Summer/Fall Transition and IEP Trainings Announced
OrPTI (Oregon Parent Training and Information Center) has published its late summer/fall schedule on their website. There are many great training opportunities coming up to ready you and your family for the 09/10 school year. via OrPTI
August 18 & 25, 2009 IEP Partner training from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the Swindells Center, 830 NE 47th Ave, Portland, Oregon 97213. For more information contact Karen Ripplinger at 1-888-505-2673 Ext. 212 or Email: kripplinger@orpti.org
August 26, 2009 “Behaviors and the IEP” from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Willamina Elementary, 1100 Oaken Hills Drive, Willamina, OR 97396. For information, or to register contact Leah Skipworth at lskipworth@orpti.org
September 5, 2009 “Advocacy: Supporting Your Child in Special Education” from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the Hood River Library, 502 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
September 9, 2009 “Bullying: Is Your Child a Target?” from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Beaverton Library, Meeting Room B, 12375 SW 5th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
September 22, 2009 “EI/ECSE What do these mean?” from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the NW Regional ESD, 5825 NE Ray Circle, Hillsboro, OR 97126. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
October 3, 2009 “What Parents Need to Know about the IEP” from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the Hood River Library, 502 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
October 10, 2009 “Saturday Sessions: A Day of Learning” This event is designed for parents of children with disabilities to help you learn to successfully navigate special education and prepare your child for the future. There will be different concurrent sessions for you to choose from. The event will be at the Becky Johnson Community Center in Redmond from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM. Registration is required. Contact Danielle Bethell at 888-505-2673 ext 105 or email dbethell@orpti.org
October 13, 2009 “Anxiety and Related Disorders” from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Beaverton Library, Meeting Room B, 12375 SW 5th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
October 21, 2009 “Understanding Aspergers Syndrome” from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Beaverton Library, Meeting Room A, 12375 SW 5th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
October 26 & 27, 2009 “Building Futures: Statewide Secondary Transition Conference” will be at the Salem Conference Center.
November 7, 2009 “Can You Hear Me Now? Communicating Effectively with your IEP Team” from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the Hood River Library, 502 State Street, Hood River, OR 97031. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
November 19, 2009 “Understanding ADHD” from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the Beaverton Library, Meeting Room B, 12375 SW 5th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. For information or to register, please contact Victoria Haight at 503-510-2289, or email vhaight@orpti.org
Caregivers Can Get Cash Back on Care Products
The Caregivers Marketplace is the nation’s first cash back program for anyone who gives, gets or needs care. Caregivers can receive cash back on eligible products that are not typically covered by insurance or Medicare – no matter where those products are purchased. The program is free with sponsorships from dozens of companies like Depend Products, Aspercreme, Cirucel, Cottonelle, Ensure, Gold Bond, Nature Made, Os-Cal, Kaopectate and IcyHot. It works a lot like rebate programs do and could save your household some cash.
The company also has a helpful newsletter – check out the latest issue here.
Free Healthcare for MESD Students K-6
Kaiser Permanente, in partnership with schools and the Multnomah Education Service District, is offering free health insurance to grade K-6 children attending Multnomah County public schools. The insurance is free – there is no premium – but families must pay a small co-pay for office visits and prescriptions. Once enrolled, children are covered through age 19 if they remain in school.
To qualify, children must meet three main requirements:
* Attend school – Children must attend a public school in Multnomah County. Charter schools and publicly funded alternative programs also qualify.
* Grades K-6 – To enroll, children must be in grades K-6. Siblings can also be covered if they are age 3 or older (through 12th grade).
* Income – Families must earn 250 percent or less of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, this is about $4,600 per month, or $53,000 per year.
Kaiser offers the insurance as part of its community benefit program, which, among other goals, seeks to expand access to medical care for the uninsured. About 4,000 children already are covered through this no-premium plan; Kaiser and MESD want to double enrollment by the end of the year. In addition to the Kaiser insurance, the Oregon Health Plan offers low-cost health insurance to children from families that earn up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level. According to the latest census data, 107,000 Oregon children – about one in nine – lacked health insurance in 2005-07, the latest period for which data are available. For questions about the Kaiser program or the Oregon Health Plan, or to enroll, contact MESD: 503-257-1732, speterso@mesd.k12.or.us.
via ORPTI Blog
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Washington County Resource Fair
Washington County Developmental Disabilities Services presents its annual Resource Fair. This is an opportunity to folks to lear more about services available and network with agencies serving Washington County. In 2007, over 50 exhibitors and 1,000 families and individuals attended the resource fair.
WHEN: Thursday, October 16th from 11am to 4pm
WHERE: Cedar Hills Crossing Mall – 3205 SW Cedar Hills Boulevard in Beaverton
Independence Northwest will be presenting along with MENTOR and SDRI.
BROKERAGE NEWS: Independence Northwest Halfway to Capacity
Independence Northwest is proud to announce that we are currently at the halfway mark on our enrollments. We currently have 225 customer files from the local County Developmental Disabilities Programs (CDDPs). While not all of these customers are “formally” enrolled with INW, we are making contact and starting the planning process. Each customer has a Personal Agent and will begin receiving services shortly.
INW is the fastest growing brokerage in Oregon history. By June 30th, 2009, we will meet our contracted capacity with the State of Oregon Department of Human Services and will be actively serving 450 folks in the tri-county region.
BROKERAGE NEWS: The 10% Increase
This spring, the Department of Human Services announced its intention to increase (in most cases) the amount of money Customers of Support Services can receive. Starting October 1st, 2008, the majority of Brokerage Customers statewide will see a 10% increase in the amount of money they have available to them. This amount will be prorated, depending on when you plan begins. (For example, if your plan year is December through November, you will receive an increase starting in the month of October and it will prorated until your plan ends in November).
In addition, providers of support services will also have an opportunity to reconsider their current rates. The State of Oregon Department of Human Services has published a new set of rate ranges; the top level of these rates has been increased by 10% as well.
We’re in the midst of implementing the 10% change. Whether you are a customer or a provider, check out our website for updates on the process.
John O’Brien Training Opportunity
The Oregon Training Series on Direct Supports will be sponsoring an exceptional opportunity on January 30th, 2009. Acclaimed author, trainer and advocate John O’Brien will be making a rare Oregon appearance and we urge you to take advantage of this opportunity. To view the flier, click here.
John O’Brien has been in the forefront of thinking and creating precedent setting innovations that helped create full lives for people with disability labels the world over. In addition to developing many of the planning systems used internationally, training thousands of facilitators and human service workers, he is a writer with enormous insight and sensitivity. The training will bring to life John’s new book “Making A Difference, A Guidebook for Person Centered Direct Support.”
This isn’t OCDS’ only opportunity. Visit their website for a number of excellent trainings on disability over the coming months.
Thanks to Cynthia Owens.
ARTICLE: The Anti-Socialite
On the first day of Autism 2006, the Geneva Centre for Autism International Symposium at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the main event was a presentation by Tony Attwood. As the audience trickled into the 1,330-seat John Bassett Theatre, the image on the giant screen at stage centre was a tranquil expanse of ocean. A man in a suit crossed the stage to organize something on the lectern. Three women in front of me began murmuring. It was Attwood. Another woman went up to the stage and called to him. Smiling, he moved forward to greet her and then folded himself down to the stage floor, his head resting in one upturned palm as they chatted. The murmur intensified, coming from all directions. “He’s even lying down for her,” a woman whispered. Another took out her digital camera. “We’ve got to get our picture with him.” If Asperger’s syndrome has a patron saint, it is Tony Attwood. Born and educated in England, he now heads the Macgregor Specialist Centre in Brisbane, Australia; is an adjunct associate professor at Griffith University in Queensland; and is considered one of the world’s leading experts on AS. To many, Attwood literally wrote the book: The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome encompasses twenty-five-plus years of clinical experience and research. Having worked with more than 2,000 people (of all ages) with AS, he is a mentor to a generation of occupational therapists and a guru for parents. Continue Article
Source: The Walrus Magazine | Thanks to Valerie Morrow
ARTICLE: Why Won’t They Let Me Join The Army?
Since the age of six all Jamie Barkshire has wanted to do is join the army. However, the 22-year-old has seen his dreams shattered after being turned down by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for what he believes is an unfair reason. Mr Barkshire, who lives off Colman Road, Norwich, suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, a condition in which sufferers struggle with social communication, social interaction and social imagination. But Mr Barkshire is adamant his condition does not deter him from having a normal life and that he should be able to join the army. However, he was heartbroken to receive a letter in the post from the MoD saying his army application had been unsuccessful.
He said: “I have wanted to join the army all my life and I think it’s unfair and discriminatory that they won’t let me. I have been battling the army for five years to join.
I drive a motorbike and have a passport, and if I was not fit mentally, how could I have those? I want to know why they don’t think I’m mentally stable enough to join the army.” Continue article
Source: Norwich Evening News
Thanks to Valerie Morrow
ARTICLE: People With Disabilities Are Leaving Stimulus Money on the Table
The IRS reports that more than 5 million retirees, people with disabilities and disabled veterans who are eligible to receive a tax rebate under the $152 billion economic stimulus package have failed to take the steps necessary to get their checks.
Social Security recipients (including beneficiaries receiving Social Security Disability Income) and disabled veterans who earned at least $3,000 in qualified benefits, earned income, or both, may be eligible to receive an economic stimulus payment of up to $300 per person or $600 per couple.
But there is a catch. In order to receive an economic stimulus payment, eligible beneficiaries or veterans must file a 2007 income tax return, even if they are not required to file because their income is below the filing threshold. Since many low-income people with disabilities, along with retirees, have not filed a tax return in many years, they may not be aware that they are eligible to receive a stimulus payment. Most people in this situation will be able to file a Form 1040A, with only a few lines filled, in order to meet the filing requirement. This can be done up until October 15, 2008.
People with disabilities have more good news regarding the stimulus payments. Although SSI payments do not count towards the $3,000 annual income requirement for receipt of a stimulus payment, many SSI beneficiaries also receive SSDI benefits which do count. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued instructions explaining that the stimulus payments do not count as income in determining SSI eligibility and will not count as a resource for two months following the month in which they are received. (See earlier Special Needs Answers article.)
For more information on the stimulus payments and what income tax forms to file, go to www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040.
For a recent article in USA Today detailing the IRS’s efforts to reach out to seniors and veterans with disabilities, click here.
For state fact sheets on unclaimed stimulus payments, click here.
Via Academy of Special Needs Planners. Thanks to Washington County Developmental Disabilities Program for the info.
RESOURCE: Looking For Resources? Respite Providers? Check Out Disability Compass
Disability Compass provides information on services, products, and special health care resources for people with disabilities, their families and their supporters.
There’s a Respite Provider search and a comprehensive listing of agencies and individuals serving the disability community. We have partnered with Disability Compass in the first year of our operations and highly recommend this resource.
RESOURCE: Connect with Others at Disaboom
Disaboom.com was founded by Dr. J. Glen House, a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation who is also a quadriplegic. His firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and those whose lives they touch has driven the Disaboom.com mission: to create the first comprehensive, evolving source of information, insight, and personal engagement for the disability community.
Check it out here.
RESOURCE: Next Time You’re Looking for Resources, Don’t Forget to Check Out 211
People looking for help in Portland and its surrounding communities often do not know where to begin. Locating such basic resources as food, shelter, employment, or health care may mean calling dozens of phone numbers, then struggling through a maze of agencies and services to make the right connections. 211info is built on a quarter-century history of restoring dignity to people’s lives by providing comprehensive information and referral service in this region.
Check out 211 here.
RESOURCE: Carespace – A Blog and an Online Caregiver Community
Carespace.com is the first major online community for caregivers. It’s a place for caregivers to meet, develop relationships, share stories and garner support for one another. They’re in their beta testing phase right now – you should join in and check it out.
While the community site is being tested and readied, you can check out their highly regarded blog here. Below, a snippet from a recent post.
The responses to my last post illustrate some of the many takes on the word “caregiver.” I’m grateful for all of them. Intense feelings about who we care for often supercede more general ideas around “caregiving.” So much so that any talk about grouping us together sometimes seems to detract from the individual experience.
At the same time, we know that parents of children with different illness or disabilities have a lot to share by way of information and support — even though when we do go looking for others, our search usually follows along the trail of a particular medical issue.
So I’ll be direct about the challenge of building the community for Carespace. I know that Carespace must be valuable and inviting to a mom and dad with an autistic child who want contact with others just like them. I also know that they may benefit from interaction with all sorts of moms and dads. (Not to mention that they may also be caring for an elderly relative.) But the reality today is that we haven’t established the idea of a global community of “caregivers.” It’s not yet ingrained in the overall dialog. To make this concept useful, we’ll have to discover the value of links between different “caring types.” This is something most of us will have to experience before we take it for granted.
Read more here.
BROKERAGE RESOURCE: Family Support Plans/Turning 18
Are you set to turn eighteen soon?
Independence Northwest is enrolling an unprecedented number of individuals turning eighteen with an existing Family Support Plan. When you come to Independence Northwest (or any brokerage for that matter) at the age of eighteen, your experience is a bit different than other customers. Because you have an existing plan, we have to “transfer” over those services (and the people who provide them) so we can provide you with continuity of care. We have created a guide to help you understand what’s happening, when and why. Check out our guide here.
Region 1 Training Co-Op
The Region 1 DD Co-op is a consortium of metro-area service providers who have joined together to bring affordable trainings to the community at large. Classes are designed to provide affordable training to people who provide care and support to individuals with disabilites. Classes are open to the public however, member rate privilege and registration preference are extended to:
- Region 1 DD Training Co-Op member agencies’ staff and direct affiliates.
- Direct affiliates include small subcontractors of brokerages, et al.
- DD certified child foster parents.
- DD adult foster care providers.
- Family members of individuals receiving DD case management or brokerage services within Region 1.
Check out the latest trainings here. Disability Compass hosts.
The Autism Acceptance Project
The Autism Acceptance Project is dedicated to promoting acceptance of and accommodations for autistic people in society.
The Autism Acceptance Project (TAAProject) will bring forth a different and positive view about autism to the public in order to foster understanding and acceptance, and to empower parents and autistic people.
A great resource for people with autism and advocates. Visit them here.
Thanks to Dora Raymaker.
The New Wave of Autism Rights Activists
On December 1, the NYU Child Study Center came out with advertisements in the form of ransom notes. One said, “We have your son. We will make sure he will not be able to care for himself or interact socially as long as he lives. This is only the beginning.” It was signed “Autism.” Another said, “We have your son. We are destroying his ability for social interaction and driving him into a life of complete isolation. It’s up to you now,” and was signed “Asperger Syndrome.” Harold Koplewicz, director of the center, hoped the ads would propel undiagnosed children toward competent professionals. But they repelled and upset a subset of the very population they were meant to assist: people with autism-spectrum disorders.
Read more at New York magazine here.
Thanks to Dora Raymaker.