DR GERTRUDE A BARBER CENTER INC

THE GERTRUDE A. BARBER CENTER, INC. OPERATES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY HOMES (RCH) SERVING OVER 272 ADULTS IN 92 GROUP HOMES IN THE ERIE, PHILADELPHIA AND PITTSBURGH METROPOLITAN AREAS. STAFF ARE PROVIDED ON A 24/7 BASIS WITH SUPPORT SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN TAILORED TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL. AN APPROXIMATE TOTAL OF 1.45 MILLION STAFFING HOURS WERE PROVIDED DURING THE PAST FISCAL YEAR.RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS INCLUDE A FULLY ACCESSIBLE GROUP HOME CONSTRUCTED IN ERIE TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF ADULTS WITH SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL CHALLENGES.THE GOAL OF ALL RESIDENTIAL LIVING ARRANGEMENTS IS TO: FACILITATE AND SATISFY AN INDIVIDUAL'S CHOICES FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS GREATER INDEPENDENCE & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROVIDE A STABLE, COMFORTABLE AND LIFE-ENRICHING HOME ENVIRONMENT. ALL RESIDENTIAL HOMES ARE LICENSED AND COMPLIANT WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND PENNSYLVANIA REGULATIONS WITH EXCELLENT SURVEY RESULTS. IN ADDITION TO THE TRADITIONAL GROUP HOME DELIVERY OF RESIDENTIAL SERVICES, "LIFESHARING THROUGH FAMILY LIVING" (LIFESHARING) IS A PROGRESSIVE, 'NON-TRADITIONAL' RESIDENTIAL LIVING ARRANGEMENT. IN LIFESHARING, ADULTS RESIDE IN THE HOMES OF THE PROVIDER FAMILIES AND BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY LIVING UNIT, ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO FORM REAL FAMILY BONDS AND ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS. IT IS CONSIDERED TO BE A FORWARD-LOOKING AND FAVORED RESIDENTIAL LIVING MODEL. A TOTAL OF 31 ADULTS ARE SERVED IN THE ERIE AND PHILADELPHIA AREAS IS THE GABC LIFESHARING PROGRAM.

OUR PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN FOCUS ON EARLY DETECTION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUALIZED INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT PLANS TO HELP CHILDREN REACH THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL. OUR AUTISM SERVICES OFFER STATE-OF-THE-ART INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND SUPPORT FOR THEIR FAMILIES. AN ACUTE PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION PROGRAM IN SOUTHWEST ERIE BEGAN ITS ELEVENTH YEAR OF PROVIDING INTENSIVE THERAPY FOR CHILDREN WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES TO PREVENT ADMISSION TO A HOSPITAL OR INSTITUTION AND REDUCE RECURRING CRISES. OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS TRAUMA AND GRIEF COUNSELING, SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, MOBILE THERAPY, AND FAMILY-BASED THERAPIES HELPED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES BETTER MANAGE CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS. OUR INTENSIVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (IBHS) OFFER FAMILIES ADDITIONAL OPTIONS TO PROVIDE THERAPIES FOR THEIR CHILDREN IN HOME AND SCHOOL SETTINGS. ADDITIONALLY, OUR EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM PROVIDES SPECIALIZED THERAPIES SUCH AS PHYSICAL AND SPEECH THERAPIES AND NUTRITIONAL GUIDANCE TO 340 CHILDREN FROM BIRTH TO AGE THREE ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WE UTILIZE A FAMILY-CENTERED APPROACH TO HELP INFANTS AND TODDLERS OVERCOME CHALLENGES AT AN EARLY AGE WITH THE GOAL OF REACHING THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES AND BEING PREPARED TO ENTER SCHOOL. THE ELIZABETH LEE BLACK SCHOOL (ELBS) AT THE GERTRUDE A. BARBER CENTER, INC. SERVES 244 FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH AGE 21 WITH MULTIPLE CHALLENGES, INCLUDING AUTISM, CEREBRAL PALSY, AND MULTIPLE DISABILITIES. FOR THE 20TH YEAR IN A ROW, THIS APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOL, WHICH SERVES STUDENTS FROM 21 PENNSYLVANIA DISTRICTS, WAS DESIGNATED AS A SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS. WE ALSO PROVIDE PRESCHOOL CLASSES FOR "TYPICALLY DEVELOPING" CHILDREN WHO LEARN AND GROW ALONGSIDE THEIR PEERS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE ELBS BEGAN PROVIDING TWO CLASSROOMS IN THE GENERAL MCLANE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO SERVE ITS STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CHALLENGES. UTILIZING OUR RESOURCES FOR THERAPIES AND OTHER SUPPORTS, OUR SCHOOL MAINTAINS CONTRACTS WITH THE ERIE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE PRESCHOOL FOR CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY INTERVENTION. FOR 16 YEARS WE HAVE PARTICIPATED IN PENNSYLVANIA'S PRE-K COUNTS PROGRAM, RECEIVING A GRANT TO PROVIDE FULL-DAY PRESCHOOL FREE CHARGE TO 57 STUDENTS IN ERIE AND CORRY DETERMINED TO BE AT RISK FOR ACADEMIC FAILURE BECAUSE OF SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS. NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF ELBS INCLUDE: THE INCREASED USE OF TECHNOLOGY WITH IPADS IN EVERY CLASSROOM FOR TEACHERS AND THERAPISTS TO EXPAND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS. INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREATER AWARENESS OF THE FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS, WITH EXPERIENCES IN PLAY PRODUCTION, DANCE AND MUSIC DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT INCLUDE ERIE ARTS AND CULTURE, AND THE ERIE PLAYHOUSE. EXPANDED OPTIONS FOR LEARNING AND COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING THE INTEGRATION OF EYE-GAZE TECHNOLOGY THAT ENABLES STUDENTS WITH LIMITED PHYSICAL ABILITIES TO COMMUNICATE BY DIRECTING THEIR EYE FOCUS TO CHOICES ON A COMPUTER SCREEN. PARTNERED WITH ACCREDITED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PROVIDED EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS IN THE FIELDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, SPEECH PATHOLOGY, OCCUPATIONAL/PHYSICAL THERAPIES AND OTHER FIELDS.