Local SCIS Families to get Paid for University of Rochester Research Participation
Do you have a child with special needs? Little Lukes is excited to share a great opportunity for our SCIS families!
The University of Rochester recently received a grant from the NYS Department of Health to look further into the necessities of children and youth with special health care needs. Specifically, the team aims to learn more about the issues faced by SCIS families, identify services to improve family experiences and create a list of resources local health departments in our region can use to support families with children of special health care needs. “The project is an opportunity for NYS Department of Health policymakers to hear from parents of children who have special needs about their experiences with accessing needed services for their child in their local areas. Parents will have a chance to discuss their barriers, obstacles and needs that are unavailable, in addition to highlighting programs and services that have been beneficial to their family,” says Melissa Parrish, Family Specialist for the department of Development and Behavioral Pediatrics for the University of Rochester.
How will my family benefit from my participation?
Family input is collected through a series of virtual online group discussions and individual phone calls. Parents who join a group or individual call can earn $50-$75 for their participation in each session. $75 for a 90 minute virtual group discussion through zoom and $50 for a 60 minute individual phone call.
These discussions will take place through June of 2021 and will assist Department of Health policymakers in creating a more beneficial system of resources for families with children of special needs. “Parents of special needs children have specific concerns and challenges that may occur as a result of their navigation through several systems of care. This is an opportunity to hear those concerns that may result in policy changes and for parents to gain access to resources and service information that they may not have been aware of,” explains Melissa.
In particular, the team at the University of Rochester is interested in speaking for families from North Country and other rural areas of New York, including families from Oswego and Onondaga County. “We want to hear from families in all regions of the state, in particular rural areas where services may be limited.”
How can I sign up to participate?
To participate in this project, earn $50-$75, and positively impact your local Department of Health resources for SCIS families in your area, please visit the University of Rochester website to fill out a short survey. The survey will act as an intake form and determine if you and your family are eligible to join a discussion. At this time only virtual or phone discussions are available due to the current COVID-19 pandemic; in-person discussions have been paused indefinitely. “The survey takes less than five minutes to complete,” says Melissa. The main information that will be collected in the survey is names, contact information, county, and some information about the diagnosis and age of the child.
If you are unsure of what is considered a special health care need, as defined by the URoc team of Family Specialists, please click here for more information. To learn more about this project and the team members, please click here.
If you have any questions, please contact Melissa Parrish at melissa_parrish@urmc.rochester.edu or (585) 275-7089.
About Little Lukes Inclusion Preschool
Little Lukes is a leading Syracuse and Oswego County education provider with five inclusion preschool locations. The early education program includes credentialed and caring staff that specializes in comprehensive infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development. All Lead Teachers and Special Education Teachers are NYS certified. Additional services include pediatric speech therapy, pediatric physical therapy and pediatric occupational therapy with NYS certified therapists. Preschool locations include Dewitt (East Syracuse), Baldwinsville (Radisson), Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski.
For information about Little Lukes, please contact us at https://www.littlelukes.com/contact.html
