May 2, 2011
May 2, 2011
Inside this issue:
1) Disability Partners Community Forums—May 3, 5, 11
2) OPERATION P.R.O.P. (People Reaching Outrageous Potential)—May 7
3) Connect 1 Summit Scheduled for May 12-13
4) Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference—May 25-27
5) Training Opportunities Available
6) Family Voices Resources and Publications
1) Disability Partners Community Forums—May 3, 5, 11
People with disabilities and their families are invited to share their needs, thoughts and opinions on any issues at three community forums scheduled for May. The forums will be held in Tupelo, May 3, at 3:30 p.m. at the Lee-Itawamba County Library at 219 North Madison Street; Vicksburg, May 5, at 4 p.m. at the Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library at 700 Veto Street; and Pascagoula, May 11, at 4 p.m. at the Pascagoula Senior Citizen Center at 1912 Live Oak Avenue. The forums are sponsored by Disability Rights Mississippi, the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, and the Institute for Disability Studies. Sign language interpreters will be present at each event. For more information, transportation assistance or an accommodation request, call 1.800.772.4057.
2) OPERATION P.R.O.P. (People Reaching Outrageous Potential)—May 7
OPERATION P.R.O.P. (People Reaching Outrageous Potential) will be a day of awareness and opportunities for individuals with disabilities and others to be exposed to the wonders and possibilities of flying, sky diving, gliding, and hot air ballooning on Saturday, May 7, beginning at 10 a.m. at the John Bell Williams Airport in Raymond. Admission is free for this special day sponsored by the Arc of Mississippi. For more information, call the Arc at 1.800.717.1180 or visit www.operationprop.com.
3) Connect 1 Summit Scheduled for May 12-13
The fourth annual Connect 1 Disability Disaster Preparedness Summit will be held on May 12-13, at the Jackson Convention Complex in Jackson. Hosted by the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service, the summit raises awareness of the needs of the disability community during emergencies or disasters and helps prepare emergency responders and other relief workers to accommodate those needs. Registration is free, but space is limited. Registration forms and more information about the offered workshops are available at www.mcvs.org. For additional information on the summit, call MCVS Program Inclusion Specialist Sadelle Sweet at 601.432.6377.
4) Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference—May 25-27
“Public Health in the 21st Century: Optimism in the Midst of Challenges,” is the theme of the fifth Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference scheduled for May 25-27 at the Hilton Hotel in Jackson. The conference is open to the public and includes workshops focused on issues faced by healthcare professionals, school personnel and community and faith-based organizations whose goal is to address the health issues of Mississippians as a whole. The purpose of the conference is to empower attendees with knowledge, resources and tools. To register online or for information, visit this Web site http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/23,10932,221.html or call Paige Haven at 601-933-9199.
5) Training Opportunities Available
Training opportunities are listed on the Institute for Disability Studies Calendar of Events. Several youth, young adult and parent training opportunities are listed for May and throughout the summer. Training is available at the local, state, regional and national level as well as through Webinar and teleconference formats. For information about trainings, please visit http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/index.php.
6) Family Voices Resources and Publications
Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs or disabilities. Through their national network, Family Voices provides families with the tools to make informed decision, advocate for improved public and private policies, build partnerships among professionals and families, and serves as a trusted resource on health care. The Family Voices Web site offers a wealth of resources and publications to families of children and youth with special health care needs. Go to www.familyvoices.org to discover some of the tools, publications and information available to families at no cost.