HANNIBAL, Mo. — Heather Clemens knows what it's like to walk alone as the parent of a child with special needs, and she doesn't want anyone else to do it.
Clemens' daughter, now 16 and mostly nonverbal, was diagnosed with autism when she was 3 years old. Her 13 year old son has ADHD and is also on the autism spectrum.
“I truly feel for families with special needs and I know what it's like to walk that path alone,” she said.
Hannibal Special Education Parent Teacher Alliance (SEPTA), a parent and teacher organization, provides support, encouragement, and guidance to families of children in 504 or individualized education programs in the Hannibal Public School District or Mississippi Valley State Schools. I am.
Through this group, parents with young children who are just beginning their journey can be paired with other parents whose children are in middle school or high school. Although no two children with special needs are the same, Clemens says it's great for parents to share their experiences.
“Sometimes things work, sometimes they don't, and parents can share them and help other families. One of the things we like about this group is that we got to see each other. “I get to meet so many parents,” she said. “When someone is having a tough day, just being able to be a friend on Facebook and comment and offer support and encouragement can mean a lot.”
The group also provides education to families with special needs. Clemens said there are many resources available for families with special needs, but many don't know how to properly access the resources and services.
“What we try to do every month is bring in someone from a local organization to talk about what they're doing and how they can meet the needs of special needs families. It’s about talking,” she said. “This year we had a variety of presentations and speakers.”
Local agencies visited the group, including Brock Souza of the Basic Employment Skills Training Program, which helps students with disabilities learn skills that will get them employed after graduation.
The groups will meet at their respective Veterans Elementary Schools on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
LC Wasinger Parham attorney Amy Ornemus will be visiting the group this week to discuss guardianship and conservatorship for people with special needs over the age of 18. Clemens said this is a very important topic for special needs families, but one that many people don't know about. Until it's too late.
Clemens said that once a child turns 18, parents may lose the right to be present at IEP meetings and make medical decisions that the child cannot make themselves.
“It's really important to have that information and know what you need to do and how long that process will take,” she said. “There are different ways to do that. You don't necessarily have to be a full conservator. You can also get partial conservatorship and let the child make decisions. They make their own decisions in some areas. In other areas, this may not be the case.”
SEPTA will hold its first sensory-friendly dance for Hannibal Middle School and Hannibal High School students, as well as Mississippi Valley older students with 504s or IEPs, on Saturday, April 27th from 6 to 9 p.m. It will be held at a military elementary school. Students must be accompanied by an adult.
The cafeteria will have snacks and games, and there will be music in the cafeteria. To make it more sensory friendly, the gym is kept dark and the music isn't too loud.
“If the kids don't want to dance, that's okay. They can just enjoy the games and food,” Clemens said. “We just want everyone to have a good time.”
To reserve your tickets to the dance, please visit our Sign Up Genius page. For more information about SEPTA, visit the Hannibal Special Education Parent Teacher Alliance Facebook page.
