Seating and Wheeled Mobility Service Training Workshop

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Guam Systems for Assistive Technology
A Seating and Wheeled Mobility Service Training Workshop was held at in Saipan on September 7-9. The Training was conducted by Dr. Laura Cohen (front, fifth from left), from Rehabilitation Consultants and sponsored by the Disability Network Partners (DNP) – Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Council on Developmental Disabilities, CDD- Assistive Technology Program, Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Maternal Child Health, Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy, Inc. ,and the Northern Marianas College-University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. GSAT Center Coordinator, Leah Abelon (front, second from left) attended the three-day training.

Dr. Cohen facilitated range of motion exercises and measurements for wheelchair fitting with staff from Marianas Health, Medquest, and the Guam System for Assistive Technology during the hands on application sessions held on September 9.

Hearing Screening Clinic at Department of Public Health and Social Services

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention
On September 1, Rosario Realica (left) DPHSS RN, and Leah Balano (right), DPHSS NA, conducted hearing screenings for infants during the rescreen clinic at the Department of Public Health & Social Services in Mangilao. (Not pictured) Marie Wusstig, Guam EHDI Project Coordinator, and Christina Jung, Guam CEDDERS Research Associate.

Guam CEDDERS Promoted Guam EHDI and GSAT Programs during the Breastfeeding Awareness Outreach Event

by Guam CEDDERS Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Guam Systems for Assistive Technology
On August 28, (Pictured L-R) Christina Jung, Guam CEDDERS Research Associate; Marie Wusstig, Guam CEDDERS Training Associate; Tanya Simer, UOG Social Work Practicum Student; and Leah Abelon, GSAT Center Coordinator, promote Guam EHDI, and GSAT programs during the 4th Annual Breastfeeding Awareness Fair held at the Micronesia Mall.

CDC – Guam EHDI Site Visit

by Guam CEDDERS Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention
Guam CEDDERS’ ​JJ Mendiola (center), Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention (EHDI) Quality Improvement and Evaluation Coordinator, ​met​ with Marcus Gaffney​, Health Scientist and Center for Disease Control & Prevention​ (​CDC) EHDI Team Leader​ (left) and Eric C​a​hill (right), CDC​ Health Scientist and EHDI Technical Assistance Provider​, ​​in the Guam ChildLink data​ server room during the CDC – Guam EHDI Site Visit​ held on August 24.​
Dr. Heidi San Nicolas (back to camera, right), Guam CEDDERS Director, opens up the meeting with ​the ​visiting CDC​ representatives​ by providing a background ​summary​ of how Guam EHDI project came to be.
Guam EHDI and Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) staff met with CDC Personnel to discuss progress towards interoperability and sustainability of Guam EHDI – ChildLink, and the status of electronic birth certificates on Guam during the CDC – Guam EHDI Site Visit. (Pictured from L-R): Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director; Marcus Gaffney, CDC Personnel; ​Eric C​a​hill, CDC Personnel; Cid Mostales, DPHSS I​nformation Technology Specialist; ​​Margarita Gay, DPHSS​ Maternal Child Health Program Administrator​; Dr. Suzanne Kaneshiro, DPHSS Chief Public Health Officer; JJ Mendiola, Guam EHDI Quality Improvement and Evaluation Coordinator; and Christina Jung, Guam CEDDERS Research Associate. (Not pictured: Marie Wusstig, Guam EHDI Project Coordinator).
(Front Row L-R): Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director; Christina Jung, Guam CEDDERS Research Associate; Marie Wusstig, Guam EHDI Project Coordinator; Margarita Gay, DPHSS; Suzanne Kaneshiro, ​DDS, ​DPHSS Public Health Chief Officer. (Back Row L-R): Eric Cahill, CDC; Marcus Gaffney; Cid Mostales, DPHSS IT; and JJ Mendiola; Guam EHDI Quality Improvement and Evaluation Coordinator.
Staff from Guam EHDI and Guam Memorial Hospital Authority (GMHA), Guam EHDI Audiolog​y​ Consultant, and Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS), met with CDC ​representatives ​to discuss data collection, input, sharing, sustainability, and Diagnostic Audiological Evaluations (DAE) and Early Intervention (EI) documentation during the CDC- Guam EHDI Site Visit. (Pictured front to back row): Maria Victoria Guiao, GMHA OB Ward Nurse Supervisor; Renee Koffend, ​AuD., ​Audiologist Consultant; Avelina Opeña​, GMHA N​ICU​ Nurse Supervisor; ​Sera Rios​,​ GMHA Medical Records Assistant Administrator​; Terrie Fejarang, Guam CEDDERS Associate Director; Eric Cahill, CDC Personnel; Marcus Gaffney, CDC; JJ Mendiola; Guam EHDI Quality Improvement and Evaluation Coordinator. (Not pictured: Marie Wusstig, Guam EHDI Project Coordinator; and Pat Matanona, GEIS Program Coordinator).

Akudi Loan Client Receives Accessible Vehicle

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Guam Systems for Assistive Technology
On August 23, Christina Jung, Guam CEDDERS Research Associate, (right)​​ ​and Leah Abelon, Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) Center Coordinator, (not ​shown​)​, ​conducted an interview with Peter Ybarra​ (left), Akudi Loan client, ​and wife, Priscilla Ybarra (right), at ​the​ GSAT​ Center​ . The Ybarra family received their accessible vehicle from AMS Vans last week through the assistance of the Akudi Loan Program. During the interview, they ​excitedly​ shared how the AT device has promoted great independence and overall quality of life.
(L-R) Priscilla Ybarra, Peter Ybarra, Christina Jung, and Leah Abelon take a group photo in front of GSAT before concluding the interview on the Akudi Loan Program.
Peter Ybarra, Akudi Loan client, poses next to his 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan accessible vehicle, purchased through AMS Vans. This vehicle has ​a side-entry for easier access to enter the vehicle.

Rescreen Clinic at DPHSS Central is Now Open!

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training Department of Public Health & Social Services Guam Early Hearing Detection & Intervention
Marie Wusstig, Guam CEDDERS Training Associate and Guam EHDI Project Coordinator, conducts a hearing screening for Khaelid John Wolford, Son of Kathyleen Wolford (left), during the Rescreen Clinic. The event took place Friday, August 18, at DPHSS Mangilao.
Carah Mendoza (center) seems to be thinking, “what are you guys doing to me?” while undergoing hearing screening on August 18 at the Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) Screening Clinic. Conducting the hearing screening are Lea Balano, DPHSS nurse aide (left) with assistance from Charlene Mendoza (Right), Carah’s mother.

Project Bisita I Familia Parent Café

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Project Bisita I Familia
Project Bisita I Familia held a Parent Cafe, on August 18 at the Pacific Star Resort & Spa. The Parent Café theme was on “Being a Strong Parent” and focused on the 2 protective factors: 1) Parents Need to Help Their Children to Communicate/ Children’s Social and Emotional Development and 2) Being a Great Parent Is Part Natural and Part Learned/ Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development.

Guam CEDDERS Facilitated a Workshop on Early Childhood Coaching

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Community Services: Training
Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Early Childhood (EC) Consultant and Sherry Cruz, Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) Teacher, facilitated the Early Childhood Coaching workshop on August 14 & 15. Twenty-five (25) participants from GEIS and DPHSS Karinu and Project Bisita attended the 2-day event held at the Jesus and Eugenia Leon Guerrero School of Business and Public Administration (SBPA) Building at the University of Guam.
Isabella Fagota, Karinu; Grace Loyola, GEIS; Nicole Tydingco, GEIS; Bertha Kachita, Karinu; and Mike Cepeda, GEIS, participate in a group activity during the Early Childhood Coaching event.
Sherry Cruz summarizes the information provided by one of the groups during the large group report out during the Early Childhood Coaching workshop. (L-R) Sherry Cruz, GEIS; Gajee Parsons, GEIS; Vera Blaz, Guam CEDDERS; and Liz Blas, GEIS.
GEIS staff read through handouts during a group activity at the Early Childhood Coaching workshop. (L-R) Gajee Parsons, Liz Blas, Bert Cabrera, and Nicole Tydingco.
Elaine Eclavea provides key points of the Reflective Questioning process while participants engage in the information provided during the Early Childhood Coaching workshop on August 15.

Guam CEDDERS Facilitated a Training on Related Service Delivery System: Evidence-Based Practices

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Technical Assistance Community Services: Training
On August 14​-15​, Verna Chinen, M.S., CCC-SLP​ (pictured above)​, in collaboration with Guam CEDDERS​ and ​Division of Special Education, Guam Department of Education, facilitated training ​on “​Related Service Delivery System: Evidence-Based Practices​” for personnel from the Speech and Related Services unit of the Division. The two-day training was held at the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa.

Guam CEDDERS Facilitated a Training on Table Hosting for Parent Cafés

by Guam CEDDERS Community Services: Training
On August 17, Elaine Eclavea, Guam CEDDERS Consultant and Vera Blaz, Guam CEDDERS Training Associate, conducted training on “Table Hosting for Parent Cafés.” A Parent Café is a process that uses the World Café model of asking questions to help early childhood providers engage parents, develop leadership skills, and use the protective factors that keep families strong.