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School Safety 101! A Starting Point for Children with Special Needs

Just seven weeks into 2018, there have been eight shootings at US schools that have resulted in injury or death.

In light of the unthinkable tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Cayer Behavioral Group would like to take a moment to discuss conversation points for parents to have with their child’s teacher regarding their school/classroom safety plan. For those of us who live, breathe, walk and LOVE a child on the spectrum, it is especially important to have an open and honest conversation covering the who, what, where and when of safety.

Conversation starters:

  1. How will the school communicate with me in a crisis situation?
  2. Is there a crisis hotline?
  3. What is the role of the teacher in the crisis? Will he or she remove my child from the classroom, or do they engage in “lock down” procedures? If they remove my child from the classroom, where do they go? If the policy is to “lock down” the classroom what does that procedure look like and how often is it practiced?
  4. What other school personnel will be responsible for my child with special needs?
  5. My child is on medication. How is the medication transported in a crisis situation?
  6. Has my child had access to community helpers (police, fire and emergency responder men and women) in a non-crisis environment?
  7. Will my child have an identifier on his or her clothing?

We are hopeful you will utilize the following 7 talking points to begin a necessary conversation with your child’s teacher. It’s unfortunate our world causes us to pause and react to thoughtless violence. At times like this we must remember there is more good in the world than bad. At times like this we must remember we are our child’s protector. Cayer Behavioral Group is hopeful you will find peace in the following quote:

“You protect what you love.” – Jenna Ryan

Cayer Behavioral Group will continue to protect your child and we are exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to work with your sweet kids in our fantastic community. For more information on Cayer Behavioral Group please visit our website at www.cayerbehavioral.com or contact the office at 850.320.6555.

Krista Cayer, MA, BCBA

CEO and Founder, Cayer Behavioral Group

 2331 Hansen Court

Tallahassee, FL 32301

850.320.6555.

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Managing Insurance Open Enrollment: Pro-tips and Advice

Fall is finally here!

As the cool air blows and light jackets emerge out of our closets, open enrollment is just around the corner. Insurance can be tricky. While making sure you are getting the right plan for you and your family, take these ideas into consideration:

  • How often you tend to visit the doctor
  • If a member of your family has a special need
  • Whether you anticipate a change in your health care needs
  • Whether you have more dependents to cover, like a new baby
  • If you take regular prescription medications
  • How much the plan will cost you

These concepts are very important when considering new insurance plans, because you want to make sure your family is taken care of in an affordable way. To verify if your prospective or current plan covers autism treatment, review the policy booklet for the terms: Autism Therapy, Applied Behavior Therapy, or ABA Therapy. If your booklet isn’t readily available, please contact the provider and ask if they provide services.

Cayer Behavioral Group (CBG) works with a variety of insurance plans and we handle all of the processing and billing for your child’s Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services. Cayer Behavioral Group accepts the following insurance plans:

If your insurance is not listed, please contact our office and we will be able to discuss other potential options for services. Once you fill out CBG’s new client paperwork, our billing department will contact the insurance provider to verify benefits for therapy, will submit services outlined by therapists to the insurance company, and send an invoice for the copayment or deductible amount due on the 10th and 25th of every month.

We are dedicated to serving our clients and their families to the best of our ability. If you have any questions pertaining to CBG’s behavior therapy services or billing process, please do not hesitate to contact our office. Happy insurance shopping! #autismawarenesseveryday

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Supporting the Hang Tough Foundation

On September 7th, we were fortunate enough to support one of our valued community partners: The Hang Tough Foundation! The foundation’s mission is to take care families who have a child affected by a chronic or life altering illness or special needs. This mission is very important and special to us as we do the same for our clients and families who are affected by autism. The Hang Tough Foundation held their third annual Cascades Goes Gold event last week to aid in fulfilling their mission!

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the kiddos, face painting, giant Connect-Four, and gold Tallahassee Rocks painting were some of the fun activities provided at this wonderful event. Cayer Behavioral Group had a special visit from our friend Elsa, too! We loved playing with some Hang Tough heroes and their families as well as some of our clients and families who came to support such an amazing community. Commissioner Richardson issued a special proclamation to some of the Hang Tough Heroes from the City of Tallahassee! The proclamation officially declared September as Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month for the City of Tallahassee. Cascades was truly painted gold as the fountains and amphitheater glowed with a golden tint. The evening ended with a half-mile walk led by Heroes and their families to honor those who have faced and are facing childhood cancer.

Our partnership with the Hang Tough Foundation is one filled with joy. Throughout the month of September we will host a golden tricycle to honor the foundation and those affected by pediatric cancer, chronic illness, and special needs. As a business working and advocating for children and families affected by autism, we hope that events similar to the beautiful one hosted by the Hang Tough Foundation can shed a light on challenges and victories our children face daily. Please visit The Hang Tough Foundation’s website for more information and upcoming events! #autismawarenesseveryday #HTFGoesGold

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