Wonderful Beginnings NY LLC

Dear Friends, Early Intervention Colleagues and Parents,

I hope everyone is staying safe the best they can and keeping their spirits up. This has truly been a very difficult period for all of us and we are all going through unchartered territories. But I know if we stay together this will all pass and we will make it through.

I know it makes sense to open up telehealth services as other states has been doing it for years and with an invisible virus, it is just so hard to protect everyone. I know people has been advocating telehealth and I have signed the change.org petition to the BEI. I heard EI may be considering authorizing certain services via telehealth, but I have no more additional information at this time.

As EI is a government and state funded program, I think it is important to speak to your EI parents and see if they would be interested in receiving support via telehealth. If so, I suggest that they call EI at 518-473-7016 to make their request known. Or email at [email protected] Maybe if enough parents are interested in telehealth they will consider implementing this to support our families and us. Please feel free to share my attachment here.

If you need to get a hold of me kindly send me a message here in Facebook at Wonderful Beginnings NY LLC. Hang in there guys, I know we will make it through this. Take care.

Kind Regards,

Gerry Balasta, OTR/L

Hello Colleagues and EI SEIT Service Providers,

I had been getting a lot of questions on the W2 unemployment filing during this Corona Virus Crisis, although I have not filed this personally I have some info about it from my previous experience as an administrator and former agency owner. Below are screen grabs and contact info from an old UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMANT HANDBOOK, If you want the entire PDF just send me a message at Wonderful Beginnings NY LLC. Thanks and take care everyone. We will all get through with this together! --- All the best, Gerry Balasta, OTR/L

Hello all, I hope everyone of you is staying safe in this difficult times. Although Wonderful Beginnings is not operational yet, I have gathered information and my thoughts for homebased providers and parents on how to manage infection control if a provider needs to go to the home for services. As of today (03-06-20) the DOH BEI has not suspended homebased treatment yet. Below is based on my opinion and in no way comprehensive and not a substitute for medical and health professional advice. If you have any questions or would like a copy of the PDF please feel free to message me at our page Wonderful Beginnings NY LLC Take care and please stay safe everyone. All The Best, Gerry Balasta, OTR/L

This is pretty awesome! Boxing class for kids in the spectrum!

This woman’s boxing class helps young people on the autism spectrum Jessica Margulies started the Spectrum Bout because she saw the positive effects of boxing in her own life. She teaches students with autism spectrum disorder — ranging from 7 to 22 years old — at Title Boxing Club in Forest Hills, New York.

CDC estimates that Autism prevalence to 1 in 59! The new estimate represents a 15 percent increase in prevalence nationally: to 1 in 59 children, from 1 in 68 two years previous.

“These findings demonstrate that while progress has been made on some fronts, there is still much work to do,” says Autism Speaks President and Chief Executive Officer Angela Geiger. “They urgently warrant a significant increase in life-enhancing research and access to high quality services for people with autism across the spectrum and throughout their lifespan.”

CDC increases estimate of autism’s prevalence by 15 percent, to 1 in 59 children | Autism Speaks New CDC estimates increase autism rates by 15 percent to 1 in 59 children.

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2020/01/09/baby-and-adult-brains-sync-during-play-finds-princeton-baby-lab?fbclid=IwAR07TkG6mh5ztIcx1gR1NqvTug9vwhn8yppKY_hltBAQ_qwzaOAA1_8IWHU

Baby and adult brains ‘sync up’ during play, finds Princeton Baby Lab It's not your imagination -- you and your baby really are on the same wavelength. A team of Princeton researchers has now measured baby and adult brain activity moving in sync as they play and interact together.

Hello Everyone! We just want to give you some updates on Wonderful Beginnings NY LLC! We are in the process of setting up our NY Early Intervention Program and it has been a joy as we integrate our lifetime work and all that we have learned in Pediatrics. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING OUR EI ROSTER! If you are an SI-ABA, OT, COTA, PT, SLP and SLP-CFY kindly reach out to us and we would love to share our new program to you! JOIN OUR WONDERFUL TEAM!

EARLY INTERVENTION AS SHARED BY A PARENT;

How Early Intervention Changed My Son’s Life Free access to quality care accelerated his recovery after a prenatal stroke.

Merry Christmas to one and all!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all from your Wonderful Beginnings Friends!