Summer at In Stepps!

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

Summer is upon us! We here at In Stepps LOVE Summer time. What is better than incorporating water balloons, squirt bottles, swimming pools, and other fun outdoor activities into sessions with the kiddos? These are great opportunities for introducing novel and motivating play, expanding on language, working on new play skills,  facilitating peer interactions, and more! What is your favorite Summer activity to do with your kids? We would love to hear your ideas!

Some exciting Summer events are coming up at In Stepps! Parent's Night Out will be on Friday June 29th from 6:30-9:30! Please be sure to RSVP ASAP if you would like your child to join us. Next month we will be offering another Parent's Day Out (back by popular demand) on July 28th from 11am-2pm. We are also in the process of planning our First Family Night Out event which should take place sometime in July/August and our First In Stepps Family Picnic in September! In Stepps will also be offering Summer Camp options starting in August. So keep a lookout for dates and information on how to register!

(On a side note, In Stepps will be turning TWO in July! Can you believe it?!)

So we've got the kids covered. But we also have some cool opportunities for parents, specifically dads! If you are looking for the perfect Father's Day gift... this could be it! Give the dad in your life the gift of knowledge! In Stepps is offering a 2-Session Parent Education series on proactive discipline strategies JUST FOR DADS! Psychologist Eliza DelPizzo-Cheng, Ph.D.,BCBA-D, will teach dads the “why” of challenging behavior and doable behaviorally-based parenting strategies. This series is designed for father's of children with developmental disabilities, but is relevant for any Dad. The series will be on August 1st & 8th from 7-9pm at the In Stepps office. Cost: $225 (includes a workbook). Sign up and give Dad tools he can use everyday! Call In STEPPS at 949.474.1493 for registration information or email Dr. DelPizzo eliza@instepps.com-- Limit 15 dads
In lieu of Summer, we do have a couple of administrative reminders for our In Stepps families:

1.) Remember to fill out your Summer and Fall availability forms that should have already been provided by your PC and/or Supervisor. These forms will help us accommodate your child's schedule for the Extended School Year (ESY) and any school changes that will occur in the fall. Also, please inform us ASAP if your family will be going on a vacation this Summer. If you have not received the form yet, please ask your Case Supervisor so we can have it on file. We need 2 weeks to accommodate changes and requests. As a reminder, we cannot commit to temporary schedule changes due to short term camps, family outings, etc.

2.) If you would like your child to participate in water activities such as swimming, please ensure we have the Water Activities Consent Form on file for your family/child. If you have filled this form out during a previous Summer with In Stepps, there is no need to fill out another one. We are ready to swim when you are! Ask your Supervisor for the consent and inform your Supervisor in advance for scheduling any swimming or water activity plans.

In other In Stepps news... Have you had a chance to check out our AMAZING new website? We worked extremely hard on the new features and design and we are very proud of the end result. There are several convenient additions for our families including a Calendar of Events section where you can check out upcoming events and programs as well as a Newsletter. Be sure to subscribe to the Newsletter by entering your email address on the home page. You can see the new website in all it's glory here: http://www.instepps.com/

If you would like to be connected even more to In Stepps, make sure you "like" us on Facebook! There you will find a lot of information not featured on our blog, including community events, pictures, resources, coupons, fun links, and more. Once you "like" our page, all updates can be found directly in your personal news feed. Our Facebook Page is here! Check it out and leave us some comments!

Many of you have recently received a letter from Regional Center of Orange County (RCOC) regarding your child's services and insurance coverage under the new SB946 law. We understand that many of you have questions, concerns, and general confusion regarding the upcoming changes and how to obtain insurance coverage. In Stepps is committed to assisting your family through this process and support you in any way we can. We have a FAQ post that we will be sharing with you shortly that addresses many of the questions you may have. Keep an eye out! We will post on Facebook as soon as it is posted and ready to go. In the meantime, please feel free to call us at (949) 474-1493 or email info@instepps.com if you have any issues so we can support you through it. Also, please be sure to fill out the Insurance Information Form/Consent that your Supervisor has brought out to you so we can help with the communication between your family and insurance company.

Finally, we have two more In Stepps Stars to brag about! Can you guess who they are?? Stay tuned!

Exciting News and Upcoming Events

We have some great news and events coming up in the future, and we want you to know about them!

IN STEPPS is expanding its service model with a brand new Assessment Center. Dr. Sivan Kochinski, a licensed psychologist with extensive knowledge and background in assessment and Dr. Erin McNerney, our Clinical Director, will be providing assessments at our new office. Dr. Kochinski will also be offering a variety of parent workshops, beginning with an 8-week workshop for parents with a child with ADHD.

The other exciting development is the start of social skill groups on Saturdays. First groups will take place in May!

Finally, we are looking forward to an exciting summer! IN STEPPS will be offering a LEGO camp as well as support in regular summer camps. Summer will be a great time to offer some focus on social skills and fun!!

For more information please call, email, or find us on Facebook!

IN STEPPS has been growing consistently and we want to thank all of you who have contributed to our success!



Psychological Assessment Center information:

ADHD Workshop:

Social Skills Groups:

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting us!

Check back often to find program announcements, workshop information, parent resources, links, and other IN S.T.E.P.P.S. updates!

A little bit about us...

IN S.T.E.P.P.S. is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art services to families and their children with a developmental disability. We use only evidence-based teaching strategies and techniques and individualize programs to each child and family’s need. We believe each child and family is unique, and that only context- driven interventions will be sustained by parents and families. IN S.T.E.P.P.S. provides intervention in the natural environment and includes parents, siblings and other natural mediators as often as possible in the intervention. We focus on functional skills, and strongly believe in the power of positive reinforcement and positive behavior support strategies. We focus on the strength and uniqueness of each individual and strive for an optimal environment that allows ongoing, continuous learning. Finally, our goal is always to make learning fun for all involved, and to (re)create a harmonious family atmosphere.

IN S.T.E.P.P.S. is committed to providing an equal opportunity and professional work environment with ongoing opportunities for learning and growth. We believe that services can only be state-of-the-art when staff are an integral part of the decision making process, when staff feel heard and appreciated, and when people work together every step of the way. IN S.T.E.P.P.S. uses a team approach and the collaborative process to continually improve programs and services for the children and families we serve.

Our services include:

• Individualized behavior therapy to students with  ASD,  other developmental disabilities and delays, and other diagnoses such as ADHD or Anxiety Disorders

• Social skills teaching in the natural environment

• Social skill groups

• School support

• Parent support and education

• Assessments and evaluations

• Workshops for parents

• Lego Summer Camp and Support in Community Summer Camps

• On site training and coaching in Pivotal Response Treatment for professionals

If you would like more information please contact us anytime:

Email: info@instepps.com

Address: 18008 Skypark Circle, Suite 110 Irvine, CA 92614

Phone:(949) 726-8324

Website: www.instepps.com

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