Institute for Disability Studies
Family Health Notes
October 2015
Inside this issue:
1) Mississippi Disability Awareness Fair – Oct. 9, Jackson
2) Parent Training Sessions – Oct. 7, Starkville; Oct. 28, Hernando
3) Campaign for Healthier Babies Month
4) Fall Dyslexia Conference – Oct. 20, Clinton
5) ADHD and Related Concerns Conference – Oct. 23-24, Hattiesburg
6) Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
7) Bullying Prevention Month
8) Family Voices of Mississippi
9) Webinar - Medical Home: Primary Health Care We All Deserve – Nov. 12, 12 p.m.
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1) Mississippi Disability Awareness Fair – Oct. 9, Jackson
The Mississippi Disability Awareness Fair will be held Friday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson to promote the awareness of resources and stakeholders that provide opportunities for people with disabilities. Fourteen sponsors are participating in this free event. Meet Chris Howard, new executive director of the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. Enjoy a wheelchair basketball exhibition by members of the USM Golden Eagles wheelchair basketball team and White Cane safety events. Food and refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Dorothy Young at 601.853.5210 or dyoung@mdrs.ms.gov.
2) Parent Training Sessions – Oct. 7, Starkville; Oct. 28, Hernando
The Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Special Education is presenting a series of informational sessions for families of students with disabilities. Join staff from the Bureau of Parent Engagement and Support from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, at the Hilton Garden Inn at 975 Highway 12 in Starkville and on Oct. 28, at the DeSoto County Schools Administration Office at 5 East South Street in Hernando. Sessions will be held in Meridian in January and in Gulfport in March. For more information, visit http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/OSE.
3) Campaign for Healthier Babies Month
“Most women don’t understand the importance of seeing their doctor before pregnancy and the few simple steps they can take to give their future babies a health start in life” was the quote from Beth Adcock, the Dixie Division Chairman for the March of Dimes in 1995. With the advancement in technology and more information about women’s health and prenatal care, more women understand the importance but the work is not done. Access to care, nutrition and affordable insurance are still issues for women, expecting mothers and current mothers. Mississippi Family2Family (MS F2F) is committed to connecting pregnant women, mothers and families to information about health care information and enrollment. The MS F2F is also dedicated to educating families on children getting early screenings and continuous screenings and children receive coordinated, ongoing and comprehensive care within a medical home. For more information about the Affordable Care Act, enrollment or early screenings, contact Shawn Smith at the MS F2F at ksmith@ihl.state.ms.us.
4) Fall Dyslexia Conference – Oct. 20, Clinton
The Fall Dyslexia Conference is scheduled for Tues., Oct. 20, from 8 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on the second floor of the B. C. Rogers Student Center in MC Anderson Hall at Mississippi College (MC) in Clinton. The conference is sponsored by the Dyslexia Education and Evaluation Center at MC. Cost for the conference is $35 for parents, $50 for professionals and $25 for students. Continuing education units will be offered. The deadline for registration is Oct. 16. For more information or a registration for, call 601.925.7766.
5) ADHD and Related Concerns Conference – Oct. 23-24, Hattiesburg
The 12th Annual ADHD and Related Concerns Conference will be held Oct. 23 and 24, at the Temple Baptist Church Student Center in Hattiesburg. Russell A. Barkley, PhD, an internationally recognized authority, is the keynote speaker. Dr. Barkley will speak at a special dinner for physicians only on Oct. 22. For more information or to register, visit https://www.adhdconf.com/.
6) Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month
In October 1988, President Ronald Reagan deemed October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. President Reagan said, “When a child loses his parents, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn’t a word to describe them. This month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States and around the world. It is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirths, birth defects, SIDS, and other causes.” For more facts about Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, visit the following links.
FAQ on Stillbirths:
http://www.firstcandle.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Facts-On-Stillbirth-2013.pdf
FAQ on SIDS:
http://www.firstcandle.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Facts-On-SIDS-SUID-2013.pdf
Safe Sleeping Facts For Babies:
http://www.firstcandle.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/SafeSleepSavesLives-2013.pdf
7) Bullying Prevention Month
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over a period of time. Bullying doesn’t just affect the child being bullied but also has lasting effects on the child doing the bullying. This is a real issue and with the wide spread usage of electronic technology, cell phones, computers and tablets, bullying has gone viral. For information on the risk factors for children at risk of being bullied, children who are more likely to bully others, warning signs, how to respond and prevention, visit http://www.stopbullying.gov/.
8) Family Voices of Mississippi
Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Throughout its national grassroots network, Family Voices provide families with resources and supports to make informed decisions, advocate for improved public and private policies, build partnerships among families and professionals, and serve as a trusted resource on health care. The Family Voices vision is for every child and youth with special needs to receive family-centered care. For more information about Family Voices of Mississippi, contact Shawn Smith at 1.866.883.4474.
9) Webinar - Medical Home: Primary Health Care We All Deserve – Nov. 12, 12 p.m.
What is a medical home and why, as a parent of a child/youth with a special health care need should you advocate to implement it as standard care? This Medical Home webinar presentation scheduled for Nov. 12 at noon will cover the origins and evolution of the medical home model, how to talk to your primary care manager (PCM), what should be offered and the positive outcomes to having a medical home. The presenter is Keishawna Smith, parent consultant with the Mississippi Family 2 Family Health Information and Education Center at the Institute for Disability Studies. To register for this webinar presented in conjunction with the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MSPTI), visit https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1119181160746849537.
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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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