[humanser] Human Services Division Meeting

[Yolanda Garcia]

Hello Everyone,

The NFB national convention is just a week away, and I'm sure everyone is excited to attend the Human Services Division meeting to network with other likeminded professionals. A couple months ago I submitted an announcement about our therapeutic tool swap and just wanted to remind everyone what it's all about once again.

As professional counselors, clinicians, practitioners, case workers, and therapist, we are always looking to expand our toolbox of resources to help with the direct practice of our clients. Purchasing many awesome therapeutic tools and collecting literature are essential to enhancing our resources, but can become expensive. Not to mention we may not know where to begin looking for popular techniques with populations that are out of the scope of 
clients we work with. Sometimes, there just isn't enough time in the day to peruse around on the internet as well. Additionally, we may get some very cool resources from fellow colleagues at work; however, they may not always 
be blind friendly formats of literature or experiential exercises that can be made accessible.

Our goal for the Swap is to have everyone attending bring their favorite therapeutic tool/resource to share with the group. We will give everyone a couple of minutes to explain what they brought and how it's worked well for 
them and the services they provide to their clients. Items can include a favorite book, handout, or worksheet packet scanned and saved on a memory stick so that others maybe able to download them on their note takers or laptops. You may also bring burned copies of DVD's or CD's with relaxation techniques or different intervention styles that can be distributed. Or perhaps you have modified an activity/game/exercises tactually that you use 
with your clients and would like to show it to people to touch so that way attendees can go home and make their own replica. You can get as creative as 
you want with this therapeutic toolbox swap. We just ask that if you decide to bring copies of printed handouts or materials that you make numerous 
amounts of copies to distribute. We roughly have at least 50 members who attend every year but believe that making 30 copies of any material would suffice provided that not everyone receives a copy.

If you do not own a laptop/ notetaker, or are unable to bring anything scanned and saved on a memory stick, we ask that you be willing to take people's names and email addresses and send them a copy of the materials/literature once you arrive home.

Please help ensure that this new agenda item be successful by participating! I've got my tools ready to bring, how bout you?

Best Regards,

Yolanda, Human Services Board Member