Institute for Disability Studies
Family Health Notes
June 2015
Inside this issue:
1) 2015 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference – June 18-19, Jackson
2) Developmental Screening Days – June 9, Hernando and Meridian
3) IDS Gulf Park Adventure Therapy Program – June and July, Long Beach
4) Webinar: Resilience, Coffee, and Community: How Parents Advocate for CSHCNs – June 17
5) Fact Sheet on Health Essentials
6) Celebrate World Sickle Cell Awareness Day – June 19
7) Hearings Scheduled Statewide on School Funding Initiatives – August and September
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1) 2015 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference – June 18-19, Jackson
The 25th year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the focus of the 4th annual Mississippi disAbility MegaConference scheduled for June 18 and 19, at the Marriott Downtown in Jackson. The MegaConference provides world-class speakers, interactive workshops with a Mississippi focus and exhibits of products and services. There is an annual awards luncheon and a fun evening gala. On Wednesday evening, June 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., MegaConference attendees and their families will have the opportunity to take part in Dream Night at the Jackson Zoo. For more information and to register, visit http://msmegaconference.org/.
2) Developmental Screening Days – June 9, Hernando and Meridian
The early years of a child’s development are crucial. If you or your child’s physician, child care provider or pre-K teacher has concerns about your child’s development, plan to attend these free developmental screening events. A screening will be held on June 9, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Hernando at the First Regional Library at 370 West Commerce Street. A screening day will also be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Meridian at Meridian Community College in room 135 B of the Reed Building 910 Highway 19 North. Please call in advance to register for these screenings sponsored by the Early Years Network. For more information or to register, call Shelley Ezelle, MS, at 601.432.6179. For more information about Early Years Network, visit http://earlyyearsnetwork.msucares.com/.
3) IDS Gulf Park Adventure Therapy Program – June and July, Long Beach
In June and July, the Institute for Disability Studies Gulf Park Campus and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are partnering to bring the Mississippi Gulf Coast an Adventure Therapy Program unlike any other. Included in the program are low ropes courses (low off the ground team building activities), high ropes courses (high up, requiring a harness), and kayaking (using a canoe-like boat over water). The program targets people with developmental disabilities who are 12-years-old and up and who complete a participation application. For more information or to register, contact IDS Gulf Park at 228.214.3400, email william.t.edwards@usm.edu or visit https://www.usm.edu/sites/default/files/groups/institute-disability-studies/pdf/44164-ids-adventure-therapy-fly.pdf.
4) Webinar: Resilience, Coffee, and Community: How Parents Advocate for CSHCNs – June 17
Family Voices of California is hosting a free webinar, “Resilience, Coffee, and Community: How Parents Advocate for Children with Special Needs,” on June 17, at 2 p.m. CDT. In this interactive lecture and discussion, Sarah Taylor, MSW, PhD, will share insights from her personal journey in advocating for her 8-year-old superkid with fragile x syndrome. She’ll also share the experiences of 300 parents who participated in the study about how they advocate for their own children and others. To register, visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8348943998021425410.
5) Fact Sheet on Health Essentials
This new fact sheet from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) provides suggestions for ways Title V programs can help improve the Essential Health Benefits for maternal and child health populations, including children and youth with special health care needs. Title V is the oldest federal-state partnership grant program and has provided a foundation for ensuring the health of the nation’s mothers, women, children and youth, including children and youth with special health care needs and their families, for over 75 years. For a copy of the fact sheet, visit http://www.amchp.org/Transformation-Station/Documents/AMCHP%20EHB%20fact%20sheet%20May%202015.pdf.
6) World Sickle Cell Awareness Day – June 19
June 19 is World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most frequent genetic disease worldwide. It is present on four continents. It is estimated that 500,000 babies are born every year with this severe condition and that 50% of them will die before they reach five years of age. SCD is trans-ethnic as well trans-continental, affecting black populations of African origin and Arabic, Indian and Caucasian populations from southern Europe. To learn more about SCD, visit http://www.mssicklecellfoundation.org/ or http://www.curesicklecell.org/.
7) 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 to be held in late summer. The hearings, announced by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, will run from Aug. 11 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. 11 at the Jackson State University e-Center in Jackson
» 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.
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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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