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"I just wanted to share that I have completed my first virtual vision screening. It resulted in a referral to both medical and TVI. I just want to say how robust and helpful this process is! Conversation with the family, consultation with TVI, and way more information to share with the school district when we transition this guy out of early intervention. I am inspired by the collaboration this screener requires. Thank you!" Jenifer Dickson, Developmental Specialist, Sprout Family Services, Alaska |
Vision Screening via Telehealth
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How is Colorado identifying and supporting children who are blind or visually impaired during the pandemic?
A Shared Vision’s co-founders Paula Landry and Steve Lindauer, along with Tanni Anthony, shared vision screening best practices during last week's Outreach Coffee Hour session presented by the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Western Regional Intervention Conference. |
A Shared Vision Continues to Support Our Families via Telehealth!
March 2020
Even before Governor Polis’ mandate to “stay at home,” the state asked early intervention providers like us to stop in-home visits for everyone’s safety. The good news is that A Shared Vision is still providing vision services – now via telehealth! While center-based organizations have temporarily closed their doors, A Shared Vision continues to provide the same level of high-quality, compassionate support for families, many of whom are especially vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19.
We are currently reaching more than two-thirds of the families we serve through regular video calls. The response from our families has been very positive. As one parent said, “I felt nervous to do the video visits. But, doing my first one with my A Shared Vision teacher broke the ice. It was better than expected! And, it prompted me to do our other therapies this way.”
During these challenging times we are holding to our mission – to inspire and empower families to nurture the development of their very young children who are blind or visually impaired so that all children may discover their brightest future.
Thank you for continuing to support A Shared Vision and for enabling us to inspire and empower these families.
Your Founders,
Stefanie Hamilton, Paula Landry, Steven Lindauer
We are currently reaching more than two-thirds of the families we serve through regular video calls. The response from our families has been very positive. As one parent said, “I felt nervous to do the video visits. But, doing my first one with my A Shared Vision teacher broke the ice. It was better than expected! And, it prompted me to do our other therapies this way.”
During these challenging times we are holding to our mission – to inspire and empower families to nurture the development of their very young children who are blind or visually impaired so that all children may discover their brightest future.
Thank you for continuing to support A Shared Vision and for enabling us to inspire and empower these families.
Your Founders,
Stefanie Hamilton, Paula Landry, Steven Lindauer
A Shared Vision's Kimala Rein Teaches Infant Massage
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"Malachi's Vision Therapist passed along information last week about daily learning opportunities for kids with vision impairments, parents and providers through the organization 'Paths to Literacy.' |
We're Doing Home Visits by Video!
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A Shared Vision supports more than 200 families in Colorado. Their health, and the health of their children, is one of our biggest concerns. It's especially important that our teachers be there to support our families during these challenging times.
We are still doing home visits with our families. When we can't meet in person because of illness, the weather or schedules, we are supporting our families through live video calls. They are very similar to FaceTime, What's App or Google Duo but HIPAA compliant. If A Shared Vision supports your family and you are interested in meeting your EI-TVI during a live video call, please contact her directly. She is ready to help. |
2019 Annual Report
2019 was another exciting year serving Colorado's families with children who are blind or visually impaired. More than 200 families received 2,241 service visits from our licensed Early Intervention Teachers of the Visually Impaired – an increase of 38% in visits from the prior year! That’s more than ten times the number of vision services provided by any other center-based organization or EI provider group. We hope you'll enjoy reading more about our important work. Click HERE.
Let's Make Music Together!
A Shared Vision hosted its first music therapy class on March 7. The families who attended banged a big drum, shook egg maracas and strummed guitars. They sang simple rhymes with Amanda Bryant, the music therapist leading the class. They learned how music stimulates all their senses, sometimes calming them down or making them more curious. While we have cancelled future in-person classes for the time being, stay tuned for other music offerings this year. Click HERE for more pictures of the event.
A SHARED VISION Celebrates ITS THIRD YEAR OF SERVICE...
...on October 26th with a pre-game birthday party at the Pepsi Center followed by the Avalanche hockey game. The evening included food, libations and free t-shirts donated by the Avs! Logan and Kara Schneider spoke about how their EI-TVI from a Shared Vision taught them how to nurture their son Kaige and give them hope. Afterwards, there was a drawing for a hockey puck donated by the Avs and autographed by Gabriel Landeskog, the team captain.
PUMPKIN PATCH FRIENDS!
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A Shared Vision hosted 30 family members - children, parents, grandparents and siblings - for a fun sensory learning experience in Washington Park, Denver on September 28. Parents donned sleep shades and explored the world of their children with visual impairments. Children with visual impairments and their siblings also practiced orientation and mobility concepts in an impromptu pumpkin patch.
Special thanks to The Allstate Foundation for their financial support that allows us to host these wonderful events. |
"This was our first time coming to an A Shared Vision Family Fun Day and our family loved it!" "This event was awesome. I really like how we had to describe things without being able to see them!" |
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WESTERN REGIONAL EARLY INTERVENTION CONFERENCE 2019
A Shared Vision co-hosted this year's Western Regional Early Intervention Conference - September 2019. WREIC supports professionals working with, and families of, children birth to five years old who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. WREIC has been in place for over 30 years, making it one of the longest ongoing early intervention conferences in the country. More than 350 professionals and parents, representing more than 125 organizations across 21 states, attended this year's event. For more information about WREIC, click HERE.
