This story appeared in Disability Scoop. After officials in the last holdout state enacted a new rule, all 50 states and Washington, D.C. have mandates that require some level of insurance coverage for the treatment of autism. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance now requires all individual, small and large group insurance plans issued… Continue Reading Idaho Mandates Insurance Coverage for Treatment of Autism

John Lennon and Paul McCartney once penned a famous tune containing the lyrics “I get by with a little help from my friends.” While the underlying roots of the song focus on human companionship, these lyrics also reference the main elements of one of the hottest buzzwords in the healthcare industry today: Care Coordination. But… Continue Reading What Is Care Coordination?

The presence of art can leave a meaningful impact on human lives. It affects our mood and our views of the world, reducing stress levels and alleviating anxiety episodes in most cases. Having these facts in mind, including art therapy in the process of guiding students with disabilities is a logical and natural decision that… Continue Reading 8 Pieces of Advice: Supporting Kids With Disabilities Through Art Therapy

As Governor Little takes the reigns from former Governor Butch Otter he is making some changes in his cabinet. Little has named Dave Jeppesen as new director for the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare, the state’s single largest agency. Jeppesen has been with Blue Cross of Idaho for the past six and a half… Continue Reading Idaho’s New Health and Welfare Director

I had an opportunity to attend a session by Jeanne Farr, CEO, National Association of Dual Diagnosis, at the Idaho Partnerships Conference on Human Services. The session was titled “Trauma-Informed Care” (TIC). Ms. Farr presented us with a comprehensive definition and history of TIC indicating reports of traumatic stress as far back in history as… Continue Reading Trauma Informed Care

Music has been with us for thousands of years as a form of entertainment, communication, celebration, and mourning. There are so many different emotions that music can help us to express, and it is a language that we share universally, as well as one that everyone can understand. The style of music that we listen… Continue Reading How Music Helps with Mental Health – Mind Boosting Benefits of Music Therapy

Have you ever experienced fear, doubt and anxiety? So have our Adventure Camp participants. These campers are individuals with an array of physical and mental disabilities, but they push through their fear, doubt, anxiety and physical limitations to challenge themselves and test their boundaries. Our campers have challenged themselves to make new friends, go on… Continue Reading Challenge Yourself

“Don’t let your dreams, be dreams.” For a lot of individuals that we work with their dream is to be among friends without their provider or caretaker,  and to be able to do what they want, when they want. They want to be able to be free even if just for a few days, and… Continue Reading Let’s Go Camping

“Mr. Rutherford, I love you,” I hear from the corner of a second grade classroom as I reach for the handle to open the door. I pause, look back into the room and say, “I love you too Alex.” This room of twenty-eight students feel unaffected by my declaration. Sharing love in this classroom is… Continue Reading William Rutherford: Inclusion for Better Education

On October 5, 2017 I had the opportunity to attend a continuing education class by Deb Carter, PhD, BCBA-D during the 2017 Idaho Partnerships Conference on Human Services. Dr. Carter’s continuing education class was titled Understanding the Function of Young Children’s Behavior. Dr. Carter taught us challenging behaviors are always communication. Especially for children who… Continue Reading Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports