Best Practices – WSC

Practice
In February 2008, Gary Baird, quality improvement consultant, recommended to the parents of a young boy he was interviewing the availability of Project Special Chance, a community resource that might benefit the family and child. Project Special Chance is a charitable organization empowering children by way of companion dogs –a wonderful opportunity for children and their families, especially since many insurance plans do not cover therapies for the disorders on the autism spectrum.

Who Benefits?
How? Recently Gary ran across a story in the Jacksonville news that featured Evan, the child Gary had met with and recommended the program to a year ago. As the story went, Evan’s life was dramatically changed by his parents following up on Gary’s recommendation. Prior to getting his companion puppy, Evan ground his teeth all night until they broke. Since Project Special Chance and his new puppy, Evan no longer grinds his teeth and is able to enjoy life without all that pain. Additionally the puppy has assisted Evan with socializing as many people love to stop and pet the puppy.
What a difference Gary’s expertise made in the lives of this young man and his parents – the right information for the right person at the right time!