CEO, Prosperity Support Services, Inc.
Jewandra Rawls-Ingram, Ph.D., is a developmental specialist whose focus is creating personalized services and care for children and their families at Prosperity Support Services, Inc. in Georgia. With a family centered approach, she helps children and families understand and become prosperous when faced with developmental, behavioral, and diagnosed conditions.
My passion to guide others to a life of prosperity begin over 25 years ago. As a developmental specialist and mother of an Autistic child, I saw the disparities that life offered, and the difficulties families faced with integration. I realized my experience was not limited to me but much larger than myself. I have the ability to make a difference.
What keeps me going when things get tough in my business is my family and the families I serve. My family consists of a husband that is my biggest fan, a daughter that wants to be like me, and a son with Autism that needs me to be his life-long advocate. The families I serve are in need of my support, guidance, and reciprocity. This keeps me fueled and focused. The person that has had the most influence on my growth is my mother, Shirley Brown. She worked in the special education field for almost 40 years. Early on she inspired me to volunteer in the special education community with an open heart and no judgment of others. I fell in love with the population, and I continue to be galvanized into action.
My biggest success story is when families get to hear their child's first words, feed themselves independently, or something as simple as look in their parents' eyes for the first time. These are successes because the population I work with can have an infinite continuum of life-long developmental issues with tremendous diversity between them. This can be strenuous, challenging, and overwhelming for families and can leave them hopeless at times. My job is to give them hope for themselves and their child.
The 3 things anyone starting in this industry need to know is to first have a heart for the community. You have to prepare to be of service to others that are in need of your non-judgmental support. Secondly, this industry needs someone who is resilient, determined, and focused. You will fight a lot of battles as an advocate for others and it is important to be educated on laws, for example Sec. 300.8 (c) (1)-IDEA. Finally, a college degree in the field of developmental or clinical psychology, special education, psychometry, or Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) will help open doors into the world of Autism Spectrum Disorders.