Woods Welcomes China Delegation Working to Improve Lives for Children with Special Needs
Woods Services Shares Best Practices with Representatives from Deerkids and MCM Cares
LANGHORNE, Pa. (Aug. 16, 2018) – Leaders from Woods Services welcomed a delegation from China on Thursday, Aug. 16 for a tour of its Bucks County campus and discussions with Woods administrators and educators about Woods’ model of services for residents and students with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The China delegation included the founders of Deerkids, an organization created by the parents of a child with cerebral palsy. Deerkids has created seven cerebral palsy treatment centers in China, with plans for 20 regional centers in the next three years. The centers provide free services to those without the financial resources to pay.
Joining the visit were representatives from the MCM Group International’s MCM Cares, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit NGO working with Deerkids to help Chinese children with developmental disabilities. MCM Cares identified Woods for the international visit because of Woods’ proven experience and depth of programs.
The Woods team shared best practices such as Woods’ signature behavioral management program, parental training initiatives, and educational curriculum, and the representatives from Deerkids and MCM Cares discussed ways to implement these innovative services in China.
“We are excited to share our more than 100 years of experience and evidence-based approaches as part of the MCM Cares Global Consortium to tackle solutions for Chinese children with autism and developmental disabilities by establishing training programs for Chinese teachers and families,” said Woods President and CEO Tine Hansen-Turton.
According to MCM Cares, there are nearly 100 million children with special needs in China. Of China’s 238 million children under the age of 15, approximately 20 percent (48 million) have mental health issues.
“We found Woods to be an ideal partner for our endeavors in China. We have much to learn from heir trailblazing services, proven experience, and depth of programs that would make a real difference in the lives of children in China,” added Michael C. Mitchell, founder of MCM Group International.
ABOUT DEERKIDS
Deerkids was founded by the parents of a child with cerebral palsy. Their dedication to treating her led to the creation of Deerkids. The organization has created seven cerebral palsy treatment centers in China, with plans for 20 regional centers in the next thee years. Deerkids has partnered with the China Foundation for Disabled Persons (CFDP), one of China’s premier social service foundations. Deerkids works with China’s leading research and training hospital at Peking University on cerebral palsy research and training. China’s first lady also sponsors a project at Peking University on autism research. MCM Cares program will play a key role in expanding Deerkids services to include autism and other services for special needs children.
ABOUT THE MCM GROUP AND MCM CARES
The MCM Group is an international planning and architectural firm founded by Michael C. Mitchell in 1984, after Mr. Mitchell served as the head of planning and operations of the Los Angeles Olympics. Based in Los Angeles, MCM has focused on Chinese projects for the past two decades. The first of its four offices in China was established in 1991 and has completed over 300 projects throughout the country. www.mcmgroup.com
MCM Cares is a non-profit NGO established several years ago to help Chinese children with developmental disabilities. The commitment to these children came from Mr. Mitchell’s family who has dedicated themselves to helping children with disabilities for nearly 50 years. MCM Group’s staff in China gets personally involved in MCM Cares by visiting centers working with children with severe disabilities, bringing supplies, providing funding and entertaining games and interactions with the children.
ABOUT WOODS SERVICES
Woods Services is a non-profit multi-service population health management and advocacy organization that provides innovative, comprehensive and integrated health, education, housing, workforce, behavioral health and case management services to more than 4,000 children and adults in the intellectual and developmental disability, child welfare, behavioral and brain trauma public health sectors who have complex and intensive medical and behavioral healthcare needs. www.woods.org
Local Sprint Car Racer to Visit Woods
Local Sprint Car racer, Brett “The Hammer” Michalski and his crew from JR Michalski Heating and Air Conditioning in Hulmeville, will visit Woods next Tuesday, Aug. 14, to showcase race cars and talk to Woods residents, students and staff members about life as a race car driver.
Attendees will have an opportunity to get their photo taken with Michalski, explore the racing team’s rig, meet a professional racing flagger and learn about proper race car care. On display will be a 410 Winged Sprint Car, a Micro Sprint Car, and a Go Kart.
In addition to the visit, the racing team also had the Woods logo placed on Michalski’s race car, which will be part of the display. The group will also donate tickets to future races so that Woods residents can attend.
“It’s an honor and privilege to give back to the community and Woods and also be able to explain the sport of racing,” said Joe Michalski, owner of JR Michalski Heating and Air Conditioning “We hope the outcome of our visit brings awareness of the sport and lets the children have a good time and experience.”
Support Woods Through PA’s EITC Program
Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program is a way for businesses to enrich educational opportunities for students and earn tax credits by donating to an Educational Improvement Organization. Through EITC, eligible businesses can receive tax credits equal to 75% of their contribution, up to $750,000 per taxable year. Woods has recently been approved as an Educational Improvement Organization and now qualifies to receive funds from corporations in the EITC program.
Woods Services seeks funds through EITC to support The Boost Program, an innovative educational improvement program which will enhance learning for 300 K-12 (ages 5 through 21) residential and day students who are enrolled in Woods Services’ licensed private approved special education school, The Woods School or who attend a local school.
The STEAM-focused Boost Program is offered after school, in the evenings and on weekends, and continues in the summer months. The program uses a club approach paired with pre-vocational training and exposure to a range of careers in order to enhance the education of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The program builds on the individual education plans of each child. Examples of the clubs which Boost offers include Science Club, Technology Club, Travel Club, and Art, Theater and Music Club. Each of these components engages children K-12 in interdisciplinary activities which build on the school-day curriculum, and enhances skills they need to be successful in school, to be able to live as independently as possible, and to find and retain employment once they graduate.
We ask for your help in identifying corporations that may wish to support Woods and the important work we do in the year ahead. For more information, contact Liz Hayden at Lhayden@woods.org.
The Archway Schools Receive National Recognition as a School of Excellence
The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) has named The Archway Schools, an affiliate organization of Woods, as a 2018-2019 School of Excellence. This is the fifth consecutive year The Archway Schools has received this award. Being selected as a NASET School for Excellence is the highest level of recognition a private education school can achieve through their professional association.
This year, the honor was bestowed upon 102 private special education schools throughout the United States that met rigorous professional criteria and demonstrated truly exceptional dedication, commitment and achievement in the field of special education. The Archway Schools are one of nineteen schools in the state of New Jersey and one of five schools in South Jersey who received this year’s NASET award.
Click here to read the press release.