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Date: 8/17/2021
SOUTH HADLEY – The Berkshire Hills Music Academy (BHMA) is working to provide a variety of skills to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities to help them be successful and independent.
Executive Director Michelle Theroux described BHMA as a “day and residential program servicing adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.” She explained the “curriculum and program is based around life skills, music [and] vocational development.”
The program offers both a residential experience with dorms and a “shared living program,” as well as a day program with group settings. Theroux said the residential program remained open throughout the coronavirus pandemic with the appropriate restrictions in place. “Our residential program stayed open and as active as they could be, [but] there were restraints through community access and visitors,” she said.
Their day program, Theroux explained, made the transition to remote access to abide by state mandates that were put in place early on in the pandemic. “Our day program, last March, went remote. So we were under the state mandate to close the program. We were closed for 145 days, when we were able to open it was under strict capacity limitations,” she explained. “For the past year we’ve been under a hybrid model. Now, as restrictions are being lifted more people are back to campus for in person.”
She said a challenge that remained, however, was finding staff. “One challenge is it’s harder to recruit staff. We did a series of furloughs and layoffs [at the beginning of the pandemic]. We’re bumping up against the workforce.”
Theroux said she felt as though the music integrated into their curriculum is one of the aspects that made them stand out among similar programs. “The music piece makes us pretty unique. Individuals that come to BHMA, some are highly musically talented, others really enjoy or appreciate music. It’s the way they’re motivated or provides them a hobby,” she said.
She explained that BHMA also serves as an agent of sorts for those who are gifted with musical talents. “Those who are highly musically talented, we work as their promoter and agent at times to find them gigs in the community at local venues,” she said. “Depending on what the need is, we will match the music accompaniment accordingly.”
In addition to assisting those who are musically talented, she said BHMA also helps foster an interest and appreciation for music by offering lessons for a variety of instruments. “We do offer a series of lessons [for] any instrument or voice lessons or dance, various ensembles, groups and bands that we offer. So if there’s a certain genre of music, rock and roll, jazz, that individual can go down that path, or guitar, [and] become proficient in their skills. We can do that. Some take two lessons a week,” she said.
However, while BHMA fosters and encourages program participants to explore their musical talents, there are other aspects of the curriculum which Theroux said helped them grow their skill sets and independence as well. “Our Life Skills program has money management, banking, a budgeting program, cooking, food preparation, nutrition, food safety as well as how to cook. We do a whole curriculum on social skills, how to introduce yourself, identifying different relationships with members of families [and] what’s appropriate to discuss in those types of relationships,” she said, adding they also teach pedestrian safety such as how to take a bus safely, how to change buses if needed and overall “how to be safe in the community.”
Theroux went on to say another part of BHMA is working with program attendees to prepare them for the workforce by working on skills such as “vocation, job readiness [and] working with individuals on what they’d like to do.” She said, “We look at what their skills and strengths are, and match the two.”
BHMA also works with local businesses and organizations to give program participants real world work experience. “They have employment opportunities in the community, we work with employers to place them. They volunteer at the local food pantries [such as] Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Dakin [and] the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts as an internship placement,” she said. “They get to grow work skills in addition to having a paid position.”
She said their work was important as individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, while having their own strengths, may need support in areas that a neurotypical person may not. “Individuals with disabilities have a great number of strengths, they also have areas where they need additional support,” she said. “Our goal is for them to be as independent as they can be, whether with us or out in the community.”