I found the internet
August 29th, 2009 | 
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Contrary to popular belief, the internet is not a series of a tubes. It is in fact a very cute, small black box! In this case the small black box is a Verizon MiFi. Inside the black box is an EVDO modem and a wireless router. So the device grabs the internet over the cellphone network and then shares it with up to five devices over wifi. So, for the same price as having a mobile broadband card, you can share that connection with your colleagues. Very, very cool.
On Friday I tried it our for the first time while doing some training for CAY Community Services Organization, in Brooklyn, NY and it worked like a dream!
:: Justin ::
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Tuesday in Oneonta
I have always liked the town of Oneonta, ever since finding it on a map when planning a trip with Calum to Cooperstown and the Baseball Halll of Fame some years ago. For starters it just sounds cool, and then there is the fact that it is home to the Soccer Hall of Fame!
Today, Stephen and I were in town to do some initial training with the folks at The Arc Otsego. Despite limited sleep (made up for by the fact that I napped as Stephen drove up here) we had a great day’s training and data entry. It’s always fun watching people’s first exposure to Therap and seeing doubt and disbelief turn into wonder and excitement. We were lucky as Joe and Pat had laid a sound foundation for us to build on. Again it has shown me the difference that real leadership and management makes when implementing a systems change such a Therap.
I’m also glad that I have more excuses to say and visit Oneonta!
:: Justin ::
The Summer of Implementation
This is shaping up to be a really exciting summer here in Therapville. We have so many great new customers coming on board all over the place. The fact is though, it already is rather exciting! We just added our 5th mobile classroom meaning that we can be simultaneously training 100 Therap users all hands on, all across the country.
This week alone, we’re training in New York, Arkansas, Oregon, Connecticut, and Washington DC and that’s just where we are doing it in person, there is web-based and automated training going on all over the place!
Special mention though should go out to a couple of agencies. Firstly, Oak Hill, here in Connecticut. This week they will pass the 1000 staff trained mark (Stephen has been a busy chap these past couple of weeks!). It has been quite an undertaking, and a great example for other larger agencies to follow. As well as having the best toys to play with (when we train at NEAT) they have also done a tremendous job of scheduling training at good locations around the state and making sure that folks keep with the program. It is a really exciting process to watch.
Next up is The Center for Family Support who provide supports to people in both New York and New Jersey. As well as supporting people with developmental disabilities they also offer a range of services to people with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Today I was working with them to document those services in Therap. While the services are still medicaid billable and so the documentation requirements are similar there is a whole pile of terminology and bunches of acronyms for me to learn. Thankfully the folks there make great teachers.
As we move on through the summer there is going to be training going on from coast to coast so be sure to keep track of us on our blogs to see if we are in your neighborhood.
:: Justin ::
Everyone else Congratulated them, so I guess it's my turn!
Congrats to Pete and Dan who join the growing list of Therap Certified Trainers.
Who will be next?
:: Justin ::
T-Girl teaches you how to find old data
One of our customers came to us with the following issue:
Now that we have all our data in Therap and not in books, when a surveyor arrives at a program unannounced, the staff need to be able to find any data that the surveyor asks for.
We passed the job on to T-Girl
Click here to see what she came up with.
Please send us your comments.
:: Justin ::
Lots and Lots and Lots of Training
Another great day of training in Buffalo with Community Services. Today I have been working with nurses, service coordinators, managers, investigators, and more. They’ve all been doing really well and are even polite enough to laugh at my jokes.
One more session and then it’s time to pack up and drive home.
While I’ve been here, I’ve been using the time to set up and configure our latest classroom full of mini laptops (it’s really quite cute seeing them spread out all over my hotel room).
We now have 5 mobile classrooms of 20 computers each traveling around the country. This week alone we will be providing onsite training in New York, Texas, Kansas, and Montana!
:: Justin ::
Monday in Buffalo
I spent today training managers, Medicaid Service Coordinators and more at Community Services here in Buffalo (in the snow!)
Great folks and a lot of fun, back for more tomorrow!
:: Justin ::
T-Girl Training :: The next generation
Many of you have used, commented on, and praised our Automated Training starring T-Girl.
Well, never ones to rest on our laurels, we are making the training even better. It is now designed to include things such as self enrolling and pauses so that a class can work in the application.
We are still going through rather rapid iterations, but we now have the training where we are using it on a regular basis (Kara trained 100′s of staff at SullivanArc last week and can still talk!)
If you’d like to try out the materials, get in touch and we’d be happy to send you the latest version!
:: Justin ::
NEAT tools at Oak Hill
Today was a very exciting day for me in a number of ways.
Firstly, I am delighted to welcome Oak Hill into Therapville. They are one of the most recognized and respected providers in Connecticut and beyond.
Today we were meeting to design their implementation plan at one of my favorite places. The New England Assistive Technology Marketplace (NEAT):
The NEAT Center at Oak Hill enriches lives by enhancing independence and quality of life for people with disabilities including visual impairments. It sets the standard in providing innovative solutions, program excellence, services and advocacy for people with disabilities.
The NEAT Center at Oak Hill is a place to learn about products, equipment and services that assist people with day-to-day activities that they have trouble doing themselves, either because of a disability or the effects of aging. It is also a place to donate or buy durable medical equipment.
They whole building is full or adaptive equipment, software, and toys (Siraya gets some of hers from here). I also love their car park. The whole thing is handicapped parking!
We were using one of their computer labs which meant that I got to play with the Smart Board:
It’s funny, because often when I am presenting with a regular projector and screen I tap on a link as it something will happen. Doing it on this screen it works! I can tap my fingers on View and then read all my T-Logs just by touching the screen. It made me laugh every time!
:: Justin ::
