November 7, 2011

November 7, 2011
Inside this issue:
1) IDS Priority Areas 2011 Short Survey
2) F2F Statewide Advisory Committee Meeting – Jackson, Nov. 9
3) November Transition Awareness Events
4) Family Matters in Every Way! A Free Training for Parents and Professionals – Long Beach, Dec. 3

1) IDS Priority Areas 2011 Short Survey
The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) is developing a five-year plan and needs your opinions. Please help IDS learn which areas of emphasis relating to disabilities are important to you. This will help determine vital program focus areas. Take five minutes to complete the short survey at www.usm.edu/ids. Click on the button: "What is important to you?"
2) F2F Statewide Advisory Committee Meeting – Jackson, Nov. 9
The Family to Family Health Information and Education Center (F2F) is a family-focused, family-managed resource center that encourages families of Mississippi’s children with special health care needs to be partners in the decisions made concerning the health of their children. The F2F Statewide Advisory Committee, made up of family members and health care providers, was established to provide direction for the development of project activities, training goals, and policies and procedures. The F2F Statewide Advisory Committee will meet Wed., Nov. 9, at 10 a.m. in the Resource Library at the Jackson Medical Mall. For more information about the F2F Statewide Advisory Committee, call Jackie Washington, F2F Parent Coordinator, at 1-888-313-1718.
3) November Transition Awareness Events
The transition to adult health care is an important time for youth with special health care needs.  Through good communication between youth and their families and their pediatricians, this transition can be a smooth one.  To learn about health care transition resources, go to http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/for_families/  or contact Dr. Jerry R. Alliston, Transition Specialist for the MICS program at 1.601.266.5979 or jerry.alliston@usm.edu. 
4) Family Matters in Every Way! A Free Training for Parents and Professionals – Long Beach, Dec. 3
A free, one-day training, Family Matters in Every Way!, will be held Dec. 3, at the Technology Learning Center on the Gulf Park campus of The University of Southern Mississippi at 730 East Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Sponsored by the Family to Family Health Information and Resource Center (F2F), the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) and the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI), the training will address basic rights, disaster preparedness, healthy relationships and transition. For more information or to register for the training, contact Cookie Smith, LMSW, F2F Project Manager, at terri.smith@usm.edu or toll free at 1-888-671-0051.