St. Donivan Autism Foundation hosted their Annual Parent Conference July 24, 2024 in Carrizo Springs, Texas in Dimmit County. The event took place in the Dimmit County Rodeo Arena and Conference facility. Not only is place known for the wholesome and small-town love and support, this community has nothing short of a great need. The families in this rural area do not have access to services provided in a metropolitan community. Certain specialty doctors only arrive on a weekly basis. Most times families must travel over a hundred miles just to gain access to routine care and therapies. St. Donivan Autism Foundation decided to set plan bring in the experts for the day to save on transportation, remove eligibility barriers, and raise awareness. Dimmit County Rodeo Arena served as the vehicle to provide vital professional development and parent trainings. St. Donivan collaborated with local resources such as their Education Service Center – Region 20, Carrizo Springs Independent School District, and Wellpoint just to name a few. Workforce Solutions Middle Rio Grande was also in attendance and they provided resource to families in the form of brochures, insightful responses, as well as, resources to participate in Summer Earn And Learn Project. The St. Donivan Autism Foundation Parent Conference covered topics such as Communication Strategies to support communication and language at home by Terry Chapa, a Licensed Speech Language Pathologist. Behavior Intervention Strategies that helped to reinforce and support positive behaviors at home by, Janet Enriquez, Region-20. Safety Guidelines that described how to implement safety practices at home by, Rob Peaden, Any Baby Can. Carrizo Springs ISD Special Education Department provided insight on Parent Involvement in Educational Planning in which they shared the basics of a child’s IEP. Lastly Nydia Rodriguez provided information on Stress Management, Self-Care and the importance of taking time to celebrate the wins in your life. Overall this was a great opportunity for vendors, parents and professionals to network and collaborate on ways to support their youth experiencing disability barriers.
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