Family to Family: February 6, 2012

February 6, 2012
Inside this issue:
1) CMP Information and Education Session – Feb. 14, 11 a.m., Jackson
2) Free MSPTI Webinars - Life After High School: What Youth with Disabilities Need to Know About Higher Education – Feb. 28, 12 Noon and Mar. 5, 7 p.m.
3) Training on Issues Related to Children with Disabilities – Feb. 29, Jackson
4) Strategies for Success Live Q & A Webinar: Using Technology to Communicate with Your Child with a Developmental Disability (Part 2) – Feb. 14, 1 p.m., CST
5) Article from Disability Scoop - Perks May Soon Be Public Knowledge
6) Think College Island

1) CMP Information and Education Session – Feb. 14, 11 a.m., Jackson
The Children’s Medical Program of the Mississippi State Department of Health will host a free information and education session on Feb. 14, at 11 a.m. in the MSDH Resource Library in Suite 480 at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 Woodrow Wilson Avenue. This “Did You Know Feature . . . MSDH Agency Resources” session will focus on the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program (EHDI). Parents will learn about hearing screening and related resources to assist children with hearing loss. Speakers will be Eunice Short, EHDI director, and Holly Crowder, hearing resource consultant. For more information or to RSVP, contact CMP’s social work staff at 1.888.844.0898 or Stephanie Ivey at 601.987.3965.
2)Free MSPTI Webinars - Life After High School: What Youth with Disabilities Need to Know About Higher Education – Feb. 28, 12 Noon and Mar. 5, 7 p.m.
The Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI) will host Life After High School: What Youth with Disabilities Need to Know About Higher Education on Feb. 28, at 12 noon and again on Mar. 5 at 7 p.m. Dr. Jerry Alliston, coordinator for community inclusion and volunteer service at the Institute for Disability Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi, will be the presenter. The webinar will address the transition from high school to higher education, an exciting and often overwhelming time for families, especially for youth with disabilities. The presentation will focus on preparing for this transition, understanding the differences between disability-related services in high school versus college, and using available resources to assist with this transition. For more information, visit http://www.mspti.org/ or call 1.800.721.7255.
3) Training on Issues Related to Children with Disabilities – Feb. 29, Jackson
“Take Action for Positive Outcomes,” a free one-day training on issues related to children with disabilities, will be held on Wed., Feb. 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the Community Room at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 West Woodrow Wilson in Jackson. This training is for parents and professionals working with children with disabilities in all settings. Topics will include basic rights, Pact C to Part B, medical home, sibling support, oral health and more. A free lunch is included. The training is sponsored by The Arc of Mississippi, LIFE of Mississippi, the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MS PTI), the Family to Family Health Information and Education Center, and Circle of Hope. For more information or to register contact, Augusta Smith at LIFE of MS at ausmith_jam1@comcast.net or 1.800.748.9398 or Gwen Brown or Hollia Thompson at The Arc of MS at gwen@arcms.org or hollia@arcms.org or 1.800.717.1180.
4) Strategies for Success Live Q & A Webinar: Using Technology to Communicate with Your Child with a Developmental Disability (Part 2) – Feb. 14, 1 p.m. CST
A continuation of part 1, Using Technology is a free, live question and answer webinar with parents sharing their success stories of how communication programs and technology such as the iPhone and iPad have helped them communicate with their non-verbal children. Recommended steps include listening to the prerecorded Part 1 webinar:
http://connect.epilepsyfoundation.org/p32641212/ . This does not require registration. You must register for the live part 2 segment scheduled for 1 p.m. CST on Feb. 14:
http://ncpawebinar2.eventbrite.com/ . This webinar is hosted by the National Center for Project Access of the Epilepsy Foundation and is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
5) Article from Disability Scoop - Perks May Soon Be Public Knowledge
Pharmaceutical companies often provide doctors with perks such as speaking engagements or travel. The federal government is seeking to make these transactions known to the public. Read more about this at http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2012/01/17/doctor-perks-public-knowledge/14789/ .
6) Think College Island
Think College Island is a new resource from Think College to help middle school students start thinking about planning for college. Interactive “islands” are set up for students to learn, prepare and just consider going to college. http://www.thinkcollege.net/think-college-island