A pilot program seeks to keep Missoula children in mental health crises from repeated visits to area emergency rooms and from being sent to out-of-state treatment facilities.“We’re really trying to be a bridge,” said Ashley Marallo, the Youth Crisis Diversion Project’s coordinator.

Published on Apr 18, 2014 https://www.einstein.yu.edu/cerc - Pediatrician Lisa Shulman shows the motor milestones expected in typically developing babies, from head control to walking and what pediatricians look for during a well-baby visit. She also explains the specific types of motor control a baby must master before the next milestone can be achieved. Dr. Shulman is associate professor of clinical pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an attending physician in pediatrics at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore. She is also director of the RELATE program for the diagnosis and treatment of autism and related disorders at Einstein's Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation (CERC).

Montana Common Core standards were adopted in 2011 by the Montana Board of Public Education. The standards set a floor, the minimum knowledge that students should have at every grade level, said Tobin Novasio, Lockwood Schools superintendent. Schools may add to that as local boards decide.

From art to outdoor adventures and leadership to sports, there’s sure to be a camp that fits your child’s interests this summer in western Montana.

MOSSAIC: Mentorship, Organization, and Social Support for Autism Inclusion on Campus MOSSAIC is support for people transitioning to the U of M who have autism spectrum disorder, Asperger syndrome, or other social/organizational challenges.  This program is offered by the RiteCare Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic.   MOSSAIC provides: Weekly time with experienced peers (U of M juniors or seniors) to address your individualized needs such as: Walk through your class schedule Organization of materials & time Self-advocacy & when to disclose Campus safety Shared living space Understanding academic expectations Problem solving opportunities Evening seminars to support student needs & provide social opportunities.  If interested, please contact:  Jennifer Closson at 406-243-5261 or jennifer.closson@mso.umt.edu  Bethany Rigles at 406-243-2208 or bethany.rigles@mso.umt.edu

One of my sons is autistic. He was diagnosed about a decade ago at age 3 for the symptoms recognized at the time but likely would have been diagnosed earlier given what we know now. Like all autistic people … like most people … he has grown–taller than I, at this point–developed, matured, and changed. And along with him, the way people view and talk and think about autism has changed, as well. In the 10 years since his diagnosis, we’ve gone from hearing “I’m sorry” when we mention having an autistic child to a much more mixed response, one that often is as weighted with curiosity and interest as with sympathy or pity, and that’s a good thing. But there is always room for improvement.

GREAT FALLS -- Parents of children with special needs came together at the Capitol in Helena on Friday to advocate for improvements in Montana services for the disabled. Parents met with legislators in an effort to show them the daily struggles of getting needed services. The group met with the Children, Families, Health & Human Services Legislative Committee for a lunch before giving public testimony later in the afternoon.

The United States is facing a child mental health crisis, and Montana is no exception. Untreated or undertreated child and adolescent emotional-behavioral problems often lead to psychiatric disorders in adults, representing a significant public health problem. In fact, mental illness is the No. 1 cause of disability in the U.S. and in Canada, according to the World Health Organization.

Mental illness at its worst can be debilitating and deadly and even at its best can create a “fog” so painful that you forget who you are. You’ve probably heard by now that 20 percent of the population has a mental illness and 6 percent of these individuals have a severe and disabling mental illness, or that Montana has been in the top five for suicide rates for over 35 years.

According to Gary Coody, R.Ph., FDA’s national health fraud coordinator, the agency has warned a number of companies that they are facing possible legal action if they continue to make false or misleading claims about products and therapies claiming to treat or cure autism. Some of these so-called therapies carry significant health risks and include:“Chelation Therapies.” These products claim to cleanse the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals by binding to them and “removing” them from circulation. They come in a number of forms, including sprays, suppositories, capsules, liquid drops and clay baths. FDA-approved chelating agents are approved for specific uses, such as the treatment of lead poisoning and iron overload, and are available by prescription only. FDA-approved prescription chelation therapy products should only be used under medical supervision. Chelating important minerals needed by the body can lead to serious and life-threatening outcomes.Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This involves breathing oxygen in a pressurized chamber and has been cleared by FDA for certain medical uses, such as treating decompression sickness suffered by divers. It has not been cleared for autism, among other conditions.Miracle Mineral Solution. Also known as Miracle Mineral Supplement and MMS, this product becomes a potent chemical that‘s used as bleach when mixed according to package directions. FDA has received reports of consumers who say they experienced nausea, severe vomiting and life-threatening low blood pressure after drinking the MMS and citrus juice mixture.Detoxifying Clay Baths. Added to bath water, these products claim to draw out chemical toxins, pollutants and heavy metals from the body, falsely offering “dramatic improvement” for autism symptoms.CocoKefir probiotics products. Product claims include being a “major key” to recovery from autism, but they are not proven safe and effective for this advertised use.Coody offers some quick tips to help you identify false or misleading claims.Be suspicious of products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases.Personal testimonials are no substitute for scientific evidence.Few diseases or conditions can be treated quickly, so be suspicious of any therapy claimed as a “quick fix.”So-called “miracle cures,” which claim scientific breakthroughs and secret ingredients, may be a hoax.The bottom line is this—if it’s an unproven or little known treatment, talk to your health care professional before buying or using these products.

Photojournalist Dan Habib didn't give much thought to disability — until his son Samuel was born with cerebral palsy. In this emotional talk, the disability-rights advocate explains his family's fight to ensure an inclusive education for Samuel, and how inclusion benefits not just Samuel and those who are included, but all of us.

The IDEA State Complaint Resource Center provides information and resources to assist parents, advocates and attorneys in using the IDEA Written State Complaint process for advocacy. Get comprehensive information on the IDEA State Complaint process along with podcasts, webinars, and video presentations, data on the number of complaints filed by state, direct links to complaint procedures in each state, a bank of state complaints listed by topic, and a tool to share a complaint with us for posting.

Today, as part of the Obama administration’s work to make our health care system more transparent, affordable, and accountable, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the release of new, privacy-protected data on services and procedures provided to Medicare beneficiaries by physicians and other health care professionals. The new data also show payment and submitted charges, or bills, for those services and procedures by provider.“Currently, consumers have limited information about how physicians and other health care professionals practice medicine,” said Secretary Sebelius “This data will help fill that gap by offering insight into the Medicare portion of a physician’s practice. The data released today afford researchers, policymakers and the public a new window into health care spending and physician practice patterns.”

The nonprofit behind Big Bird, Elmo and Abby Cadabby is launching a new effort to reduce stigma surrounding kids with autism and help those with the developmental disorder learn life skills.

HELENA – Montana officials seeking to free up bed space in the state hospital transfer mentally ill patients to prison, where they are warehoused, mistreated and denied proper mental health care, a disability rights advocacy group claims in a federal lawsuit Monday.

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! is a coordinated federal effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them.

My name is Ryan Judd and I believe that children with special needs deserve to learn and develop in a fun, creative and motivating atmosphere. I am a board certified music therapist in New Hampshire and have been specializing in working with children with special needs for over 12 years. My mission is to teach parents, educators and therapists how to use music to help children with special needs learn, grow and thrive! 

Title:    “Self-Determination Curriculum and Transition Resources”

The University of Tennessee Center for Literacy, Education & Employment conducts training and technical assistance in delivering a self-determination and career planning curriculum to school systems interested in assisting students self-determine their career planning at the point of transition from school to adult life. The self-determination and career planning approach curriculum is based on the principles of self-determination. Students receive instruction and opportunity to practice self and career discovery. The targeted participants are in an inclusive classroom with both regular and special education teachers co-teaching. The class objectives include providing students decision-making skills to increase self-discovery, planning for career and post-secondary outcomes, and participating in the IEP process.

Course covers strategies to help children whose early experiences deprived them of the nurturing needed to develop the essential capacity to connect with others. Emphasis is on significant discoveries in the fields of neuroscience, childhood trauma, grief and loss, child development, and family systems that have fueled the evolution of the Attachment Treatment philosophy to a broader method of caring for emotionally distressed children, the Relational Development treatment approach.