Hungarian Bliss Foundation
Helping Communication Center
The Hungarian Bliss Foundation (HBF) was founded in 1986. Private
persons and different firms offered their donations in order to set
up a program for people with special complex communication needs (SCCN).
This was the first initiative in the whole geographic region.
Mission Statement
Program
Methods - AAC
Organization
Finances
Links
Mission Statement
We are convinced that communication is a human rights issue. Everybody
is entitled to own communication tools and means acceptable and adequate
to her/his own needs and possibilities. There are certain conditions,
like perinatal or traumatic brain injury, progressive neurological
diseases etc., resulting in severe loss of speech, but the consequential
communication disorder cannot result in loosing the right to communicate.
Program
The HBF founded a rehabilitation centre called Helping Communication
Center in 1993 and all of the programs are provided within the Center.
- Complex rehabilitation – children and young people between 1.5 –
25 yrs with SCCN (communication training, physical therapies, speech
therapy, psychotherapy, computer training)
- Training – graduate and postgraduate AAC courses for special and
conductive educators, physiotherapists, speech therapists, rehabilitation
experts, parents and other interested professionals
- Services – individual and family counseling, consultations for teachers
and therapists, social and cultural programs for families, Summer
camps; medical services (pediatrics, orthopedics)
- Research – applied research in special pedagogy, linguistics, informatics,
rehabilitation engineering
- Dissemination of information – library, publications in the field
of AAC and other disability related issues
Methods – AAC
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (1989) provide the
following definition of Augmentative and Alternative Communication
(AAC): "an area of clinical practice that attempts to compensate
(either temporarily or permanently) for the impairment and disability
patterns of individuals with severe expressive communication disorders
(i.e., the severely speech-language and writing impaired)". The
individual's use of a particular type of augmentative and alternative
communication will be dependent upon circumstances, preference and
personality. Selection of methods of communication will be significantly
influenced by: physical and sensory abilities; financial resources;
personal and professional support networks; and attitudes.
AAC means paper-and-pencil communication boards,
speech generating devices (SGD; earlier VOCAs) and/or computers with
digitized or synthesized speech. Accessibility is provided through
means of seating, positioning, and special switches.
Organization
Five volunteer members are serving on the Board of Trustees of the
HBF. One is representing the founders, two have family members in
need of AAC and two are professionals.
The Supervising Committee (FB) has three volunteer
members.
Among others there are special teachers,
speech therapists, psychologists, physiotherapists, medical doctors
and the employees of the Helping Communication Center.
Finances
HBF is a non profit, civil NGO relying solely
on grants and donators. In 2004 it had a 40 Million HUF budget. Since
HBF is a public interest organization, donations are tax deductible.
And the organization is entitled to accept the 1% donation of personal
taxes.
