TEAMability

Center-based services utilizing the specialized environments of Teamability's state-of-the-art clinic. A collaborative transdisciplinary evaluation of the child's functional abilities is conducted. The caregivers play a crucial role in the assessment process, eliciting responses from and conveying information about the individual's preferences and motivators. Gross and fine motor abilities, sensory processing, communication, interaction with objects and problem solving skills are observed and analyzed. A "picture" of how the individual functions as a whole emerges and forms the basis of the individualized care plan. An outline of what the individual can do, skills he/she is ready to learn and the strategies to be used to achieve success are developed. Subsequent visits to the clinic focus on achieving the goals of the care plan through participation in a variety of motivating activities in a unique and customized environment. Providing center-based services directly to families allows Teamability to provide structured, hands-on parent training. Parents actively participate in each session with their child, learning and practicing techniques to be employed at home to promote learning for their child. The children learn and progress while having fun. Parents learn how to support learning for their child and the team learns what motivates and engages each child so that further learning can be facilitated. 80 individuals and caregivers are served each week.

School services - Teamability continues to support local school districts by offering collaborative functional abilities evaluations of students with complex disabilities. The evaluation results in a learning plan that outlines the student's current abilities, what the student is ready to learn next and the strategies, techniques and environments required to promote learning. The learning plan is the basis of the student's individualized school program. The plan is implemented in the school environment with Teamability providing collaborative support to the staff as they attain the confidence and competency necessary to independently carry out the learning plan. School districts can also opt to utilize Teamability's skills in developing and facilitating the transdisciplinary approach to build their own collaborative teams. Teamability evaluates the school's current service delivery model and classroom programs and provides on-site instruction in team building. The opening of the mac has provided schools with the unique opportunity to utilize our specialized environments as a part of the individual educational plan (iep) for students with complex disabilities. Districts may opt to bus students to the mac. Accompanied by teachers/caregivers, the students participate in activities designed to achieve their iep goals and objectives in environments that are too costly to be replicated at their individual school districts.

Parent forum - the Teamability parent forums afford parents the opportunity to learn about topics of importance to them and their child, support one another, share resources and become a united voice for their children. Parents choose topics that are important to them and their children such as guardianship and school law. Social meetings are dedicated to fun activities that reduce isolation and foster connections. Meetings are held monthly with an average attendance of 14.

Professional development/parent training - Teamability offers professional development at the mac that is tailored to meet the particular needs of the teachers and therapists as they strive to improve programs and outcomes for children who are challenged by severe sensory, motor and developmental delays that combine to impact their learning abilities and participation in life's activities. Teamability is certified by the Texas education agency as a continuing professional education provider offering approved staff developmnet for educators. Continuing education units are granted for physical, speech and occupational therapists. Parent training is offered at the mac in collaboration with local, state and non-profit agencies in order to give parents the knowledge they need to become effective advocates for their children in school and the community and the specialized skills required for them to promote learning at home.