Resources & Events During the Pandemic 

Please find a list of resources below gathered by the NY State Tourette Consortium to help children and adults during the pandemic. Stay safe and healthy!

SUGGESTIONS FOR SELF-CARE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

• Washing your hands, wearing a mask when you are in public areas, and practicing social distancing are great practical ways to take care of your physical health during this time.   

• Remember, it is also important to take care of your mental health!

• Be kind to yourself, and to those around you.

• Permit yourself and others to be human and imperfect.

• Limit your social media and COVID-19 coverage intake.

• Allow yourself a fixed amount of time (< one hour) to worry then move on.

• Allow your children a fixed amount of time (< two hours) to play video games then try a new activity.

• Stick to (or create) healthy lifestyle habits: Daily exercise, nutritious meals, consistent bedtime and wake-up hours.

• Create and stick to a daily routine for yourself and your family.

• Reach out to and nurture your support networks.

• Focus on controlling the things that you can and letting go of those things that you cannot control. Know the difference!

• Develop a toolkit for self-care: fun activities, relaxing activities, stress-relieving activities etc.

• Find time to laugh about something at least once a day.

TELEHEALTH SERVICES FOR YOUTH AND ADULTS WITH TIC DISORDERS

The Long Island Center for Tourette and Northwell Health
Telehealth services including new consultations and ongoing care are being provided as appropriate through the Long Island Center for Tourette and throughout the Northwell Health System. 
For further information call: Ms. Florentina Lazaroaie, Patient Navigator
Phone:  (516) 365-0587                Fax: (516) 365-1909
Email:     info@litourettecenter.org
https://www.litourettecenter.org

Mount Sinai Hospital
Therapy and Medication Management
Clinical Research Trials
Phone (212) 241-2135
https://www.mountsinai.org/care/behavioral-health/services/ocd-tics/tourette-coe

Weill-Cornell Medicine
Call 646-962-2820 for information about telehealth services

University of Rochester Medical Center
Telehealth services are being provided where appropriate throughout the URMC system. Please contact the relevant office below for information and appointments:

Department of Neurology - Pediatric Neurology (for children < 18 years old). 
Phone: (585) 275-2808                  (585) 275-3683
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/neurology/our-divisions/child-neurology.aspx

Department of Neurology - Movement Disorders (adults)
Phone: (585) 341-7500                  (585) 341-7510
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/neurology/our-divisions/movement-disorders-unit.aspx

URMC Pediatric Behavioral Health & Wellness: Child & Adolescent Outpatient Services
Phone: (585) 279-7800
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/behavioral-health-wellness/outpatient.aspx

URMC Mental Health & Wellness: Adult Outpatient Services
Call: (585) 273-5050
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/mental-health-wellness/adult-services/outpatient/general-outpatient-services.aspx

WEBINARS/ONLINE SUPPORT & RESOURCES:

Northwell Health: “Parenting During Covid-19”
Northwell Health offers practical parenting advice in this approx. 20 minute talk on YouTube, presented by Child Psychiatrist Dr. Vera Feuer, MD
Links:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTGM0mRfMSk&feature=youtu.be
               https://youtu.be/pTGM0mRfMSk

See also the Northwell newsletter article, “Parenting in the Age of COVID-19”
https://thewell.northwell.edu/well-informed/coronavirus-quarantine-kids

Weill-Cornell Medicine: Pediatric OCD, Anxiety, and Tic Disorders Program (POCAT)
“Parenting Strategies for Challenging Times Webinar Series”
Navigate to this site to access free, previously recorded webinars and learn about upcoming webinars: 
https://psychiatry.weill.cornell.edu/pocat

New York Presbyterian Youth Anxiety Center
“Building Resilience in Challenging Times”
Free webinar series for young adults, ages 16-28, and parents of young adults.
Every Tue & Thursday, 4/30 – 5/28, 8:00 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. EDT

Navigate to this site to access free, previously recorded webinars and learn about upcoming webinars: www.nyp.org/youthanxiety/important-notice

Golisano Children’s Hospital: General Resources for Families – Parents and Children
Golisano Children’s Hospital at Strong (Rochester, NY) offers the following landing-page with links to various resources for families:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/coronavirus-information-for-families/resources-for-families.aspx
  
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
Some individuals with Tic Disorders may have co-occurring obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The IOCDF has established a variety of resources including weekly town halls and online support resources, and tips for how to “Listen to the CDC, not the OCD”
https://iocdf.org/covid19/   

EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT/RESOURCES

1) ONLINE LEARNING

Wide Open School - “Schools are closed. Minds are wide open”
A free collection of online learning experiences for students of all ages, grades, and needs.
https://wideopenschool.org/

The Child & Family Institute
Our team of academic tutors, coaches, and educational consultants offer customized virtual learning sessions, home schooling and homework help, and executive functioning assistance. 
For enquiries, send email to: info@childfamilyinstitute.com

Various Learning Resources:
10 Best You Tube Educational Channels for Kids:
https://www.learningliftoff.com/the-best-educational-youtu…/
 
Free audio books for kids:
https://www.learningliftoff.com/free-audio-books-for-kids/
 
Scholastic Learn at Home:
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
 
Helping You and Your Family Deal with Covid-19:
https://geraldguild.com/blog/#/article/3630
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At Home with Special Needs Children:
https://parentnetworkwny.org/the-other-coronavirus-front-line-at-home-with-special-needs-children/
 
150 Ideas for Sensory Home Learning
https://inclusiveteach.com/2020/03/20/150-sensory-learning-ideas/


Some worksheet activities on Google Drive & DropBox:
Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MaM2RBrqyDeyKFCG8impDgfuZ8a2tIZ-/view?fbclid=IwAR19HtNK8XYG1IVI6HFp_ujAc3zDgescCrHp9UYUGPWccszSynWCLsLFMDA

Drop Box: https://www.dropbox.com/s/o8p218ps2yxugo7/Blank%20316.pdf?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR2xJxlquXD8rIjHPVpQaljQTdOCJzPnIEvAeFZ8_BbANx3FIzZlfyHkqP0
               How I’m feeling
               All About Me
               Living Through History
               Coronavirus Time Capsule
 
2) ADVOCACY

Tips from Dr. Helene Walisever, PhD (Co-Chair of the NY Hudson Valley Chapter of the Tourette Association of America, and TAA Education Advisory Board Member)
Dr. Walisever provides the following tips:
·        Families can contact their child’s school in writing to request Special Education Services that their child may not be currently receiving virtually. If the school is unable to meet the child’s needs, parents may consider writing a “10-day notice letter” of their intent to obtain private education services for their child, if school is unable to meet the child’s needs. Information about this type of letter, and the process for preparing one are available at various sites, including:
a) https://www.parentcenterhub.org/private/
b) https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/choosing-starting-school/finding-right-school/unilateral-placement-moving-from-public-to-private-school
·        If there are any work samples that parents think will document either regression or lack of progress they should save those and set those aside as well. This documentation may help in future, if requesting compensatory or additional services from the district to make up for the lost instruction time, IEP services, etc. Parents can also log the time spent in tutoring their child, particularly for special education services that are typically provided to the child by the school district.

Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA)
COPAA has many resources for parents of students with special education needs during this time, including guidance to families on how to proceed when the school district does not continue special education services at this time.
·        COVID-19 Landing Site: https://www.copaa.org/page/covid-19
·        COPAA Statement on Student Rights Under IDEA During the COVID-19 Outbreak: https://www.copaa.org/news/493349/COPAA-Statement-on-Student-Rights-Under-IDEA-During-the-COVID-19-Outbreak.htm

Parent Training and Information Centers
PTICs serve residents through the country, to support children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. Educational advocacy is a large part of the PTIC mission. To find the PTIC for your area in NY State, navigate to this website and scroll down to find the listings for NY State:
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/

Wrightslaw
From the Wrightslaw website, “Our goal is to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills to advocate effectively for children with disabilities”
https://www.wrightslaw.com/


3) STATE AND FEDERAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS

New York State Education Department:
Guidance for P-12 Schools, including many memos and resources, including for students with special needs
http://www.nysed.gov/coronavirus/guidance-p-12-schools

Guidance on Continuity of Learning
http://www.nysed.gov/edtech/guidance-continuity-learning

NY State Board of Regents is providing live-stream video for its monthly meetings and has archived the past meetings.
https://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings

State Education Department Guidance on Graduation and Course Requirement Changes due to COVID-19 and Ongoing Statewide School Closure (April 7, 2020)
http://www.nysed.gov/news/2020/state-education-department-issues-guidance-graduation-and-course-requirement-changes-due


US Department of Education: Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak March 2020: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/qa-covid-19-03-12-2020.pdf

 

FUN STUFF

The Elephant in Every Room I Enter. Created by Gardiner Comfort and Kel Haney. A solo piece about Gardiner Comfort’s experience as an actor living with Tourette Syndrome.

Mr. Comfort will be returning to the Osler Society at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra / Northwell to present a free, one-hour presentation on Zoom. 
  
May 26th, 2020
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Register: https://hofstra.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYrcuquqDkpHdGoXfWRLxGMv9BUi91wd9xP

And learn more here: https://www.nytw.org/show/elephant-in-every-room-i-enter/

Virtual National Parks
https://artsandculture.withgoogle.com/en-us/

Story Time from Space
Astronauts read stories, from space!

Other Related Organizations & Programs

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Tourette Association of America

www.tourette.org

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Long Island Tourette Association

www.longislandtourette.org

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Tourette Association Hudson Valley Chapter

https://taa-nyhv.org/index.html

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NJ Center for Tourette Syndrome and Associated Disorders

https://njcts.org/

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Job Accommodation Network: a Resource for Questions about Workplace Accommodations

https://askjan.org/

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Child Mind Institute

https://childmind.org/

An independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

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Child Mind Institute is currently offering no-cost psychological evaluations in Harlem and Staten Island.  Click here for more information.

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Understood

https://understood.org

Resources for families of children and adolescents with learning and attention issues

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NYU Child Study Center

https://nyulangone.org/locations/child-study-center

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NYU Langone Tourette

https://nyulangone.org/conditions/tourette-disorder

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Tics, Tourette Disorder & Trichotillomania Program | NYU Langone Health

https://nyulangone.org/locations/child-study-center/tics-tourette-disorder-trichotillomania-program

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PANDAS Network (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders)

http://pandasnetwork.org/

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Weill Cornell Tics and Tourette's Pediatrics Program

https://pediatrics.weill.cornell.edu/pediatric-clinical-services/tics-tourettes-program

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Mt Sinai Tics and Tourette's Clinical and Research Program

https://www.mountsinai.org/patient-care/service-areas/psychiatry/areas-of-care/tics-and-tourettes-program

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NY Connects

https://www.nyconnects.ny.gov/

NY Connects provides free, unbiased information about long term services and supports in New York State for people of all ages or with any type of disability

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Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (New York State)

https://opwdd.ny.gov/

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Camp Free to Be Me hosted by Camp Kinder Ring

Email:  freetobeme@campkr.com

Summer camp for children with Tourette

 

Tic Helper

https://www.tichelper.com/

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Related Videos

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Tics and Tourette Disorder: What Families Should Know to Get the Help They Need

https://youtu.be/gUxkHu0TAxw

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The OCD, ADHD and Tic Disorder Triad

https://youtu.be/PgemZrz7NcY

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Tourette Syndrome in the Classroom: Collaboration and Accommodations for a Successful School Year

https://youtu.be/jMfGyUm0jjE

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Planning the First Visit with the Doctor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfVWXgNw6yw

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Doctors

Dr. Miri Rosen

https://www.mirirosenmd.com/

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Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg

https://elkhonongoldberg.com/

Tourette's, ADHD, and Cerebral Hemispheres: Presentation by Dr. Goldberg

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Manhattan Behavioral Medicine

http://manhattanbehavioralmedicine.com/

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Dr. Joohi Jimenez-Shahed

https://health.usnews.com/doctors/joohi-jimenez-shahed-62337

Ronald E. Stiskin & Associates, P.C. 
Specializing in Special Education & Disabilities Law

 

Ronald E. Stiskin is passionate about assisting families and individuals in transition. Whether securing educational services for children with special needs; planning for the future of disabled adults; or helping seniors and their families identify their next steps, Ronald is committed to guiding his clients to their best outcome.  

 

Ronald has attended several TS events and has educated himself with what many familes and children experience when faced with Tourette Syndrome.

 

We have formed an alliance with Ronald and his firm.  You can visit their website at Ronald E. Stiskin & Assoc. 

 

Contact by phone 212-939-7570 or email at Ron@stiskin.com