BARBARA SUTTON
ON THE EVENING OF MAY 9TH, THE SBH BUILDING AT 425 KINGS HIGHWAY WAS BUZZING WITH EXCITED CHATTER. OVER 100 THERAPISTS AND RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS (DEVELOPMENTAL, CORRECTIVE, AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE PROVIDERS WHO ASSIST CHILDREN WITH LEARNING CHALLENGES) MET FOR THE FIRST EVER NETWORKING EVENT.
Physical therapists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists and special education (SETSS, P3, and SEIT) providers had the opportunity to meet each other, socialize and network with each other.
The therapists come from a diverse working background and service different schools, different ages, different agencies, or work privately. As such, the opportunity to get together to share common interests, strategies and ideas was nonexistent. For the first time ever, SBH SEARCH brought these professionals together!
SBH SEARCH works tirelessly to help parents of students in our community’s schools navigate the process of obtaining evaluations and services from the NYC Board of Education. The team meets with parents to explain evaluation results so that parents can better understand their child’s struggles and needs. The SEARCH team then prepares the parents for their IEP meeting with the Board of Education, and will even advocate for necessary services at the meeting! Naturally, it makes sense that SEARCH would also then help parents identify the appropriate therapists to suit their child’s individual needs.
The networking event not only gave therapists an opportunity to get together for much needed community building, but it allowed for SEARCH to begin compiling a database of the amazing professionals that service our children. If you are a parent in search of a therapist, or a therapist in search of another professional with a specific specialty to better help a client, call SEARCH at 718-787-1100 x 304. They’ll make the introduction.
If you are a service provider who works with children in our community, we would love to have you as part of all future networking events and opportunities. To join our database, please go to bit.ly/sbhprovidernetwork. To join our broadcast only WhatsApp group for case opportunities and notifications of future networking events please go to bit.ly/sbhproviderwhatsapp.
Barabra Sutton is the chair of the SBH SEARCH program.
