According to her mother Bobbi, Bailey Dettmer has been a miracle from the start. Born second in a set of triplets to a mother who was told she wasn't likely to have children was only one in a series of miracles for this bright young adult. Bailey suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2003 at nine months of age, survived when doctors said she wouldn't, and changed the trajectory of her family's lives forever.
Oftentimes, people think of speech therapy as something children need when they are just learning to speak or communicate. Yet, speech therapy encompasses the development of important parts of language and communication used throughout a child’s development, including school-age children.
Our journey with ACCESS started early. As a baby, Sam received language and feeding therapy at ACCESS. His therapist worked closely with us in order to help him thrive and overcome his feeding obstacles , as well as become a very talkative toddler!
“I don’t have to listen!” my four-year-old Charles says to me with a big grin as he dashes away from me trying to hand him his shoes to put on one morning. While this would normally be a moment for discipline, I can’t help but try to stifle my smile. Even when they aren’t words I love hearing, a five-word sentence from this sweet, silly boy is something I will never take for granted. That sentence, and so many more, have been made possible by the Early Childhood program at ACCESS.
After graduating college with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology and ample experience working with children, I was eager to put my education into action with the students at ACCESS. Little did I know that this place would be the formative framework for my career with special needs.
Claire’s time at ACCESS Academy set her up for success and gave her the confidence to achieve her goals. When Claire started receiving therapy at ACCESS, she was three years old and had a very limited vocabulary.
At 15 years old, I began working at a local camp for children and young adults with disabilities. My experiences there were truly life-changing for me. I quickly fell in love with this field and knew exactly what my future would hold.
In 2019, Betty Caughron’s daughter Katie began the St. Bernards Project SEARCH program in Jonesboro, Arkansas, one of seven host business sites for Project SEARCH Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative in partnership with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. “In high school, Katie was shy and struggled with a speech impairment that made it difficult to converse with others,” explained Betty. “When Katie learned about Project SEARCH, she was excited about meeting other young adults like her and developing essential job skills for the future.”
Lori Roberts, or “Mrs. Lo” as most know her, has been working with kids in some capacity since 1986. But her last six years as a two-year-old teacher at Early Childhood has brought about a purpose for which she never knew she was searching
Early intervention is crucial in helping young children find the skills and confidence they need to be successful later in life. Hannah Fulks shares Max's story and how ACCESS helped to give him the foundation he needed to grow into the confident and thriving student he is today.
As a young adult, the ACCESS Life program gives Becky Carter the opportunity for community and happiness she needs to thrive.
Warren's journey at ACCESS started in preschool with intense early intervention and therapy. As Warren got older, his needs evolved, but ACCESS was there to give Warren and his family the tools they needed for Warren to find success. Read more about Warren's journey.