January 6, 2012
January 6, 2012
Inside this issue:
1) LIFE-MACE Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Clinic - Jan. 21, Biloxi
2) Training on Issues Related to Children with Disabilities – Feb. 29, Jackson
3) Fostering Self-Determination Among Children and Youth with Disabilities – Ideas from Parents to Parents
4) Community Accessibility App
5) TSA Launches Toll Free Number for Air Travelers with Disabilities
6) Atlanta News Segment Shows How Medical Home Changes Lives
1) LIFE-MACE Indoor Wheelchair Tennis Clinic – Jan. 21, Biloxi
Make plans for a fun Saturday of wheelchair tennis out of the cold weather on Jan. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army/Ray and Joan Kroc Community Center at 575 Division Street in Biloxi. Wheelchairs and racquets will be provided. This clinic is sponsored by Living Independence for Everyone (LIFE) of Mississippi, Metro Area Community Empowerment (MACE), and the Technology Learning Center (TLC) of the Institute for Disability Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi. For more information, call Cindy Singletary at the LIFE Gulf Coast office at 228.388.2401.
2) 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.
3) Fostering Self-Determination Among Children and Youth with Disabilities – Ideas from Parents to Parents
This guide provides strategies for parents to promote self-determining behavior in children and youth with disabilities, based on a survey project in Wisconsin of parents of children with intellectual disabilities or autism. Over 700 participating parents shared their views on the importance of self-determination skills for their children and strategies they use to promote these skills. http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/naturalsupports/pdfs/FosteringSelfDetermination.pdf
4) Community Accessibility App
Make your community more accessible. The software called “Access Together” is a Foursquare-style app that allows users to check-in from various locations and answer simple questions about accessibility. The crowd-sourced information is then publicly searchable. Currently, Access Together is an early-stage application that’s available as a mobile Web site compatible with iPhone, Android and Blackberry devices. The software includes a database of locations across the country available for individuals to rate based on accessibility. To learn more, visit the Web site at http://www.accesstogether.org/.
5) TSA Launches Toll Free Number for Air Travelers with Disabilities
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a new helpline number for air travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. You can call TSA Cares toll free at 1.855.787.2227 before you travel for answers to questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA recommends that passengers call about 72 hours before traveling so that when needed, TSA Cares can coordinate checkpoint support with a TSA Customer Service Manager at the airport.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/disabilityandmedicalneeds/tsa_cares.shtm
6) Atlanta News Segment Shows How Medical Home Changes Lives
This local Atlanta TV news feature looks at how the medical home concept is transforming the life of a patient willing to take control of her health care. It focuses on a program based at Atlanta's Piedmont Hospital that includes a nurse care coordinator and virtual access. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/health/fox-medical-team-the-medical-home-20111221-es