New Lease on Life:
Coming to IDS as a social work intern I did not know what to expect. I was a little nervous and a bit uncomfortable because I have no experience in working with individuals with disabilities. Sure, I have been around those with disabilities in high school during a brief moment in class change, but I have never had that one on one interaction. My mindset was completely limited because I had never had the opportunity nor took the opportunity to get to know this particular population. There is truly a story behind every one's personal journey and it is rewarding to get to know those different from myself. I am learning new things everyday and I am not sure that I will ever know all that there is to know but I am more open. It's amazing how you can meet a total stranger for such a short period of time and they have this life-long impact on your life. I am so much more grateful and appreciative of the life that I have been blessed with. There are so many times in which we take the smallest things for granted when there are those in tougher situations. It is a blessing as well as a lesson to see those with disabilities who are happy just the way God created them because a lot of times, those who are "NORMAL" are whining over the petty things. I have learned that although we do not and will not always understand those different from us, we should still respect and accept them just the way they are.....no questions asked!
Sophia Jordan
BSW Student Intern
September 4, 2012
Inside this issue:
1) Mississippi CAN Beneficiary and Provider Workshops – Sept. 4 – Oct. 2
2) LIFE-MACE Gulf Coast Wheelchair Softball Clinic – Gulfport, Sept. 8
3) Resource for Tracking Health Care Reform Developments
4) SSI Compassionate Allowances List Is Expanding
5) Prepare for Medical Visits with This Resource
6) Preparing for Transition to Adulthood with Baby Steps
1) Mississippi CAN Beneficiary and Provider Workshops – Sept. 4 – Oct. 2
The Division of Medicaid, Coordinated Care, in conjunction with Magnolia Health Plan and UnitedHealthcare, will conduct separate Mississippi CAN workshops for both Medicaid beneficiaries and providers. Beneficiary workshops will begin Sept. 4 and will be held in 28 cities. Access a meeting schedule online at http://www.magnoliahealthplan.com/files/2012/08/Member-Workshop-Flyer.pdf.
Provider workshops will begin Sept. 5, and will be held in 12 locations. A meeting schedule is available online at http://www.magnoliahealthplan.com/files/2011/04/Provider-Flyer-final-completed-8-1-12-new-format.pdf.
2) LIFE-MACE Gulf Coast Wheelchair Softball Clinic – Gulfport, Sept. 8
Want to play wheelchair softball? Head to the Barksdale Pavilion of Jones Park in Gulfport at 805 20th Ave. (on the beach at the intersection of Highway 90 and Highway 49) from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sport wheelchairs will be provided along with lunch and refreshments. For more information, call Cindy Singletary at LIFE at 228.388.2401.
3) Resource for Tracking Health Care Reform Developments
Want to know the latest on Health Care Reform in your state? Health Care Reform Weekly is produced by KidsWell, a state and national advocacy and organizing campaign to ensure successful implementation of health care reform on behalf of children. The goal of the KidsWell campaign is to sustain a multi-tiered, highly coordinated network of national, state and local partners working collectively to represent the perspectives of children. This website, designed specifically to support child health advocates, serves as a tracking tool and central repository of state and federal health care reform implementation information. Visit the KidsWell site at http://www.kidswellcampaign.org/ and Health Care Reform Weekly at http://www.kidswellcampaign.org/Weekly-Update.
4) SSI Compassionate Allowances List Is Expanding
On August 13, the Social Security Administration expanded the list of conditions that qualify for Compassionate Allowances (CAL). CALs are a way to quickly identify conditions that meet disability standards. This can speed up the process for receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to help support a child or other family member with one of these conditions. Find the list of CAL conditions at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm.
5) Prepare for Medical Visits with This Resource
Communication builds good relationships with doctors and other health care providers, and asking questions is an important way to participate in your own or your child’s health care. It can be a challenge to remember your questions when you’re in the office. One resource, the Question Builder tool from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, can help parents choose some common questions, prioritize them, and print them out to help you remember. For this resource, go to http://www.ahrq.gov/questions/qb/.
6) Preparing for Transition to Adulthood with Baby Steps
“Preparing our kids to become adult patients doesn’t have to be complicated,” said parent Cristin Lind in the summer issue of Newsline, a quarterly publication of the Federation for Children with Special Needs in Boston, Massachusetts. Lind’s article, “Preparing for Transition to Adulthood with Baby Steps (that Become Huge Milestones)! It Starts with YOU!,” details how she decided to begin preparing her children for medical transition to adulthood. Lind is a family leader with Mass Family Voices, a project of the Federation for Children with Special Needs. To see a copy of the summer issue of Newsline with Lind’s story on page 7, go to http://fcsn.org/newsline/v33n1/summer2012.pdf.
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