BuzzFall 2016

And all at once, summer collapsed

into fall...Oscar Wilde

look closer – My brain injury is invisible

Stacia Bissell, five-year brain injury survivor, offered an inspiring talk on her journey living with an acquired brain injury and her hopes for her future. Two sessions were packed with BFAIR employees, community partners and friends, and Stacia’s own friends and family. Stacia was living her life to the fullest – married, mother of three, experienced educator – when she had a not so simple mishap on her bicycle while riding on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail. Left with what seemed (on the outside) to be only a broken arm, the past five years have been full of appointments, therapies, recovery, and growth. Stacia offers this Buddist quote as a summation of her past and her vision for her future:

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”

The holidays are upon usshop at amazonsmile

to benefit bFairAmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support BFAIR every time you shop, at no cost to you. You’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. Sign up at smile.amazon.com

ocTober Marks naTional disabiliTy eMployMenT awareness MonTh (ndeaM)

A concept created by the United States Department of Labor, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, NDEAM is a national campaign to raise awareness about the challenges faced and contributions made by people living and working with disabilities. With a focus on inclusion in the workforce, employers are making strides in hiring people with disabilities. At BFAIR, our employment services program assists over sixty people with various ability levels working in our community. Our positive partnerships with area employers – Big Y, the City of North Adams, the North Adams Housing Authority, Mingo’s, the Berkshire Family YMCA (just to name a few) – provide inclusion in action for many of our program participants. Want to learn more about how your business or organization can promote NDEAM? Visit www.dol.gov/odep/topics/ndeam

bronx Zoo Trip

Judy & Dennis weren’t monkeying around – they were having some serious fun on a recent trip to the Bronx Zoo. Accompanied by staff, they made their rounds to most of the exhibits. Dennis even took a break from walking to go for a ride – on a camel!

Iron Mine Road: Our newest residence for people living with acquired brain injury in West Stockbridge

Table of conTenTs

National Disability Employment Awareness Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Bronx Zoo Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Stacia Bissell: My Brain Injury is Invisible . . . . 3

AmazonSmile Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Iron Mine Road Residence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

In-Home Applied Behavioral Analysis . . . . . . . 4

The Great Chair Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Day Habilitation Hoedown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Job Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Photo of Jennifer Summers - Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts Stacia Bissell, Sue Banks - Department of Developmental Services

Rich Weisenflue – BFAIR

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Employment Services staff members.

4

In-Home Applied Behavior Analysis

Clinical Services Team

“A freSh Set of eyeS that totally gets it,” that is what one of the parents of a child receiving BFAIR’s in-home applied behavior analysis (ABA) service said to us. Donna, mom to an eleven year old son who is living with Down Syndrome and autism, is seeing the benefits of having in-home ABA. Her son, who is non-verbal, usually communicates through aggressive behaviors, which certainly presents challenges at home and school. “With a plan to work on positive reinforcements, we are rewarding the positives versus always harping on the negatives”, says Donna, and that is a huge relief to a parent who is parenting a child with autism.

Donna isn’t alone – we know that 1 in 46 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism. While those numbers seems staggering, there is hope (and relief) for parents in knowing that in-home behavioral services are available in the Berkshires (and the services WORK). Learning to cope with the behaviors associated with an autism diagnosis helps to reduce the differences in development to that of their typical peers.

Another parent, Sharon, is already beginning to see the changes in her seven year old son, who was diagnosed with autism at age three. “The reinforcers have been effective and the parent training has been really helpful,” said Sharon. While her son

currently receives ABA services twice per week, she is looking forward to his future “as a more independent person as he continues to grow.” And isn’t that what we all want for our children?

the basics: These clinical services are provided by a Board Certified and Licensed Behavior Analyst. The work includes Functional Behavior Assessments, social skills and communication assessments, as well as evaluating the need for ADL supports. In addition, this service includes a development of Behavior Support Plans, ongoing training and support for the family, and task analyses for teaching independent skill development.

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Major insurance p rov iders a re accepted, including: MassHealth, Health New England, BMCHP, Fallon Community Health Plan, and Neighborhood Health Plan. Contact our Clinical Services depar tment today to get star ted - 413.664.9382 ext. 39 or edenette@bfair.org.

“The reinforcers have been effective and the parent training has been really helpful.”

The GreaT chair aucTion Our Community Based Day

Services program on Roberts Drive loves to get involved in all things community

– and this was no exception. Program participants created a masterpiece of a

rocking chair to donate to The Great Chair Auction to benefit the Youth Center,

Inc. in Adams. BFAIR has participated in the auction for the past three years.

Once again this year, we enlisted the help of our friends at CATA (Community

Access to the Arts) to get our creative juices flowing. Many layers of spray paint

and many hands created the finished rocker. Thanks to CATA and all of our artists!

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The folks in our Day Habilitation Program take their fun very seriously! In fact, they got their lassos out, saddled up, and threw a hoedown. In full western-style gear, complete with checkered table cloths, a local saloon, jail house, and horse-drawn wagon, the program participants invited their friends and family to a feast of BBQ chicken and all the fixins!

HoedownFriends

&FaMily

Presort Standard

U.S. Postage

PAID

North Adams, MA

Permit No.121771 South Church Street | North Adams, MA 01247

Residential LPN & Direct Care Positions

In the Berkshires

ApplyNow

bfair.org/applynow

Antoinette Cariddi, ChairpersonAlex Kastrinakis, Vice ChairpersonDana Mullen, TreasurerPatti Messina, Clerk

Kim BakerLaura BaranDavid BondSuzan CahillRebecca DravisMary Ann MaroniPeter Mirante

board oF direcTors

f

Rich Weisenflue, Executive Director