Charles River Center
59 East Militia Heights Dr.
Needham, MA 02492
781-972-1000
info@charlesrivercenter.org
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Our Services
Kate McDonald
Director of Behavioral Services
Say hello to Kate, our #teammembertuesday staff person of the week
Meet Kate
Kate, who has been at Charles River for 4 years, is our Director of Behavioral Services. In this role, she oversees three other clinicians, all of whom work with our persons-served to manage behavioral challenges. They step in if there’s a difficult situation, create and monitor individual behavior support plans (BSPs) if needed, and work with parents and staff to implement positive behavior supports. Most rewarding part of her job? Ironically, it’s when an individual progresses to the point where he/she no longer needs her assistance. “I come in during crises, when someone is struggling – it’s so nice to continue a relationship with that person when they no longer need my services.”
Kate and her team are certainly there if there is a crisis, but so much of what they do is more proactive. By creating behavior support plans when needed, and teaching parents, staff and individuals positive behavior supports, they help our persons served develop strategies and skills to replace problematic behaviors with more adaptive behaviors, thereby reducing their need for intervention and support.
She is excited to be expanding their services to our Family and in Home Support families. She has led a few training sessions for parents and she will also be providing clinical support for kids programming this fall.
Outside of work, Kate enjoys spending time with her fiancée, her dog and two cats. She is currently busy organizing the last-minute details of her October wedding, and is very much looking forward to a honeymoon trip to Jamaica!
Thank you, Kate – we are very grateful for all that you and your team do to improve the quality of life for our persons-served.
Shannon Tedeschi
Program Director Adult Foster Care
Let’s get to know Shannon, Charles River Center’s Program Director for Adult Family Care.
Meet Shannon
With almost 25 years of experience in the human services industry, Shannon is the perfect candidate for the position, which she assumed a little over a year ago. Also called Adult Foster Care, AFC is a Mass Health-funded program which enables families with adult children with disabilities to care for their loved one in the comfort of their own home (vs. a group home or other facility).
At the moment, Charles River Center is currently serving 28 families, and the list is growing. Shannon makes regular visits to their homes, coordinates nursing care (if needed), helps families access vital services and resources, and basically works with them to do whatever it takes for their loved one to thrive in a home setting. Most rewarding part of her job? “I have to be honest – it’s just how thankful these families are.”
When she first came to CRC, she started working with one family who had been told that they could not receive AFC services. Shannon spent six months working with the family, navigating the process, and finally they were approved. According to Shannon, the mother was so appreciative of her help that decided to “pay it forward,” and is now volunteering at food pantries and homeless shelters! Shannon has built wonderful relationships with our families and has been able to identify and implement services and supports that improve their overall quality of life.
Outside of work, Shannon is a big music buff and enjoys hanging out hanging out her son and daughter as well as a recent addition to the family – a cat named Merlin. We are so grateful to have Shannon as part of our Family Support team.
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