Fall/Winter 2012

Lifesteps
Lifesteps
Helping Individuals and Families with Life’s Changing Needs
A Community Collaboration
with Lifesteps
Attendees experience one-on-one
and small group instruction in the
gymnasium, fitness center and pool.
IUP students work with individuals
to increase motor development,
physical fitness and aquatic ability,
while gaining clinical experience in
their respective fields of study. The
students also provide instruction
to Lifesteps staff regarding how to
best work with each individual as
they learn new activities that will
hopefully continue for a lifetime
of enjoyment.
“The partnership between Lifesteps
and IUP is beneficial for all,”
explained Fran Kilgore, Senior
Director of Center Based Services
at Lifesteps.
(continued on page 3)
®
www.lifesteps.net
Make a difference
with your giving
this holiday season!
IUP Partnership
The Indiana University of
Pennsylvania (IUP) Department of
Health and Physical Education and
Lifesteps are in partnership. This fall,
attendees of Lifesteps Indiana and
Armstrong Counties Community
OutReach programs began attending
IUP’s Special Needs Activity
Program (SNAP) for one hour per
week for eight weeks.
Winter 2012
Support
Lifesteps Mission
with a Year-End Gift
Anna (left) works on strength training while
assisted by Lifesteps staff as she participates in
Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP) at
Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Make your gift today
using the enclosed envelope
or visit www.lifesteps.net.
Child Health Association
Supports Our Children
The Child Health Association of Sewickley awarded a generous grant to
Lifesteps this past May for the purchase of cribs that meet new federal safety
standards and several heavy-duty evacuation crib frames. The grant provided
for the replacement of cribs in each Early Education Center located in Butler
and Beaver Counties. The
new, state-of-the-art cribs will
help to continue to ensure the
highest quality of care and
safety standards for all children
attending child care.
(continued on page 4)
Karen Sue Owens, Lifesteps President
and CEO (left), presented a plaque
to Beth Rom (middle) and Gina
Mercurio (right) of The Child Health
Association of Sewickley as recognition
for their generous grant of $5,920.
Lifesteps
A Visitor and True Friend
Butler Garden Club
Karen Sue Owens,
President & CEO
Celebrating Our Gift of
Service to Others
As the holiday season approaches
and we think of gifts and
celebrations, I’m excited to share
with you some of Lifesteps
accomplishments, activities and
outcomes from this past fiscal year…
We served 7,162 clients and
provided education and outreach
to 28,521
We provided quality early
education programs to 421 children,
40% who have special needs
98% of the 56 children ages
0-3 enrolled in Lifesteps early
education program demonstrated
progress in developmental,
self-learning, exploration and
problem-solving skills
3,670 children ages birth to 5 were
screened for developmental delays
through Child Check and 21% of
those screened were rescreened or
referred for further services
33 adults were served in the Adult
Day Health Services program
allowing 100% of employed
caregivers to maintain employment
121 adults with intellectual and
developmental disabilities resided
in community/residential homes
We served 186 adults with
intellectual and developmental
disabilities in five Adult Training
Facilities
www.lifesteps.net
Days are always brighter when
friends come to visit. This is
especially true for the Adult
Day Health Services program
attendees when the Butler
Garden Club makes its quarterly
visit to the program center. For
more than a decade, the Club
has been a regular visitor and true
friend of the program.
The visits are planned around
stimulating activities such as
colorful crafts, fun games, and
light refreshments, all organized
by the Club. This year’s visits
included a surprise visit from a
therapy dog delivering flowers
for everyone on Valentine’s Day, Patricia McKitten of the Butler Garden Club
assists Scott with his “bird themed” bingo card.
planting flowers at the program
center in May, and bird-themed
bingo and desserts in July. Additional activities throughout the years
have involved decorating jars filled with candy for Halloween, wreath
making, and taste-testing herb dips and crackers.
In addition to giving of their time at these social visits, the Club also
gives generously to the program in other ways, such as new patio
furniture including chairs, tables and a porch swing last year. This summer,
the Club provided funding for the purchase of a new outdoor bench.
Helping adults age with dignity and respect is at the core of the services Lifesteps
provides. Whether your loved one needs services due to memory issues; is unable
to schedule their own activities; has dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease; or
suffers from physical limitations such as strokes; Lifesteps has an affordable,
medically-monitored Adult Day Care option. 
10 individuals with challenging
behaviors and their families
participated in Behavioral
Support Services
We are extremely grateful for the
support of our corporate board of
directors, volunteers, funders, and
friends who make it possible for
us to provide the “gift of service”
and to carry out our mission of
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“helping individuals and families
with life’s changing needs.”
Please accept our best wishes
to you and yours for the gifts of
peace, safety, and good health
throughout this holiday season
and the New Year. 
Proud Performers
A Year in Song
This past August, the Lifesteps Butler Center was filled with
the sound of joyful singing and smiles. Participants in the Basic
Education and Socialization Training program, led by Bobbi
Wotus, Music Instructor, and Connie Donovan, Instructor’s
Assistant, presented “A Year in Song.”
The choral concert included enthusiastic renditions of many favorites
from throughout the calendar year, including “Let Me Call You
Sweetheart,” “M-O-T-H-E-R,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” and
“White Christmas.” Family and friends in the audience enjoyed the
showcase of musical talent by a very proud group of performers.
In Butler and Beaver counties, Lifesteps adult training facilities, known as BEST (Basic Education and Socialization
Training), are structured for individuals who require vocational support to succeed in a workshop environment or who
have behavioral challenges that require support from a more structured program. Open weekdays, individuals benefit from
program highlights such as Academics, Leisure Skills Training, Music Therapy, Art, Vocational/Sensory Awareness and
more. Staff work with individuals to meet personalized goals. 
(IUP Partnership, continued from front page)
Kilgore continued, “Our attendees and staff have access to state-of-the-art
equipment and the latest best practices in special needs programming while
the students are gaining valuable clinical experience.”
In addition to SNAP (Special Needs Activity Program), students from IUP’s
Deaf Education department held sign language trainings last spring for
Lifesteps staff working with individuals who use sign language as a primary
source of communication. These trainings were held at Lifesteps Butler,
Armstrong and Indiana County program centers.
Lifesteps is committed to partnerships with local businesses, schools,
Tony exercises in the pool under the supervision
universities, and other organizations as part of its strategic plan. For more
information on how your organization can form a partnership with Lifesteps, of Lifesteps staff while participating in SNAP
(Special Needs Activity Program) at Indiana
contact us at 800-225-1010.
University of Pennsylvania.
Sarah Garstenshlager and Katharine Stock, students
from the IUP Deaf Education Program, deliver sign
language training to Lifesteps staff in Spring 2012.
Lifesteps offers programs for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities
in Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Indiana and Washington Counties. A dedicated
team of professionals, including instructors, aides, and program specialists
work with each individual to help them develop self-sufficiency in daily
living skills, socialization, and
pre-vocational skills through
community relationships.
Individuals learn initiative,
resourcefulness, and self-reliance
by association with typical peers
and other participants with
intellectual/developmental
disabilities in the program. 
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www.lifesteps.net
Behavioral Support Services
Making a Difference
Creating Positive Possibilities
Lifesteps Behavioral Support Services helps families and professionals who
care for children and adults with challenging behaviors. Any individual with
intellectual/developmental disabilities who is over three years of age may be
eligible to receive these services.
Through the Behavioral Support
Services program, behavior
analysis professionals work with
an individual’s direct care team
to implement positive support
strategies that will help the
individual achieve their fullest
potential in four areas:
•Communication skills
•Social skills
•Coping skills
•Self-help skills
Helping Children through
Child Check
Through generous donations
from individuals, businesses, area
United Ways, foundations and
civic groups, Lifesteps was able to
screen 4,997 children last year for
developmental delays and autism
through Child Check, a free service.
Of the children screened, 20%
were rescreened and/or referred for
further services.
What parents and families are
saying about Child Check:
Jenny Chapla, Supervisor of Behavioral Support
Services, works one-on-one with Travis at the
Armstrong County Community OutReach program.
Services provided through the
Behavior Support Services program include:
Consultation – Consult and collaborate with an individual’s family, caregivers and service providers to identify and develop positive support strategies for challenging behaviors
Direct Care – Model the use of positive support strategies by working
directly with individuals in any setting
Training – Deliver training to the participant, family members and their team on techniques and topics related to the implementation of behavior support plans
Behavioral Support Services can be provided within any environment such
as a home, child care, preschool, school, church, day program, residential
or family living arrangement. The goal of Behavioral Support Services is
to help develop family and care team independence through specialized
training and a fading service approach. For more information about Lifesteps
Behavioral Support Services, call 800-225-1010. 
(Child Health Asscociation, continued from front page)
The Child Health Association of Sewickley is an all-volunteer women’s
organization dedicated to providing a better quality of life for children in
western Pennsylvania. This group has been a long-time supporter of Lifesteps
helping to ensure the Early Education Centers are meeting the needs of
children and their families.
Lifesteps provides child care for children of all abilities between the ages of six
weeks to five years. Child care is available on a part- or full-time basis, with
extended hours. Preschool is included with child care at no additional cost.
For more information about our child care programs, please call 800-225-1010. 
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“Thank you for offering this
wonderful service! And making it
free gives everyone a chance to use it!
What a blessing!”
“It [the screening] gave us an
indication of what we need to work
on with our son, as he will start
preschool in the fall.”
“The screening provided peace of
mind and we really appreciate it!”
“We have pursued further evaluation
and have begun occupational therapy.
Thanks!”
Child Check is a FREE developmental
and autism screening for children from
birth to age five. The screenings measure
development in playing, talking,
seeing, hearing, moving, thinking
and social skills. Recognizing typical
developmental milestones can improve
a child’s chances to reach their potential.
Many conditions can be corrected if
parents recognize typical developmental
milestones and seek help.
To schedule a Child Check screening,
call 800-225-1010. 
Lifesteps
2012 Star Award
Honoring Robert Bott
Calendar of Events
Join Us to Support Our Worthwhile Cause
Batters Up in Beaver County Softball Tournament
Saturday, April 27 - Sunday, April 28, 2013
Brady’s Run Park, Beaver, PA
Co-Ed, Double Elimination Tournament
Step Out for Lifesteps at the
Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
7:30 – 10:30 am
www.walkforahealthycommunity.org
Lifesteps CEO, Karen Sue Owens, presents
Robert Bott with the 2012 Star Award.
Many friends and supporters
gathered on November 10th for the
Sixth Annual Star Gala held at
The Atrium in Prospect. Robert
Bott, a Lifesteps Community
Homes resident, was honored with
the organization’s Star Award for
leading a self-determined life and
empowering and inspiring others
through service to his community.
In addition to previously volunteering
at a local community center and
currently volunteering at the Carnegie
Museum of Natural History,
Robert also works for Independent
Monitoring for Quality. In this
position, he visits service provider
locations and helps to give other
consumers a voice, ensuring that they
are receiving quality care appropriate
to their individual needs. Robert
exemplifies self-determination and is
truly an inspiration to everyone who
meets him and hears his story. When
asked what advice he has for other
young adults living with a disability,
he explained, “Everyone has their own
individual needs and the only way to
meet those needs is to speak up.” 
A Vintage Affair
June 2013 (Day and Location to be announced)
Mother Daughter Afternoon Tea
Chip-In for Lifesteps Golf Classics
Monday, June 10, 2013
Butler Country Club, Butler, PA
12 noon Shot Gun Start
Friday, July 12, 2013
Seven Oaks Country Club, Beaver, PA
12:30 pm Shot Gun Start
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Chestnut Ridge Resort, Tom’s Run Golf Course, Blairsville, PA
12 noon Shot Gun Start
To learn more…
about how you can participate in Lifesteps volunteer opportunities, fundraisers or
special events, visit www.lifesteps.net.
The Annual Star Gala was an opportunity
for the community to support the Lifesteps
Family Caring Fund.
With support through the Star Gala and
other events, Lifesteps will continue to
serve individuals like Robert as they strive
to reach their fullest potential and find their
own path to leading an everyday life in an
extraordinary way.
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Lifesteps
Non Profit
U.S. Postage
PAID
Butler, PA 16001
Permit No.2
Lifesteps Central Facility/
Butler County
Program Center
383 New Castle Road
Butler, PA 16001
724-283-1010
Washington County
Community OutReach Center
2705 Route 136
Eighty-Four, PA 15330
724-258-2981
Beaver County
Program Center
138 Friendship Circle
Beaver, PA 15009-1396
724-774-6494
Allegheny County
Unicorn Professional Building
3755 Library Road, Suite 302
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
800-225-1010
Indiana County
Program Center
1455 Church St West
Indiana, PA 15701
724-349-1122
Fayette County
Mercer County
Lawrence County
Greene County
Westmoreland County
800-225-1010
Armstrong County
Program Center
215 Northern Avenue
Kittanning, PA 16201
724-545-8289
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Lifesteps Mission
Helping individuals and families with life’s changing needs by developing
programs and providing services which will improve their quality of life.
Pre-Kindergarten Scholarships Offered
Lifesteps Accepted Into Tax Credit Program
Lifesteps has been accepted by the Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic
Development to be a Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship
Organization after meeting quality educational
standards. The program, initiated by the state, benefits
both the business donors as well as local children who
attend early education programs and their families.
Northwest Savings Bank recently distributed The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)
program enables eligible businesses to receive a
$5,000 to Lifesteps through the EITC
program. Pictured left to right: Ben Jameison, tax credit when a donation is made to a qualified
Senior VP, Northwest Savings Bank; Karen
scholarship fund. Grants up to $10 million in donated
Sue Owens, President and CEO, Lifesteps;
funds are distributed to accepted organizations
Gavin C., Lifesteps preschool student.
in Pennsylvania each year. For Lifesteps, business
donations through this state program when designated, will provide scholarships that cover
partial tuition to eligible Pre-Kindergarten (preschool) students.
Stacy Slater, Lifesteps Director of Early Education says, “We are proud to have been
selected as it shows the educational quality standards we work so hard to maintain. We
understand the importance of a quality early education.”
If you are a business and would like more information about how to participate in the
Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program; or, if you are a family interested in
learning more about the Lifesteps Pre-Kindergarten Scholarship program,
call (800) 225-1010. 
Chairman of the Board
Brenda M. Dare,
Dare Enterprises, Inc.
President and
Chief Executive Officer
Karen Sue Owens
Editor
Joan Miller
Graphic Designer
Sandy Mailloux
Contributing Writers
Kristy Green, Lynne Mercer,
Tracy Plevel
This newsletter is published
twice a year by Lifesteps, Inc.
If you know someone who
would be interested in reading
about our organization; if
you would like to receive
our e-newsletter; if your
name or address is printed
incorrectly; or if you would like
to have your name removed
from future mailings; please
call 800-225-1010, e-mail
[email protected], or
write to Lifesteps, Community
Relations, 383 New Castle
Road, Butler, PA 16001.
A copy of the official registration and financial information of Lifesteps, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling
toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement. Lifesteps, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization –
contributions to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. The primary purpose of the Lifesteps Family Caring Fund is to pay
expenditures not otherwise reimbursed by federal, state, or county programs.