FraserCast

On today's episode of FraserCast, we do a quick dive into silent discos, an inclusive and sensory-friendly way to get onto the dance floor. We go through a brief history of silent discos and even get into its heightened popularity in recent years.   Special thanks to Meristem | Cresset, the presenting sponsor of the 2023 Fraser Gala. We'd also love to thank our 2023 Gala Entertainment Sponsor, the...

This week on FraserCast, we talk with Fraser Mental Health Professional Carrie Sporer on how we can talk to our kids about their autism diagnosis. We also dive into how we can teach our neurotypical children about their classmates and peers who may have autism, disabilities, and different health needs with empathy, kindness, and respect.

Julie McKibbins, Assistant Program Manager of Vocational Rehab and Program Development and Hong Vong, Program Coordinator join FraserCast again to talk more about the life skills that Fraser's Career Planning and Employment program can teach individuals for their lives after leaving a parent or caregiver's home. This week, they dive into how individuals can seek accommodations for their job or cla...

Philadelphia-based actor, director, and playwright Robert Smythe joins FraserCast again to talk more about his experiences as someone who received an autism diagnosis as an adult. On this extra-long episode of FraserCast, Robert dives deep into navigating a world designed for neurotypical individuals, from disclosing your own autism diagnosis with neurotypical peers to finding workplace accommodat...

If you've been to a Fraser event such as the Fraser Festival for Autism–known in previous years as the Fraser Walk for Autism–you may have seen a little booth full of wool hearts to purchase as trinkets and gifts. These hearts are handcrafted by Laine Ciaramitaro in memory of her cousin Josh, who had committed suicide in 2018. Her project, Hearts for Josh , hopes to raise awareness of depression a...

Robert Smythe is an actor, director, and playwright in Philadelphia's theater scene. At age 50, Robert received a diagnosis of autism and has since become an advocate for neurodiverse individuals in the community. On this episode of FraserCast, we invite Robert to talk about his experiences as an adult who received a diagnosis later in life, how that has helped him and his family have a greater un...

This week, we welcome Julie McKibbins, Assistant Program Manager of Vocational Rehab and Program Development and Hong Vong, Program Coordinator. Julie and Hong walk through resources for how teenagers, young adults, and their parents and caregivers can prepare for college and vocational education after high school. They walk through a few services offered Fraser's Career Planning and Employment pr...

Much like trips to the dentist, a trip to the salon or barbershop can be a stressful experience for individuals with sensory needs. Gina Gibson, Fraser Sensory Inclusion Specialist, is back on FraserCast to talk about how parents and caregivers can prepare their children for haircuts such as practicing at home. In this episode, we also dive into how local haircut businesses can help make their spa...

Trips to the dentist's office are often difficult for everyone. It can be especially difficult for children with sensory needs as they head into an appointment. Gina Gibson, OTR/L, Fraser Sensory Inclusion Specialist, returns to FraserCast to talk about how caregivers can improve the toothbrushing experience for kids and how dental offices can make their spaces more accommodating for children with...

¿Sabías que el español es el segundo idioma más hablado en los Estados Unidos de América? A pesar de que es un idioma común, muchas familias que hablan español no tienen la oportunidad de comunicarse con su profesional de salud en su propio idioma nativo. Sin embargo, ese no es el caso aquí en Fraser.   Conozca a Kristina Doyle, terapeuta del habla y Dana Fernandez, terapeuta ocupacional, dos tera...

This week, we meet with Jordan Brandt, Fraser Mental Health Professional and Anti-Racism Committee Lead and Nancy Baldrica, Fraser Chief Marketing and Development Officer about the steps Fraser is taking to becoming an anti-racist organization and meet the needs of Fraser's BIPOC staff and community. In addition to outlining the goals of the initiative, Jordan and Nancy also dive into the unique d...

Organizations like Fraser serve an increasingly multicultural community, providing crucial early intervention services to more and more diverse families. This week, we spoke with Fraser staff Kristina Doyle, Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist and Dana Fernandez, Occupational Therapist, about how Fraser and other organizations can best meet the needs of bilingual families and and children. We go...

Holidays and family gatherings can be overwhelming for individuals with autism and special needs due to large crowds of people, eating new foods away from the comfort of home, and an abundance of other stimuli in an unfamiliar environment. Gina Gibson, OTR/L, Fraser Sensory Inclusion Specialist, is here to offer tips on how to make the holidays and cultural gatherings more inclusive to children an...

Through a collaboration of several state agencies, the Minnesota Department of Human Services put together a valuable website for parents and caregivers who have children with autism: the Minnesota Autism Resource Portal . This resource helps families and individuals with autism throughout their lifespan, and was created with the needs and concerns of Minnesota families at the forefront. This week...

Early intervention services aim to help children birth to age 3, focusing on areas such as physical skills and social skills. Such services have also been in higher demand as awareness increases. Sarah Elrashidi, Fraser Assistant Director of Preschool Center-based Day Treatment walks us through the kinds of early intervention services there are at Fraser, why the demand continues to increase, and...

Pat Pulice, Fraser VP of Integrated Healthcare joins FraserCast again, this time to discuss Whole Person Healthcare. This week, we walk through the many different factors affecting several different dimensions of our health beyond physical and mental health including Adverse Childhood Experiences, anxiety, financial or emotional stress, and access to services. If you'd like to learn more about the...

In the spirit of Fathers Day, we spoke with Fraser father and board member, Randy Pattee. Randy's son Emmett was diagnosed with autism. As Emmett grew, so did his needs. This week, Randy walks us through his experiences of parenting a child with special needs as well as navigating group homes and services at Fraser.   Our sponsor for this episode is Fox Rothschild LLP . Thanks for supporting the p...

In this week's episode of FraserCast, we meet with Abby Vavra, Fraser Public Policy and Compliance Counsel. Abby provides updates to Fraser programming and provides insight into how Fraser and other nonprofits work with the legislature to represent individuals with special needs in public policy.

This week, we meet with Aric Jensen, Director of Mental Health at Fraser, to learn more about how parents can manage mental health challenges and stress in themselves as well as children in their care. As we continue to social distance and remain in our homes during this stressful times, Aric also shares a few coping tips as well as some Fraser community resources such as the Fraser Hope Line . Th...

Claire Hysell, Clinical Services Manager at Fraser, walks us through early childhood development, school screening processes for additional support, and how kids can express their mental health needs and challenges at an age when they may not have the language to describe them. We also discuss how stress such as the ongoing COVID-19 quarantine can affect a child as well as how children are far mor...

Today, we welcome David, who was diagnosed with autism as a child. Join us as David shares his story of growing up in school, working with case managers, and how his aviation hobby helped him stay on track for success as well as provide tips for parents who may have children with a diagnosis. We'd like to thank our sponsor for this episode, Central Roofing Company .

The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has disrupted our daily lives, from going to work to sending our children to school. Most schools, places of public gathering, and nonessential businesses are closed, and parents and other caregivers are faced with helping their families adjust to the new normal. Services and providers like Fraser–and most importantly, our neighbors and community members wi...

Did you know that Fraser has living and housing options for individuals with special needs? Tiffany Byers-Draeger, director of Fraser Community Living, walks us through Fraser's three Community Living options: Supervised Living, Supportive Living, and Independent Living.   This episode was sponsored by Central Roofing Company .

Did you know that we have more than five senses? Or that people can be hypersensitive and hyposensitive? Or that more and more of your local events and venues may have a designated sensory tent or quiet space? Gina Gibson, Fraser Sensory Inclusion Specialist, explains the importance of creating sensory-friendly environments and events to accommodate children and families with sensory needs. She al...

What are the crucial laws, rights, and support groups that parents should know about for their children with special needs? How can parents become better advocates for their children as their needs grow and change, and where can they go for extra help? This week on FraserCast, Lindsey Brune, Fraser Director of Care Coordination, walks us through various laws and support networks that can help pare...