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
