple effect. We’re seeing the results every day.”

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Finding Jolts of Joy

Jolts of Joy can quickly put you in a more positive mindset. How can you work them into your day? Try some of these ideas… and comment with your own ideas!

Watch a funny video online

Take a five-minute walk

Take a moment to appreciate something you see in nature

Enjoy a favorite beverage or treat

Send a text to a friend or loved one

Listen to a favorite song

Look at photos that make you happy

Smell a favorite scent

Check a funny account online

On Monday, March 4, Easterseals Southern California staff, board members and participants enjoyed the inaugural “Easterseals Night” with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Before the game, Easterseals board members Maria Serrao and Nic Novicki were deemed honorary team captains, and our Adult Day Services participants Kevin and Jahad proudly delivered the game ball to referees.

Throughout the night, Easterseals signage lit up the arena, including our PSA video, which displayed on the scoreboard during half-time! Easterseals is so excited for this new partnership and looks forward to spreading the word about disability inclusion alongside the Lakers.

Visit our website to learn more about Easterseals Southern California and how we are leading the way to full equity, inclusion, and access through life-changing disability and community services.

The end of tax season is quickly approaching! Learning how tax strategies can help you optimize your charitable donations not only benefits you, but also the non-profit organizations you support.

Here are three strategies to optimize your charitable contributions for this year and in the future:*

1. Open a Donor-Advised Fund

One of the most common strategies for increasing deductions for charitable donations is to open a donor-advised fund.

These accounts let a taxpayer donate a lump sum upfront to claim the deduction in that tax year, and then dole out the money to nonprofits over time. A significant contribution can enable the taxpayer to itemize deductions, rather than take the standard deduction, and receive a tax benefit for their charitable giving.

2. Donate Appreciated Stock

Donating appreciated stock gives investors the opportunity to shelter the gains from taxes. If you have held the stock for at least a year, you can generally take its fair market value as a deduction. This is a significant opportunity and benefits people that are looking make a charitable gift.

Donating appreciated stocks also complements the use of a donor-advised fund as you can give the shares either to a donor-advised account or directly to a non-profit organization.

3. Make Qualified Charitable Distributions

A qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, is a direct distribution from a pretax individual retirement account or a 401(k) to a charity. Retirees who must take required minimum distributions, or RMDs, from such retirement accounts can benefit from fulfilling a portion with a QCD. Doing so helps satisfy the RMD, and the transfer isn’t counted toward their adjusted gross income.

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Make sure to take advantage of these breaks in 2024. Most laws around charitable giving may change as provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act end by the end of 2025.

Learn more about how you can support Easterseals Southern California while optimizing your tax strategies by visiting easterseals.mylegacygift.org.

*This article is informational purposes only. Always consult your tax, financial and/or legal advisors before implementing any transactions or strategies concerning your finances.

Welcome back to Easterseals SoCal’s “Disability in Pop Culture” blog series, where we take a deeper look at the pop culture moments that promote disability representation and inclusion.

As Black History Month comes to a close we are continuing the celebration by featuring the impactful work of four black and disabled advocates who are using their platforms to change the way we see disability.  

Keah Brown: Author, Journalist, and Screenwriter 

@Keah_maria 

Keah burst into the spotlight nearly a decade ago when the disability hashtag #DisabledAndCute, which she created for X (formerly Twitter) to show her disability pride, went viral. The phrase amplified her writing career, which had just started to gather steam the year before. Her writing has been featured in publications such as Teen Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Essence.

Her use of the word “cute” as part of the #DisabledAndCute hashtag caused some pushback in the disability community. Some members of the community saw it as a label that people without disabilities would use to infantilize them. Keah saw it as a declaration of self-love and was delighted to see how many others used it to tell their own stories, joining in her celebration of disability.  

Keah has also authored three books. Her debut novel, “The Pretty One,” is a collection of essays exploring what it means to be a black woman with disabilities. It became a New York Time’s bestseller when it was released in 2019.  

Since then she has written a children’s book called Sam’s Super Seats, about a disabled girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends, and a Young Adult queer romance novel entitled The Secret Summer Promise.  

Keah’s popularity as a disability advocate also led her to present a talk titled, “The Power of Self-Love. Unapologetic Ambition, #DisabledandCute and Choosing Joy” at TEDxPrincetonWomen.  

Today, Keah is exploring the fields of TV and film and is a co-writing a musical about twins who are looking for adventure. Her impact on disability representation is sure to leave a legacy. 

Garrison Redd: USA Paralympic Athlete 

@GarrisonRedd 

Garrison Redd, an American Paralympic athlete and TEDx speaker, exemplifies determination and resilience. In the 2023 Parapan American Games in Santiago, Chile, Garrison placed sixth overall for Team USA in men’s Para Powerlifting competition, which consists of one discipline: bench press.

Before becoming a Paralympic athlete, Garrison was paralyzed at the age of 17 after being struck by a stray bullet. The accident shattered his dream of becoming a professional football player. He discovered a new way to compete in 2018, when a wheelchair-racing coach at his local gym noted his upper-body strength and introduced him to the world of para powerlifting.

Garrison is currently training to rejoin Team USA at the Paralympics in Paris, France in 2024!   

Beyond the sports arena, he actively engages in public speaking to raise awareness of the challenges faced by persons with disabilities. 

Garrison hosts empowerment seminars and motivational workshops through his non-profit, The Garrison Redd Project, to motivate people with disabilities and provide opportunities to become independent. 

His commitment to promoting inclusivity makes him a powerful force in the fight for a more accessible world!  

Imani Barbarin: Content Creator, Public Speaker, and Disability Blogger 

@crutches_and_spice 

Imani is a disability advocate, dynamic content creator, and public speaker who uses her large social media following to amplify the disability community’s voice and raise awareness for topics that are often overlooked by the mainstream media. 

She does this through the creation of viral hashtags, like #DisTheOscars, which allowed her to call out the Academy Awards Ceremony for its lack of accessibility and disability inclusion. Imani launched the advocacy campaign to discuss disability representation in media, using the popularity of the annual awards show to reach over one million Twitter (X) users!  

Imani’s viral videos and thought-provoking commentary have also been featured in national publications such as Forbes, Cosmopolitan, NPR, and Vice.  

She also writes a blog called “Crutches and Spice,” where she explores current events and topics such as the intersection of race and gender, providing another outlet for the disability community’s voice to be heard. 

Shaheem Sanchez: Actor, Choreographer, and Brand Ambassador  

@Shaheem 

An inner ear infection at age four caused Shaheem Sanchez to lose his hearing, but it didn’t prevent him from finding the beat. By feeling the vibrations and letting them drive his rhythm, he was able to continue dancing to the music. Shaheem is an actor, self-taught dancer, and a TikTok star with 1.6 million followers. His passion for dance influenced his young siblings, and they joined Shaheem to form the “Family First Dance Crew.”  

You may have seen him in his debut role in the Oscar-winning film, “Sound of Metal.”  

As an advocate for the deaf community, he works to bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing community by educating his social media followers on what life is like for those with hearing impairments, all while promoting inclusion. Shaheem also uses his platform to teach American Sign Language (ASL). Currently, he is advocating for ASL to be taught in schools.  

Shaheem also encourages everyone to amplify the voices of black deaf creators in the digital community. 

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As these black disability advocates continue to find new ways to amplify their voices, Easterseals Southern California stands alongside them, offering support to drive change in the digital community and the world.  

Stay tuned for more from our “Disability in Pop Culture” blog series, where we explore the latest in disability inclusion and representation in entertainment!  

Written by Adrienne Hedger, Internal Communications Manager for Easterseals Southern California

An exciting change is underway in Adult Day Services at Easterseals Southern California (ESSC), and it’s transforming the way people think about their lives. In honor of Developmental Disability Awareness Month this March, I sat down with Amber Carey-Navarrete, Director of Person-Centered Services, to talk about what’s happening and what it means for the future of disability services.

Across the nation, Adult Day Services play an important role by providing a place where people with disabilities can stay mentally and physically active and connect with others. As part of this mission, service providers will typically ask: What can we do to help you during your time with us?

“At ESSC, we’re trying something different,” said Amber Carey-Navarrete, Director of Person-Centered Services. “We are stepping outside of that traditional timeframe, looking at the bigger picture, and asking people, ‘What do you want out of life?’”

A deep question, yes. And it’s leading to some remarkable results.

Exploring Hopes, Dreams, and Goals

Amber Carey-Navarrete, Director of Person-Centered Services for Easterseals Southern California

This “whole-life” approach is built on a concept known as Personal Outcome Measures, or POM. It’s a discovery tool created by the Council on Quality and Leadership.

To be sure, a person-centered philosophy is not new in the aging and disability services community. It’s existed for decades and continues to evolve. But the POM approach takes a clear step forward by transforming the philosophy into a practical tool that leads to concrete results.

“Through guided POM discussions, people in our Adult Day Services are sharing what really matters to them,” said Amber. “Their hopes, interests, aspirations and dreams. During these talks, people gain a stronger sense of who they are and what they want from their lives. For some, it’s the first time they’ve been asked these questions.”

The insights they share guide our approach at ESSC. We can connect them with the tools and resources they need, as well as support them in making informed decisions.

From Weekend Meet-Ups to Culinary School

After using the Personal Outcome Measures (POM) tools to talk about what she wanted in life, Michelle pursued culinary school.

Very often, people express a desire to spend more time with particular friends and family members. One person regularly started talking to a relative in Ireland over Zoom. Another was able to connect with her father in Arizona. Many others have learned how to travel to see nearby friends or sweethearts. Still others are exploring sports, hobbies and international trips. Weekends that used to be socially limited are now an opportunity to connect.

One man expressed a desire to move out on his own. Over time, he achieved this goal and now lives in his own apartment with some in-home support. He uses his time at Easterseals Adult Day Services to work on his grocery list and go shopping.

Another woman, Michelle, had a dream to cook and sell food. Her coach helped her with the process of getting into culinary school and learning various cooking techniques.

Gaining Confidence and Getting Motivated

“Across the board, people are gaining confidence and speaking up for themselves,” said Amber. “It’s clear that they feel a stronger sense of self-worth.”

Angelica Real, Director of Adult Day Services North, made a similar observation. “A lot of our young adults have always looked to others to answer for them about what to say and do. We’re teaching them, no, this is your life, your plan, your future. Now individuals are speaking up about their rights and their wants.”

This approach isn’t just beneficial for those who come to ESSC, it improves the lives of our associates as well. One associate noted about someone she’d known for years: “It was like meeting them for the first time and seeing them through new eyes.”

Another associate said, “This really opened my eyes to the ways in which we provide support. Before the training, I found myself wondering and contemplating about what was best for the individual. Now I stop and ask them what they think is right for them and their life.”

It’s motivating and energizing to establish that deeper connection, and to support someone in achieving a personal goal.

Spreading the Knowledge

What started with one pilot location, has now expanding to more than 100 ESSC associates trained in POM, and more than 130 people completing a POM conversation in 2023.

In addition, the Person-Centered Culture and Practices (PCCP) manual ESSC created in 2019, focuses on how to facilitate person-centered change within services. It has attracted interest from other local and regional organizations, and we’re seeing that a person-centered culture change could be far-reaching. With the combination of POM and PCCP, we are changing how services are provided—and that’s changing the outcomes of the services.

Ultimately, the hope is that this raises the bar for what’s expected from adult day services. We know that people living with developmental disabilities often face a range of obstacles. The time they spend with us can be a place where they feel safe to grow in their voice and their advocacy.

“We are here to listen, to honor people’s rights, and to support them in the ups, downs, mistakes, and successes,” said Amber. “We want every person to know that no matter what, we will always have their back. This is their life to live, and they can make it fully their own.”