Nutritional Management Associates offers cost-effective, individualized and comprehensive consulting services. We tailor our services for the specific needs of each of the agencies, schools and organizations for whom we consult. Our systems, materials and workshops are available to all of our clients.

We assist our client agencies to maintain cost-effective, best practices systems, programs, and procedures for managing the feeding and swallowing disorders in the infants, children and adults with developmental disability whom they serve. The swallowing activities that may be affected by dysphagia are eating and drinking, taking oral medications, controlling saliva and oral hygiene. We consider all of these functions in our management systems as well as their developmental, behavioral and physiologic causes.  Our programs are designed to optimize the developmental potential, health, safety and quality of life for each individual.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

We provide assessment and consultation services in your school.  Services are available for individual children, and include full clinical assessment and treatment reports as needed.  A school can request services for half or a full day in which several children can be seen -- usually 5 in a full day.  Included in the consulting day is an in-service for the SLS who is working with that child.  In our experience participating staff become more competent and confident in managing the students with swallowing and feeding problems.  Staff is able to generalize the information obtained on that training day to other children on their caseload. 

RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS

We provide assessment and consultations services for professional and direct care staff in residential settings for children, adults and geriatric populations. Group homes, congregate facilities and sponsoring organizations can request half or full day in-service training, or regularly scheduled consultation services.  A consultation may include any combination of client assessments and consultations and staff in-service discussions and demonstrations.

We have extensive experience in:

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

• Expert review of your current policy, procedures and systems for managing the swallowing and feeding problems of individuals in your care

• Survey your population to determine the extent and severity of the nutritional and management needs

• Assist you in developing sound policy and procedures for managing meals, snack time, oral hygiene and administration of oral medications

• Develop comprehensive, sensible and defensible systems for

  • Assessment and treatment of swallowing and feeding disorder

  • Coordinating medical, clinical, classroom and residential care

  • Staff supervision and monitoring

  • Effective documentation in client records

  • Effective communication with families and other care givers

  • Staff utilization

• Assist you in continual process and quality improvement for eating environments, individual mealtime care, medications administration and oral hygiene

ASSESSMENT AND TRACKING SYSTEMS

• We have specialized assessments for children and adults with developmental disability and dysphagia.

  • The Dysphagia Disorders Survey and Dysphagia Management Staging Scale. These assessments, statistically validated on children and adults with developmental disability, are used for

    • Screening populations for prevalence of dysphagia

    • Efficient re-evaluation for changes in abilities

    • Determining staffing needs in subgroups of a population

    • Assisting in preparation of individualized management plans

  • The Choking Risk Assessment and The Pneumonia Risk Assessment, statistically validated on adults with developmental disability, are used for determining the risk of individuals for choking and pneumonia, thereby facilitating individual risk management and health promotion.

  • The NMA Comprehensive Dysphagia Team Evaluation Form is an integrated clinical dysphagia assessment for team evaluation of individuals with complex medical and functional needs.

  • Dysphagia/feeding and swallowing disorder clinics. This service is provided on site and may be available with Telepractice. Clinics are designed to address the needs of individual cases while demonstrating for staff the evaluation and program planning process. Staff and families participate in the assessment. Management and treatment recommendations are developed in a collaborative process. Follow up may be provided in regularly scheduled Clinics or as needed, to review progress and assist staff in developing further goals

DAILY MANAGEMENT OF EATING AND DRINKING

• Environmental and Staff Management for dining, recreational eating, oral medications and oral hygiene in group and individual environments, including classrooms and residences of all sizes

• Mealtime, Medications and Oral Hygiene Management Plans for individual students or residents for safe and effective daily activity, optimum quality of life and maintaining and improving skills

• Staff training for efficient and effective management

THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS FOR MAINTAINING AND IMPROVING FUNCTION

• Our approach is evidence-based, functional and activity-based training. Our aim is to maximize daily practice opportunities within the daily classroom and residential routines as the most effective and efficient means for improving behaviors and skills.

• Treatment Plans for students and residents for improving eating skills, behaviors and underlying sensory-motor competency.

• Treatment Plans for maintaining and regaining swallowing in tube fed individuals

FORENSIC SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY

• We have many years of experience supporting congregate facilities in developing best practices nutritional management systems that satisfy Department of Justice complaints made under the Civil Rights for Institutional Persons Act (CRIPA).

• We have many years of experience in case review and expert witness and advocacy services for individuals and agencies

WORKSHOPS: IN-SERVICE, CONTINUING EDUCATION AND CARE GIVER EDUCATION

• We provide workshops for varied interest groups

  • Professional Continuing Education Training Workshops

  • Care giver/family Training Workshops

  • Administrative Management Workshops
     

• We provide workshops that focus on issues related to specific populations

  • Early Intervention – Birth to three

  • Pre School – Three to Five

  • School-age children and young adults

  • Adults and geriatric individuals
     

• We provide workshops that focus on specific settings

  • Early Intervention

  • Home based

  • Public and Private Schools

  • Day treatment centers

  • Group homes

  • Congregate residential facilities
     

• We provide workshops that focus on specific problems.

  • Medically complex swallowing and feeding disorder

  • Individuals who are fed by tube

  • Behavioral swallowing and feeding disorders

  • Delayed development of swallowing and feeding skills

  • Apraxia effecting eating

  • Gastro-esophageal disorders affecting swallowing and feeding

  • Sensory based swallowing and feeding disorder

  • Motor based swallowing and feeding disorder
     

• We provide workshops that focus on administrative issues

  • Quality Assurance

  • Risk Management for choking, pneumonia and nutritional failure

  • Monitoring and Supervision

  • Policy and Procedure

We provide Certification workshops for the use of The Dysphagia Disorder Survey and The Dysphagia Management Staging Scale to facilities, agencies, and individuals. Certification is required for use of the Dysphagia Disorder Survey

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