EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF DELAWARE

THE EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF DELAWARE IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED WITH EPILEPSY AND SEIZURE DISORDERS AND THE GENERAL COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF DELAWARE. WE HAVE TWO GENERAL TYPES OF SERVICES WE PROVIDE: INFORMATION AND SUPPORT, AND TRAINING AND OUTREACH.INFORMATION AND SUPPORT-DIRECT SUPPORT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH EPILEPSY OR WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE WITH EPILEPSY. WE HELP WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT MEDICATIONS, TRANSPORTATION, WORK, DISABILITY, ETC AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE RESOURCES. OVER 122 SERVED IN THIS PROGRAM. -MEET AND GREET SUPPORT GROUPS ARE HELD TWICE PER MONTH (VIA ZOOM DURING COVID) AND HAVE 10-15 ATTENDEES EACH GROUP-PROJECT UPLIFT IS OUR OVER THE PHONE SKILL BASED PROGRAM FOR ADULTS WITH EPILEPSY. IT IS 8 WEEKS LONG AND COMBINES CBT (COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY) SKILLS WITH MINDFULNESS. WE CONDUCTED 2 COHORTS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 4 ATTENDEES (IT IS ONLY FOR SMALL GROUPS)-PACES IS ALSO AN OVER THE PHONE SMALL GROUP PROGRAM TEACHING PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY SKILLS ON HOW TO MANAGE MEDICATIONS, TALK TO THEIR DOCTOR, AND LIVE THEIR BEST LIVES. WE ALSO CONDUCTED 1 COHORT WITH AN AVERAGE OF 4 ATTENDEES.-CDSMP IS OUR THIRD SELF MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. IT IS ALSO SMALL GROUP AND OVER THE PHONE/ZOOM. WE CONDUCTED 2 COHORTS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 4 ATTENDEES. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION VARY EACH WEEK FROM COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR DOCTOR TO HEALTHY LIVING TO RELAXATION TECHNIQUES.-DELAWARE EPILEPSY CONFERENCE-WE HAD 97 PARTICIPANTS REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR. THE THEME WAS MENTAL HEALTH IN EPILEPSY.-TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM- AS OF FEBRUARY 2025, EFDE OFFERS A FREE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM TO ALL ADULTS LIVING WITH EPILEPSY IN DELAWARE. THROUGH UBER HEALTH, WE HAVE PROVIDED 142 RIDES FROM FEBRUARY UNTIL JUNE 30, 2025. TRAINING AND OUTREACH-TEENS-THIS IS A SEIZURE FIRST AID AND AWARENESS PROGRAM FOR TEENS IN SCHOOL HEALTH CLASSES. WE TRAINED 221 TEENS.-SCHOOL PERSONNEL- WE TRAINED 80 SCHOOL PERSONNEL ON SEIZURE FIRST AID IN THE CLASSROOM. -LAW ENFORCEMENT-WE TRAINED 281 LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITS ON HOW TO IDENTIFY AND PROPERLY PROVIDE AID TO INDIVIDUALS HAVING SEIZURES. VAL ALSO TRAINS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ON A NATIONAL LEVEL. MEDICAL/OTHER-WE TRAINED 155 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, CAMP COUNSELORS AND OTHERS WHO ASKED TO KNOW HOW TO HELP SOMEONE HAVING A SEIZURE.-SEIZURE FIRST AID-THIS IS A NATIONAL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AND VAL AND LINDSAY ARE A CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL. WE HAVE ALSO PROVIDED LOCAL SEIZURE FIRST AID CERTIFICATION AND OFFERED THIS TO ALL THE GROUPS ABOVE. IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBERS ABOVE, WE HAVE CERTIFIED 242 DELAWAREANS IN SEIZURE FIRST AID.OUTREACH EVENTS- THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS, HEALTH FAIRS AND CONFERENCES, WE HAVE REACHED 660 FOLKS, SPREADING AWARENESS ABOUT EPILEPSY.