This Supporting Persons with Developmental Disabilities and Dementia Presentation Training will be held March 5, 2015, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 6 Campanelli Drive in Andover.
Course Description
This one-day afternoon presentation is under review for Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure.
At the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
• Identify ways to create a comforting environment to support positive emotions
• Identify strategies to promote communication and determine two ways to reduce sundowning
• Identify problematic behavior vs. nuisance behavior
Meet Our Trainers
Allison Smith, MS and Robin Farago, OTR/L.
Allison Smith is a Behavioral and Mental Health Clinician at American Training, Inc. She began working at ATI as a Program Director for the Lowell Full Time Day Hab. and recently transferred into the clinical division. Allison holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Social Cognition and Personality. Previous work experience includes providing cognitive based therapy for traumatically brain injured individuals and overseeing a rehabilitation day program in Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing licensure as a Mental Health Counselor at Salem State University.
Robin Farago is an Occupational Therapist who has worked in affiliation with American Training for almost 16 years. She graduated as a COTA/L in 1988 and earned a BS in Occupational Therapy (OTR/L). Twenty six years of clinical practice has included working with a range of individuals from early intervention age to geriatrics, with a myriad of diagnoses and challenges with specificity and individualized needs for OT services.
Costs
The registration fee of $25 is due upon arrival. It includes the two-hour course, refreshments, and all course materials. Cash, credit card or checks are accepted. Inquire about discounts for Current Partners and Groups.
Registration
To register, please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or at danielle.lapointe@americantraininginc.com.
Questions
Please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or at danielle.lapointe@americantraininginc.com with any questions.
Search for other training opportunities on our events page.
Once again, we’re going big!
Presidents Day is Monday, February 16. We’re making it last all week long!
Check out our week of events below to celebrate and learn about Presidents.
In early February we launched a challenge that asked people to make the most of the heaping snow piles forming outside their windows.
We asked them to get out there and build their best snow creations then send them to us via our Facebook or Twitter accounts using the hashtag #ATIsnowjoy.
We planned to select two winners, each of whom would win a $25 gift card to a local establishment of her/his choosing. After looking through the few, but fabulous submissions, our judging committee selected three winners based on their creativity.
The Saddest Snowman, Colorful Little Bug, and Vanway Snowman took home the honors!
There’s no joy like snow joy!
Our entries:
More from the extreme sledding hill entry: Post by Donny Wise.
This Psychopharmacology Training will be held February 19, 2015, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at 6 Campanelli Drive in Andover.
Course Description
This one-day morning course will cover psychopharmacology, the scientific study of the effects drugs have on mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior. This program has been approved for 1.5 Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of NASW and the Boston College and Simmons Schools of Social Work Authorization Number 70450.
At the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
• Identify the clinical uses of the five major psychotropic medication classes: the antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety agents, antipsychotics and psychostimulants – how they work, and their common side effects
• Describe the different symptoms for prescribing medications
• Understand the purpose of a mental status exam
Meet Our Trainer
Janice Chasse-King, DNP, PMHCNS, BC is a Clinical Nurse Specialist. She graduated from Boston University Graduate School of Nursing with her Master’s in Nursing and currently holds a Doctorate as a Nurse Practitioner. She has been working in the field for over 30 years at various hospitals and clinics and is currently a full-time Attending at Steward Holy Family Hospital in Methuen, MA. In addition, she is a full-time professor of Psychiatric Nursing at Salem State University in Salem, MA. She co-authored the Instructor’s Guide to Psychiatric Nursing workbook in 2009 and received the Innovative Teaching Award of 2014 from the Massachusetts Association of Colleges of Nursing. She has been a guest lecturer since 2005 throughout the Commonwealth on topics such as “Psychopharmacology for the Mental Health Clinician” and “Current Trends in Psychopharmacology”.
Costs
The registration fee of $25 and is due upon arrival. It includes the two-hour course and a continental breakfast. Cash, credit card or checks are accepted. Inquire about discounts for Current Partners and Groups.
Registration
To register, please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 before 4:30 p.m. or Jodi Howshan at jodihowshan@americantraininginc.com after 4:30 p.m.
Questions
Please contact Jodi Howshan at jodihowshan@americantraininginc.com with any questions.
This MAP Training will be held April 7 and 8, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6 Campanelli Drive in Andover.
Course Description
This two-day course will prepare and qualify you to take the MAP test.
At the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Safely administer medications as regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Administer a liquid oral medication, use an oral medication cup, oral dosing syringe, and dropper
• Properly document, record, and store medication
Meet Our Trainer
Meghan Fisk is a Bachelor’s prepared registered nurse, with over 2 years experience, providing quality care to diverse individuals. She has dedicated her career to acute, advanced cardiac care as well as intellectually disabled populations.
Costs
This 2-day course is $250 per person. This price includes training, lunch on the first day, and all course materials. Please note that D&S Diversified Technologies may require you to pay additional testing fees if you are not covered by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) or Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
Registration
To register, please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or daniellelapointe@americantraininginc.com.
Questions
Please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or daniellelapointe@americantraininginc.com with any questions.
Tuition must be paid prior to beginning the course and you must present a current photo ID.
Search for other training opportunities on our events page.
After hearing of our friendly Biggest Loser competition, our local Title Boxing Club in North Andover, invited us to stop by for a workout session on a Friday night.
We went. We sweat. We drank lots of water. And we loved every second of it! And to top it all off, we each burned nearly 1,000 calories in that one hour session.
We left there floating on air and feeling like we could take on the world! We can’t wait to return.
A special thank you to Ami who set us up with the experience and Brandon, our trainer-extraordinaire!
Check out more about Title Boxing Club via their website and Facebook page.
In support of Heart Disease & Stroke Awareness, all of our locations went red today for National Wear Red Day, a day designated to increase awareness for the number one and four killers of women, and the number one and five killers of men, both respectively.
We participated by wearing our brightest and boldest. But we didn’t just show our support, we also raised awareness by sharing facts, statistics, and tips for getting healthy.
Find out more: the facts, the stats, tips for healthy living, and how you can get involved.
Check out the photos from our Wear Red Day below and on WCVB’s ULocal (make sure you scroll through)!
Our WOW! Magic culture reaches far beyond those we serve to those we call Colleagues, the exceptional people we’re privileged to share our days with. We learn from them, teach them, grow with them, and even love them.
So we asked our Colleagues…what do you love about working here? What is your favorite part of being a part of the American Training family?
Here’s what they had to say…
“As a Colleague who has been with American Training since 2006 I love working for our company because I am blessed to work with committed, thoughtful, genuine, resourceful and good-natured Colleagues,” said Renee Ghembaza, Director of Highfields and TASH.
“I like working here becuase I love the teamwork we have here. And I love seeing our Guests smile,” said William Webster, Vanway Driver.
“I love working for American Training because I have the opportunity to interact on a daily basis with some Exceptional people. Whether it be with their talent, creativity, humor or compassion they absolutely make my day, every day,” said Hiedi Keefer, Assistant Director of Specialized Housing.
“I work with a great team. We’re all in sync and help each other out whenever needed. I’ve been put in a position to succeed,” said Donny Wise, Training Specialist.
“I love working here because it teaches me so much about myself,” said Adam Jackson, Assistant Site Director and Lead Job Coach.
“I love working at ATI because I am reminded, on a daily basis, how strong, selfless and kind the human spirit really is,” said Carol Sholik, Vocational Counselor and Grants Coordinator, LARE Institute.
“I honestly love working here because of the people and the flexibility,” said Dave Moynihan, HR Generalist.
“I like working here because our Colleagues watch out for each other and treat each other like family,” said Gail Roberts, VP and Director of Day Services.
“I like working for ATI because I love working with our Guests and I especially like what the company stands for,” said Eluid Vazquez, Vanway Driver.
“I love that our work means so much. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t receive a heartfelt thanks from one of our Students or Graduates for helping them obtain a meaningful job,” said Cheryl Watson, Career Placement Specialist and Supervisor, LARE Institute.
To celebrate this major accomplishment and our exceptional Colleagues who made it happen, we threw a WOW! Magic Best 25 party. Check it out here.
“You can find magic wherever you look.
Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.”– Dr. Seuss
Books are powerful. They transport us to other worlds, for adventures, to learn, to feel, to understand, to grow. Every child should have the opportunity to explore other worlds, fall in love with favorite characters, develop a love for reading.
Months ago we met the students of the School for Exceptional Studies. A group of Colleagues and Guests stopped by the Lawrence school, which works with students with developmental disabilities and behavioral issues, to help paint the classrooms.
We realized then how much the students of the school need and deserve their own mini-library. One of our Colleagues who visited the school recalled several students arriving for the day. The first thing they took out were their reading books.
“These children have an incredible thirst for knowledge, excitement and adventure,” she said. “What better way is there for these young students to experience all of these things than to lose themselves in a good book?”
Unfortunately due to the lack of funds, the books at their school are very limited and worn.
That’s why throughout the months of February and March, we will be collecting books for the children of the School for Exceptional Studies. We are seeking new and gently used children’s books for grades K through 4.
How to get involved
Donate! Donate! Donate! Gather the books your children have outgrown, your favorite from your childhood, or a few new ones you’ve picked up and drop them off at one of our locations between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.: Andover (6 Campanelli Drive), Lowell (150 Industrial Ave.), or Wakefield (107 Audubon Rd. Building 1, Suite 25). We will have boxes in front of each location for drop-offs. Get directions here.
Or schedule a pickup time with our Colleague Hiedi. She can be reached at hiedikeefer@americantraininginc.com or 978-265-4270.
Again, we are seeking new or gently used books for grades K through 4.
It’s a party
On March 31st, the last day of National Reading Month, we had the pleasure of giving the books to the students and staff of the School for Exceptional Studies. We were lucky enough to have Elizabeth Lorayne, author of The Adventures of Piratess Tilly, join us for a very exciting story time! Read all about the Book Donation Bash here.
Join us
RSVP for the event by contacting Hiedi Keefer at hiedikeefer@americantraininginc.com or 978-265-4270.
Find out more
Learn more about us here and the School for Exceptional Studies here.
Thank You
Thank you to those who have donated and to those who are planning to donate! A special thanks to the Mall at Rockingham Park, a Simon Mall, for donating the books they will be collecting at their Kidgits Club Book Party on March 7. Thank you to Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Liberty Mutual, and the Emmaus House for your sizable donations as well. Your donations will bring smiles to lots of little faces and are greatly appreciated by our book drive team!
Going forward
If you didn’t get the chance to donate (or even if you did), but would still like to contribute, you can! On Wednesday night, April 22nd, the Andover Bookstore will be hosting a fundraiser for the school. A portion of all sales between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. will go directly to the school to help them build their library. In addition, a bin will be placed at the store for people to make book donations.
We were there when the season began, through the early season losses and doubters, and through the wins which they fought so hard for. We stuck with them through the tough times, which took us right up to Super Bowl Sunday. We did our job. And they did theirs. Our New England Patriots put us through a nail-biter of epic proportions, but with an interception, they sealed their victory, and we couldn’t be happier!
After sending our team off to the AFC Championship with a big party a few weeks ago, we realized that partying in the name of our Patriots was good luck.
So, we did it again.
Showing solidarity with Tom Brady and the rest of our favorite football team, our Guests, Students, and Colleagues wore their best red, blue, white and silver to each of our ATI locations.
And when we show our support for our team, we go big! All of our sites participated with Patriots Pride parties and lots of fun! We enjoyed pep rallies, delicious cake, lots of cheering, custom-made t-shirt handouts courtesy of our Partner PrintPro, games, puzzle prizes courtesy of our Partner Ravensburger, and even watched some of history’s greatest football highlights!
Though we were all home with our own families for the big game, it was awesome to celebrate the big day with our American Training family in the days leading up to the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl!
Check out a poster and some pictures from our pre-Superbowl and pre-AFC Championship Parties below!
Check us out on WHDH’s Patriots Nation Fan Page and featured as one of WPRI’s bold and smooth Patriot’s fans!