Blog written by Brian Nguyen, Easterseals Adult Day Services Director 

Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month recognizes the profound influence and contributions that Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans have made to the culture of the United States. My background as a Vietnamese American, has helped shaped who I am and contributes to what I bring to my job as a director in Adult Day Services. 

My parents were immigrants who were fortunate to be sponsored by two American families [so they could] come to America after the Vietnam War. I grew up seeing my parents struggle and work hard to ensure I was provided with opportunities they never had.  

When I was young, I spoke Vietnamese at home. While being fluent was something my family and relatives were very proud of, to this day, it has made learning English more challenging. While I am an American, I believe I still emulate the Vietnamese culture my parents taught me: being respectful, kind, and persevering through difficulties. 

My Journey at Easterseals 

The start of my journey here at Easterseals was a learning experience for my parents. They had predetermined what I should be doing with my career and my job at Easterseals didn’t originally align with their plan for me. As the years went by, they understood my calling more and more. Now, they are very supportive of my work and proud of what Easterseals does for our community.  

One of the things I learned at Easterseals is advocacy. I’m fortunate to work closely with ESSC advocate Howard McBroom. He taught me his rules of advocacy, and I watched him in action when meeting with local representatives and teaching his advocacy classes. As Howard says, advocacy is important because we need to advocate every day in our lives.  

Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a time to be proud of our culture, ethnicity, and traditions and the contributions we have made to our society. As Howard taught me, we should never stop advocating for what is right. Be proud! 

Join Me in Celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander Americans 

I encourage everyone to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We are fortunate to have many Asian American and Pacific Islander communities here in Southern California. There are museums to explore, restaurants and grocery stores to try, and even movie theaters to visit featuring films from across Asia. Check out this list of interesting activities in the Los Angeles area. 

Careers at Easterseals  

If you’re interested in finding a fulfilling career where you can become an advocate for people with disabilities, check out our current job openings on our careers page.   

Article by Allison Norlian

Thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with disabilities can travel on public transit including trains, buses, ride shares, and taxis.

However, a large barrier remains when it comes to air travel – which is exempted from the ADA.

Lora Glassman, an Easterseals Southern California (ESSC) associate and active participant, worries whenever she has to fly. From the discomfort of having a stranger transfer her from her wheelchair onto the plane, to inaccessible bathrooms, and the anxiety about whether the airline will lose or break her chair, Lora said traveling can often be a nightmare.

“It feels like the airlines don’t care about anybody’s (wheelchair). They just throw it in there, and they don’t care,” Lora said.

(L to R): Barbara Glassman and Lora Glassman

Over the years, Lora and her mother, Barbara, have traveled many times across the country. When Lora was a child, Barbara could easily transfer Lora to her plane seat, and her smaller wheelchair could be stored in the plane cabin. But as she got older, that reality changed.

“It can be uncomfortable when the TSA agents transfer Lora from her wheelchair onto the plane,” Barbara said. “It can be an especially awkward situation because a lot of times it’s men transferring her, and they’re physically handling her.”

Also, as Lora grew, her wheelchair got bigger, and now gets stored in the plane hold. Over the years, parts would come up missing, resulting in Barbara detaching removable parts and bringing them onto the plane. During one trip, the airport attendant brought up Lora’s wheelchair from the plane hold, and it was missing a brake.

“I said, ‘this is a $6,000 custom wheelchair. I’m not leaving it at the airport for some unknown company to fix. That’s not acceptable,’” Barbara said. “And I’m not taking a loaner chair; that will not work for her.”

Lora in her chair

People with disabilities often describe mobility devices as “extensions of their bodies.” Lora calls her wheelchair “her legs.” These devices are customized for each person’s needs to prevent injury and illnesses like pressure sores. Because of the customization, they are typically expensive and difficult to replace.

“Because of that experience where they broke my chair, it’s always terrifying to fly because they might lose it,” Lora said. “And if they lose it, I can’t go anywhere.”

According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the Department of Transportation, 27 million passengers with disabilities traveled by air in 2019. In 2021, DOT received 1,394 disability-related complaints, a 54 percent increase from 2019.

In 2018, Congress demanded that airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) make flying better for people with disabilities. Easterseals also advocates tirelessly for accessible air travel.

Erin Hawley, National Easterseals Advocate

Erin Hawley, an advocate for National Easterseals who also has a disability, said she’s never been on a plane because of her worries about what could happen.

“I want to have independence if I’m flying and not have to rely on the help of others,” Hawley said. “And if they lost my chair, and I didn’t have my chair, I would not be able to get out of bed and work and go out and, you know, live my life.”

Kendra Davenport, National Easterseals President and CEO

“Accessible travel represents freedom and personal agency for people with disabilities, and yet barriers to transportation exist that impact people living with disabilities every day,” said Kendra Davenport, president, and CEO of Easterseals. “Think about how your life would be impacted if you couldn’t readily or easily go on vacation, or see family and friends. It would negatively impact your mental and physical well-being, and it does have negative effects on people living with disabilities across America.”

People with disabilities say the modifications airlines and airports have to make to ensure accessible travel are simple and will help people – disabled or not.

“Let us take our chairs onto the plane and train staff to understand the importance of our devices and to treat them with care,” Erin said. “Also, have sensitivity training and have the airport and airline staff speak to somebody with a disability.”

“They need to train people and make them understand that we are people, we have specific needs, and we need to be treated equally and fairly,” Lora said.

Easterseals is advocating at the federal level for the airline industry to join other transportation providers in becoming accessible. Learn more about our efforts in our State of Disability Equity and Access Report being authored by the Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy & Innovation at Loyola Marymount University Law School through support from Voya Financial.

As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re taking a look at how Easterseals Southern California’s (ESSC) services support the mental health of our participants.  

Autism Therapy Services  

ESSC provides Autism Therapy Services to more than 10,000 people. As we continue to grow, we’ve expanded services and offerings to support children and adults with autism who may have severe behavioral health or mental health concerns.  

Under the Autism Services umbrella, ESSC recently launched START Crisis Support Services, which stands for Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resource, Treatment. This program supports individuals experiencing a crisis who have a history of a developmental disability and mental health concerns.   

Rick Gutierrez, Autism Services Vice President of Clinical Strategy, said, “This program is about improving the individual’s overall wellness. We want the people we serve to experience positive emotion, be engaged, and have meaning in their life.”   

Autism Services also offers Enhanced Care Management for people with autism or other neurodevelopmental disabilities who have a mental health concern. In this program, clinicians work with a person’s system of support (the Regional Center, school, church, service provider, etc.) to ensure they are receiving the best support to achieve greater wellness.  

 Adult Day Services & Senior Day Services  

ESSC’s Adult Day Services (ADS) offers support so individuals with developmental, physical, and/or cognitive disabilities can live independently. 

Through social interaction, learning new skills, and being part of a community, participants experience reduced isolation and loneliness, which increases their mental wellness. Similarly, Senior Day Services provide older adults with purpose and belonging through meaningful activities, socialization, and supportive services.  

“There is data related to people having purpose each day; a reason to get up, groom, get out, and face the world. We see this every day in Adult Day Services and Senior Day Services,” said Kathleen Kolenda, Vice President of Adult Day Services. “People want to be engaged with others in person when they can and virtually as an alternative. Being with others inspires people to take care of themselves so that they don’t miss out on anything.”  

Another mental health benefit of these services is that they provide respite for family caregivers. Our day services allow caregivers the time they need to work during the day or care for themselves or other family members. Easterseals ADS staff are also knowledgeable of the mental health resources available through local community health agencies and can provide additional resources and support when needed.  

 Child Development Services  

At ESSC, our Child Development Services (CDS) serve children from birth to five years of age through Head Start, Early Head Start, daycare, mental health services, family support services, home-based support, and more.  

In addition to the benefits of early childhood education on children and their families, Easterseals CDS provides mental health support through a licensed Mental Health Consultant who is available for children, family, and staff.  

“Mental wellness is a very important part of the puzzle piece when it comes to early childhood development, which is why we are proud to provide additional mental health services for our families,” said Elizabeth Mulligan, Area Director of Child Development Services. “Education is so much more than learning your ABCs; it truly is about supporting the family so children can succeed at school and at home.”  

Employment Services   

ESSC’s Employment Services are dedicated to providing one-on-one, customized services for people with disabilities interested in finding and keeping meaningful work. The service discovers each person’s unique talents, interests, goals, and abilities, supporting them to find work that is meaningful, productive, financially rewarding, and life-affirming.  

There is data and research that proves employment is a critical mental health intervention, both for people with and without disabilities. Meaningful employment allows participants to experience purposeful living while fostering greater independence and self-reliance, which can lessen dependence on the mental health system over time.  

“In our employment services, we do work with many individuals that have mental health needs,” said Maureen Carasiti, Director, Employment Services. “In fact, all of our staff take an 8-hour mental health first aide class and do ongoing mental health trainings. We see first-hand that finding employment does absolutely have incredible value in the therapeutic sense to mental wellness and a sense of purpose for the individuals we serve.”  

 Living Options  

ESSC provides a variety of  Living Options to help people with disabilities live in their own homes and not institutions, as well as more independently in their local communities. From Independent Living Services to Residential Home Services and Supported Living, our program aims to ensure that people with disabilities can thrive in a comfortable and dignified home-based atmosphere.  

By providing safe and supportive living solutions and person-centered opportunities, individuals experience greater independence, which improves mental well-being. Living Options staff are also trained to recognize when physical and mental health needs of their participants arise so they can offer support and resources.  

Lupe Trevizo-Reinoso, Vice President of Living Options, said, “The participants we work with need support in all areas of their lives, and their mental health is critical to the success of them being able to live and work independently. We are very conscious that this is an area that can be missed while focusing on all other areas. Our staff do an incredible job working in a team approach to ensure their medical, physical, and mental health are all aligned and that our staff can support the participants in every capacity.”  

Supporting participants’ mental well-being is just one of the ways Easterseals Southern California leads the way to full diversity, equity, access, and inclusion for people with disabilities. These values are at the core of what make people feel like they belong in their communities, which creates a better world for us all.  

You can learn more about how our services have a positive impact on participants by visiting our Stories of Success section on our website.  

Article By: Meghan Herron, Director of Research Operations; Cynthia Rico, Research Supervisor; Lawrence Platt, Research Supervisor; Eric McCoy, Research Supervisor  

You may be familiar with the term ‘neurodiversity’ but aren’t quite sure what it means or how it relates to what we do at Easterseals Southern California (ESSC). We asked members of our Research Division to provide some insights.  

What is Neurodiversity? 

Neurodiversity is a term that refers to the natural differences in how people’s brains work (Jaarsma & Welin, 2012). Just like how people can have different hair or eye colors, people can have different ways of thinking, learning, and processing information. Neurodiversity recognizes that these differences are normal and should be respected and valued.  

Autism and Neurodiversity  

Autism is one of the conditions that falls under the umbrella of neurodiversity. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain that can produce significant social, communication, and behavioral challenges (Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022).  

At ESSC, we provide a range of services designed to help individuals with autism develop skills and abilities to achieve greater independence, participate in their communities, and lead fulfilling lives according to their own preferences.  

Easterseals Research Division and Neurodiversity 

Easterseals Southern California’s Research Division conducts state-of-the-art behavioral and scientific research to evaluate and enhance the effectiveness of the interventions that ESSC provides so that individuals with disabilities and their families have equal and better opportunities for an enhanced quality of life.   

We conduct various projects, which range from having our star research assistant—Hans the Robot—teach skills, to identifying evidence-based practice for our services. We also conduct studies to determine how participants’ quality of life and social interactions are positively impacted by the interventions. These projects are created in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion and aim to further improve current services. 

As researchers, we think that the first step in taking action to promote neurodiversity is learning about the perceptions neurodiverse individuals have about the world around them, support they receive, and find ways to increase their access to new opportunities.  

Creating Awareness and Understanding  

Easterseals also strives to stay current with best practices. Recently, we hosted an online event called “Honoring Neurodiversity,” in which a panel of ESSC associates and autistic adults discussed what neurodiversity means to them and how Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) can better inform their clinical practice with input from the autistic community.  

We have also been busy looking into selecting the best methods to survey autistic clients regarding what they think of the services they receive. In support of this, our researchers are working to identify the best methods used to select goals, teach skills, and use those skills in the natural environment.   

The Easterseals Research Division believes that greater awareness of neurodiversity will foster acceptance for everyone in the community and decrease the stigmatization of neurodivergent behaviors.   

References: 

Jaarsma, P. and Welin, S. (2012). Autism as a Natural Human Variation: Reflections on the Claims of the Neurodiversity Movement. Health Care Analysis, 1(20) 20-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10728-011-0169-9 

Written By: Lisa Kort, Easterseals Marketing and Communications Project Manager

In an effort to further Easterseals Southern California’s mission of leading the way to full equity, access, and inclusion, the Human Resources team is working toward completion of the Employing Abilities at Work Certificate Program, presented by the Society for HR Management (SHRM) Foundation. The seven-module program aims to empower leaders and organizations to:

• Understand the barriers to employment experienced by individuals with disabilities.
• Articulate the business case for building a workforce that is equitable and inclusive of individuals with disabilities.
• Educate stakeholders to reduce barriers to employment faced by individuals with disabilities.

Human Resources has set a goal for the full team to be certified by the end of the second quarter of 2023.

Easterseals VP of Talent Acquisition Marquis McCraw recently completed the program and said, “The SHRM Employing Abilities at Work course is a ‘must take’ for every leader, and I would encourage all associates to take it as well. SHRM is an organization focused on supporting HR professionals, but this is a true business course on diversity, equity, and inclusion with an emphasis on accessibility. It is not just a ‘check the box, I completed its course; it provides practical tips and resources that can be applied to both work and everyday life.”

The program, which takes approximately nine hours, provides many benefits including:

• Providing a broad perspective on disability as a whole with diversity, equity, and inclusion as the foundation of the course.
• Helping ESSC to create an inclusive workplace for all and enabling our managers to grow as inclusive leaders.
• Positioning ESSC as an example to other organizations of how to attract, hire, retain, and develop individuals with disabilities.

Easterseals is thrilled to take another important step toward creating a more inclusive and accessible workplace environment for employees with and without disabilities.

To learn more about employment opportunities with Easterseals SoCal, visit our careers page.