5) Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference – May 21-24, Jackson

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - May 2013

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

May 2013

Inside this issue:

1) Learn More About Mississippi’s Health Insurance Exchange – May 13, Jackson

2) Toolkit on Creating Patient and Family Advisory Councils

3) New Web Tool for Educators and Medical Professionals

4) Family Voices of Mississippi Board to Meet – May 30, Jackson

5) Voice4Hope Provides Resources for Teens with Mental Health Conditions

6) Mississippi disAbility MegaConference – June 20-21, Jackson

1) Learn More About Mississippi’s Health Insurance Exchange

Under federal law, all health insurance exchanges, which are a set of standardized healthcare plans from which individuals may purchase health insurance and are eligible for federal subsidies, must be fully certified and operational by Jan. 1, 2014. Learn more about what this means for Mississippi on Mon., May 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. during a discussion in the third floor community meeting room, Suite 3536, at the Jackson Medical Mall. Aaron Sisk, senior attorney, Mississippi Department of Insurance, will provide information about the state’s Health Insurance Exchange. Lunch will be provided. To attend, please contact Kim Robinson at krobinson@childrensdefense.org or 601.321.1966.

2) Toolkit on Creating Patient and Family Advisory Councils

The National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) has created a toolkit for pediatric providers on how to effectively engage family perspectives by creating patient and family advisory councils. Practices that encourage, value and utilize family perspectives in planning for high-quality medical care can accelerate their path toward becoming truly patient- and family-centered. For more information, visit http://www.nichq.org/resources/PFAC-toolkit-landingpage.html.

3) New Web Tool for Educators and Medical Professionals

Genetics Education Materials for School Success (GEMSS) is a new website featuring information that schools and medical professionals can use to support students who have genetic conditions. The aim of GEMSS is to assure all children with genetic health conditions succeed in school-life. Children who have genetic conditions are members of neighborhood schools across the country. In fact, it is estimated that about 1 in 20 children have a genetic condition. For more information, visit http://www.gemssforschools.org/.

4) Family Voices of Mississippi Board to Meet – May 30, Jackson

Family Voices aims to achieve family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs or disabilities. The board of Mississippi’s Family Voices state affiliate, Family Voices of Mississippi, will meet Thurs., May 30, from 10 a.m. until noon in Room 108 of the IHL Building at 3825 Ridgewood Road in Jackson. For more information about Family Voices of Mississippi, call Cookie Smith at the Institute for Disability Studies at 1.888.671.0051.

5) Voice4Hope Provides Resources for Teens with Mental Health Conditions

Voices4Hope is a place for teenagers and young adults with mental health conditions to find resources and stigma busting information that can help them lead happy and independent lives. This website was created and is maintained by four young adults with mental health conditions at the Transitions Research and Training Center (RTC). Voices4Hope has launched three new webpages on eating disorders, young adult parenting, and bullying. These pages offer young adults information about conditions or circumstances that can affect them, recovery stories to read, and resources to help them make the best of their lives. http://www.voices4hope.net/

6) Mississippi disAbility MegaConference – June 20-21, Jackson

Mark your calendars now for the second annual Mississippi disAbility MegaConference scheduled for June 20-21, at the Marriott Jackson. Expect interesting speakers, important information, exhibits of products and services, opportunities for networking and fun and friends. Family stipends are available. For more information or to register, visit http://msmegaconference.org/.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - April 2013

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

April 2013

Inside this issue:

1) Tips for Communicating with KIDS of All Ages

2) Medical Homes@Work

3) Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Activities Report

4) Healthy Weight Collaborative Action Kit

5) My Great Story Video Project

6) Learning Plan Guide Focused on High School Years

1) Tips for Communicating with Kids of All Ages

The art of communication is one of the most important skills babies learn. Babies, in fact, learn more than vocabulary—they learn how to have a conversation. Parents learn as well, and as their children grow, abilities and ideas change. It’s kind of like learning to dance. The PBS Parents website has helpful hints on how children communicate at different ages and tips on how parents can best talk to their children. For more information on talking with kids, visit http://www.pbs.org/parents/talkingwithkids/agebyage.html.

2) Medical Homes@Work

The March 2013 issue of “Spotlight on Child Health Issues: Cultural Effectiveness and the Medical Home” focuses on the medical and oral health disparities that exist for children of diverse races and ethnicities. Promising practices as well as resources for providers, children, youth and families are included. View the issue at http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/about/newsletter/spotlight_issues/culturalcompetency.aspx.

3) Family-to-Family Health Information Centers Activities Report

Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2F HICs) like Mississippi’s own Family 2 Family Health Education and Information Center assist families of children and youth with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them. A new two-page report of data reported by the F2F HICs from June 2011 through May 2012 provides highlights and demonstrates the value and impact of helping families. For a copy of the report, visit http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/files/3713/6036/1083/11-12DataReport_Final-r.pdf.

4) Healthy Weight Collaborative Action Kit

This action kit from the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ) is designed to help spread lessons learned from the Healthy Weight Collaborative to those interested in making changes in their communities. There are six strategies, videos, recordings and other resources. For more information and resources, visit http://www.collaborateforhealthyweight.org/Resources/Action-Kit.aspx.

5) My Great Story Video Project

The National Down Syndrome Society's (NDSS) My Great Video Project features 10 short videos based on submitted stories to the NDSS My Great Story public awareness campaign. The goal of the My Great Story campaign is to ignite a way of thinking about people with Down Syndrome by sharing stories written by and about them. Follow the link to see more: http://www.ndss.org/storiesvideoproject.

6) Learning Plan Guide Focused on High School Years

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) has released an updated version of the online how-to guide, "Promoting Quality Individualized Learning Plans: A ‘How to Guide’ Focused on the High School Years." This guide is designed for schools, educators and other professionals who assist youth with college and career readiness and transition planning. This guide was developed in response to feedback from schools indicating a need for activities, lesson plans, and school-wide individualized learning plans (ILPs) implementation strategies. A key goal of the guide is to help schools develop a bridge between college and career readiness efforts through the use of ILPs. The career development activities and resources in this guide are also useful for youth service professionals in the workforce development system. NCWD/Youth will also release a new policy brief on individualized learning plans in the coming weeks. For a copy of the guide, visit http://www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp/how-to-guide.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - March 2013

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

March 2013

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

March 2013

Inside this issue:

1) March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

2) Tips for Families Series

3) DREDF Releases New Healthcare Stories

4) New Transition Website Debuts

5) Traveling with Special Needs Children

6) TravelChair Makes Airline Flight Easier for Children with Disabilities

1) March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed March as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Since that time, many chapters of The Arc as well as state and local governments annually encourage citizens to think about their family members and neighbors with developmental disabilities in March and recognize and protect their rights as individuals. For more information on National Disability Awareness Month, visit the The Arc of San Diego http://www.arc-sd.com/nationaldisabilityawarenessmonth.

2) Tips for Families Series

The Office of Head Start, National Center on Health has published a new series of tip sheets, Tips for Families Series (February 2013), which provide important information to families about how to strengthen the health and wellness of young children. These fact sheets serve as tools to help Head Start health managers provide important information to families about National Center on Health priorities. Some of the topics addressed include: active play, health literacy, healthy breathing, healthy eating, mental health, oral health, safety and injury prevention. To download tip sheets, visit http://1.usa.gov/VNqTWM.

3) DREDF Releases New Healthcare Stories

Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) announced the release of new Healthcare Stories that illustrate the obstacles and barriers that stand in the way of getting appropriate, effective healthcare for many people with developmental disabilities. These short video stories feature people with developmental disabilities and their families and an heroic primary healthcare provider who has defined the field of developmental medicine. To read stories and view videos, visit http://www.dredf.org/healthcare-stories/.

4) New Transition Website Debuts

The OSERS Transition Steering Committee, comprised of representatives from all three program offices of OSERS, launched a new webpage for the Year of College and Career for Youth with Disabilities Initiative (YCC). This transition-oriented webpage features news and resources for youth with disabilities, their families, and the educators and employment professionals who support them. For more information, visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/ycc/index.html.

5) Traveling with Special Needs Children

Spring break is just around the corner, and families will begin making travel plans and trips that will continue through the summer. Helpful tips for traveling with children can be found on online on websites and blogs. The following links address general travel families, grandparents traveling with special needs grandchildren, and airplane travel: http://momaboard.com/general-travel-tips/special-consideration/five-tips-for-traveling-with-special-needs-kids/, http://www.grandparents.com/food-and-leisure/travel/grandchildren-special-needs-travel-tips, and http://www.disabled-world.com/travel/airlines/flying-with-children.php.

6) TravelChair Makes Airline Flight Easier for Children with Disabilities

MERU, a UK-based charity that designs and manufactures specialized equipment for children and young people with disabilities, has launched a new and improved TravelChair for aircraft. The TravelChair offers various adjustable features to ensure that children with disabilities between the ages of 3 to 11 years (depending on weight and height) are supported and comfortable, even on long-haul flights. For more information, visit http://blog.apex.aero/inflight-services-2/travel-chair-disabled-children-gains-traction-airline-industry/.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - February 2013

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

February 2013

Inside this issue:

1) Beyond Bullying

2) New Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Fact Sheets

3) Free 12-Session NAMI Course for Family, Friends and Caretakers of Adults with Mental Illness – Feb. 18-Mar. 28, Vicksburg, and Mar. 19-Apr. 25, Jackson

4) Rockin’ and Rollin’ The Coast 2012-2013 – Biloxi, Mar. 8-10

5) Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference – May 21-24, Jackson

6) The Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards

1) Beyond Bullying

Tom Dahlborg, vice president for strategy and a project director at the National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality (NICHQ), shares a message prompted by a study for the Rudd Center of Food Policy and Obesity at Yale. Their study showed that 64% of the children surveyed reported getting bullied at school about their weight, with the risk of bullying increasing relative to the child’s body weight. Children are most often bullied by their peers, sometimes even their friends, but adults such as family members and teachers can be bullies, too. To view this message that contains links to the study mentioned, visit http://www.nichq.org/who_we_are/Leadership_Messages/January_2013.html.

2) New Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Fact Sheets

The updated versions of the CHIP fact sheets are available on the National Academy for State Health Policy Web site. The fact sheets describe each state's CHIP program in 2011, including eligibility and enrollment, cost sharing, and service delivery system. Information included in the fact sheets came from a variety of sources, including state reported data. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation supported the development and production of the fact sheets. To view Mississippi’s fact sheet, visit http://www.nashp.org/content/mississippi-chip-fact-sheet

3) Free 12-Session NAMI MS Course for Family, Friends and Caretakers of Adults with Mental Illness – Feb. 18-Mar. 28, Vicksburg, and Mar. 19-Apr. 25, Jackson

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Mississippi is offering a free 12-session course covering all the major mental illnesses to help family members understand and support their ill relatives while maintaining their own well-being. Topics include symptom, treatments, strategies for handling crisis and relapses, coping skills and problem solving. Classes will be held in Vicksburg on Mondays and Thursdays for six weeks at Warren-Yazoo Mental Health Services at 3444 Wisconsin Avenue from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning on Feb. 18 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays for six weeks in Jackson at NAMI MS at 411 Briarwood Drive, Suite 401 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. beginning on Mar. 19. For more information or to register, call NAMI at 601.899.9058 or 1.800.357.0388.

4) Rockin’ and Rollin’ The Coast 2012-2013 – Biloxi, Mar. 8-10

Rockin’ and Rollin’ The Coast, the National Wheelchair Association’s Gulf Coast Conference Division III Championship tournament, will begin play on Fri., Mar. 8, at the Kroc Center at 575 Division Street in Biloxi. The tournament will run through Sun., Mar. 10. Gulf Coast hotels are offering special room rates. For more information about the tournament, call Ashley-Nicole Flowers at the Institute for Disability Studies’ Technology Learning Center on the Southern Miss Gulf Coast campus at 228.214.3400 or visit http://www.usm.edu/gulfcoast/technology-learning-center/nwba-gulf-coast-conference-championship-division-iii.

5) Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference – May 21-24, Jackson

The sixth annual Empowering Communities for a Healthy Mississippi Conference has been scheduled for May 21-24 at the Jackson Marriott at 200 Amite Street. This conference strives to empower attendees with knowledge, reources and the tools to engage people where they live, learn, work and play to embrace healthy lifestyles for themselves and those they care about. Continuing education opportunities will be available in multiple disciplines. To connect with the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Empowering Communities Conference visit their facebook page at www.facebook.com/empoweringcommunitiesconference.

6) The Governor’s Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards

The GIVE Awards celebrate the work of Mississippi’s dedicated community volunteers. Presented by Volunteer Mississippi in cooperation with the Governor’s Office, the awards rcognize and honor the valuable contributions of extraordinary citizens. Individuals and groups can be considered for nomination, and there is a category for people with disabilities. Nominations are now being accepted and can be emailed, faxed, mailed or hand delivered. The deadline is Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. For nomination guidelines and to download a nomination form, visit http://volunteermississippi.org/2013/01/honor/.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - Special Edition - MS disAbility MegaConference Call for Presentation Proposals

Call for Proposals Is Now Open!

Take part in the 2013 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference by submitting a presentation proposal to one of the most diverse gatherings in the state. Be a part of change in Mississippi and

participate in discussions that stimulate and invigorate the mind, body and soul. With more than 500 people expected in 2013, the MegaConference has the advantage of harnessing the brilliance of people who are the community builders of today and the trendsetters of tomorrow. This conference embraces the ideal that people with disabilities and their families can and should seek knowledge, hope, choice and fulfillment to live their best life.

The MegaConference welcomes presenters from diverse perspectives including individuals representing all disability areas. We seek speakers who can share the experiences of family members and supporters across all disability areas, stories of individuals that provide powerful lessons, examples of best practice in program and service provision, and action plans that meet human and social needs.

Topic Areas

The Mississippi disAbility MegaConference is soliciting presentations on all topics important to people with disabilities and their families. This year’s conference has a particular focus on health and employment for Mississippians with disabilities. Information for and about veterans is also welcome. We always encourage proposals from presenters with disabilities and their families. If you would like to submit a proposal or need additional information, please contact Alma Ellis at 601.432.6975 or aellis@ihl.state.ms.us. Presenters must be available to present on June 20 or 21, 2013. The Program Committee reserves the right to schedule your one-hour presentation at any time on those two conference days. Presentations must be submitted before March 1, 2013. Presenters will be notified of their selection and the date and time of their presentation on Mar. 31, 2013. PowerPoint presentations, handouts or other materials must be submitted to the committee by Apr. 30, 2013.

Conference Dates - June 20-21, 2013

Conference Location - Marriott Jackson, 200 East Amite Street, Jackson, Miss.

For more information and registration for the 2013 Mississippi disAbility MegaConference, the special events, and workshops go to http://drms.ms/mega.

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