County native appointed by the governor to state advisory panel

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  • Kelsch
    Kelsch
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    Kent Kelsch remembers the day  when his youngest child, Cooper, was diagnosed with autism.
    “When he was diagnosed three years ago at Children’s, they handed us some pamphlets and pretty much said, ‘Now go figure this out.’”
    He and his wife, Candice, had many questions, and he says they felt rather alone in their quest for answers. Where to start? What resources are out there?
    If they had not had the strong connections they had in the educational system and the community, they would have been even more lost, he admits.
    That “lost” feeling is exactly what Kelsch hopes to help other families such as theirs avoid as he steps into his role as the parent representative on the State Advisory Panel for Exceptional Children.
    His personal goal as he represents parents is to figure out ways to help families plug into the resources they have available to them where they are. He concedes that those resources are comparatively plentiful in the area of “the Golden Triangle”--Lexington, Louisville, and Northern Kentucky--because “we get all the resources.” His concern is even deeper for those who are outside this area.
    For that reason and even for those in the Golden Triangle, Kelsch is looking for ways to also use school systems across the state to be resources, as well, because his question is, “What are families doing outside that area--in the other parts of the state?” He feels that if he can get school systems plugged in to help parents access resources, then parents of  children with disabilities will have a greater chance of having support.
    Kelsch, a father of three and a support for his mother and others in his extended family, is conscious of the time he spends serving anywhere. “I’m pretty selective with what I do because what I commit to cuts into family time, but for me, this is an opportunity to serve. I look forward to giving back. Candice and I have been introduced to others who are going through what we went through since Cooper’s diagnosis, and we try to support with what we have learned. It is an honor to do the same now on a grander scale. This is a way to do for all.”
    Kelsch is joined by Kimberly Chevalier of Union, who represents administrators of programs for children with disabilities, and Ashley Barlow of Fort Thomas, representing individuals with disabilites. Barlow suggested that Kelsch consider serving as the parent representative.
    Kelsch’s term expires June 30, 2022.