Additional News and
Information
From
American
Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (formerly
AAMR)
Click here for information from the AAIDD
After months of hard
work, it appears that most people
with disabilities knew of their
options and took steps to avoid
being left without TV pictures and
sound on June 12, the date when all
full-power TV stations completed the
digital TV transition.
However, some have not yet acted.
People wanting to keep their older
analog TVs working should know that
the
TV
Converter Box Coupon Program will
continue through July 31,
which is the last day anyone can
apply for the $40 coupon.
Click here
to apply.
From
the ARC
Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities Now Available
Information about the MBIWD program, application forms
and instructions can be found on the
Ohio Department of
Job and Family Services website. If
you have any questions, contact: Medicaid Consumer Hotline – 1-800-324-8680/V or
1-800-292-3572/TTY
(3/30/09)
"Children's Buy-In"
Gov. Strickland’s TurnAround Ohio
initiatives have helped expand health care coverage to more
Ohioans including uninsured children. The “Children’s Buy-In” program (also known as
CBI) is a cost-sharing health care program for certain
children with special needs or expensive insurance premiums. Applications are
accepted online only.
Click here for more information
In addition, Ohio’s Medicaid program
is covering more Ohioans than ever before! For links to
brochures, flyers, facts sheets and more, check out the
TurnAround Ohio Medicaid Expansions Toolkit online
(3/30/09)
The Arc of Ohio...
-
The
Procedures and Guidance
for Ohio Educational Agencies Serving Children with Disabilities,
lovingly called the “Guidance Document”, is back on line.
The Guidance Document contains the new ETR and IEP forms.
Developing this tool was truly a team effort and we are grateful
to all of you who wrote, reviewed or took the time to provide
the 700
plus comments to make the Guidance Document and new forms come
alive. Thank you for your patience, comments and assistance with
this monumental task and hope that you will find it useful.
View the document online.
(3/19/09)
-
The Arc is actively trying to
re-connect families who wish to find love ones through
TheArcLink's National FindFamily Registry. Click the
following to learn more -
www.thearclink.org/findfamily
-
MyCMI+™
When you or a loved one suffers from a chronic condition,
having critical medical information available when it is
needed, where it is needed, and in a format readily useable
by medical professionals can be life saving. MyCMI+™ stores
vital emergency medical information, medical images, medical
history, and other important information on a secure server
online as well as on different types of flash drives. You
can also create inserts for an Emergency Capsule™ and wallet
cards.
Click here to learn more...
The Arc
of New Jersey has published educational materials
The Arc of
New Jersey has published educational materials to help
individuals with intellectual and other developmental
disabilities, their caregivers, and staff to learn about
diabetes prevention and management.
Click here to read more...
From ADA-Ohio (Americans with Disabilities Act)
The Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission has issued a fact sheet titled:
Employment Tests and Selection Procedures. This document
addresses the application of federal antidiscrimination laws
to employer tests and other selection procedures to screen
applicants for hire and employees for promotion.
Discriminatory employment tests and selection procedures are
prohibited by Title VII the Americans with Disabilities Act
and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
Click here for a
copy of the fact sheet
 From
the Autism Community Store
Introducing... an
exciting new
resource for the autism
community...The Autism Community Store.
Finally, a place to find the things our kids
need, all in one place.
Click here to visit the website.
From the Better Hearing
Institute
The Better Hearing
Institute unveils Hearing Aid Tax Credit website - Help pass
hearing aid tax credit legislation now.
Click here to visit their website
From
Children’s
Hunger Alliance
FREE
FOOD FOR KIDS!!!
All
children ages 1 through 18 are eligible to receive free
meals during the summer months at participating program
sites. Individuals ages 19 through 21 who have been
identified as having mental or physical disabilities and are
following Indivdiualized Education Programs (IEPs) through
their current enrollment in educational programs also are
eligible for free summer meals.
Click here to read more...
From
the Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center
Cleveland Hearing & Speech Center
has launched a new VRS call center in conjunction with
Communication Access Center (CAC). VRS is a free
service for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community that
enables them to place phone calls to any hearing
person. Calls are placed and received through a professional
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter who signs the
conversation with a sign language user and voices to a
hearing person who uses a telephone. The interpreter then
voices/relays the signed conversation over the phone – in
real time – to the hearing caller (standard telephone
users).
Click here for more info...
From the Cuyahoga County Board of MR/DD
SAW
(Solutions
At
Work) Just-A-Buck
® We Are The Real
Deal...Every Item Is Truly $1.
Helium Balloons; Food & Candy; Greeting Cards; Seasonal Items; Party Supplies;
Candles; Health & Beauty Aids; Cleaners; Gift Wrap; Pet Supplies; Sun
Block Toys; Baby Products; Pool Toys; Housewares;
Stationery; Scrap Booking; BBQ Tools; And
So Much More!
Click here for a flyer
Learn more about SAW, Inc by
visiting their website
(4/9/09)
Keys
to Successful Supervision - Training that
Leads to the PATHS Specialized Training Certificate
September 16 and 17,2009 - Cincinnati, Ohio, Instructor-
Scott Osterfeld
Cost: $ 250.00 per person. Send 3
staff from the same organization and the 4th one attends for
free
Training 9:00am - 4:00 pm
Click here for flyer
2009
Planting the Seeds for a Successful Future seminar
series. Maple Heights Adult Activities Center will be hosting
the series on
consecutive Wednesdays in October - Register by October 1.
Click here for a
flyer.
HeARTworks Gallery & Gifts -
Located
on the lower level of the downtown Galleria - 1301 East 9th
Street, Cleveland.
Let HeARTworks Cards be your source for
holiday greetings. Cards for all occasions created by artisans with MR/DD at
the Maple Heights Adult Activities Center are now available
online!
Click here for a flyer!
From Family Haven
Family Haven, which
provides services to individuals with MR/DD, has launched
its own line of coffee and tea.
All proceeds go to
serving people with disabilities. Take a look
at what they have to offer.
Coffee/Tea Flyer
Visit their website for more information
From Families with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Inc.
4th Annual Families with ASD’s Autism Expo, Saturday, September
26th, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 4p.m.
Live Oaks Campus, 5956 Buckwheat, Milford, OH 45150
Click here for a flyer
Click here for info on the Expo
Click here for info on Families with ASD
Hear
Now
Program for Individuals with Low Income
Starkey Hearing
Foundation has a program that serves low income individuals
residing in the US to acquire hearing aids. Hearing aids
are provided through an application process to those low
income individuals permanently living in the US who have no
other resource to acquire hearing aids. All applicants must
meet the program's financial criteria, complete the
application process and be approved for hearing aids.
Verification of the applicant's financial situation and
proof of a need for hearing aids are a part of the
application process.
For further
information, please call the Hear Now program at
1-800-328-8602 and ask for the Hear Now program.
Click
here to
visit the
Foundation website
HUD
Produces Video Messages for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development announced that it has produced videos
for YouTube designed to educate Deaf and hard-of-hearing
consumers about their fair housing rights, housing
counseling services, and loan programs offered by the Federal
Housing Administration (FHA)
Click here for a press release
Click here to go to the You Tube
site /
Click here to go to the Facebook
site
(3/10/09)
From the Institute of the Great
Outdoors (IGO)
Click here to read more...
Upcoming activities from
Keene Promotions, Inc./Think Computers
Click here to read more...
From the
National Apostolate for Inclusion Ministry (NAfIM)
A Great conference is coming Saturday, August 1st
in Cleveland!
The annual meeting and workshop features catechetical activities developing in
the Pittsburgh Diocese for children and adults with
autism and other communication disorders, as well
as presentations on using Boardmaker and the
Mayer/Johnson symbols in a catechetical setting.
Please call
Barbara
Lampe, NAfIM Executive Director with any
questions at 1-800-736-1280 or
email Barbara.
Click here for
a registration form
Click here to visit the website
From the National Network of ADA Centers (Disability and
Business Technical Assistance Centers).
The ADA Audio Conference Series is a project of the
National Network of ADA Centers (Disability and Business
Technical Assistance Centers). The ADA Audio Conference
Series provides in-depth information on the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA), Accessible Information
Technology and other related topics. Please
click here to read more...
Announcing the Creation of a New Statewide Consumer
Education & Advocacy Organization
A small group of Ohio consumers/survivors are in
the process of forming a new statewide advocacy
and education organization for people with
mental illness. The new organization is called
the Ohio Center for Advocacy, Training and
Support, or “OCATS.”
A Steering Committee is being formed and
planning meetings are being organized. The goal
is to get the organization up and running as
quickly as possible so that Ohio consumers and
peer centers have a voice in public policy
discussions, receive technical assistance, get
information and referrals, and have access to
peer education courses.
If you would like more information about OCATS,
please call 614-370-2116 or
email
From the Ohio
Association of the Deaf
Cedar
Point - Saturday, August 1, 2009. For more information
email Linda Adams.
Click
here for a flyer.
From
the
Ohio
Coalition for the Education of Children
with Disabilities (OCECD)
Visit
their
website for a
complete list of trainings
The OCECD has implemented
Audio Conference Training (ACT). This is a new way to
attend any of the FREE Parent Trainings from the comfort of
your home, office, etc... If you are interested in
being a part of any of these trainings, call the Marion
office at 800-374-2806 to register for an Audio Conference
Training. A packet of information will be sent to you
along with the call in number.
Click here for more information...
From the Ohio Developmental
Disabilities Council
It is the mission of the Ohio
Developmental Disabilities Council to create change that
improves independence, productivity and inclusion for people
with developmental disabilities and their families in
community life.
Click here
to read
the E-Diversity
Newsletters
From the Parent
to Parent Network
The Parent to
Parent Network is sponsoring a year long
Mental Health Awareness (MHA) Campaign.
Visit their website to see upcoming speakers and programs
From
Prader Willi
Syndrome Association of Ohio
Summer Camp for those with Prader Willi Syndrom (PWS).
Click here to read more...
From the
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
Please
click here to read more about a new brochure
intended for spinal cord injury survivors living in the
community to help maintain their health.
St. GILES Support Group
St. Giles is the patron
saint of people with disabilities and the group's founders
have used "Giles" as an acronym for
Gathering in
Love for
Education and
Support.
This is a
support group for parents and care givers of children and
adults with special needs. It has been created by caring
moms to give anyone who is interested a voice and outlet to
talk, learn, and share with others dealing with similar
daily triumphs and challenges of raising children with
special needs.
Feel free to invite others you know who may be interested.
If you have any questions
please email
Sherri Duncan or
call 216-205-9907
or email
Amanda Mooney or
call
216-352-0568
From SOAR!
SOAR 2009 Summer session
activities coming soon...
From
Southwest DBTAC
The Southwest DBTAC is
pleased to announce that the Disability Law Handbook is now
available.
Click here for more info...
Study Seeks Participants with
Sensory
and/or Mobility Impairments
If you
have a sensory impairment and/or mobility impairment, you may be
eligible to participate in a new research project. This research
aims to understand what people with sensory and/or mobility
impairments do in their daily lives, how their environments affect
their community participation and what, if any, help they need to
complete activities.
Click here to read more...
From
Tools for Today and Tomorrow
Tools
for Today and Tomorrow is conducting a survey of families and
professionals who have used their website. Take a few minutes to
complete this survey and let them know how they are doing. Your
feedback, which will be kept confidential, will help them continue
meeting information needs and making improvements. Please
click here to take the
survey. (Make sure to click on the “Done” button when you are
finished to save your responses.)
Check out their website by
clicking here for community
informational/educational events. Click on view full calendar.
Upcoming events include:
Wed Jul 15th , 6:15pm
Guardianship; Thu Jul
30th , 10:00am
Understanding the Evaluation Process - Audio Conference; and
Fri Aug 14th , 8:00am
Art for the Spirit Creative Strategies to Relieve Chronic Stress
From Upside of Downs
9th Annual Northeast Ohio Buddy
Walk & 4th Annual Awareness Fair. Saturday, August 29, 2009
from 9am to 1pm. At Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland
Indians.
Email Kitti Drops for
information and registration.
From
the U.S.
Treasury
The US Treasury
Introduces Direct Express® Debit Card for Social Security
Payments.
Click here to read more...
From the Department of Veteran's
Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
announced that on-line applications are now accepted from veterans,
survivors and other claimants filing initial applications for
disability compensation, pension, education, and vocational
rehabilitation and employment benefits without the additional
requirement to submit a signed paper copy of the application. The VA
will now process applications received through its on-line
application website (VONAPP) without the claimant's signature. The
electronic application will be sufficient authentication of the
claimant's application for benefits. Normal development
procedures and rules of evidence will still apply to all
VONAPP applications.
Click here for more information...
From the Washington Learning
System
Free parent-child activity
materials are available for downloading at the Washington Learning
Systems website.
Click here to read more...
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From
American Association on Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities (formerly AAMR)
AAIDD is seeking
volunteer interviewers to help develop a state-of-the-art
adaptive behavior scale for people with intellectual
disabilities.
Click here to
read more on how to participate and download a recruitment form.
The March of Dimes
gives the United States a "D" in it's first annual premature
birth report card, when comparing actual preterm birth rates to
the national healthy people 2010 objective.
To read the report card,
including state-by-state rankings,
click here.
Learn how to make
online presentations more accessible for persons with
disabilities. Access a lay friendly,
web tutorial by the United States Department of Agriculture's
Target Center on ways you can adapt web technologies to make
presentations more accessible to people with disabilities
-
Click here to visit their website.
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The Arc of New Jersey has
published educational materials
The Arc of
New Jersey has published educational materials to help
individuals with intellectual and other developmental
disabilities, their caregivers, and staff to learn about
diabetes prevention and management. All diabetes materials
are free of charge and include:
* Laminated, wallet-sized card called "Quick Tips for Preventing
and Managing Diabetes";
* Film about diabetes - geared for individuals with
developmental disabilities, the film is available in both DVD
and VHS formats; and
* Diabetes booklets for self-advocates and caregivers;
To order
materials,
email Diane Flynn or call (732) 246-2525 x28
Learn
more about the
Arc of New Jersey
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From Children’s
Hunger Alliance
FREE FOOD
FOR KIDS!!!
All
children ages 1 through 18 are eligible to receive free meals
during the summer months at participating program
sites. Individuals ages 19 through 21 who have been identified
as having mental or physical disabilities and are
following Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) through their
current enrollment in educational programs also are eligible for
free summer meals.
Click here for the Summer Food Service
Program clickable map. Ohio residents can use
this map to find participating Summer Food Service Programs in
their area. Just click on the appropriate county or enter a zip
code and a list of names, addresses and contact information for
current Summer Food Service Programs in the selected area will
be generated.
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
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From the Institute of the Great Outdoors (IGO)
Please check back for
activities or you can
visit their website
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Upcoming Activities
from Keene Promotions, Inc./Think Computers
POOL PARTY
Who: Teens-young adults
Where: Parkview Pool (Mayfield)
Cost: $10 includes admission to pool and dinner
Date: Friday, July 17th
Time: 7:30 PM- 9:30 PM
Details: Come enjoy a great time swimming at Parkview Pool. The
pool offers a zero to 42 “ depth play area and a slide. The
picnic shelter right next to the pool is reserved and pizza will be
served. Please bring a side dish or dessert.
Registration deadline: Friday, July 10th
PLEASE CALL MAYFIELD VILLAGE RECREATION TO REGISTER AT:
440-461-5163
Mary Poppins, The Classic Broadway Musical at
Playthouse Square
Date: Thursday, July 30, 2009 at
7:30 pm. RSVP to Judi by the end of May.
Click here for a flyer
CAPTAINS
GAME
Who: Individuals /families with parent or caregiver
Where: Classic Park in Eastlake
Cost: $10.00 per ticket
Date: Friday, July 31st
Time: 7:00 PM
Details: Come cheer on the Lake County Captains baseball team and
enjoy a fun night followed by Fireworks at the stadium.
Registration Deadline: July 17th
PLEASE CALL MAYFIELD VILLAGE RECREATION TO REGISTER AT:
440-461-5163
Parents of
Young Adults with Autism
This is a new support group for
parents with a child who is 18
and up with autism. The meetings will be held at
7:00 PM at the Shaker Community Building now called the Stephanie Tubbs
Jones Building at 3450 Lee Road, Shaker Heights, OH. They are hoping to
identify issues of concern and try to find solutions to problems that
have been identified.
Upcoming meeting dates are July 27;
August 10; and September 14
For information on activities,
call or email Judi Greenspan at 216-932-1989 or
jgreenspan@keenepromotions.com
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From the National Network
of ADA Centers (Disability and Business Technical Assistance
Centers).
The
ADA Audio Conference Series is a project of the National Network
of ADA Centers (Disability and Business
Technical Assistance Centers). The ADA Audio Conference Series
provides in-depth information on the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), Accessible Information Technology and other related topics.
This program is designed as a springboard to enhance an individual's
existing knowledge base or facilitate continued learning regarding
regulations and trends under the ADA. The program is available in
three formats: Teleconference, Streaming Audio via the Internet and
real-time captioning on the Internet.
Click here to visit their website
Call
for more information: LEAP, Gary Edler, Program Assistant,
216-696-2716 x101
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From
the
Ohio
Coalition for the Education of Children
with Disabilities (OCECD)
The OCECD has implemented
Audio Conference Training (ACT). This is a new way to
attend any of the FREE Parent Trainings from the comfort of
your home, office, etc... If you are interested in
being a part of any of these trainings, call the Marion
office at 800-374-2806 to register for an Audio Conference
Training. A packet of information will be sent to you
along with the call in number. Visit the
OCECD website for
more trainings. The schedule is:
Thursday, July
30, 2008 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Topic:
Understanding the Presenter:
Robin Bryant
Evaluation Process
Tuesday, August
25, 2009 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Topic: Hearing
Impaired Presenter: Kim
Dennison
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From
Prader Willi
Syndrome Association of Ohio
Summer Camp for those with Prader Willi Syndrom (PWS).
There will be a camp at Recreation Unlimited Sunday, July 6 through
Friday, July 11. This is exclusively for adults and children ages 8 and
up who have PWS. For information and/or to register
Recreation Unlimited's web site
. Click on Camps and Programs. Scroll down to Specialty Camps and click.
Or, you may call Laura Smith at the camp
(740) 548-7006.
(3/19/09)
For more information on the Prader
Willi Syndrome Association of Ohio,
visit their website. Or
click here for a newsletter.
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From the
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center
As part of the continued
focus on knowledge and prevention of secondary
conditions associated
with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), the Rehabilitation
Research and Training
Center on Spinal Cord Injury (RRTC on SCI) has
produced this
educational brochure on Diabetes and SCI.
Click here to access this publication
This brochure is
intended for spinal cord injury survivors living in the
community to help
maintain their health. "Diabetes and SCI" is the first in
a series of educational
brochures focused on specific health concerns and
issues of long-term
spinal cord injury survivors. It is for informational
and educational purposes
only and should not be used to diagnose or treat a
medical condition.
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From Southwest DBTAC
The Southwest DBTAC is
pleased to announce that the Disability Law Handbook is now
available on
their website.
Download and print as many copies as you would like. The book
will also be translated into Spanish and will be available
electronically soon.
This Disability Law Handbook is a 50-page guide to the basics of
the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability related
laws. Written in an FAQ format, The Disability Law Handbook
answers questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act, the
ADA Amendments Act, the Rehabilitation Act, Social Security, the
Air Carrier Access Act, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons
Act, and the Fair Housing Act Amendments.
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Study Seeks Participants with
Sensory and/or Mobility Impairments
If
you have a sensory impairment and/or mobility impairment, you
may be eligible to participate in a new research project. This
research aims to understand what people with sensory and/or
mobility impairments do in their daily lives, how their
environments affect their community participation and what, if
any, help they need to complete activities.
Eligibility requires that you:
-
Are between the ages of 18
and
75
-
Live in the community
-
Have access to a computer
-
Can read at or above the 6th grade level
-
Can enter responses into a web-based survey or direct
another individual to enter your responses into a web-based
survey
-
Have either a mobility impairment, a visual impairment, or a
hearing impairment
If eligibility is established
you will receive a code to
log on
to the survey site and complete the study. All information will
be kept confidential and no connection between you and your
survey answers will be made. Participants
will be reimbursed by either a personal check or by a gift
certificate to either Target or Walgreens, and may choose the
method of reimbursement they prefer.
The web-based assessment contains a set of two surveys and will
take approximately one hour to complete.
Please click on the link below
and you will be directed to a short pre-survey
to determine eligibility.
Study Participation Eligibility and Registration Survey
This study is conducted by the
Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy
in collaboration with
Paraquad, Inc.
This research is
funded by the
National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research at the
National Institutes of Health
and the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research at
the US Department of Education
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U.S.
Treasury Introduces Direct Express® Debit Card for
Social Security Payments
The
Direct Express
card provides another option to choose from for the nearly four
million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
recipients who do not have a bank account, but are looking for a
no-cost or low-cost alternative to using check cashing
facilities and carrying large amounts of cash. Cardholders can
make purchases, pay bills and get cash at thousands of ATMs and
retail locations.
People may sign up for the card by calling
toll-free 1-877-212-9991 or
visiting the website. For more information, see
Treasury's press release
here.
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From the Washington
Learning System
Free parent-child activity
materials are available for downloading at the Washington
Learning Systems website. The development of these
materials was supported by Grant H324M020084 from the U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
Free reproducible language and early literacy activities in
English and Spanish. Developed by Angela Notari-Syverson,
Ph.D. and colleagues.
To download materials go to
www.walearning.com and click on the purple button that says
"Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page.
These materials include
activities for adults and young children that encourage early
language and literacy development from birth through preschool.
They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as
children who are developing typically.
Check
out a new set of free parent-child early literacy materials,
titled "On the Go". These materials include 14 activities
designed to be used outside the home: in the car, while
walking, during bus rides, etc.
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