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DR. VINCENT SIASOCO EARNS THE 2019 SPECIAL OLYMPICS NEW YORK GOLISANO HEALTH LEADERSHIP AWARD

Special Olympics New York's preeminent recognition for health partners and individuals was recently awarded to Dr. Vincent Siasoco, Metro Community Health Center's Chief Medical Officer. The Golisano Health Leadership Award recognizes deserving individuals and/or organizations that make significant contributions to both Special Olympics Health Programs, and the promotion of healthcare, wellness, and fitness for people with intellectual disabilities.

"Vincent is one of our athletes' greatest advocates and champions for health equality in New York State," said Stacey Hengsterman, President and CEO of Special Olympics New York. "His skill, dedication, and commitment set the highest possible bar for medical professionals working to improve healthcare policy and practice for people with intellectual differences." Dr. Siasoco has been a leader in Special Olympics Healthy Athletes programming since 2016. He leads two to three health screenings each year. He has recruited numerous colleagues and health professionals from his professional network, providing an increase in trained Clinical Directors throughout New York State. Dr. Siasoco has also eased athletes' access to quality follow-up health care and increased their participation in year-round wellness and fitness programs. As the newly appointed Chair of the SONY Health Advisory Council, Vincent will be leading chosen clinical and community health leaders in New York to further the health vision and objectives of Special Olympics New York.

Dr. Siasoco not only leads the Special Olympics Healthy Dr. Siasoco Athletes Health Promotion (screening annually at the Winter Classic Floor Hockey Tournament at the Javits Center in New York City), but he plans MedFest events throughout the year to provide Special Olympics athletes with an opportunity to receive a sports physical in order to participate in Special Olympics programs and competitions. Dr. Siasoco hopes to lead MedFest events twice a year in different locations across the five boroughs to give NYC Special Olympics athletes the opportunity to receive a free med ical screening in order to participate in Special Olympics programming.

"I'm honored to receive this award," said Dr. Siasoco. "I first started out as a volunteer coach at Special Olympics during college and I am proud to continue to be involved today with such an extraordinary organization. I feel very fortunate that I'm able to support, advocate, and work with others dedicated to ensuring our athletes receive the quality care they so deserve. Thank you to Special Olympics New York and the Golisano Foundation for this recognition."

Special Olympics New York is the largest state chapter in the country, serving more than 67,000 athletes across New York, with year-round sports training, athletic competition, and health screenings. The organization also partners with more than 170 schools statewide to offer Unified Sports. All Special Olympics New York programs are offered at no cost to athletes, their families or caregivers. For additional information about Special Olympics New York, to learn more about getting involved, or to make a donation, visit specialolympicsNY.org

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR THE ANNUAL EASTERSEALS DISABILITY FILM CHALLENGE

Easterseals Southern California, a leading disability services organization, announced recently at the Sundance Film Festival that registration is now open for its annual Easterseals Disability Film Challenge,

The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is the entertainment industry's premiere disability inclusion competition. Interested filmmakers and participants can register at DisabilityFilmChallenge.com now through Friday, March 13th for regular deadline and Tuesday, March 31st for late registration.

"The entertainment industry is notoriously difficult to break into, regardless of your ability. And, as a person with a disability, I know the odds are stacked against people with disabilities to build careers in entertainment," says Nic Novicki, actor and founder, Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. "I set out to change this, giving filmmakers and actors tangible work experiences and a chance to tell more diverse and varied stories that better represent the real world. Through the Challenge, and thanks to Easterseals' year-round efforts to expand the diversity conversation, disability is gaining representation in front of and behind the camera."

The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, now in its seventh year, gives filmmakers the opportunity to collaborate and tell unique stories that showcase disability in its many forms. The film competition is open to anyone, with or without disabilities, and will take place over the weekend of April 3-5. Participants will have roughly 55 hours to write, shoot and edit a three-to-five-minute short film based on an assigned genre. While the filmmakers are not necessarily required to include disability in the storyline, each team must include at least one person with a disability in front of or behind the camera.

"Because we rarely see characters with disabilities in storylines, it's easier for society to stereotype and marginalize," said Mark Whitley, CEO, Easterseals Southern California. "Hollywood is galvanizing around the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge to embrace disability inclusion and better reflect the nation's largest minority population, 61 million strong. Together we can shift perceptions, tackle stigmas and advance social change. And, while we're beginning to see bright spots and progress, we still have work to do."

The genre, locations and themes for the 2020 Challenge will be released Tuesday, March 31, 2020, with the remainder of the assignment released Friday, April 3, 2020. Submitted films are judged in five award categories – Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Awareness Campaign – and judged by a diverse group of entertainment industry professionals. Since the Challenge launched, filmmakers from around the world have created more than 200 films that have been viewed online and at festivals such as the HollyShorts Film Festival, Heartland Film Festival and Bentonville Film Festival.

ABOUT EASTERSEALS:

For more than 100 years, Easterseals has been an indispensable resource for individuals with developmental disabilities or other special needs and their families. The services provided by Easterseals Southern California (ESSC) — in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Imperial, Kern, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties — make profound and positive differences in people's lives every day, helping them address life's challenges and achieve personal goals so that they can live, learn, work and play in our communities. With 2,800+ employees, 60+ service sites and hundreds of community partnership locations, ESSC assists more than 13,000 people, providing adult/senior day services; autism therapy; child development/early education; employment services, veteran employment support; independent living options; and more. At Easterseals, 88% of our income is spent on services. Join in changing the way the world defines and views disabilities at easterseals.com/southerncal.

COMING ATTRACTIONS: Each production must include at least one person with a disability onscreen or behind the camera as teams write, shoot and edit their films.

KEY EASTERSEALS DISABILITY FILM CHALLENGE DATES

April 3rd-5th: 2020 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Thursday, May 7: Awards Reception Event at Sony Pictures Studios (Invitation Only)

Since the Challenge launched in 2013, there have been several success stories resulting from support received as a part of the Challenge. Jamie Brewer, who won Best Actor in the 2017 Challenge for Whitney's Wedding, has been acclaimed for her role on American Horror Story, and was the first model with Down syndrome to walk the runway at New York Fashion Week. Dickie Hearts, the Challenge's Best Filmmaker winner in 2015, went on to win a HBO Project Greenlight digital series competition. Jenna Kanell, winner of Best Film in 2015, went on to give a TEDx Talk about her experience. Sofiya Cheyenne was cast in Loudermilk after writer-director Peter Farrelly saw her 2018 Challenge entry, You're Up. 2019 Best Film nominee Santina Muha has a comedy in development at CBS and 2019 Best Actor winner Nicole Lynn Evans appears in a recurring role on Freeform's Good Trouble. 

Sony Pictures Entertainment, as the official Red Carpet Sponsor, will host the Awards Ceremony. Based on the category, winners have the opportunity to receive the latest in computer technology from Dell, the opportunity to screen their film at the HollyShorts Film Festival, mentorship opportunities and cash prizes.

Registration for the 2020 Easterseals Disability Film Challenge is now open. To sign-up, view the official rules, or for more information, please visit DisabilityFilmChallenge.com

ABOUT THE DISABILITY FILM CHALLENGE:

As someone with a disability, actor, comedian and producer Nic Novicki launched the Disability Film Challenge in 2013 in response to the under-representation of talent with disabilities both in front of and behind the camera. Novicki created the challenge to give aspiring filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their work and provide them with meaningful exposure. In 2017, Novicki joined forces with Easterseals Southern California — the nation's leading nonprofit supporting people and families with disabilities — to expand the event, now known as the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. Visit disabilityfilmchallenge.com and join the conversation at Facebook.com/DisabilityFilmChallenge

TELEMEDICINE-AIDED THERAPY HELPS PARENTS OF KIDS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, INCLUDING AUTISM

For families of children with developmental disorders, access to early intervention programs can make a huge difference in their overall development. However, many families in smaller cities or rural areas do not have convenient access to such programs, often located at larger universities in big cities.

To address that need, researchers at UCLA are using telemedicine to remotely help families learn skills that let them work at home with their children to gain essential social skills. One such study involves children with tuberous sclerosis, a rare genetic disorder that often causes development issues. Scientists found early signs of autism in this group of infants who, until now, would never have received crucial early intervention.

"The earlier you can intervene and enrich the child's environment, the more likely you are to actually exact change in brain development," said Shafali Jeste, MD, a pediatric neurologist and an associate professor of psychiatry, neurology and pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a principal investigator at the UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment. "Our unique remote delivery allows families to begin that early intervention from their home, which is really important for those who live far away from major academic research centers."

The therapy – called JASPER – is a science-backed technique that uses play-based therapy to enhance children's development and behavior. "We do a very careful assessment of where children are, developmentally, and then train parents to implement this method into their everyday interactions," said Connie Kasari, PhD, professor of human development and psychology and a co-founder of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment at UCLA's Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The trial allows Mary Crawford to implement John Michael's therapy at their home in Arkansas while working with therapists at UCLA.

Mary and Brandon Crawford are participating in the UCLA study from their home in Arkansas with their son John Michael, 3. "We've seen huge improvements in John Michael's language skills and his ability to interact and tell us what he wants and how he's feeling," Mary Crawford said. "Seeing that growth and advancement makes our hearts soar because, as parents, we want to do whatever we can to help our son. This trial empowers us to do that, even if we are thousands of miles away from the therapists we're working with." •