Institute for Disability Studies
Family Health Notes
August 2015
Inside this issue:
1) Hearings Scheduled Statewide on School Funding Initiatives – August and September
2) Webinar - Medical Home: Primary Health Care We All Deserve – September 2, 12 p.m.
3) Medical Home Provides Partnership for Families
4) About Autism in Toddlers – Free Online Tool
5) Parent Checklist to Help Ensure that Children Thrive at School
6) Talk, Read, Sing Together Every Day! Toolkit
7) August is National Eye Exam Month and National Immunization Awareness Month
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1) Hearings Scheduled Statewide on School Funding Initiatives – August and September
Mississippians can express their opinions about proposed school funding initiatives during a series of public hearings in late summer. The hearings, announced by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, will run through Sept. 8. The initiatives will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Initiative 42 would require lawmakers to fund “an adequate and efficient system of free public schools.” Initiative 42-A says lawmakers must fund “an effective system of free public schools.”
The hearings, each starting at 5:30 p.m., will be held:
» Aug. 13 at the Gale Center in Hernando
» Aug. 17 at the Link Centre in Tupelo
» Aug. 20 at Temple Theater in Meridian
» Aug. 27 at Delta State University’s Bologna Performing Arts Center in Cleveland
» Sept. 1 at the Jackie Dole Sherrill Community Center in Hattiesburg
» Sept. 3 at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Biloxi
» Sept. 8 at the Mississippi School for the Arts auditorium in Brookhaven
For more information, visit http://www.sos.ms.gov/About/Pages/Press-Release.aspx?pr=610.
2) Webinar - Medical Home: Primary Health Care We All Deserve – September 2, 12 p.m.
This presentation is an overview of what a medical home is and why, as a parent of a child/youth with a special health care need, you should advocate to implement it as standard care. This presentation will also cover the origins and evolution of the medical home model, talking to your primary care manager (PCM), what should be offered and the positive outcomes to having a medical home. Shawn Smith, parent consultant for the Mississippi Family to Family Health and Information Center (MS F2F) at The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies, is the presenter for this webinar which is co-sponsored with the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI). To register, go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7227743407768780290.
3) Medical Home Provides Partnership for Families
The family-centered partnership is the cornerstone to medical home; it is the trusting, collaborative, working partnership between providers and families, respecting diversity and recognizing that families are the constant in a child’s life. Want to learn more about establishing a medical home for your family? For more information, visit http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/for_families/partner_with_physician.aspx. In Mississippi, email Shawn Smith with Mississippi’s Family to Family Health Information and Education Center (MS F2F) at ksmith@ihl.state.ms.us.
4) About Autism in Toddlers – Free Online Tool
A new online tool, About Autism in Toddlers, is now available free of charge for parents and professionals interested in learning how to recognize the early signs of autism spectrum disorder in very young children. The tool includes videos on the core features of autism and information on the importance of early identification. This is the first in a series of free online tools being developed as part of Autism Navigator, a collection of resources created by the Autism Institute at Florida State University College of Medicine. Additional free resources and tools will be available in coming months. For more information, to watch a preview (3:21 minutes) or to register, visit http://autismnavigator.com/resources-and-tools/#about.
5) Parent Checklist to Help Ensure that Children Thrive at School
A new parent checklist includes key questions, tips, and resources that parents and caregivers can use to help ensure that their children are getting the education they deserve. It was developed by the U.S. Department of Education in collaboration with America Achieves, National Council of La Raza, National PTA, and the United Negro College Fund. A blog in English and Spanish provides more information. The checklist follows the recent release of the Set of Rights from the Department outlining what families should be able to expect for their children's education - from access to quality preschool to an affordable, quality college degree. For a copy of the six-page checklist, visit http://www2.ed.gov/documents/family-community/parent-checklist.pdf. Visit the English blog at http://www.ed.gov/blog/ and the Spanish blog at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2015/07/una-nueva-guia-para-padres-habilita-la-participacion-de-las-familias-en-la-educacion/. The Set of Rights is available at http://www.ed.gov/blog/2015/06/the-critical-voice-of-parents-in-education-2/.
6) Talk, Read, Sing Together Every Day! Toolkit
The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education, in partnership with Too Small to Fail, are providing these critical resources to families, caregivers, and early learning providers. Talk, Read, Sing Together Every Day is a free suite of resources that can help enrich children’s early language experiences by providing tips for talking, reading and singing with young children every day beginning from birth and extending into the early years. To view the blog, visit http://toosmall.org/blog/engaging-families-and-communities-to-bridge-the-word-gap#skip_intro. For resources, visit http://toosmall.org/community/resources#Guides.
7) August is National Eye Exam Month and National Immunization Awareness Month
Set up an eye exam. It’s important to make sure that your eyes and your families eyes are in good condition. The Vision Council of America notes that 12.2 million Americans require some sort of vision correction but don’t use any. Nearly 50% of parents with children under 12 have never taken their children to an eye care professional. Five reasons why they should have an eye examination:
1. Save a headache - Unexplained headaches could be a sign that you need glasses or a new prescription
2. Perform well in school - One out of every four children has vison problems. A common reason children fall behind in school is poor, undetected vision.
3. Determine prescription - Your eyes change over time. An optometrist can determine if you need eyeglasses or contact lenses, or if you need a stronger prescription to reduce eyestrain and help you see better.
4. Detect eye conditions - With an eye exam, an optometrist can spot the early signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, glaucoma and high cholesterol.
5. Prevent conditions - Many serious eye diseases often have no systems. An eye exam can help detect the early signs of diseases, such as macular degeneration or cataracts. Early detection is key to prevent serious damage.
Immunization helps prevent dangerous and sometimes deadly diseases. Talk to your doctor or nurse to make sure that everyone in your family gets the shots they need to stay protected against serious illnesses like the flu, measles and pneumonia. Adults need to get their shots—just like kids do.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Family Health Notes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Family Health Notes is sponsored by the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) at The University of Southern Mississippi. IDS provides university training, community service activities, research and information that promote the independence, productivity, and community inclusion of individuals with disabilities and their families. For more information about IDS, visit http://www.usm.edu/disability-studies or call 1.888.671.0051 (TTY). To make a tax-deductible gift to IDS, visit http://www.usm.edu/disability-studies/support-ids.
The Family-to-Family Health Information and Education Center (F2F) is a family-focused, family managed resource center that empowers families of Mississippi children with special health care needs to be partners in the decisions made concerning the health of their children. F2F is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (GR#H84MC07948).
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