HELLO and WELCOME! 

FROM THE CHADD SOUTH BAY/SO CAL CHAPTER

 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects our lives in different ways. Symptoms are not the same for everyone and can appear differently over time.  We know that the best support often comes from those who have "been there"...those of us who live with ADHD.  Sharing, talking and networking with other ADHD adults and parents with ADHD children and teens and young adults, is a good way to learn about this "difference." More importantly, we learn that we are not alone.

 

Our Chapter's mission is to provide ongoing support to help us understand this "difference" which affects our lives, our children and our families. With the current concerns about mental health, in addition to the daily social demands among our youth and their families, we recognize a need to support families with hands-on strategies and practices.

 

The South Bay/So Cal Chapter of CHADD offers Support Programs for All interested in learning more about ADHD for themselves and their families. 

 

1.  Our CHADD ADHD SUPPORT GROUP (AGES 18 +) meets via Zoom bi-monthly. Our next CHADD Adult Support Group Zoom meeting is on SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2025  @ 1 pm (PST). 

Justine Ruotolo is our meeting facilitator.  Justine Ruotolo, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist in California and Virginia and an Executive Function/ADHD coach. Justine has been working in the ADHD community for over 30 years and is a graduate of the Pepperdine University clinical master's program, with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy. Justine works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and parents. 

If interested in participating, please email Justine at Justine @ missadd.com and Carolyn at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com and we will send you the Zoom link. 

 

2.  Our CHADD WOW FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP meets once a month via Zoom on a Saturday evening, from 6:00 -7:30 pm. Special guests join us to speak on an ADHD related topic. Dates/Special Guests/Topics for our 2025-26 Program are TBA. 

 

Date TBA (SATURDAY @ 6 PM) 

Topic:  Soft Skills: The Importance of Soft Skills Training for Individuals with Differences

Topic Description:  Individuals with differences make up nearly 20% of the American workforce, but face greater challenges in finding and maintaining employment. In most cases, it is because they have not had the opportunity to learn and develop soft and hard job skills that are important to finding employment and holding onto a job. Soft skills are important interpersonal skills that define how you work...how you interact with others. The ability to "read" other people and adapt to uncertain situations can be difficult for individuals with  differences. Dr Erxleben joins us to discuss how individuals with differences can learn to master certain soft skills and identify careers that are well-suited for particular differences.  

Special Guest: Virginia (Ginny) Erxleben, Ed.D., BCET, Co-Founder & Director of CLU(Center for Learning Unlimited) for over 20 years and now Executive Director of CLU Transitions, a Digital Arts and Animation Studio (DBA Brainstorm Productions) 

 

For more info about our CHADD WOW FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP, contact Carolyn Kelly, chapter coordinator at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

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We encourage you to become a CHADD member. For about $1 a week ($53 Annual Family Membership or $130 Annual Professional Membership), you would help support your local chapter and CHADD's national advocacy efforts for information, services, support and accommodations in the schools and in the workplace.

FOR INFORMATION, email Carolyn Kelly at ckellychadd10g@gmail.com

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Do you need immediate assistance? 

As a volunteer, I may not be able to get back to you if you need immediate assistance. 

If you are seeking information for something that is time-sensitive (such as an IEP/Section 504 meeting at your child’s school), or are looking for a local  professional with AD/HD expertise, please contact CHADD’s National Resource Center on AD/HD (NRC), online at http://www.help4adhd.org/ or by phone toll-free at 800-233-4050 (press option 2, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Eastern time). 

The NRC is staffed by trained health information professionals who can answer many of your questions about AD/HD and provide other helpful information and resources. (NOTE: the NRC does not provide legal or medical advice, but can offer ideas and suggestions to help you find what you are looking for).

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CHADD does not endorse or represent products, services, publication, medications or treatments. Meetings are free and open to the public, although membership with CHADD is strongly encouraged, since your local group will receive a portion of your dues to continue supporting your community.

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