The needs of consumers and families can be complex and at times seem never ending. Therapists, social workers and caregivers naturally find themselves in the role of helper. Although we strive to do the best for those we support, it is unrealistic that this care will remain in place through the entirety of a person’s journey. People must learn to access resources naturally occurring in their community in order successfully navigate life. Within our newsletter series, we hope to share with you relevant community resources – everything from housing to transportation to make these challenges a little bit easier for you or someone you know.
If you have a resource you’d like featured in an upcoming newsletter, please email us details at [email protected].
Events
Register for Webinar on Brain Injury: TeleTherapy through Pandemic and Beyond
September 29, 2020 at 1pm Eastern USA
Register now for the upcoming webinar from the North American Brain Injury Society and the International Brain Injury Association.
This webinar is the first webinar that participants can earn one hour of Category 1 CME at a minimal cost of $25. You must register and pay fee prior to the webinar to be eligible for CME credit. If you are not seeking educational credit, this webinar is free.
About the Webinar
This one hour presentation will examine the utilization and efficacy of TeleTherapy with people with brain injuries in their own home. Participants will learn about a home and community model of brain injury rehab that uses a person-centered intensive rehab approach with over 200 people living across Kansas. When Kansas shut down, people with brain injuries were faced with the challenge of risking COVID-19 or stopping therapy. A third approach, the use of TeleTherapy, was allowed by Kansas Medicaid. Over a five month period therapists with Minds Matter Implemented and carried out TeleTherapy. This presentation examines the pros and cons of TeleTherapy as compared to in person therapy. It also summarizes possible utilization of TeleTherapy post pandemic.
About the Speakers
Erica Bates, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIST, is an experienced rehabilitation professional with 0+ years focused on traumatic and acquired brain injuries. She is a professional educator, advocate, speaker and Vice President of Services.
To read more about Erica, click here.
Janet Williams has more than 30 years of experience developing and implementing community based services for people with complex medical and behavioral needs after brain injury. Janet and her two companies, communityworks inc, and Minds Matter LLC. have received recognition as: Provider of Excellence in Kansas 2010.
To read more about Janet, click here.
Education Information
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of CME Outfitters, LLC and the International Brain Injury Association. CME Outfitters, LLC is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
CME Outfitters, LLC designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
IBIA
The North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) is a section of International Brain Injury Association (IBIA). IBIA is a multidisciplinary organization serving brain injury professionals across the globe. To learn more about IBIA and its official journal, Brain Injury, click here.
Registration for Christmas in October is Open!!
Christmas in October welcomes your interest in our program. Over the past 37 years, our volunteers have rehabilitated more than 9,500 homes in the Kansas City area. This year’s main event day is Saturday October 10th, 2020. Our volunteers tackle a variety of work when rehabilitating homes. It could be as simple as applying a fresh coat of paint to more labor-intensive work such as replacing a faucet or repairing a leaky roof. The work performed varies from house-to-house and focuses on repairs needed to help you live in warmth, safety and dignity. While most of the work is completed in October we are open year round. We consider it a privilege to come into neighborhoods, such as yours, and help make a difference.
To qualify for the program, the homeowner applicant must:
• own only one residence, the home in which they currently live;
• lack the finances or resources to have the repairs completed; and
• not have received assistance from Christmas in October in the past year.
• cannot be a mobile home.
In addition, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
• be age 62 years or more or
• have a physical disability at any age or
• be a veteran or have a veteran living in the home.
Important Information About the Program
Our volunteers select the homes they will work on based on the skills of their team members. Christmas in October staff does not select houses for them. Submitting an application and meeting the criteria does not guarantee your home will be selected for repairs. Not all repairs that are requested may be completed. The volunteer teams handle as many of the requests as they are able based on their skills and time limitations.
Inspections will be conducted on homes under consideration for repair. Not all homes accepted into the program are inspected, and having your home inspected does not guarantee your home will be chosen for repair.
Please remember, repairs will be completed by volunteers at no cost to the homeowners. There are no guarantees on the work performed. Our volunteers are not professionals in home repair. Each year, we receive about 1,000 applications. However, less than 50% of homes that qualify for the program are selected for repairs by volunteer teams.
Planning for the October 10th 2020 event is already underway, so please return your application as soon as possible. While October may seem a long way off, it is important for us to plan for everything that goes into our “Big Day”! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Christmas in October. If you are aware of a neighbor in need, please encourage them to apply for assistance by completing the application or contacting us at 816-531-6443. If you applied for assistance in 2019 and we were unable to help you, please complete the application update that was mailed to you in February 2020 and return it to us! You do not need to complete an entire new application.
United Way of Greater Kansas City COVID-19 Resources
The United Way of Greater Kansas City is updating their COVID-19 Resources page on a daily basis. With additional funds, agencies are able to provide different services than before. COVID-19 information is also available in multiple languages. You can find the resource info:
Self-paced online Certified Brain Injury Specialist training
communityworks, inc. is proud to announce that we have recently launched a self-paced online training platform for Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) training.
Our online training allows individuals immediate access to all 12 training modules (for a year!), study guides, flash cards, and more. Trainees also have ongoing access to the trainer to answer questions and touch base throughout their training.
Why train through communityworks, inc? Our training is self-paced and training videos feature brain injury rehabilitation expert Erica Bates, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIST. Erica has over a decade of experience leading brain injury rehab teams to optimize functional outcomes in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Erica is currently pursuing her PhD in Rehabilitation Science through the University of Kansas. Erica is Vice President of Services at Minds Matter, LLC. Minds Matter, LLC employs over 100 therapists and is the country’s leading agency on community based brain injury rehabilitation and has earned international recognition for its person centered approach and functional outcomes.
To celebrate this launch, we are giving our email subscribers an unbelievable discount – apply promo code CBIS2020 for a 40% discount on the price of training! Act quickly – this promo code expires Saturday, September 19th.
http://www.helpersinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/helpersinclogo-340x100.png00Meghan or Rebeccahttp://www.helpersinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/helpersinclogo-340x100.pngMeghan or Rebecca2020-09-22 16:08:542020-09-22 16:08:54Great Things To Check Out from Community Works and Minds Matter!
Erica Bates, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIST, is an experienced rehabilitation professional with 0+ years focused on traumatic and acquired brain injuries. She is a professional educator, advocate, speaker and Vice President of Services.
Janet Williams has more than 30 years of experience developing and implementing community based services for people with complex medical and behavioral needs after brain injury. Janet and her two companies, communityworks inc, and Minds Matter LLC. have received recognition as: Provider of Excellence in Kansas 2010.
