Visit us on the web at www.BDSHelps.com

Walk Now 2013 – Team High Spirits

For several years BDS team members and our families have taken part in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks. We actually started doing this before the National Alliance for Autism Research) and Autism Speaks merged and it was called the Walk Far of NAAR. This year, we have decided to take part in the walk again through our continued participation with Team High Spirits.

Please join our team or make a donation by visiting the Team High Spirits Walk Now for Autism Speaks website located at http://www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/dc/highspirits.

Visit us on the web at www.BDSHelps.com

April 2013 Events

This is the list of events we have located for April 2013. The events below are not sponsored by BDS and the organizations holding the events are not connected with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC. If you are interested in attending any of the events listed below, please contact the event’s sponsor. If you know of other area events, or are having an event, send them to [email protected].

 

Date: April 2, 2013

Time: 7 pm

Event: Understanding SSI/Medicaid and SSDI/Medicare

Location: TLC – The Treatment and Learning Center

For more information: Click here

Information received from:

Maedi Tanham Carney, CFP

M&L Special Needs Planning, LLC

[email protected]

 

Date: April 13, 2013

Time: 12 – 4pm

Event: Children’s Festival (Autism Awareness Month Event)

Location: Judah Temple AME Zion Church
14500 Mt Oak Rd, Mitchellville, MD

Free food and fun activities (moon bounce, music and movement, sensory activities, etc.) for the entire family. Children with special needs are welcome to attend. There will be a quiet room where families can take a break, if needed.

For more information: Visit www.judahtemple.net or call 301-390-2900.

 Flyer for this event

To register for this event, visit http://www.judahtemple.net/form14140.htm

Date: April 13, 2013

Time: 5 – 8 pm

Event: 2013 Fashion & Talent Show Extravaganza

A charitable event to benefit Barstow Acres Children’s Center (A non-profit, 501 (c) 3 United Way agency providing mental health services, parent education and therapeutic summer camp to Southern Maryland children and families)

Location: Huntingtown High School

Theme: “Live Life in Color”

Tickets: $15 adult/ $7 children ages 3-12/ $50 VIP

Information received from: Barstow Acres Children’s Center

*Interested in participating as a model, performer, vendor, advertiser, or sponsor? Call 410-414-9901 or email [email protected]

 

Date: April 15 – 17, 2013

Time: All day

Event: The Disability Policy Seminar

Location: The Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC

For more information: http://www.DisabilityPolicySeminar.org

Information received from: The Autism Society of America

 

Date: April 27, 2013

Time: 2 pm

Event: Veggie Tales Live: Happy Birthday Bob & Larry

Location: Hylton Memorial Chapel, Woodbridge, VA

http://www.veggietales.com/live/tickets/

http://www.eventtickets.net/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=62

What to do with all these applicants?

As mentioned in a previous blog post, we received over 80 resumes in for a handful of positions in DC, MD, and VA (at the time the blog was posted it was 70).We thought long and hard about what to do with the additional resumes. Many of the people who applied were more than qualified and were very eager to start. They had a variety of background experiences and we really didn’t want this pool of potential staff members to just disappear as many parents have often told me that they can’t find potential staff members for their program. So what were we to do?

Firstly, we created a new blog site to post new job announcements for the people who had sent in their resumes. This provided us with a central location to have potential staff members look for positions without us needing to constantly email all of them and potentially having our emails marked as spam. Current staff members will continue to be notified via our staff newsletter about open positions.

Secondly, we created a Potential Behavioral Technicians page on the Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC homepage. The address to the new page is https://bdshelps.com/Pages/BehTechs.aspx. On Thursday, August 16, 2012 the Human Resources Department sent an email requesting an information update from all persons who previously applied for a position. As these updates are received from the applicants, they will update the information that is posted on the page. Parents, if you are interested in having a potential applicant join your team you may feel free to contact the Human Resources Department at [email protected] or 240-355-0834.

As a reminder, all staff members must complete our 4 basic training classes before beginning with a client. Additionally, with each new client there is training specific to their individualized program. All Behavioral Technicians also received ongoing training and supervision.

If you have any questions about this correspondence, please feel free to contact our offices at [email protected] or give us a call at 240-355-0834.

Sincerely,

Barbara Erby

President

Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC

www.BDSHelps.com

Attention Students and Graduates:

Are you looking an energetic and creative person looking for a position in an up and coming company? Do you have a background or experience in Psychology, Social Work, Education, Special Education? Are you a person who would like to  make a difference?

Apply today for a position with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC (BDS). We currently have openings for positions in Anne Arundel County, MD and Fairfax County, VA.

Persons without experience are encouraged to apply!

To learn more about BDS and the services that we offer, visit https://bdshelps.com

DC Area Weather

Hello,

It’s a warm and wonderful Friday morning in the DC area and we are looking forward to great temperatures today. Good morning!

If you know me, or have had the chance to subscribe to our newsletter, then you know I like to share my resources. I recently ran across an article entitled Take it Outside! by Rae Pica. In the article, Ms. Pica makes a good argument for children going outside to play. She mentions that some adults greatest memories from childhood were playing outside. With me, she would be right. I used to spend hours outside as a child – riding my bike, climbing trees, playing with friend, or just smelling the flowers in the yard.

On days like today when it’s nice and warm out, and (most) children have been kept inside because of the cold temps, I feel like it’s important to get outside for a while. Honestly, even I take my work outside when I can on warm days (check my Twitter and Facebook feeds). Fresh air and exercise have been long thought to be important to staying healthy – and who am I to contradict that?

If you can, I encourage you to move your work sessions outside today where you can enjoy the great weather. It is such a great reward to be able to work and play outside. I also encourage you to read Ms. Pica’s article which was posted on the Earlychildhood News website.

Enjoy your day and the weather!

Barbara

Barbara Erby is an Education & Behavioral Consultant with Breakthrough Developmental Services, LLC. Barbara received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bowie State University in 1999 and a Master of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Educational Psychology and an emphasis in Developmental Psychology from Capella University in 2004. Ms. Erby has worked with a variety of students in the school, home, and community environments as a Direct Care Worker, Family Trainer, and an Education & Behavioral Consultant.