| Volume 07 | Issue 38 | September 24, 2007 |
Welcome to Monday Morning in Washington, D.C., published weekly by The Arc of the United States. We will bring to you news of interest to self advocates and their families, volunteers, professionals, and supporters of the disability movement. Please send any comments to mmwdc@thearc.org. You are welcome to reproduce and distribute items from Monday Morning in Washington, D.C., but please credit Monday Morning in Washington, D.C. (The Arc of the United States, 2007).
The Arc of the United States advocates for the rights and full participation of all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together with our network of members and affiliated chapters, we improve systems of supports and services; connect families; inspire communities; and influence public policy.
[NOTE: Having trouble reading this newsletter? Read it online.] [Past Issues]
The Disability is Natural E-Newsletter
www.disabilityisnatural.com or http://www.disabilityisnatural.com/email/2007-09.htm
Copyright September 2007 by Kathie Snow
NECTAC eNotes - September 21, 2007 - http://www.nectac.org/enotes/enotes.aspGirls Bask in Their New Destiny: Cheerleaders
By Donna St. George
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 21, 2007; A01
Arriving at a gym in Gaithersburg, Clare Kearney bounds inside -- 13 years old, petite, with fine brown hair and delicate glasses. Excited. This is a place where competitive cheerleaders practice, girls who can pull off perfect roundoffs and handsprings and back tucks.
This is Clare's place.
It matters little that she does not do those sophisticated moves, or that she has Down syndrome and autism, or that, in the beginning, she seemed to barely look at her teammates. Now she stands beside them at practice. She claps. She brings both arms above her head in a V.
To read this great article click on the following link - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2007/09/20/ST2007092002763.html?hpid=artslot
FVND Share the Wealth Week of Sept. 17th
LARGEST FEDERAL DISABILITY PROGRAMS HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH SOCIETAL CHANGES IN THE UNITED STATES, A NEW REPORT FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE SAYS
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) gathered advocacy groups, academia, federal agencies, and researchers for a forum to discuss what's working well in over 200 federal disability programs in the United States, what needs to be improved, and how to strengthen partnerships and modernize programs. A new report titled Modernizing Federal Disability Policy published by GAO articulates the key concerns expressed in this forum. Some of the steps identified to enhance federal programs include talking with people receiving disability services to find out what additional services they need to succeed; developing a definition of disability and standard language that could be used across programs; and providing services to youth. Read the report at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07934sp.pdf.
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY)
The often overwhelming task of locating relevant research has been simplified via the NICHCY web site. A variety of research-based topics relating to children with disabilities is available to parents, teachers, state administrators, or anyone else in need of reliable sources in this area. One set of publications put out by NICHCY is a Basics for Parents series that provides information on raising a child with special needs. To find out more about this series, go to http://www.nichcy.org/basicpar.asp
The Nursing Home Industry's Political Contributions to State Elected
Officials. Information Bulletin # 224 (9/07)
Why has it been so difficult to convince your Governor and your office of
Medical Assistance to offer older Americans and people with disabilities
an equal choice of long-term care Medicaid services - in our own homes or
in nursing homes? One reason is that the nursing home industry, in many
States, makes significant financial contributions to the elected political
officials in your States, and apparently the beneficiaries see the money.
We would not dare suggest these financial political contributions are in
anyway related to the amount of reimbursements State set for nursing
homes, nor do we think the political contributions might relate whether or
not a State will reduce the number of unoccupied nursing home beds, nor
are does the nursing home industry make for any reason other than to be
good citizens.
OK. If you believe that, then stop reading this.
We have spent a lot of time and have available a break down in excel
format for 17 States of political contributions from 2002 -2006 by
specific contributor, dollar amount of contribution, beneficiary and the %
of the contribution was of the beneficiary's total funds. We have only 17
because it is a time-consuming process to gather this information.
For the other States for which we do not have breakdown, we have the steps
you can take to find out this information for your State.
With this information, we strongly suggest you confront your specific
elected officials and ask them to return these political contributions so
they might make decisions without any appearance of conflict of interest.
If you want to pursue this and only if you really will use the information
to meet with these elected officials, email me with the name of your State
and I will send you either information directly egardingyour State (if
its one of the 17 we've done) or tell you how to obtain this information.
Steve Gold, The Disability Odyssey continues
Back issues of other Information Bulletins are available online at
http://www.stevegoldada.com
with a searchable Archive at this site divided into different subjects. To
contact Steve Gold directly, write to stevegoldada@cs.com
or call 215-627-7100.
Community Choice hearing on September 25th - Send your testimony TODAY!
Any testimony you want to send needs to be sent now! The hearing will be next Tuesday. Let the Senate Finance Committee know why you support the Community Choice Act (S. 799) Voice of the Retarded is sending lots of pro-institution letters and testimony and the Committee needs to hear from CCA Supporters too.
Though only invited people can testify orally to the committee, anyone
can submit written testimony. If people want to send written testimony to
the committee, here is the address:
susan_douglas@finance-dem.senate.gov
If you write it will probably not get there in time, but the mailing address
is:
Committee On Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200
If you do send written testimony, we would appreciate your sending ADAPT a
copy so we can use it - if needed - in the future. (It's hard to get
ahold of this kind of written testimony later.) You can email it to
adapt@adapt.org or send a hard copy
to: ADAPT of TX, 1640-A East 2nd ST, Suite 100 Austin, TX 78702 (note NEW
ADDRESS) or fax to: 512/442-0522.
REFERENCE POINTS:
On-Line Training Opportunities
SCHOOL COUNSELORS: FACILITATING TRANSITIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
From the IRIS Center. More information can be found at
http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/cou2/chalcycle.htm
GRADUATE LEVEL COURSEWORK IN TRANSITON EDUCATION AND SERVICES
Sponsored by the Transition Coalition at the U of KA; courses include "Intro to Transition Ed and Services", "Transition Assessments", Family Involvement and Student Involvement in Transition", "Preparing Students for Employment and Postsecondary Education", and "Interagency Collaboration during Transition Planning". For more information go to , http://www.continuinged.ku.edu/is/sped.shtml
INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AN INCLUSIVE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
Offered by the On-Campus Outreach project at the U of MA.The purpose of this online training module is to provide guidance on developing an Individual Support Model (ISM) to increase access to inclusive college experiences and to improve chances for the success of students with intellectual disabilities. More information can be found at http://www.education.umd.edu/oco/training/oco_training_modules/IndividualSupports/start.html
EFFECTIVE CAREER PLANNING, JOB DEVELOPMENT, AND JOB COACHING
Sponsored by TRN, Inc, these three two week 20 hour courses are taught by nationally recognized experts in the field. For more information go to http://www.trninc.com/entry/welcome2.asp
UNDERSTANDING DISABILITY LEGISLATION: AN ONLINE COURSE FOR
NATIONAL SERVICE PROGRAMS
The Corporation for National & Community Service's Resource Center offers free online courses on a wide variety of topics to help strengthen national service programs. Several of these courses are designed to actively involve individuals with disabilities in these programs. See the "Inclusion"section of the online course list for more information. http://nationalserviceresources.org/resources/courses/
REFERENCE POINTS:
Postsecondary Education for Youth with Cognitive Disabilities
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA R.E.A.C.H PROGRAM
The University of Iowa College of Education introduces the R.E.A.C.H Program (Realizing Educational and Career Hopes), a unique two-year certificate program for young adults with multiple learning and cognitive disabilities. The R.E.A.C.H Program, one of the first of its kind at a major public university, combines academic instruction, career experiences, community involvement, and campus and residential life to create a dynamic collegiate experience. Through the R.E.A.C.H Program, students are empowered and provided with the skills necessary to become independent, engaged, and contributing members of their community. Enrollment will begin in fall 2008 and applications are now being accepted. The application deadline is March 1, 2008; however, campus interviews will be held beginning Fall 2007. To learn more about this program, go to www.education.uiowa.edu/reach
WEB SITES WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH LEARNING AND COGNITIVE DISABILITIES
HEATH RESOURCE CENTER
The George Washington University HEATH Resource Center is an online clearinghouse on postsecondary education for individuals with disabilities. Visit their "Links"pages and scroll down to the specific category you seek (for example, autism, TBI, intellectual disability, transition from high school) to find many other websites that provide information on postsecondary options for a person with autisim or cognitive/intellectual disabilities. http://www.heath.gwu.edu/links
INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY INCLUSION
ICI offers training, clinical, and employment services, conducts research, and provides assistance to organizations to promote inclusion of people with disabilities in school, work, and community activities. Links to their online resources can be found at http://www.communityinclusion.org/topic.php?topic_id=7
NATIONAL CENTER ON SECONDARY EDUCATION AND TRANSITION (NCSET)
NCSET Topics are written specifically for the Web and contain information and resources within key areas that affect the lives of youth with disabilities in secondary education and transition. Each topic contains an introduction, frequently asked questions, related research, emerging practices, Web sites, and additional resources. Links to these resources can be found at http://www.ncset.org/topics/default.asp#pse
ON CAMPUS OUTREACH (OCO)
On this site, you will find articles, fact sheets, on-line training modules, contacts for programs in Maryland, and related websites on serving students with intellectual disabilities in postsecondary settings who still receive special education services in public schools. These resources can be found at http://www.education.umd.edu/oco/
STEPS FORWARD INCLUSIVE POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SOCIETY
STEPS Forward Inclusive Post-secondary Education Society was incorporated in 2001 by a group of parents concerned that there was no place in society for their children with intellectual disabilities as they reached adulthood - no place for lifelong education, no place for employment, no place to participate as citizens. STEPS' mandate is to transform post-secondary education in the province of British Columbia by modelling inclusion for students with intellectual disabilities, starting at UBC (STEPS-Campus) and eventually expanding to other colleges and universities throughout the lower mainland and the rest of the province. More information about this program can be found at http://www.steps-forward.org/
THINKCOLLEGE.NET
Youth with intellectual disabilities have not had many chances to go to college. This is changing as individuals across the country begin to create opportunities for these youth to reap the benefits of postsecondary education. This website will provide information and links to anyone interested in finding out more about the possibilities. ThinkCollege's website can be found at http://www.thinkcollege.net/
TRANSITION COALITION
The Transition Coalition provides online information, support, and professional development on topics focusing on the transition from school to adult life for youth for transition professionals. The website can be found at http://www.transitioncoalition.org/
The Advocacy Institute is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the development of products, projects and services that work to improve the lives of people with disabilities. http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/
Latest Projects: ADVOCATE ACADEMY: Training for special education advocates! Learn from the experts in the comfort of your home or office. The Advocate Academy provides monthly Webinars - http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/academy/ on a range of topics involved with special education supports and services. Space is limited! Fall 2007 Webinars are now available for purchase - http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/shop/Webinars.html.
by Joseph Shapiro
When Mary Lou Breslin was about to begin chemotherapy for breast
cancer, she was told she couldn't get the usual outpatient
treatment. Instead of going to the clinic, getting treatment and
leaving, she'd have to check in overnight at the hospital. The
cancer center explained that theirs was an "ambulatory center"and
Breslin, who uses a wheelchair, didn't fit the definition of being
ambulatory. Breslin noted that although she couldn't "walk,"she
got around Berkeley and Oakland in her power wheelchair.
Breslin is a world-famous disability rights advocate and a founder
of the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. As an
advocate, she knew the health care system providing her care had
already been sued for violating the Americans with Disabilities
Act. Breslin knew, too, that, as a result of a legal settlement,
the system had hired ADA compliance officers, trained to help
people with disabilities.
Breslin contacted that patient representative, who helped her
navigate the care she needed and helped train employees on how to
accommodate a woman in a wheelchair. Breslin's doctors still
worried that on rare occasions patients have a bad reaction to
chemotherapy and if that happened they would need to lift Breslin
onto a bed or exam table. Even then, the solution in Breslin's
case was simple. The patient representative had a mechanical lift
brought to the chemotherapy center on the four days Breslin had
her treatments. Employees were trained in the proper way to use
it. As it turned out, Breslin never needed the lift, but she got
her chemotherapy as an outpatient.
Once doctors have experience with patients with disabilities, they
better understand how to provide care for the next patient with a
disability. After Breslin completed her chemotherapy, she needed
to start five weeks of radiation therapy. This would be at a new
facility and, once again, she worried that she would have to use
her legal knowledge to get what she wanted. So she was surprised
by the very different reaction this time from the oncologist.
"She immediately said, 'We have to get you on the table every day.
What's the best way to do it? Would you prefer we provide a lift
and someone knowledgeable how to use it? Would you prefer your own person (to do any lifting)? You tell us what you want and we'll do
it.' I must have looked astonished. I said, 'I had no idea this
would be made so simple for me.' And she said, 'Well, of course,
this is what we do and this is how we manage anybody with a
particular need. It's not a problem for us.' I was very happy."
To read the rest of the article, including a list of things that
Breslin and others with disabilities have learned to do to get
proper access to health care, go to: http://www.aapd.com/News/health/070917npr.htm
For more healthcare issues, see: http://www.aapd.com/News/health/indexhealth.php
SOURCE: NPR
Transportation Accessibility: Lack of Data and Limited Enforcement
Options Limit Federal Oversight.
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-1126 Highlights - http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d071126high.pdf
DisabilityInfo.gov
Health News & Events Update: Child Health Day - October 1, 2007
Transportation News & Events Update: DOT Announces Funding for Over-the-Road Bus Accessibility Program
The Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced new funding for the Over-the-Road Bus (OTRB) Accessibility Program. This program requires that new buses must be accessible, with wheelchair lifts and accommodations that allow passengers to ride in their own wheelchairs. Grant application deadline is November 13, 2007. This information has recently been updated, and and can be accessed by clicking on this link: http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=5010
Minority Populations Update: Engaging and Serving People of Color with Disabilities
Webinar series beginning on October 2, 2007 on Engaging and Serving People of Color with Disabilities. This information has recently been updated, and may be accessed by clicking on this link: http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/digov-public/public/DisplayPage.do?parentFolderId=5186.
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute - Center for Children and Families
Getting to the Finish Line
A monthly report on Federal and State policy issues affecting children's health - http://ccf.georgetown.edu/finishline/sept07/sept07.html
New Products added to the Quality Mall
"Center for Outcome Analysis' Personal Life Quality Protocol"- http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=1075
"Conservatorship/Guardianship/Advocacy services for persons with developmental disabilities in CA and OR"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=1329
"Professional Organizing Services for Adults and Children w/ Special Needs"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=3457
"The Ten Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=3730
"Principles and Practices of Building Community Series"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=3748
"KidAbility II"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=3775
"Evaluation of Case Management Model: Hennepin County Developmental Disabilities Program"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=4027
"The Relationship Series"-
http://www.qualitymall.org/products/prod1.asp?prodid=4031
New Items added to Quality Mall's Funding News
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--Field Initiated (FI) Projects
http://www.qualitymall.org/funding/fundingdetail.asp?postingid=439
Research Fellowships Program -
http://www.qualitymall.org/funding/fundingdetail.asp?postingid=440
Quality of Life Grants Program -
http://www.qualitymall.org/funding/fundingdetail.asp?postingid=441
Fall 2007 Beach Center on Disability newsletter
The Beach Center newsletter is back in business after a year-long planning and retooling break. We’re hoping to respond more quickly to late-breaking issues and trends and to feature short tidbits linking to in-depth stories on our website.
This month we feature stories about our on-line Community of Practice, an overview of Participant Direction, also known as Individual Control of Funding, a just-released analysis of proposed changes to Part C Regulations in IDEA, staff news, and more. Check out our Fall 2007 issue. http://www.beachcenter.org/newsletters/fall_2007.aspx
One-Stop Toolkit Resources of the WeekWhat is Mental Illness Awareness Week?
Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) is an annual observance, created by a presidential proclamation in 1986 to recognize “the urgent need to educate the American public about mental illnesses and their treatments,” and in recognition of the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ efforts to raise mental illness awareness. MIAW activities will be held across the country from October 7-13, 2007. During this week, millions of Americans will honor the challenges of mental illness, as well as celebrate the recoveries they or their loved ones have embraced.
To spread the word about the NASC, order free materials from SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center (NMHIC). You can access a list of materials on the NASC Web site at http://www.whatadifference.org/docs/NASCListofMaterials_08_22_07.pdf.
Due to shipping delays, contact NMHIC as soon as possible. If you are interested in ordering fewer than 100 copies of any material, please call NMHIC at 1-800-789-2647. If you would like to receive more than 100 copies of any material, please fax a request on your letterhead to 1-240-221-4295. Make sure to note the reason for your large order and let NMHIC know that you need the material by October 7th. Please keep in mind that orders may take several weeks to arrive.
Please contact the NASC Liaison, America Doria-Medina (America.Doria-Medina@macrointernational.com) or Elizabeth Edgar (nasc-liaison@nami.org), if you have any questions or need assistance.
JAN/US BLN Webcast: Best Employer Practices
October 9, 2007 - 2:00 - 3:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/register/
Speaker: Deb Russell, Walgreen Company
To celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the JAN/US BLN Webcast series features the Walgreen Company's commitment to hiring people with disabilities. The Walgreen Company is the nation’s largest drugstore chain and the 7th largest retailer. Walgreen's success story will be presented by Ms. Deb Russell who oversees the company’s commitment to hiring people with disabilities in their latest and all future distribution centers. The first of these centers opened in January 2007. In this Webcast session, Ms. Russell presents Walgreen's plans and the early outcomes this effort, including lessons learned.
REGISTRATION: Note a fee is required to participate in this event. Access the URL. Early registration is recommended. All registrants will receive training materials for each session, which will be sent via e-mail three to five business days prior to the scheduled event. These materials will be in an accessible format and may include Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe PDF files.
Any registered participant who does not have access to e-mail should indicate this at the time of registration, and training materials will be sent via postal mail. When requesting postal mail, please indicate if alternate format (large print, computer file, or Braille) is needed and what format you prefer. One set of materials will be mailed per registration.
The fee for each webcast is $35.00 per computer accessing the training. All fees must be paid prior to the event.
For more information about this Webcasts or others in the series go to:http://www.jan.wvu.edu/webcast/
training@jan.wvu.edu
800-526-7234 and select Option "5"(Voice) and 877-781-9403 (TTY)
Digest of Education Statistics: 2006
U.S. Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences National Center for Education Statistics - July 2007
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d06/
The annual Digest of Education Statistics provides a compilation of statistical information covering American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. It includes data from many sources, both government and private, and draws especially on the results of surveys and activities carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics. It contains data on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates; educational attainment; finances; federal funds for education; libraries; and international comparisons.
Until Next week
The Arc of the United States,1010 Wayne Avenue, Ste. 650,Silver Spring, MD 20910, Phone: 301-565-3842, Fax: 301-565-3843, Email: mmwdc@info.thearc.org, Web: www.thearc.org
Disclaimer: MMWDC publishes information about issues and events that we believe to be important and likely to be of interest to advocates and others interested in inclusion of persons with disabilities in all parts of society. However, MMWDC and The Arc of the United States and TheArcLink Incorporated do not necessarily endorse all events, sponsoring organizations and reports which appear.