Institute for Disability Studies
Family Health Notes
March 2014
Inside this issue:
1) Sonbeams Karaoke Night – Mar. 7, Ridgeland
2) Monroe County Resource Fair – Mar. 22, Becker
3) Parent’s Resource Guide to Social and Emotional Learning
4) Clarification on Autism Tracking Devices
5) Disability Advocacy Through Media Training Course
6) New Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Webpage
7) Two New IDEA Part C Training Modules
8) Tips for Students Needing Testing Accommodations on Standardized Tests Like SAT or GRE
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1) Sonbeams Karaoke Night – Mar. 7, Ridgeland
Get ready to sing some fun tunes at Sonbeams Night Out karaoke event on Fri., Mar. 7, from 6:30 until 9 p.m. at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church at 750 South Pear Orchard Road in Ridgeland. Sonbeams Night Out is a ministry that provides respite care for parents of special needs children as well as their siblings. Sonbeams also welcomes adults with special needs. To reserve a spot, please RSVP by Mon., Mar. 3, to Martie Kwasny at 601.919.8605.
2) Monroe County Resource Fair – Mar. 22, Becker
Need more resources for a family member or friend with a disability? A Monroe County Resource Fair will be held Sat., Mar. 22, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Advanced Learning Center on Highway 25 South in Becker. Some of the many participants include The Arc of Northeast Mississippi, Parents for Public Schools, the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, the Social Security Administration, Brandi’s Hope and the WIN Job Center. For additional information, call Bill Elam at 662.640.8247.
3) Parent’s Resource Guide to Social and Emotional Learning
Edutopia has published an online curated list of resources for parents and caregivers about fostering kindness, empathy, resilience, perseverance and focus in children. For more information, visit http://www.edutopia.org/SEL-parents-resources.
4) Clarification on Autism Tracking Devices
Federal officials are now offering details to families about how they can apply for new autism tracking devices. Police departments nationwide will be able to make the tracking devices available to the families of children in their communities who are at risk of wandering. Funds are available to police through the Justice Department’s Byrne grant program. For more information, read a Disability Scoop article at http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/02/06/feds-clarify-tracking-devices/19085/.
5) Disability Advocacy Through Media Training Course
This online course introduces advocates to using traditional and online media advocacy techniques to build awareness of disability issues. The course covers the use of social media, videos, websites and blogs. It includes e-lectures, self-teaching assignments and online readings and resources. The course is a collaborative project between the College of Fine Arts and Communication and the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism at Towson University in Towson, Maryland. To learn more about the course, which was designed to be used and shared, visit http://disabilitymediaadvocacy.wordpress.com/.
6) New Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships Webpage
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children & Families (ACF) recently launched a new webpage on the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, an initiative to support states and communities in expanding high quality early learning to infants and toddlers through partnerships between Early Head Start and child care. Through this initiative, Early Head Start grantees will partner with center-based and family child care providers who agree to meet Early Head Start Program Performance Standards and provide comprehensive, full-day, full year high-quality services to infants and toddlers from low-income families. For more information, visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ecd/early-head-start-child-care-partnerships.
7) Two New IDEA Part C Training Modules
The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) has released two new training modules, both of which look at what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C regulations require in terms of transition planning and activities that must occur as toddlers in early intervention approach their third birthday. The new modules are part of NICHCY's Building the Legacy for Our Youngest Children Training Curriculum, which is being developed at the request of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education. The new modules include Module 8: The Transition Process and Lead Agency Notification and Model 9: Development of the Transition Plan. For more information, visit http://nichcy.org/laws/idea/legacy/partc.
8) Tips for Students Needing Testing Accommodations on Standardized Tests Like SAT or GRE
High school students with learning disabilities can be challenged by standardized tests, but individualized accommodations are available. To be eligible for accommodations, students have to demonstrate how their disability affects their test taking and how accommodations will help. For more information, visit an informative Huffington Post article at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joie-jagerhyman/receiving-testing-accommo_b_4740601.html.
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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 www.usm/edu/ids or call 1.888.671.0051 (TTY). To make a tax-deductible gift to IDS, visit www.usm.edu/ids/supportus.html.
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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