JERICHO Event to Support Parents, Providers Working with Disabled Teens

HOLYOKE — All parents want to help their teens as they plan the transition from high school to college or the workforce, toward a successful adulthood. This includes those parenting children with special educational needs and different requirements. Most believe that the paths toward adulthood differ greatly for this group; however, that is not necessarily the case.

On Thursday, Nov. 5, parents and the professionals who serve differently abled young adults in Western Mass. will gather at JERICHO for the second annual Transition SUMMIT to learn a comprehensive tool, the Transition Timeline created by Linda LaPointe, director of Programs at JERICHO.


For the past decade, LaPointe has been advocating for and supporting hundreds of families in Western Mass. and beyond as they navigate the special-education process. She is recognized for establishing successful partnerships and programs that place the student at the forefront through her own consulting practice, or through her creation of the Kehillah Program at the Springfield Jewish Community Center.

This summit has been crafted for parents and professionals working with teens who access special-education services at any school or program within the Pioneer Valley.

“For teens with disabilities and their families, this journey is exceptionally difficult,” LaPointe said. “The daily emotional and physical challenges are intense and often overwhelming, so we purposefully designed this summit to present a tangible approach to the process.”

The morning program offers a cutting-edge interactive demonstration on using the timeline tool that details goals and steps towards a full life for all. Each participant will gain insights in each of life’s buckets, or topic areas that impact every adult, including housing, post-secondary education, work/vocation, transportation, recreation and community, and health and wellness.

A continental breakfast, lunch, and afternoon refreshments, along with a planning book, are included in the subsidized cost of $30. Scholarships are available for all by contacting Maria Burke at JERICHO. To register, visit www.facebook.com/jerichobeca.