Meet Betsy Short & Dreamweavers Unlimited
We are thrilled to introduce you to Betsy Short and Dreamweavers Unlimited, and to congratulate them on their 20 year anniversary! We had no idea of the many wonderful and life-changing things going on in our community.
GA: Betsy, let's start with the southern thing- where are you from, who's your family, where did you go to school?
Betsy: I was born in Fort Lee, Virginia, where my dad was a Captain in the army. I got my entrepreneurial genes from my parents. My father practiced law in Gastonia until his retirement this year at age 87! My mom, Sylvia Short, owned and operated The Willow Shoppe, an antique and limited-edition print business. She also taught 5th grade until her third child was on the way.
I have 2 children, Carly and Mitch.
Carly graduated from Appalachian State with a degree in Social Work. She is the Director of Services at Dreamweavers. Carly’s role is expanding to introduce new channels of marketing to the company. It’s a dream come true to have my daughter working with me!
Mitch went to Webb Street School and lives in Gastonia with 2 other men with developmental disabilities. He loves horseback riding and swimming, as well as French fries (his favorite word on his communication device!).
I have 3 sisters: Claire Younts, Marti Hill, and Kathryn Thornton. They all live in North Carolina. Mike Withers is my northern star, my rock, and all around great person. We’ve been together for 7 years.
I went to Ashbrook High School and Meredith College in Raleigh. My degree is in English.
GA: So can you briefly explain in a general way what Dreamweavers Unlimited does, and how it got started?
Betsy: Dreamweavers provides services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental delays and disabilities (I/DD). I started the company in 2003, 6 years after my son, Mitch, was diagnosed with autism and an intellectual disability. We offer speech therapy, Lil’ Dreamers preschool, Infant-Toddler services, and Innovations Waiver / 1915(i) services.
GA: What is the main thing you would like people to know about Dreamweavers Unlimited?
Betsy: We offer services that give parents and caregivers a chance to recharge. We provide motivation to keep working towards the next goal. I’d like for people to know that we genuinely care and understand how important dreams are for families. We see each person as an individual with unique strengths and interests and opportunities. We see potential.
Several employees have been with Dreamweavers since its inception and many more for 10 plus years. We’re always looking for caring people with experience to join our team. Compassionate, dedicated employees set us apart and make the company great! I am incredibly grateful to be a part of such an amazing team of caring professionals. It’s exciting to be celebrating 20 years of success!
GA: What kind of training do you have, and how did you get into this kind of work?
Betsy: Before my professional training, Mitch gave me invaluable on the job training. He taught me acceptance and unconditional love like no one else could. I learned it’s possible for your deepest heartache to also be your greatest joy. We’ve had plenty of struggles, but the bond we share is unbreakable.
I am credentialed as a Qualified Professional (QP) for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, which required four years of full-time experience with the I/DD population and many hours of training. I started out as a NC Infant-Toddler Service Coordinator. In 2002, the state contracted with private providers for I/DD services. I took a leap of faith and opened Dreamweavers Unlimited with 1 employee and 1 client. We now have 36 employees and more than 250 clients.
GA: It looks like you have a pretty large team?
Betsy: We are actually considered a small provider, but we are growing. We have 9 speech therapists and assistants. Three of our therapists are bilingual (Spanish-speaking). Most of our employees work in family homes or the community providing direct care to the people we support.
GA: I know you offer speech therapy. Who is this for?
Betsy: We offer speech services to children and adults from birth to age 21. We focus on language development, feeding (chewing/ swallowing), dysphasia (lack of language development), receptive/ expressive language, articulation, stuttering (fluency), phonological disorders, social communication, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). We see clients in our office, preschool, daycares, and family homes. We provide teletherapy with some restrictions. Services are in English and Spanish.
GA: What is Lil' Dreamers Language & Learning Preschool?
Betsy: Lil’ Dreamers is a language intensive preschool for children 2-6 years old with speech delays or diagnoses such as autism. We have a speech therapy assistant (bilingual) in each classroom, as well as a lead teacher and a teacher assistant. Our ratio is 1 professional staff to a maximum of 4 students. We operate like a typical preschool with centers for creative play, crafts, sensory input and fine motor skills, circle time to work on letters/ numbers, songs, and socialization.
We are different from other preschools in that we provide one on one time with each student, structured play, sensory activities, and communication aids like picture schedules. We adapt and modify our programs to meet the individual needs of the students. Our licensed speech therapists evaluate students that might benefit from an AAC device to promote language development. Parents may contact us directly or go to our website for more information.
GA: What about Innovations Waiver/ 1915(i) and Infant-Toddler Services?
Betsy: The Innovations Medicaid Waiver is for people with I/DD diagnoses that have chronic lifelong disabilities that would qualify them for institutional level of care. Currently, the waitlist in NC is 12 years. To get services started sooner, the state recently started 1915(i) services for people with I/DD that have Medicaid. These services are similar to Innovations and include respite, community-based services, supported employment, and other services designed to foster independence. We work with our clients on daily living skills, communication, socialization, employment, volunteering, etc. We are nationally accredited by CARF International for Innovations services.
We also provide speech and occupational therapy through the waiver. We help our clients find suitable communication devices and train the client/ caregivers to use the device. This is my favorite service! Hearing our clients, often adults, express their thoughts and feelings for the first time is thrilling! The occupational therapy service is used to determine medical necessity for home modifications (bathroom remodeling for roll-in showers, ramps for wheelchair access, etc.) and equipment (strollers, lifts, etc.). Referrals for Innovations and 1915(i) services must go through an I/DD Care Manager.
Infant-Toddler (Early Intervention) services are for children birth to age 3 that have a developmental delay or an established condition/ diagnosis like autism, Down Syndrome, blindness, cerebral palsy. etc. We use a coaching approach to help parents work with their child to meet developmental milestones. Parent participation is vital since parents are the expert on their child. We provide these services in Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, and Mecklenburg counties in the child’s natural environment, usually the home or daycare. It’s never too early to help your child!
GA: How do you measure success for your families?
Betsy: We develop individualized short-term goals for our clients with input from the client’s care team. Goal achievement is one way to measure success. For most people, success is being happy and content with life. It’s the same for our I/DD clients. We also use surveys and assessments to measure client satisfaction with our services and life.
GA: Can you give us an example of a success story?
Betsy: We have had so many great success stories over the years! Many children have transitioned from Lil’ Dreamers preschool to regular school classrooms. We have had children come to us with no language and leave talking up a storm! We’ve watched kids grow up, go to college, get jobs, and give back. We believe everyone has a purpose and can contribute to their community in a positive way. I’m proud that Mitch is one of those people. He volunteers weekly at 2 nonprofit organizations, Meals on Wheels and Arin’s Good Girl Dog Treats.
GA: If folks have questions about your services, what should they do?
Betsy: Our website, www.dreamweaversNC.com, is a great place to get information and to request services. I am always happy to speak with anyone about our services. I can be reached by email at [email protected] or by calling 704-868-8551.
