LOVELAND, Colo. (August 29, 2008) – McKee Medical Center Rehabilitation Services therapists Lindsay Neves and Beth Teschler recently attended a week-long training to earn a certification related to treating patients with autism spectrum disorder.

The training took place at The Watson Institute, a state-of-the-art school in Pennsylvania for children with autism. Neves, a speech language pathologist, and Teschler, an occupational therapist, became certified in Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped Children, or TEACCH.

TEACCH is an evidence-based service, training and research program for people of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorder. TEACCH provides clinical services such as diagnostic evaluations, parent training and parent support groups, social play and recreation groups, counseling for higher-education clients and supported employment opportunity.

The approach of TEACCH includes an assessment, one-to-one structured teaching, restructuring of a chosen task and independence. When independence is met with a task, it is then incorporated into a person’s work system.

During the 30 hours of training, Neves and Teschler taught topics including communication, domestic and daily skills, motor skills and social and leisure skills. They worked with children and young adults each day in one of these areas.

The women say this particular certification is important to the Pediatric Rehabilitation department and the clinic because the methodology is evidence-based with significant continuing research conducted annually. It allows staff to individualize a patient’s plan of care using a unified approach to learning skills and increasing independence. TEACCH provides a concrete learning style tailored to each person’s learning ability.

Contact: Sara Quale
Phone: (970) 635-4031