‘In Case You Missed It’ Highlights – 1/28

‘In Case You Missed It’ Highlights – 1/28

January 30, 2023

The sun has really begun to shine this month and so is our work! Check your calendar into spring because we know you will want to save the date for an event we’re hosting in April. Read more below about Momentum Celebrates!

Plus, we show you how we’re prioritizing the dental health of children with the help of community partners. We also welcome interns, as they continue their educational journey to positively impact lives of all ages. And we keep on adapting with our tools to help improve the quality of life for the people we support. As always, thank you for reading our emails and supporting our mission. Your belief in us is appreciated.

Inaugural Momentum Celebrates! Event Set for April

We’ve grown since our last major event. Following our name change and merger with Pediatric Therapy Network, we felt it was time to celebrate all of the work being done and the beautiful moments to come! The inaugural Momentum Celebrates! event will be held at our newest location in Thousand Oaks, complete with rooftop views, fabulous cuisine, inspired beverages, great entertainment, and more. All proceeds benefit the array of lifespan programming Momentum provides to children and adults with disabilities. Reserve your sponsorship or tickets by visiting here.

Focusing on Early Development Dental Health

Here at Momentum, we like seeing smiles on kids’ faces. Keeping those smiles going means helping make sure our kids get the proper care they need for their teeth. And so our wonderful team at MPTN organized a free dental screening. Our super friendly dental partners from the South Bay Children’s Health Center trooped to our Torrance clinics and provided consultations and other dental services to some 13 Early Head Start and Leaps and Bounds kids and their siblings too.

“We organized this free dental screening to make oral health accessible to all our families, especially those that are just starting to build a relationship with the dentist. Aside from consultations, we also offer oral health education and other resources that can help parents learn about preventative care. Through dental screenings like this, we also hope to help our families build a positive relationship with their dental providers,” said Irene Ramirez, MPTN Health Service Manager.

Welcoming and Educating Promising Young Professionals!

We love hosting students who are learning for important and impactful careers. This January, we welcomed several interns and students to join us at our pediatric and adult service program sites. Thank you to UCLA and USC OT Chan, as well as other universities around the country, for aligning with us to give these students experience in our quality sensory-integrated programming.

Refining Adaptive Tools & Utilizing 3D Modeling

Speaking of learning. We invited UCLA students, with the help of Momentum’s Aragna and Suzy, to witness the process of finding and fitting adaptive tools for people we help support. Suzy is looking to have a tool adapted so she can use her computer. They began the process of finding what tools work best with her abilities. At Momentum, we’re able to craft specific pieces for each individual. Aragna and Suzy will continue to refine what works best for her. Be sure to stop by our booth during the Abilities Expo in Los Angeles on March 10-12 to see the tools in action.

We love transforming cutting-edge ideas into tangible actions. Artist Julianne H. is creating a project using the 3D printer that was purchased using funds from the Appleton Trust Grant. “I would like to say thanks to the Appleton Trust for the funds,” Julianne wrote. “Without them, I wouldn’t have the chance and opportunity to create 3D projects to share with you all, like one of my 3D art pieces dedicated to Momentum.”

Lawmakers Revive Effort To Prop Up Disability Services

As a new Congress gets underway, federal lawmakers are resurrecting efforts to build up the nation’s underserved home and community-based services system. A bill introduced this week would increase Medicaid funding in order to shrink waiting lists for people with disabilities and address staffing shortages. The move comes after lawmakers failed last year to follow through on a proposal to inject $400 billion in spending on home and community-based services. You can read the full story from Disability Scoop here.

We also have our own monthly Policy Newsletter. Read the latest one and begin your advocacy journey here.