Local Office Spotlight: Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota

Amanda Pike leads training

This month, we are shining a spotlight on the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota. EFMN has worked to educate school personnel in Minnesota and in eastern North Dakota using materials developed with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Learn more about our partnership with the CDC.)

Training Over 700 School Personnel in a Month

Last month, 7 staff members from EFMN trained 747 school personnel, including teachers, food service staff, maintenance workers, and bus drivers, with the Seizure Training for School Personnel educational program. This free, interactive training provides personnel knowledge to help promote a positive social and education environment for students living with seizures and epilepsy.

EFMN works with Educate Minnesota to promote the program to school personnel. The organization incentivizes a school to become “Seizure Smart” by recognizing them on their local website and awarding them a flag to display at the school.

Staff from schools who received the trainings had this to say about the program:   

"Thank you so much for making the trip to Braham Schools. One staff person told me the next day that she was glad she had the training the day before as her granddaughter experienced a seizure the next morning."

"The information was great, and you presented it in a very non-threatening way."

"I was floored by the positive feedback I heard from the staff after you left. Even the most hard-core staff person agreed that administering the emergency medication is not as bad as they thought it would be! So, thank you, thank you, thank you very much!"

Learn More about the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota

Along with training for school personnel, the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota offers a variety of other programs. These programs include:

• A camp for children with epilepsy
• Outreach to veterans
• Employment resources

For more information about their services, visit their website.

Thank you again to the Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota for their work in training school personnel and supporting people with epilepsy – we are happy to shine a spotlight on this local Epilepsy Foundation!