Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living

Connecting people to the power of independence

disability

Today is World Autism Awareness Day–Go Blue!

Today, April 2, is the sixth annual World Autism Awareness Day. Autism affects approximately one in every 90 children in the US. Scientists do not completely understand why yet, but boys are affected more often than girls.

Autism is a cognitive disability that presents a barrier to learning, language development, and socialization. It is also a “spectrum disorder,” which means that its symptoms can range from very mild to very severe.

Organizations of and for people who have autism and their families have chosen a blue ribbon as their international awareness symbol. We can show our support today by wearing or displaying something blue, and by educating ourselves about autism. Click http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/world-autism-awareness-day to learn more.

Poetry Contest for Adults Who Have Mental Health Disabilities

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Do you or someone you know have a mental health disability and a knack for expressing what that’s like in poetry? The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) announces its Second Annual Statewide Adult Poetry Contest. Entries of 200 words or less submitted to jennifer.swinton@dshs.state.tx.us by May 10, 2013, (or mailed to the DSHS office with postmark of the same) will be considered for prizes, certificates, and online publication.

Please visit the DSHS web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhsa/awareness/amh/ for full contest rules, mailing address, and other contact information.

Local Vision Awareness Day with Assistive Technology

Learn more about living with vision loss on Tuesday, April 3, 2013. Sponsored by Christal Vision and presented by Freedom Scientific, this seminar will feature hands-on demonstrations of many products useful to people who have low vision, such as adaptive computer software, digital magnifiers, and “talking” devices. Participants will also enjoy FREE learning sessions and a free lunch.

Space is limited, so be sure to register early! Here’s the info:

Date: Tuesday, April 3, 2013Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location:
United Way of the Brazos Valley
909 Southwest Parkway E., Suite 100
College Station, Texas 77840

Register by Phone: (800) 336-5658
Register by Email: Seminars@FreedomScientific.com
Register Online: www.FreedomScientific.com/Seminars

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

The Brain Injury Association of America reminds us that, “A brain injury can happen anytime, anywhere to anyone. Brain injuries do not discriminate. Did you know that 1.7 million people will sustain a brain injury each year? An injury that happens in an instant can bring a lifetime of physical, cognitive and behavior challenges and early, equal and adequate access to care will greatly increase overall quality of life. This is our goal. Please click here for more information.

Local and Online Tax Prep Help for People with Disabilities

It’s Tax Time again, and if you don’t see well or have any of a number of other access needs, those piles of forms can be downright daunting! But wait! There’s lots of help out there!

The Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities once again announces “Tax Time with Lex the Service Dog,” a captioned video guiding people who have disabilities to accessible online resources for tax prep. And he even does it in sign language. Just click the red and white arrow to meet Lex:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B6cMaSwCjU8

For those not comfortable doing taxes on the Internet, we also have great local resources to help with tax prep. Both the Bryan and College Station public libraries offer FREE tax prep assistance to anyone in the community, and they tell us they are more than willing to take the extra steps to assist their neighbors who have disabilities, such as explaining complex tax topics and reading small print forms out loud.

Here are the times and locations:

Clara B. Mounce Library in Bryan:

201 East 26th Street
Bryan, Texas 77803
(979) 209-5600

Hours are: MWF 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., T 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., R 2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Larry J. Ringer Library in College Station:

1818 Harvey Mitchell Parkway
College Station, Texas  77845
(979) 764-3416

Hours: MWF 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Both locations are fully wheelchair accessible. Use elevator at Bryan location to access tax help on second floor.