KIDLINKS

THERAPEUTIC MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (TME) IS DEFINED AS "A MUSICAL ACTIVITY OR PERFORMANCE WHICH, BY THE VIRTUE OF ITS DIVERSION, AMUSEMENT AND/OR PLEASING QUALITIES, SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES HEALING." KIDLINKS PROVIDES TME TO HOSPITALS, SPECIAL CARE CENTERS, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE DFW AREA. OUR TME TEAM WORKS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE EMOTIONS CAN BE EXPRESSED IN POSITIVE WAYS, SELF-ESTEEM IS FOSTERED, AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES ARE CELEBRATED. WE GIVE CHILDREN AN OPPORTUNITY TO RELAX, BE SILLY, HAVE FUN, AND TO HEAL. IN 2023, WE PROVIDED IN-PERSON DIRECT SERVICES TO 4,061 CHILDREN.

MUSIC THERAPY (MT) USES MUSIC TO ACHIEVE NON-MUSICAL GOALS, SUCH AS IMPROVING SPEECH/LANGUAGE AND MOTOR SKILLS, MANAGING PAIN OR ANXIETY, AND/OR SUPPORTING SOCIALIZATION AND SELF-EXPRESSION. KIDLINKS MT INCLUDES AN INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A TREATMENT PLAN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS AND GOALS OF THE CHILD/CLIENT. WE OFFER UP TO 24 FREE (FULLY SUBSIDIZED) SESSIONS TO EACH CLIENT FAMILY WITH A BOARD-CERTIFIED MUSIC THERAPIST, AND SESSION FEES THEREAFTER ARE BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE DEPENDING ON THE FAMILY'S INCOME LEVEL. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 4 TOTAL MT CLINIC LOCATIONS: 2 HOME PRACTICES IN ARLINGTON AND FORT WORTH, 1 IN MIDLOTHIAN AT BRIDGES TRAINING FOUNDATION, AND THE MUSIC THERAPY CLINIC ON THE CAMPUS OF SMU (THROUGH OUR J.W. BROWN MUSIC THERAPIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM). IN 2023, WE SERVED 32 CHILDREN AND PROVIDED 1,156 SESSIONS OF MUSIC THERAPY DIRECT SERVICE.