As Coloradans continue to feel more comfortable getting back out into their communities, our Spectra family continues to be reminded of the crucial elements of our old routines that have been halted since the start of the pandemic.
Above all else, we have once again been reminded of the different ways the II Model extends beyond our classroom, services, and campus. The work we do at Spectra Centers is as crucial as it has always been to the development of the individuals we work with, however, the deployment of this work into the community via field trips, off-campus programs, and practice alongside our loved ones has been halted since the start of the pandemic.
Continuing to practice the skills we teach at home and in the community provides benefits that cannot be overstated. When an individual is able to continue their practice at local restaurants and grocery stores, for example, the effect on their development is profound. In many ways, this goes back to the creation of the II Model and Spectra Centers.
At the core of the II Model is communication between all parties involved in an individual’s treatment as we work together towards a common goal — mastery of skills from the clinic or classroom, to the home, and then into the community. Outreach services like our City Surfers program are a great example of how important it can be to wrap center-based services into the home alongside an individual’s family, so as to achieve an understanding of what we are practicing and where we are heading. Ultimately, programs like City Surfers allow us to take all of the goals from various disciplines (Speech, OT, Psychologist, Teacher, BCBA) and wrap them into a treatment plan that is implemented within the home and in the community.
Events like last month’s Walk With Autism remind us of just how strong the Denver Autism Community is becoming. At an event like this year’s walk, one couldn’t help but be reminded of the depth of services offered in and around the Denver community to support families. This includes the fundamentals in the II Model (e.g. Speech Therapy) as well as services that go above and beyond. Ultimately, the Walk With Autism reminds us that we are not alone. Our Autism community doesn’t get many chances to interact these days, however, when the opportunity presents itself we show our support in droves. The number of families we got the chance to interact with at this year’s walk provided a lovely reminder of just how passionate the families we serve are, and during a time when we need their help outside of the classroom more than ever as we all continue to work towards a common goal: mastery of skills that that help us operate within the autism community and beyond.
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