A Message to our Readers

The duty of a service provider agency is to assist a family that is raising a child with a developmental disability, providing them with the supports they need without being intrusive. But finding the balance to do so properly is the responsibility of both parties.

Over the years, in countless discussions with parents, our talks led to me soliciting information that enabled me to provide the family with additional supports of varying types, but these details had gone unnoticed until that point. Sometimes the support was directed to the parents themselves, sometimes to the special-needs family member, and sometimes to the siblings. No matter to whom the service was provided, it enhanced the ability of the family to provide a loving and stable environment for their child with a developmental disability.

I wondered why parents would not come right out and explain to their service coordinator what their needs are, whenever the need arises. Sometimes the need is so common that assistance can be provided as a matter of course, because that's what agencies do. But I realized that many times, parents may be in a situation where they can't see the forest for the trees. In other words, they are so mired in coping with their situation they don't realize that assistance could be provided. It is our job as service providers to stay tuned-in to their needs.

My message to parents: Make the effort from time to time to assess your situation. Explore the possibilities of how your job as parents could be made easier. No matter how impossibly difficult to implement your solution may seem, express it to your service coordinator. At best, the agency may be able to meet your need. At worst, it will make the agency more sensitive to the fact that you need some kind of assistance.

My message to service coordinators: Be sensitive to the daily needs of the families you work with. Listen carefully to what they say as well as to unspoken needs. It is your responsibility to anticipate their needs whenever possible.

Working in tandem this way will result in much better services being provided and will bring more benefits to our children and clients.

With best wishes for a k'sivah v'chasimah tovah, b'gashmius u'b'ruchnius, and nachas from your children.

Rabbi Simon Lauber
Founder & CEO

Founder & CEO
Rabbi Simon Lauber
slauber@spiritmag.org

Editor-in-Chief
Gershon Sabol
gershon@spiritmag.org

Rabbinical Advisory Board
Rabbi Chaim L. Rottenberg, shlita
Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, shlita

Editor
Dini Sternhill
dinis@spiritmag.org

Copy Editor
Yaakov Steinhart

Magazine Layout & Design
Mark Weisz Design
www.markweisz.com

Web Layout & Design
Baruch Lebovits

Editorial Advisory Board
Rivky Kopstick
Chaya Yitty Rottenberg
Sara L. Sabo
Michelle Steinhart

Contributors
Rabbi Shmuel Abramson, Ed.D.
Dovid Bak
Rozy Brashevitzky
Esther Cohen
Tziri Frank
Yael Frankel
Barbara Hollander
Devorah Lampert
M. Schwartz
Ursula Schwartz, Ph.D.
Harold Simansky
Elisheva Stein
Abraham J. Twerski, MD
Leon Zacharowitz, MD, MA