October 3, 2011
October 3, 2011
Inside this issue:
1) IDS Priority Areas 2011 Short Survey
2) CDC Survey: Flu Prevention and Treatment for Families of CYSHCN
3) STEP UP National Mentoring Day Celebration – Oct. 19, Hattiesburg
4) October Developmental Screening Awareness Events
5) New Resource Informs Parents and Public about Newborn Screening
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) CDC Survey: Flu Prevention and Treatment for Families of CYSHCN
Family Voices is partnering with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in a campaign to learn from families of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) about their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs related to influenza prevention and treatment. Please take time to complete a brief survey (about 15 minutes). To access the survey in English, please visit http://www.orau.gov/caregiver-flu-survey/ . To access the survey in Spanish, please visit http://www.orau.gov/caregiver-flu-survey/Spanish-Version/ .
3) National Mentoring Day Celebration – Oct. 19, Hattiesburg
STEP UP, the Youth and Young Adult Subcommittee of the Community Partnership Advisory Council for the Institute for Disability Studies, is sponsoring a National Disability Mentoring Day Celebration on Wed., Oct. 19, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Optimist Park Community Center at 345 Hegwood Road in Hattiesburg. Nicole Marquez will be the guest motivational speaker. Nicole is a Southern Miss graduate who was dancing professionally in New York when she fell and was never expected to walk or dance again. Replies are required. For more information or to RSVP, contact Cookie Smith, LMSW at terri.smith@usm.edu or 601.266.5163.
4) October Developmental Screening Awareness Events
Early and continuous childhood screenings are vital in the identification of infants and young children with developmental disorders in the Medical Home. Early identification of developmental concerns, along with appropriate referrals, strives to improve developmental outcomes. To learn more about early and continuous childhood screenings in October, visit www.usm.edu/ids/mics .
5)New Resource Informs Parents and Public about Newborn Screening
The Genetic Alliance recently launched BabysFirstTest.org to increase the awareness and knowledge of newborn screening and better inform the decision-making process of newborn screening stakeholders, including new parents and healthcare providers across the country. Newborn screening has been available for nearly four decades, but many parents are unaware of the specific conditions for which babies receive screening in their state, how screening takes place and who to contact for more information. Baby’s First Test will serve as a comprehensive guide for many aspects of newborn screening. For more information, visit http://www.babysfirsttest.org/.