One organization uses horses to help people with special needs.
Another group offers various sports and social activities for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
A business was created with the mission of making applied behavior analysis therapy accessible to all children with autism.
A not-for-profit organization provides services for adults and children with mental, physical and emotional disabilities, including early intervention for infants and toddlers, residential living options, job training, placement and follow-along, respite care, family support, individualized community-based services and more.
A new group is helping people with disabilities with repairs at their homes, putting a spotlight on their individual talents and guiding them to resources they need in everyday life.
A lot of services are available for people with disabilities in Jackson County, but there’s always room for more, said Melanie O’Neal, planning coordinator for The Arc of Jackson County.
“Would I like for things to increase? Absolutely,” she said. “We can all do our own area of specialty and what does that look like for each of us, but the bottom line is we all want to help people with disabilities for the individuals but also their families because it can be difficult.”
The key is letting people know the resources exist, O’Neal said.
“There’s a variety of places that we could learn about resources for people with disabilities, but I know from my own family, we didn’t know to call The Arc,” she said of the organization committed to all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities realizing their goals of living, learning, working and fully participating in the community.
“We figured things out on our own, and that is the one thing that I can connect the most with callers because I get calls every week, ‘I feel your pain, I feel your struggles because we had to figure it out on our own,'” she said.
March is Disability Awareness Month, a great time to highlight the resources available in Jackson County.
Reins to Recovery Inc. Therapeutic Riding Center in Reddington is a nonprofit that serves individuals with special needs, youth at risk and victims of violence and abuse.
Executive Director Calli Johnson said they see around 50 individuals each week for the various equine programs offered.
“These programs all utilize our four-legged family members make a unique experience for everyone,” she said. “The horses truly have a way to help humans. They allow us an opportunity to heal, grow, find ourselves and reach our highest potential in a safe and nonjudgmental environment.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson said the past year has been unprecedented for Reins financially.
“We are still focused on fundraising to try to recoup loss of program income, fundraiser income and volunteers,” she said. “We are hopeful that this year will allow us to hold our annual fundraiser and the communities we serve will continue to keep Reins in mind for donations.”
Special Olympics Indiana is a nonprofit organization that provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in more than 20 Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities ages 8 and up.
The Jackson County program has weekly Unified Fitness Club meetings that provide interaction between athletes and volunteers and fitness activities, and sports offered include track and field, horseshoes, softball, bowling, basketball and corn toss.
Special Olympics Indiana said there are 54 million Americans with disabilities, and adults and children with disabilities represent nearly a fifth of Indiana’s population.
During National Disability Awareness Month, the global Special Olympics community comes together to promote grassroots action for inclusion.
Unlocking the Spectrum has offices in Seymour, Bloomington, Indianapolis and Terre Haute in Indiana along with Houston, Texas.
Executive Director Marc Baumgardt said ABA is offered at each of the centers and in homes, schools or other community settings.
“ABA is an intensive intervention. It’s highly individualized, and it’s focused on two main things,” he said. “We’re looking to help someone build the skills that they need, and that really depends on the age of the individuals, the impact of their disability — early developmental skills for a toddler to daily living skills for a teenager or young adult. That intensive skill building is the most important thing we do.”
The other focus is any behavioral barriers holding clients back from getting out and participating in the community.
Other local services highlighted are Mental Health America of Jackson County, Jackson Developmental Industries, Everyday Connections, Help at Home, Indiana MENTOR, Partners in Opportunities, Thrive Alliance, group homes and vocational rehabilitation.
O’Neal said they all have the common denominator of disabilities. In her position with The Arc and also serving as executive director of Mental Health America of Jackson County, she tries to push out as much information for those with disabilities and their providers as she can.
This month, that includes letting them know if they are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We’re very excited for our clients that will be able to get that added layer of protection,” O’Neal said. “As their group homes decide to start allowing some interaction, we know this is the first step. We’re a year into the pandemic, so we’re thrilled that (vaccine administration) can happen.”
Also in recogition of National Disability Awareness Month, The Arc board members Carla Rains, Gail Pfaffenberger and Joyce Gillaspy decorated the windows at the Community Agency Building in downtown Seymour. School-aged kids colored images showing different things people with disabilities can do, and for the third year in a row, Family Drug provided medical equipment to display.
The Arc also is beginning the second phase of working with the Seymour Parks and Recreation Department to expand the accessible playground at Gaiser Park, consisting of a new swing set and pour-in-place flooring.
O’Neal also is working with Crane Hill Machine and Fabrication Inc. to create powder-coated benches around the playground with logos or names of business and individual sponsors.
“That way, people can sponsor a bench and get some free advertising as we continue to expand those phases,” she said. “I love that I found someone in Jackson County that does it so we can keep the business right here in Jackson County.”
O’Neal also is partnering with Racin’ Mason Pizza and Fun Zone in Seymour to schedule times for special needs children and adults to have arcade time, bounce houses and bumper cars at little to no cost.
“We know there are limits now on numbers still, so we will have to work very closely with the health department and control attendance,” she said. “I serve disabilities of all ages, so we need to make sure that windows are appropriate to age and size. That’s something that we’re looking forward to.”
Mental Health America of Jackson County hopes to return to in-person quarterly socials, including the Christmas Gift Lift. The organization distributed items to its nearly 200 clients this past year, but O’Neal and her board would like to see the clients in person at some point this year.
“Having someone with any type of disability, there are limitations on what people can do to where they feel comfortable,” she said. “That’s why our social events are nonjudgmental, they are safe, they are fun, they are clean, they are no cost because we want people to come and feel comfortable amongst their peers in a setting that is appropriate for them.”
O’Neal said also is collaborating with schools to schedule “field trips” for students with special needs to do life skills at the Boys and Girls Club of Seymour, Girls Inc. of Jackson County and Child Care Network and in exchange receive gym time.
Plus, The Arc President Jim Shepherd wants to start a self-advocates group in Jackson County.
“Like everything, it takes people, it takes resources and it takes time, so The Arc, we’re ready to move forward because the need is there. We all know that,” O’Neal said. “I think the big question is how can we better serve the members in our community that are served?”
On a weekly basis, O’Neal continues to provide referrals to people who call her office who need medical equipment or services.
“A large portion of my job is just the referrals of if people need help, do I already know that connection or can I find a new connection?” she said. “If I don’t know, I’ll do my best to find out.”
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For information about The Arc of Jackson County, call 812-271-2200, email [email protected] or find the organization on Facebook.
The office is located on the third floor of the Community Agency Building, 113 N. Chestnut St., downtown Seymour.
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