Special Needs Scouting Resource Committee

Purpose:   To provide a council-based group of individuals who act as resources, who can provide information, advice, and guidance to scouts and scouters in the council on disability awareness and accessibility issues. 

The committee is structured similar to a merit badge counselor – a trained and experienced entity who provides knowledge and experience on the particular topic.  The intention is to have a resource available to assist the council and districts with disability awareness issues, as well as help when needed.

 

Services the committee can provide:

§         Presentations on a variety of topics for POW-WOW, University of Scouting, District Roundtables, and other unit training opportunities.

§         Help with the Disability Awareness merit badge

§         Help with accessibility issues as needed

§         Parent-Scouter conferences

§         Resource for locating other resources

Committee Members:

Peggy Stein – BSA Staff Adviser – 317-925-1900 x225 pstein@crossroadsbsa.org

Gary M. Kubancsek, Committee Chair - Down Syndrome, General Issues - 317-881-7646
  gmkubancsek@worldnet.att.net

Larry Lynch – ADD/ADHD, General Issues – 317-736-8923 Steve Edwards – ADD/ADHD – 317-758-5084

Kevin Barrer – Autism - 317-862-8855 kabarrer@prodigy.net

Julie Schaffer – Mobility Issues, 317-781-1741

Bruce Wallace – ADA Issues, 784-9262 laos62@aol.com

Bret Brackman – Mobility Issues – 765-552-3841

Dale Clifford – Disability Awareness Course Camporee Information 317-861-5364

Nancy Stone – General and technology issues, parent liaison, 317-299-0801(h) 317-257-8683(w)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
On helping Scouts with Special Needs in Crossroads of America Council -
This summary was put together to help scouts and scouters deal with situations and issues when helping include scouts with disabilities...

 1.  How do I include a boy with a disability?  Get help-  

q       Remember BSA policy in two-deep leadership - that second adult can help!

q       Cub Scout leaders can get help in the form of a den chief.

q       Involve the parent, a must for ensuring the scouts inclusion and participation.

q       Check for other adults in the unit who might be able to help.

q       Investigate the resources available to you

q       Participate in district and council sponsored training, such as POW-WOW and University of Scouting

q       Call for help – see below

2.      How and what can I modify in the advancement policies to make accommodations for the special needs scout?

Cub Scouts – “Do your best”, the Cub Scout Motto, applies well here. The leader should determine if the Cub Scout did his best - if he did to the best of his ability, he met the requirement. The unit or den leader should use his or her discretion for each Cub Scout while completing the requirements.

Boy Scouts – For rank advancement, there are specific guidelines specified under BSA policy for making accommodations for special needs scouts. The BSA publication, “Boy Scout Requirements”, details BSA policy for alternate requirements. BSA publication 58-730, “Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges” details procedure for applying for alternates and recommended alternates to required merit badges.

For merit badges, BSA policy states that the requirements must be completed as stated, with no more or less than what’s stated.  However, sometimes an accommodation can be made to help the scout without diminishing the effort required to complete it.

3.      How do I maintain equality and integrity in the program while helping the special needs scout?
You should never alter or adapt the unit’s program for a special needs scout – you should however make accommodations to help the special needs scout enjoy that program to the best of his ability.

Remember, every boy needs help navigating through life, some need more than others. We as adults recognize that each child needs some mentoring, and we tailor that help to maximize his efforts in scouting. Special needs scouts need direction and mentoring, too, it just might be different than what you are accustomed to.

4.      What if the parent won’t help?

A parent is the primary source of help when including a scout with special needs. They are your partner to successful inclusion. Sometimes, if additional help inside the unit can’t help support the boy and his needs, it might be necessary to refer the boy and his parents to another unit that might be better equipped to handle the individual situation.

5.      How do I deal with medication issues?

The BSA’s Guide to Safe Scouting states: the taking of prescription medication is the responsibility of the individual taking the medication and/or that individual's parent or guardian. A Scout leader, after obtaining all the necessary information, can agree to accept the responsibility of making sure a Scout takes the necessary medication at the appropriate time, but BSA policy does not mandate nor necessarily encourage the Scout leader to do so. Also, if your state laws are more limiting, they must be followed.

 6.      Who do I call for additional help?

Call the Special Needs Scouting Resource Committee. Someone will be able to answer your question or point you in the right direction. The BSA has plenty of literature to help you include your special needs scout. See the next page for the SNSRC fact sheet.

The website www.boyscouts-marin.org/wwswd/wwswd.htm is a great site for general information and where you can look on the web for ideas and suggestions.