1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:14,160 Welcome to Unlimited Parenting, where we discuss having children with disabilities or special 2 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:15,460 health care needs. 3 00:00:15,460 --> 00:00:20,160 I'm your host, Allison, and with me today are Sarah and Melissa. 4 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:25,900 And I am extra excited today because this is not your normal episode. 5 00:00:25,900 --> 00:00:30,840 Today is a special edition bonus feature, if you will, and I am joined by some of my 6 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:37,280 team to share our whys and what brought us here to Idaho Parents Unlimited. 7 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:43,060 But before I open up the floor to you ladies for discussion, I just want to add to make 8 00:00:43,060 --> 00:00:48,360 sure our listeners know that there are five parent education coordinators here at Idaho 9 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,480 Parents Unlimited. 10 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:55,880 Rosario could not be here today and neither could Amanda because Amanda just had a baby. 11 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,720 Shout out to Amanda and her happy baby. 12 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,760 So a little bit about them real quick. 13 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,760 They are both bilingual parent education coordinators. 14 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,640 Rosario has been here since so long we've lost count. 15 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,400 She just celebrated 12th, 13th anniversary? 16 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,400 No, that was Candace. 17 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,080 Oh my gosh, our bookkeeper. 18 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:19,760 So Rosario has been here even longer. 19 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:21,720 So probably 13, 14, 15. 20 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:23,840 I believe it's up there. 21 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,320 Rosario has been here a while. 22 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,120 She's been here for a very long time. 23 00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:28,120 Yes. 24 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:30,080 She knows the stuff and the things. 25 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:37,280 And Amanda's been here for a little over a year and she also does some social media stuff 26 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:38,880 a little bit on the side for us. 27 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,820 So she dabbles. 28 00:01:40,820 --> 00:01:48,240 The people that are in the room with me right now are the three main people that you would 29 00:01:48,240 --> 00:01:50,720 get on the phone if you called us. 30 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:56,800 Hence all of us collecting in this room today to talk to you so that you know a little bit 31 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,560 about when you call, who are you talking to? 32 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:01,680 Are we parents? 33 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:04,560 What are our credentials? 34 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:05,560 How do we know the stuff? 35 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:06,560 Who wants to go first? 36 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:09,400 Do you want me to eenie meenie miney mow it? 37 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:10,400 Yeah. 38 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:11,400 Yeah. 39 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,000 I mean, I could go first. 40 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,280 Sarah, you go first. 41 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:20,440 I've been here since September of 2016. 42 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:21,440 Is that right? 43 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:22,440 Yeah. 44 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:23,440 We weren't here. 45 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,640 It's been since 2016, September 20. 46 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:27,640 Yeah. 47 00:02:27,640 --> 00:02:30,360 So I'm in my six and a half years here. 48 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:31,360 Wow. 49 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,440 So yeah, if you do the math, seven years in September. 50 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:35,440 Wow. 51 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:36,440 Wow. 52 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:37,440 It really flies, guys. 53 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,960 Why are you here? 54 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,720 Well, not existentially and not literally like in this room. 55 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,920 But question, Allison. 56 00:02:46,920 --> 00:02:51,240 No, I have three children. 57 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,480 My oldest is 24 years old. 58 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,440 And then I have a 22 year old. 59 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,440 And then our youngest, my youngest is 18. 60 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:03,880 I mean, oh my gosh, hold the phone. 61 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:04,880 No, 17. 62 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:07,200 He'll be 18 in August. 63 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:08,200 Don't rush that, Sarah. 64 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,200 Wait a second. 65 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:16,120 I'm focused on 18 because we have about five months left until he turns 18 August 4. 66 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:18,040 So and there's a lot of work to do. 67 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:19,040 There's a lot of work. 68 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:26,240 So in that number 18 is I'm focused directly on because I'm preparing for him to become 69 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:32,080 an adult and the things and the stuff that we have to think about when he turns 18. 70 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:40,640 But anyway, he is our our what do you want to call him? 71 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,680 The sweet boy who he's the reason you're here. 72 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:51,980 He is the reason he is the reason that I found myself in this position and the experience 73 00:03:51,980 --> 00:03:55,720 that has led me to be here. 74 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,240 My credentials are in Truman. 75 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:05,400 And along with that comes a fast track nursing degree honorary, I should say. 76 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,120 I did not go to school for that. 77 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:17,000 But I certainly know a lot about the medical field and raising a medically complex child. 78 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:24,400 He's been in school accessing special education since he was in the NICU, the neonatal intensive 79 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:29,920 care unit at St. Luke's, then went to the infant toddler program right out of there 80 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:35,420 and early to childhood developmental preschool. 81 00:04:35,420 --> 00:04:41,560 And from there, we've been using and accessing special education services and probably will 82 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:43,840 until he's 21. 83 00:04:43,840 --> 00:04:46,520 But yeah, home and community based services. 84 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:52,000 So yeah, everything that we do here in our office. 85 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:57,280 We've had a direct relationship with his life. 86 00:04:57,280 --> 00:04:59,880 lived experiences, lived experience. 87 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:00,880 Absolutely. 88 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,760 I do have a college degree, but I'm in and it has helped us along our way. 89 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:12,680 But I really I started out wanting to be a pre preschool, elementary school teacher, 90 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,840 I was a preschool teacher for quite some time. 91 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:25,000 And then I went to formal education to be a teacher. 92 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:31,280 And just before I was ready to graduate, I had Truman. 93 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:39,000 So I didn't feel it was very fair to be in a classroom and have a child with complex 94 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,560 needs that we weren't prepared for. 95 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,680 So anyway, but in your past life, you were going to be a teacher. 96 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,600 I was I was but I am a teacher. 97 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:48,600 Yeah, right. 98 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:54,840 I teach families and I teach youth and I used to coach at the high school. 99 00:05:54,840 --> 00:06:02,380 So I've been able to use my experience, formal training and informal training to teach families 100 00:06:02,380 --> 00:06:06,960 and share my experience just as I would in a classroom. 101 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:07,960 Fair enough. 102 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,000 How about you, Melissa? 103 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,280 Why are you sitting here in this dark room with me? 104 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:13,280 I don't know why. 105 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:15,480 Because you made me do it. 106 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:16,680 I'm so sorry, listeners. 107 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,880 I feel like that might need a little bit of an explanation. 108 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:24,040 We're in a room where the light shuts off if we don't frantically move every 30 minutes. 109 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:25,720 I'm sure there's a way to fix that. 110 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,120 But so we're sitting here by candlelight. 111 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,800 It's very it's the mood. 112 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,720 It sets the mood. 113 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:45,960 I am sitting here because I also had a child that was born and required me to be his advocate. 114 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,920 I didn't set out wanting to do this. 115 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:54,880 I didn't you know, I just I didn't sign up to do this just because you thought it'd be 116 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:56,640 neat because I thought it'd be neat. 117 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:58,840 I had a child that made me become an advocate. 118 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:04,160 I had a child that forced me into this line of work and I am so incredibly grateful for 119 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:05,160 it. 120 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:06,640 This isn't what I wanted to be when I grew up. 121 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,720 I don't think any one of us did. 122 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:12,120 I don't think I didn't know this even this world even existed. 123 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:13,120 Exactly. 124 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,120 I didn't even know this world existed. 125 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:16,440 Yeah. 126 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:20,320 So my background is not anywhere even close to this. 127 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,600 It's I have a degree in HR business management. 128 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:32,040 I was in kind of you know, I worked in the retail sector, worked in training and operations 129 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:37,400 and then COVID hit and I couldn't do that for another day in my life. 130 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,640 And this just kind of I saw an ad on Facebook. 131 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:43,760 So potentially that's why Facebook could be why I'm here. 132 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:45,480 Thank you Mark Zuckerberg. 133 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:47,880 Thank you Mark. 134 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:49,800 And I read it too actually. 135 00:07:49,800 --> 00:07:50,800 Really? 136 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:51,800 Yeah. 137 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:52,800 Okay. 138 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:53,800 A friend saw it. 139 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:55,800 I read it and then I was like, now whatever. 140 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:56,800 I have a job. 141 00:07:56,800 --> 00:08:02,920 And then I came back to it and I read it and I could do that. 142 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:04,280 I could totally do that. 143 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:08,920 I could help parents navigate these systems that I have been navigating. 144 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:11,840 And at that time, so I've been here about a year and a half. 145 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,640 I started in January of 2021 right in the middle of pandemic. 146 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:16,880 That was interesting. 147 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,600 I had a job or a you know, an interview on zoom. 148 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:23,280 I mean all this stuff was very, was very new. 149 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:25,800 It was crazy. 150 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:26,960 But that's why I'm here. 151 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,260 I'm here because I have four kids. 152 00:08:30,260 --> 00:08:31,260 My oldest is 17. 153 00:08:31,260 --> 00:08:33,480 She's going to be 18 pretty soon. 154 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:34,480 She's going to graduate. 155 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,680 So don't, that's why I'm saying Sarah, don't rush it. 156 00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:38,880 Don't rush it because I'm also in the same boat. 157 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,120 We have graduating seniors this year. 158 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:48,520 And then I have a 15 year old and my 13 year old has a rare neurological chromosomal deletion 159 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,280 called Angelman syndrome. 160 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:57,160 We found out when he was nine months old, he had a big old, huge seizure that kind of 161 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,240 fast tracked our diagnosis. 162 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,200 I knew as a mom, something was wrong right off the bat. 163 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:04,560 My pediatrician kept saying, no, he's the third kid. 164 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:05,560 He's lazy. 165 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:10,080 I just knew in my mommy gut told me. 166 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,360 So that's why I'm here. 167 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,720 I guess we, we have a little bit different. 168 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,520 I have a different story than Sarah. 169 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:17,040 We didn't spend time in the NICU. 170 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:22,760 You know, I didn't know that there was truly a diagnosis until he was a year old is when 171 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:24,480 we got his official diagnosis. 172 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:31,920 We knew that there was some chromosomal deletion at about nine, eight to nine months. 173 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:35,200 And then we started into the programs like Sarah said, then we started, then we were 174 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:36,200 an infant toddler. 175 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,280 And we were in all the therapies, developmental preschool, accessing special education. 176 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:42,960 Reese is now in the seventh grade. 177 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:47,320 And he's still is accessing his education that way, you know, through special education 178 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,120 and it will be until he's 21. 179 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:55,000 And you're also utilizing children's developmental disability and through Medicaid and all of 180 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,040 those systems well within your wheelhouse. 181 00:09:57,040 --> 00:09:58,040 Yeah. 182 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,040 So I guess that goes back to when I looked and I said, you know, what is Idaho parents 183 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,040 and limited and what do they do? 184 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:07,600 I was helping friends that were going through these things. 185 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:15,040 I was so to have the opportunity to be involved in, you know, an organization that helps and 186 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,400 supports families statewide was really, really exciting for me. 187 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,360 So that's I'm glad I found it. 188 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,080 Long story short, I'm here and that's how I found it. 189 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:25,080 That's why I'm here. 190 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:26,720 Reese is why Reese is why. 191 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:27,720 Yeah. 192 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:31,280 And Truman shout out to Reese and yeah, I mean, I just thinking about what Melissa said, 193 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:36,960 I think that when we are going through some of the things that we go through as parents 194 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:45,000 raising these kiddos, we see all of the main many wonderful benefits and then all of the 195 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,040 challenges that families go through. 196 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:48,040 Yeah. 197 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:52,320 And in our in the back of our mind, we think it shouldn't be this hard. 198 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:57,600 How do how do people find out about these services and all of these things like you 199 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:02,240 see on social media, you talk to your friends and they say, well, I have this. 200 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:03,440 How do you have that? 201 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:04,840 Well, go here. 202 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:10,160 And so, you know, we are like, well, this needs to be this needs to be in one central 203 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,080 location and lo and behold, here we are. 204 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:14,080 It is. 205 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:21,880 And so we use I always think that in you know, I'm not going through this journey for nothing. 206 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:28,200 I mean, I've got to take what I'm learning in the trials and how hard it is sometimes 207 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:34,000 and how good it is and share this so that I'm not just going through it just to go through 208 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,280 it and right now waste my time. 209 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:40,440 But this stuff is I'm not I won't sugarcoat it. 210 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:42,640 It's this stuff is hard. 211 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:48,640 And I've got to be able to share what I'm learning in order to help others. 212 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:49,960 And that's what we do here. 213 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:57,600 We want the journey and the path to be as empathetic and not easy because I won't say 214 00:11:57,600 --> 00:12:03,440 it's easy, but as smooth as it can be. 215 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:08,120 Like if we can give you a resource that you weren't already aware of and it makes your 216 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,360 life even a smidge easier. 217 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:12,360 Right. 218 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:17,640 Like I nobody's gatekeeping the information, but it's really hard to figure out on your 219 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:18,640 own. 220 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,760 And you know, that's there's people here that get it. 221 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:26,040 I guess that's the other thing, you know, working in an organization before my organization 222 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:27,200 was great that I worked for. 223 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,840 I'm not saying that it wasn't a wonderful experience. 224 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:31,920 I have so many friends from there. 225 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:37,520 But to work in a workplace that every single one of us is a parent of a child with complex 226 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:43,440 disabilities or special health care needs or, you know, just disabilities in one way 227 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:44,960 or another, we get each other. 228 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:52,080 And when we you know, that's that's so nice to be able to have that to be on a team that 229 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,840 truly truly understands. 230 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:54,840 Right. 231 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:55,840 Right. 232 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:03,680 We have staff here who have kids with mental health diagnoses, complex mental health diagnoses, 233 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:08,280 accessing the Idaho's Yes program services. 234 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,760 And you know, we we see it all here. 235 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:15,800 There isn't a story that unfortunately that shocks us. 236 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,240 Yeah. 237 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,320 And so I want to ask you, Allison, why are you here? 238 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:21,320 Yeah. 239 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:22,320 How much time do you have? 240 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,920 Are you going to say Facebook? 241 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,040 I I'm actually not going to say Facebook. 242 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,800 So I found Idaho Parents Unlimited through my children's school. 243 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:34,040 Very nice. 244 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,040 Yes. 245 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:41,240 So on one of the monthly flyers, there was a little blurb about how there was a thing 246 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:45,920 called parent leadership upcoming and it was going to be in our region. 247 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:50,720 And they said, you know, this is for parents of children with disabilities or special health 248 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:51,720 care needs. 249 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:57,080 If you're interested and want to be active, you know, click here and apply. 250 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:02,200 And I did because I was trying to be as active as possible because my kids were. 251 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:06,960 I don't know how to say it. 252 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,480 My kids don't look unique. 253 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:10,480 Disabled. 254 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,720 Is that a good way to describe them? 255 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:14,440 Yeah, they have silent disability. 256 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:15,440 Absolutely. 257 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,920 Yeah, they they, you know, I just get the people in the grocery store who say things 258 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:28,480 like, you know, you need to you need to discipline your child because they don't see him as, 259 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:29,900 you know, being disabled. 260 00:14:29,900 --> 00:14:35,360 So I was actively trying to be in the community applied, got accepted, went to leadership 261 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,240 with all of these other ladies that you hear here. 262 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:45,920 And from there, I just actually remember being in McCall at leadership and thinking, wouldn't 263 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:47,840 it be so cool to work here? 264 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:49,840 I couldn't be cool. 265 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:53,800 And then they had a job opening and yeah, yeah, yeah. 266 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:55,320 The rest is history. 267 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,920 The rest is history. 268 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:06,240 Unlike Sarah and Melissa, it was my oldest child who started it all, I guess, you know, 269 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,080 spent some time in the NICU. 270 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:14,120 He's always been what I lovingly refer to as the gray area. 271 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:17,360 He never he doesn't jump out. 272 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:18,560 Oh, yes. 273 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:25,120 In one, you know, if you're in developmental preschool, they say you have to be three standard 274 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:29,320 deviations away from the mean in one category or one and a half and two. 275 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:34,920 And my son was consistently like a one point four five away in a category. 276 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:39,920 So it's always been this is this is truly a child that we need to help, but we don't 277 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:41,840 know where to stick him. 278 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:44,240 But so that's me. 279 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:51,680 My second child came along a little more apparent, I want to say, than my first child, more recognizable 280 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:58,960 that this was a kid who could definitely benefit from early intervention, which huge proponents 281 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:03,000 of early intervention here, because that is where the work is done. 282 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:07,560 So we have put in time in early intervention. 283 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:11,800 And yeah, I would say I can't speak highly enough of it. 284 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:12,800 Yeah. 285 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:17,880 So those first two kids, they're now in second and first grade. 286 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:24,920 Unlike my other coworkers here, my oldest son is solely supported by a five or four. 287 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:29,040 He did have an IEP, but now he's just on a five or four. 288 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,920 And I still know a lot about IEPs and we're accessing children's developmental disability. 289 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,840 Like Sarah said earlier, I am that parent with a child who's supported by the yes program 290 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:47,120 dual diagnosis with some pretty complex mental health things going along with both of my 291 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:50,160 boys having being autistic. 292 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:57,280 So yeah, I have a total of three kids went to school for psychology, wanted to wasn't 293 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:02,640 sure if I was going to be a psychologist or a therapist, but it's going to be somewhere 294 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:05,640 helping people. 295 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:11,360 And I had kids and I stopped working and everything changed. 296 00:17:11,360 --> 00:17:18,180 And it's kind of like what Melissa said earlier about how you just know there's something 297 00:17:18,180 --> 00:17:20,000 a little bit different. 298 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:25,160 And you guys both, Sarah and Melissa had the benefit of having kids, other kids first. 299 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:27,400 And so it might've stuck out more to you. 300 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:28,400 I think you're right. 301 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:35,320 But I was just like, you know, when your kid is nine, 10 months old and they're babbling 302 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:40,440 mama, dada, and then all of a sudden there's like a solid year, year and a half where they 303 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,280 say nothing. 304 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,360 That's just not in the book, right? 305 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:46,360 Right. 306 00:17:46,360 --> 00:17:49,360 Yeah, no, that's not the book. 307 00:17:49,360 --> 00:17:53,960 I mean, that brings up such a good point when parents like parents are calling us because 308 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,480 this stuff isn't in a book, right? 309 00:17:56,480 --> 00:18:01,880 There's no manual that tells you how to access home and community based services, right? 310 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:03,080 It's not on a billboard. 311 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:07,520 What to do when you're, you know, like exactly. 312 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:08,520 That's a great point. 313 00:18:08,520 --> 00:18:14,120 I learned, like I said, I went to parent leadership, learned so much at parent leadership. 314 00:18:14,120 --> 00:18:16,120 And then I was like, ah, this is great. 315 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:18,560 I know so much, so, so much. 316 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:23,280 And I started working here and I just remember with them the first week. 317 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,160 But what do you mean? 318 00:18:25,160 --> 00:18:28,000 I could get diapers provided to me. 319 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:29,000 Hold on. 320 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,000 Stop. 321 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:34,240 She would come in my office and I'm like, what else can I get her today? 322 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,640 Prescriptions to stop the presses. 323 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:41,440 You don't know what you don't know. 324 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:42,440 Exactly. 325 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:47,000 And even when I start to feel really confident, all of a sudden I'm like, I did not even know 326 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:49,000 that that existed. 327 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,280 Yeah. 328 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:54,440 And that's so great because of all the professional development we get and we get, we get the 329 00:18:54,440 --> 00:19:01,040 opportunity to go cross country, to be in a large room with other all every state has 330 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:04,280 a parent training information, family to family health information center. 331 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:11,240 We get the opportunity to go meet with them, network, compare, contrast resources that 332 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:18,920 and how do you help families and what demographic do your families fit in and how do we reach 333 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:24,160 those families that are in our rural communities. 334 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:30,720 So when we are, we're just as frustrated as everybody else when they don't know who we 335 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:32,240 are and how we help. 336 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:33,240 Right. 337 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:38,840 And we actively every day, you know, hence in all honesty cards on the table, hence the 338 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:39,840 podcast. 339 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:40,840 Right. 340 00:19:40,840 --> 00:19:46,840 Just another method modality to reach people, webinars, podcasts, trainings. 341 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:52,880 Yeah, I mean, we're such a small organization, but we are statewide. 342 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:57,320 You know, there's, there's only what nine of us in the whole company, nine and the four 343 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:05,720 of us, three of us right now are mainly the ones who are taking calls and emails from, 344 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:06,720 from our families. 345 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:07,720 Yeah. 346 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:14,240 So, I mean, but it goes back to the, you know, we don't have this an exponential advertising 347 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:19,200 budget or a marketing budget that we are able, you know, to spread the word or the, our word 348 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:23,400 far and wide that this is what we are and who we, what we can do. 349 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,560 You know, there's not, we don't have the ability to do that. 350 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:30,320 So we rely on parents and we rely on parents to tell their friends and their other parents 351 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:35,480 and you know, tell the girl what, um, sitting next to you in the waiting room at your kid's 352 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:39,000 therapy or wherever really, really. 353 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:40,320 That's how we get our word of mouth out. 354 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:41,320 Yeah. 355 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,400 And we are just as frustrated that people don't know we exist until they actually really, 356 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,560 really, really, really need us. 357 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,480 Not before to kind of, you know, just get their feet wet. 358 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:53,740 It's usually pretty bad. 359 00:20:53,740 --> 00:20:58,520 But on the flip side, if we do have a parent who's, you know, got a new diagnosis, this 360 00:20:58,520 --> 00:21:00,960 is they're just dipping their toes in the water. 361 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,200 We have a lot of established resources. 362 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:04,200 Right. 363 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:05,200 Yes. 364 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,640 And we start slow right from the beginning and try not to make it overwhelming. 365 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:10,640 No. 366 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,440 And I think that's important that you said that Alison, because we, we do, and I just 367 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:19,600 had this conversation with someone else, um, the other day that we remember what it was 368 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:20,600 like. 369 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:26,600 I remember leaving the Nikki with a binder filled with resources, filled with information. 370 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,320 Did I open that once I got home? 371 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,400 No, it was overwhelming. 372 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:38,080 And so I think that when we do help our families, we try to do it in chunks that are manageable 373 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:47,280 and realistic and so that we can give this little bits of information to our, to our 374 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:52,840 parents and families and grandparents, whoever it is calling our office, little chunks and 375 00:21:52,840 --> 00:22:01,840 bits of information and resources or steps that they could potentially take in order 376 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:04,280 to get what it is that they need. 377 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,760 And then, then we always are here. 378 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:08,760 Yeah. 379 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:09,760 For the next step or. 380 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:10,760 Yeah. 381 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:12,760 I would always say that comes from our experience. 382 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:13,760 Right. 383 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:16,800 I mean, we, there's your binder didn't work. 384 00:22:16,800 --> 00:22:17,800 It didn't work. 385 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:19,880 There was no way you could have opened that and then gone, okay, I'm going to do this 386 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:21,280 and I'm going to do this and I'm going to do this. 387 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,880 You needed a human to really help you. 388 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,680 What is the first step? 389 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:26,680 Right. 390 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:27,880 And that's what we, that's what we do. 391 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:33,160 I wish, I wish that I had known about Idaho parents unlimited right when we got Reese's 392 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,560 diagnosis, it would have been huge because I didn't. 393 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:42,920 I didn't have a clue and I figured it out on my own, but it was, it was trial and error 394 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,120 and, and parents wouldn't have to do that if they knew that there was a resource and 395 00:22:47,120 --> 00:22:49,960 every, every state has an Idaho parents. 396 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,080 Well, it's going to be called something obviously. 397 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:54,080 Yeah. 398 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:58,840 But a parent training and information is in every state and that's a resource that is 399 00:22:58,840 --> 00:22:59,840 so underutilized. 400 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:02,240 Let's leave it like that. 401 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:04,960 And I don't want people to feel like it's a one and done. 402 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:10,240 Like typically we are, we're working with you for years. 403 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:11,240 Yeah. 404 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:12,720 As long as you need. 405 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:17,480 And I think another really important thing to mention a benefit of working here is, you 406 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:19,680 know, you call me, you're not just calling me. 407 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:24,680 I'm going out to Melissa and Sarah and we're all, we're all brainstorming together to figure 408 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,020 out, is there another resource you could, you could help this? 409 00:23:28,020 --> 00:23:29,020 What would you say? 410 00:23:29,020 --> 00:23:30,020 You know, kind of a thing. 411 00:23:30,020 --> 00:23:35,400 In fact, we just, we just had some rearranging in our office to make it easier for us to 412 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,360 collaborate together. 413 00:23:37,360 --> 00:23:38,720 I think we can just yell now. 414 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,880 We don't even have to walk out of our office, right? 415 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:49,800 No, but we, we, but yeah, I mean, we do all of us, even, even though I've been here for 416 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:56,080 almost seven years and Angela, our executive director who's been here for, um, I think 417 00:23:56,080 --> 00:24:04,560 she's going on 11 or 12 years as well, we all collaborate with each other on the issues 418 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:10,080 that we're, when that we're taking the calls and emails, um, for. 419 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:17,560 And additionally, we're very active and we follow closely legislation and collecting 420 00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:24,440 testimonies from parents and, you know, calling on people who feel comfortable speaking to 421 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,320 right. 422 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:33,000 Idaho legislature and we're active kind of in all, if there's an area that touches parents 423 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,320 or children with disabilities, we're there and we have a seat at the table. 424 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:38,320 Yeah. 425 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:42,200 Our partnerships are, I mean, our statewide partnerships are unbelievable. 426 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:49,680 It's, I mean, we, we're very, very proud of how we have worked to be seen as these credible, 427 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:51,240 reliable sources. 428 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:56,080 We're not just parents, um, and I think that's, that's really big. 429 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,480 Um, and, and it's something that we are really, really proud of. 430 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:03,280 I mean, we have the state department that we partner with all the time, the state department 431 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:04,280 of education. 432 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:11,640 I mean, we can pick up the phone and ask a question to make sure that the information 433 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:17,680 that we are providing is still as relevant as it is, is when we find it or when we use 434 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:18,680 it. 435 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:24,000 Um, we are the same with, um, the department of health and welfare. 436 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,200 Um, and no, it's okay. 437 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,320 I, I knew what you were, you're going to see, we know, right. 438 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:34,680 And you know, and vice versa, the state department will call us and the department of health 439 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:39,440 and welfare from their different departments will call us to see if we have heard anything 440 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:45,080 different or if we know of any resources to help families, um, that the, that they're 441 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:46,080 working with. 442 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,440 And, um, you know, we are a neutral party. 443 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:50,760 We don't pick sides. 444 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:56,320 We don't, we don't say on the side of the state department of ed or any school districts 445 00:25:56,320 --> 00:25:58,720 or our partners with the schools. 446 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,640 Um, we don't, we don't pick sides with the department of health and welfare. 447 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:10,760 We are truly a, I think one of our, um, former parent leaders, um, called us the librarians 448 00:26:10,760 --> 00:26:15,680 of special education and healthcare because we are, we will find that information. 449 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:22,640 They'll find the accurate up to date relevant, um, information for our families that, um, 450 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,440 is going to help them the best way that they can. 451 00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:26,440 100%. 452 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:31,000 You call us, you tell us your situation and we give you tools you can use. 453 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:32,000 Absolutely. 454 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,520 But couldn't I just find it in a Facebook group? 455 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:40,400 Potentially, potentially you could, you could, but it, it, you're going to get someone's 456 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:46,560 experience in a way that they experienced it and that might not necessarily fit within 457 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:54,080 your, within your situations or the information is, you know, it's like the telephone game, 458 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:55,080 right? 459 00:26:55,080 --> 00:27:01,400 Um, it's what he said and then she said, and then he, and then she, and she next to her. 460 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:07,240 And so it doesn't discount that there was a conversation and an experience by, by any 461 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:08,240 means. 462 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:14,840 Um, but what we, but what we do when we, um, follow up with our calls, um, and emails is 463 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:19,720 we provide the direct language that it comes from, the resource that the information comes 464 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:27,560 from and then who to contact, um, to, to follow up if, if that needs help. 465 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:31,880 And we're parents ourselves, but we are not ever going to say, this is what you have to 466 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:32,880 do. 467 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:34,600 We are not going to provide you advice. 468 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:39,760 We are going to provide you resources, factual, credible information and allow you to make 469 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:41,000 those decisions on your own. 470 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:48,640 Empower, empower you as a parent or a grandparent or a family member to make your own choices. 471 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:49,780 Exactly. 472 00:27:49,780 --> 00:27:53,760 We don't want you to call and have you leave the call saying, Oh, well, Melissa at I-Pole 473 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:57,760 said we want you to leave the call saying, well, I got these resources. 474 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:03,780 The special education manual for Idaho says, or this from the certified family home portion 475 00:28:03,780 --> 00:28:10,080 of health and welfare's website says we don't, we're going to give you, we're going to cite 476 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:11,080 our sources. 477 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:12,080 We have the receipts. 478 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,120 Yes, we are bringing receipts. 479 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:15,120 Yeah, we are. 480 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:16,120 I like it. 481 00:28:16,120 --> 00:28:22,000 But on the flip side, if you say your child has just been diagnosed, you have an autistic 482 00:28:22,000 --> 00:28:25,880 child, I might say, well, this is what I did. 483 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:26,880 Absolutely. 484 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:27,880 Yeah. 485 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:29,360 This is a resource I like. 486 00:28:29,360 --> 00:28:30,360 Yes. 487 00:28:30,360 --> 00:28:32,480 This worked for my family. 488 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:37,360 It might work, it might not, but this is, this is what we tried. 489 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:39,280 And so far it's working. 490 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:44,080 And tagging on kind of what you said earlier about gatekeeping information, if you're going 491 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:51,520 to call us and you're going to ask us about, let's just say ABA and in some Facebook groups, 492 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:57,040 that might be kind of a faux pas, but I would give you resources about it. 493 00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:58,040 Yeah. 494 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:03,080 I'm not saying that's going to be off limits here or I'll just give you the evidence-based 495 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:06,280 research that I have on whatever therapy you're asking for. 496 00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:10,720 I'm not going to recommend any specific doctor or any specific therapy. 497 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:15,360 You come with a situation and I tailor resources to the questions that you asked. 498 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:16,360 100%. 499 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:17,360 Yep. 500 00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:20,520 We always have that saying, we meet our families where they're at. 501 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:23,520 And that's what that means. 502 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:28,160 We meet you where it is that you need your information. 503 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:29,160 Yeah. 504 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:33,440 And I would even go so far as whatever modality you need your information. 505 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:41,400 We are finding, hence the podcast, but we are finding that different parents have different 506 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:46,160 ways of receiving information or how they need to be able to receive information. 507 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,280 So if you need to text, we can text. 508 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:49,880 If you want to email, we can email. 509 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:52,160 If we need to zoom, we can zoom. 510 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:56,920 We really do meet families where they're at because we recognize that it is, as a family 511 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:00,800 member, it can be really difficult to find that space. 512 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:01,800 Yeah. 513 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:02,800 Yeah. 514 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:03,800 Okay. 515 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:05,520 I'm going to put you on the spot. 516 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:12,640 What is one thing that you wish parents knew about whatever you want it to be about, about 517 00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:18,880 calling EIPL, about being a parent of a child with a disability or special healthcare need? 518 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:22,360 Is there anything? 519 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:23,880 I wish they knew about EIPL. 520 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:31,000 I wish they knew that every state has one of us because I wish I had known that. 521 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:32,000 I'll jump in too. 522 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:40,400 I wish people, I wish parents had the knowledge that every state is different. 523 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:41,400 Yeah. 524 00:30:41,400 --> 00:30:44,640 So what you can get in Idaho, you might not get in another state. 525 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:49,920 EIPL, IDEA, and 1973, Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 526 00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:54,960 While all of that is federal regulations, there are still programs and things that differ 527 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:55,960 by state. 528 00:30:55,960 --> 00:30:56,960 Yep. 529 00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:58,480 I wish that was common knowledge. 530 00:30:58,480 --> 00:30:59,480 Yeah. 531 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:00,480 Can I pick two things? 532 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:03,240 Of course. 533 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:09,080 When families reach out to our office, there might be a 24 hour turnaround. 534 00:31:09,080 --> 00:31:13,880 So you're not going to directly be able to call and email unless you have our direct 535 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:20,640 emails or whatever, but it might take up to 24 hours for someone to get back to you. 536 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,800 Because there's not very many of us. 537 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:25,640 Because right now there's three of us. 538 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:27,080 But that's not to say we don't. 539 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:34,560 I mean, we take about 10 to 15 calls a week, sometimes more, or emails, and we get back 540 00:31:34,560 --> 00:31:41,520 to our people who call us and email us. 541 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,560 And then I can't remember the other thing. 542 00:31:45,560 --> 00:31:48,040 But I think that I'll remember it in a minute. 543 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,120 But I think that's it. 544 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:51,120 Just being patient. 545 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:53,040 Oh, and now I remember. 546 00:31:53,040 --> 00:32:02,760 With us as we make sure that we are getting you all what you need and in the most timely 547 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:04,900 fashion that we can. 548 00:32:04,900 --> 00:32:06,400 Sometimes it's not 24 hours. 549 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:07,400 It's faster. 550 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:12,280 If you call on a Friday night, we're definitely going to it's going to be Monday morning, 551 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:13,280 probably. 552 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:21,960 But then on the other on another totally another end of this, we do not have the capacity to 553 00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:25,040 attend appointments or meetings. 554 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:26,040 Still mine. 555 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:29,320 Oh, sorry. 556 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:38,120 We are housed in the Boise area, but we take calls and emails and texts and carrier pigeon 557 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:42,800 from across the state. 558 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:46,800 And you know, we we do have to battle with the time zone. 559 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,000 And sometimes that's true tripped us up. 560 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,900 But we we wish we could go to IEP meetings. 561 00:32:52,900 --> 00:33:00,040 But our philosophy here is that we empower our parents and family members to advocate 562 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:05,040 for their own families for what their families need, because you all know what your family 563 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:07,280 needs the most. 564 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,420 Yeah, exactly. 565 00:33:09,420 --> 00:33:16,120 That's our job is to give you your rights, your responsibilities, how you can be an advocate 566 00:33:16,120 --> 00:33:19,160 in your special education meeting or in your doctor's appointments. 567 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:20,940 But yeah, it's it's right. 568 00:33:20,940 --> 00:33:22,020 We can't attend those. 569 00:33:22,020 --> 00:33:25,280 There's just physically no human way. 570 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:26,280 Right. 571 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:31,800 And also, we are not we do not charge families or professionals for our services. 572 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:37,320 Yeah, all of our services come at no cost to families and professionals who who seek 573 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:38,680 our our services. 574 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:46,000 So most of the information you get is valid, vetted, reliable. 575 00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:50,600 And so, you know, we are you. 576 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:54,520 We don't feel we need or have to pay for those services. 577 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,720 They are your rights, your responsibility. 578 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:01,320 You don't have to pay for that. 579 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:02,320 Exactly. 580 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:03,320 We're like the internet. 581 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,600 We're free, maybe not like Wi Fi. 582 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,400 But the internet is a good metaphor. 583 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:09,640 My metaphor is running on the rails. 584 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:10,640 Okay, that's okay. 585 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:17,360 I think the only thing that I would add to this is this may sound weird, but please don't 586 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:24,800 be afraid to be emotional when you call us, because we are moms who we've been there, 587 00:34:24,800 --> 00:34:25,800 done that. 588 00:34:25,800 --> 00:34:26,800 Right. 589 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:34,840 And I I feel sad when a parent calls and they're crying and this is hard and they need help. 590 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:37,080 And then they apologize for crying. 591 00:34:37,080 --> 00:34:38,080 Yeah. 592 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:39,760 I mean, I don't know. 593 00:34:39,760 --> 00:34:40,760 I don't know why. 594 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:45,480 But I like please feel comfortable telling us as much as you feel comfortable telling 595 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:46,480 us. 596 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:49,480 I mean, our society has just made us as right. 597 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,280 Feel like we have to apologize any time we show emotion. 598 00:34:52,280 --> 00:34:53,640 But we get it. 599 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,480 We have all been in in that meeting that right. 600 00:34:57,480 --> 00:34:59,640 Yeah, we've all been in a meeting that we've cried. 601 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:04,160 We've all walked out of a doctor's appointment and just into I mean, we have all been there, 602 00:35:04,160 --> 00:35:07,080 I guess is that just the over. 603 00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:08,360 Yeah. 604 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:10,200 I mean, we just have been there. 605 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,200 And if we haven't, I mean, I guess that's the other thing that I would just love to 606 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:14,440 let people know. 607 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:23,440 If they call and I am routed their intake and I don't know anything about, you know, 608 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,920 ABA therapy, I'm going to throw that out there. 609 00:35:26,920 --> 00:35:28,120 I don't know anything about it. 610 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:29,400 My child doesn't receive that. 611 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:31,160 It's not anything in our wheelhouse. 612 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:34,680 I have someone in my office that does, though, and I'm going to I don't even have to walk 613 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:35,680 down the hall anymore. 614 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:36,680 No, ma'am. 615 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:37,680 Knock on the wall next to me. 616 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,200 And Allison, I'm going to say, Allison, help me with this. 617 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:47,920 But on the on the flip side, if she has, you know, a family that comes and is, let's just 618 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:51,960 say PCS hours, PCS hours, I was going to say has a G tube. 619 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:52,960 Exactly. 620 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:56,640 And I are her people, you know, so she could come to us, talk about G tube supplies. 621 00:35:56,640 --> 00:35:58,040 Where do I need to get these feeding? 622 00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:05,760 And someone is going to be able to have the answer to your question one hundred percent. 623 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:07,040 And I love that for us. 624 00:36:07,040 --> 00:36:10,640 I love that there is nothing that really stumps us. 625 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:15,320 And if something does, we have a partner that can that can really fish us out of that hole. 626 00:36:15,320 --> 00:36:19,680 Yeah, not a hole, but we have partners that are on our speed dial that we get a pick up 627 00:36:19,680 --> 00:36:22,000 and just have those conversations with. 628 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:23,360 We're really lucky in that respect. 629 00:36:23,360 --> 00:36:24,360 We are. 630 00:36:24,360 --> 00:36:25,360 We are. 631 00:36:25,360 --> 00:36:34,240 Well, I hope you enjoyed the special edition. 632 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:37,240 Thank you so much, everyone out there for listening in. 633 00:36:37,240 --> 00:36:43,080 If you are in Idaho or planning on moving over here to Idaho and have any questions 634 00:36:43,080 --> 00:36:48,440 on systems or services for children with disabilities or special health care needs, please reach 635 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:50,160 out to us on our Web site. 636 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,160 I pull Idaho dot org. 637 00:36:52,160 --> 00:36:58,240 That's I P U L Idaho dot org or by giving us a call. 638 00:36:58,240 --> 00:37:04,080 Be sure to come back next time for our regularly regularly scheduled programming. 639 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:08,400 Until then, I'm Allison, and this has been Unlimited Parenting.