Local Office Spotlight: Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa

This month, we are shining a spotlight on the Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa (EFIA) which has reached out to over 4,000 professionals with information about seizures and epilepsy in the past year. Through this outreach, they are helping to create a seizure-aware workforce.

Reaching a Variety of Professionals

EFIA provides seizure education to direct support staff working at agencies that serve individuals with epilepsy. They actively work in various communities across the state to train professionals, including:

• Therapists
• Support for Community Living and respite providers
• Job coaches
• Mental health professionals
• Rehabilitation specialists

The Epilepsy Foundation's partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives EFIA the necessary tools to support seizure education that helps these professionals serve their consumers living with epilepsy.

Training a Seizure-Aware Workforce

Staff at EFIA have reached out to a variety of professional audiences to train them on seizure recognition and first aid. Some of these audiences include:

• Occupational therapy students at Drake University in Des Moines, IA: The program highlighted the impact of epilepsy brain surgeries, rehabilitation through inpatient and outpatient therapies, and breakthrough seizures.
• Staff at House of Mercy, a residential treatment facility for parenting women, in Des Moines: Staff are now better equipped to support clients living with active seizures. The daycare staff subsequently received the training to support children affected by epilepsy.
• Rehabilitation specialists at Genesis Development, an organization with offices throughout Iowa that provides services for people with disabilities.

School Personnel Training in Iowa

The training was also provided to professionals through networking opportunities with businesses and other community agencies.

EFIA continued to provide education programs for school staff, school nurses, students, senior caregivers, and daycare staff on top of this increased outreach.

Learn More about the Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa

Along with offering seizure recognition and first aid training to local professionals, FIA offers a variety of other programs. These programs include:

• Epilepsy Empowerment Groups
• Iowa Seizure Smart Conference
• Opportunities for kids to get involved, including Kids Crew, Epilepsy Iowa Youth Council, Camp YouCan, and camPossible
• Studio E Art Program

For more information about services, visit their website.

Thank you again to the Epilepsy Foundation of Iowa for their work in supporting a competent workforce to help people living with epilepsy. We are happy to shine a spotlight on this local Epilepsy Foundation!