Institute for Disability Studies
Family Health Notes
January 2016
Inside this issue:
1) Update—Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace
2) Call for Presentations for 2016 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference (Deadline: January 15, 2016)
3) Autism Parent Support Group Meeting – Jan. 16, Jackson
4) IEP Training
5) Sickle Cell Support Groups
6) New American Academy of Pediatrics Report: IDEA for Children with Special Education Needs
7) Video Advice for Families on Health Care for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
8) Newly Released Online Book on Self-Determined Living
9) January is Blood Donor Month
_______________________________________________________________
1) Update—Open Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace
Open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace will go through January 31, 2016. Here are upcoming important dates to remember:
· January 15, 2016 – 2016 coverage starts for those who enrolled or changed plans before December 15, 2015.
· January 31, 2016 – 2016 open enrollment ends. Enrollment or changes between January 16 and January 31 take effect March 1, 2016.
Remember, if you don’t enroll in a 2016 health insurance plan by January 31, 2016, you can’t enroll in a health insurance plan for 2016 unless you qualify for a special enrollment period. Mississippi does not have a state portal, so residents must use the federal portal. There are several ways to get your health insurance coverage:
· Are you a first time enrollee? You can get coverage through the following link: https://www.healthcare.gov/get-coverage/.
· Do you have a 2015 plan? Log in to update your application, compare and renew, or change for 2016 at this link: https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/global/en_US/registration.
· Would you like help in person? You can find a trained provider in your community to assist you: https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/.
For more information about the Health Care Marketplace, contact Mississippi Family 2 Family at 601.432.6929 or ksmith@ihl.state.ms.us.
2) Call for Presentations for 2016 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference (Deadline: January 15, 2016)
The Mississippi disAbility MegaConference is soliciting presentations on all topics important to people with disabilities and their families. Presentations on the following topics are needed: advocacy, assistive technology, direct support services, education/early intervention, employment, housing, health care, recreation, or transportation. Other topics will be considered. Proposals from presenters with disabilities are encouraged. To submit a presentation idea, please email Charles Hughes for a form at Charles.Hughes@dmh.state.ms.us.
3) Autism Parent Support Group Meeting – Jan. 16, Jackson
The Autism Parent Support Group will meet on Sat., Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. in the Douglas Meeting Room of the Eudora Welty Library at 300 North State Street in Jackson. The February meeting is scheduled for Sat., Feb. 20, at the same time and place.
4) IEP Training
The Mississippi Department of Education Office of Special Education is presenting a series of informational sessions for families of students with disabilities. You can join in a training session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at a session near you. Upcoming locations:
· January 21 - MSU, Kahlmus Auditorium, 1000 Hwy 19 N, Meridian
· March 1 - Harrison County School District Central Office, 11072 Hwy 49, Gulfport
For more information, contact the Office of Special Education at 1.877.544.0408 or at http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OSE.
5) Sickle Cell Support Groups
The Jackson-area Sickle Cell support group for parents and patients meets the first Saturday of every month at 11 a.m. in the common area at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 West Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson. The Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation (MSCF) encourages and engages patient and parent support groups across the state. Currently, there are three well-established support groups with the commitment for more to come in the future. For more information about a support group near your familt, contact Jeanne Julious-Tate in Jackson at 601.953.0310, Catherine Freeman in Hattiesburg at 601.818.0003 or Margaret Yates in Macon at 662.361.3723.
6) New American Academy of Pediatrics Report: IDEA for Children with Special Education Needs
An estimated 15% of children in the United States have a disability. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) entitles children with disabilities—from infancy to young adulthood—to a free appropriate public education through early intervention (EI) and special education services. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently published a report with resources that helps pediatric health care providers, in partnership with families, ensure that every child in need receives the EI and special education services to which he or she is entitled. For more information and to download a copy of the report, visit http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/6/e1650.
7) Video Advice for Families on Health Care for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Launched by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center as an online resource for health care providers to better serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), this no-cost video training series of eight modules encourages families and caregivers to ask questions and provide information to health care providers about conditions, behaviors and other factors that can impact behaviors. Creating a partnership that will help a doctor better identify appropriate treatment can make a powerful difference. For more information, visit http://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/notables/2015/12/health-care-for-adults-with-intellectual-disabilities-video-advice-for-families/.
8) Newly Released Online Book on Self-Determined Living
The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) has released a free, online book on self-determined living. The Art of Impact: A Handbook for Self-Determined Living by Scott Michael Robertson, PhD is both an e-book and website for the beginning or experienced advocate who wants to be on a journey. For more information and to read the book, visit http://www.startyourjourney.org/.
9) January is Blood Donor Month
During National Blood Donor Month, roll up your sleeves to give blood and to help maintain a sufficient blood supply for patients. Contact your local blood donation center for additional information.
***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in Family Health Notes, please make sure the entire link is highlighted. If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your Web browser.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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).
***********************************
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE
***********************************
TO SUBSCRIBE
If this mailing was forwarded to you and you are not already subscribed to Family Health Notes, here’s how you can become a subscriber:
Sign up online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/familyhealthnotes
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
Unsubscribe online at https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/familyhealthnotes and login with your email address and your password. If you do not have a password (they are emailed to members at the beginning of every month), contact one of the administrators listed below.
****************************************
Please visit the IDS Calendar of Events at http://www.usm.edu/ids/calevents/.
Questions may be addressed to
OR
_______________________________________________
Family Health Notes mailing list
https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/familyhealthnotes