United Cerebral Palsy facility serves many clients

Brian Graves, The Anniston Star, Ala.
·2 min read

Oct. 30—The building which formerly housed the Fort McClellan Elementary School has found new life and is changing lives for many children and adults in the area.

United Cerebral Palsy of East Central Alabama has its classroom and counseling services housed in that building located at 415 Castle Avenue and provides services to people from Calhoun, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega and Clay counties.

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect movement and muscle tone or posture and is caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth.

"We were first established in 1958 in the back of a doctor's office," Spurling said. "CP needs a facility like this because neurological aspects of the disease require support in the early years."

She explained humans develop most of their motor skills by the age of 3 and it is in those early years the disease can strike.

"After the disease has been identified by a medical professional, what we do in these walls is provide everyone day care because parents have to work," Spurling said. "The child comes in here and receives speech therapy, physical therapy or occupational therapy. Those are available anywhere. What is special about this place is we have a staff that is knowledgeable and trained on each individual care plan."

She noted there are not many day cares in the area that have the ability to assist in medical needs.

The UCP facility cares for children from six weeks of age until they turn 6 years old.

Spurling said the children then transfer to the school system where by law they age out of by 21, adding UCF has "good working relationships" with all of the area school districts.

"We then have an adult day rehabilitation program where they spend the day working to keep the motor skills challenged and skills to develop their self-sufficiency," she said. "It's about helping to build independence."

Spurling said the facility and staff welcome the opportunity to assist with any type of disability and not just CP.

She said the small staff at UCP current handles over 2,000 cases in the five-county area and helps to counsel parents on the available tools — both physically and emotionally — to deal with disabilities.

Dealing with so many people, children and families facing this type of major health crisis could be a depressing task.

"Not so for us," Spurling said. "We go home with the pure joy that we have helped and are helping make these lives so much better."

Those who might wish to donate to the East Central Alabama United Cerebral Palsy may do so by visiting its social media page or its website at www.ecaucp.org.