Paris is an energetic music lover who finds adventure and laughter in small moments of every day. Her current favorite songs include the Price is Right and Lets’s Make a Deal theme songs. Paris also loves The Wheels on the Bus and treasures the everyday thrill of riding over speed bumps in the car.
Paris lives with cerebral palsy and vision impairments. She was adopted from foster care into her new family by her guardians Nancy and Bridget. They worked hard to ensure Paris had the support and resources she needed to thrive at home. Through The Coordinating Center, they connected with Paris’ Coordinator Pam. Pam helped them navigate services and advocate for accessibility modifications for Paris’ home.
With funding through the Community First Choice (CFC) program, a Medicaid program that provides long-term home and community-based services, Pam helped secure the installation of an indoor stair chair. This made it easier for Paris to move safely throughout her home. However, the family still faced a significant challenge outside. Without a ramp, Paris had to be carried in and out of the house each day to get to the school bus and participate in family activities.
Determined to find a solution, Pam explored multiple funding opportunities through the Kennedy Krieger Institute, the Maryland Technology Assistance Program (MDTAP), and The Coordinating Center’s Bridge Fund. When funding was secured and the ramp was built, Pam continued to advocate for Paris, ensuring structural concerns were addressed quickly so the ramp could be used safely.
Nancy said, “[The Center] made sure everything got done, Pam makes sure everything is professional and that everything gets handled.”
When asked about advice she would give to families and caregivers looking to join The Coordinating Center, Bridget said:
“The Coordinating Center is very valuable. It can be challenging navigating these healthcare systems sometimes, but if you stay in touch and are resourceful and don’t lose communication, you will get so much support.” She continued, “They are extremely helpful in finding out who to talk to when you don’t know where to go. Our Coordinator Pam has really been extremely supportive and even referred us to the enrichment program at Kennedy Krieger Institute that Paris loves so much.”
