NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Special Education Department at Hutchinson USD 308 is looking forward to an event next month at the Hutchinson YMCA.
"We're doing a partnership with them and RCEC on October 5th," said Jessica Engelland with USD 308. "We're going to do a swim night and it'll open it up to families of students with disabilities to come and see what the Y is all about and just give them a night out."
Having relationships is hard for families with special needs kids.
"That's why we're really excited about our work with the CDDO," Engelland said. "From 2013 to last year, we only had 13 families connected with the CDDO. And since we started this parent night with the CDDO last year, we have had 18 additional families start in the last year. And so that's a great jumping off point for them to have supports and be connected."
The Reno County Community Developmental Disability Organization is the application process to getting supports post-secondary for special needs kids as they transition to adulthood.
"It's just about educating and supporting families," Engelland said. "Meeting them where they're at and working through that process with them."
For more information on the YMCA event, call Engelland at (620) 615-5502.