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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - February 2015

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

February 2015

Inside this issue:

1) Developmental Screening Days – Feb. 10, Booneville and Gulfport; Feb. 24, Meridian

2) Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol – Feb. 11, Jackson

3) Valentine’s Dance and Social – Feb. 14, Ocean Springs

4) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Ends Feb. 15

5) Building Partnerships . . . Working Together Conference - Feb. 26-27, Jackson

6) Arbor Day Run/Walk/Roll for Disability Awareness – Feb. 28, Biloxi

7) Start a Parent/Professional Satellite Council

8) Guidance on Meeting the Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision or Speech Disabilities

9) Defeat Monster Mouth

10) Resource of the Month! Partners in Policymaking

_______________________________________________________________

1) Developmental Screening Days – Feb. 10, Booneville and Gulfport; Feb. 24, 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 screening events. There will be two screening days on Feb. 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: the first at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Waller Hall, Room 226, at 101 Cunningham Boulevard in Booneville, and the second at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Room L/139 at 2226 Switzer Road in Gulfport. On Feb. 24, a screening day will be held at Meridian Community College in the Reed Building in Room 135 B at 910 Highway 19 North in Meridian. For more information or to register, call Shelley Ezelle, MS, at 601.432.6179 or Leslie LaVergne, PhD at 601.266.6225.

2) Disability Awareness Day at the Capitol – Feb. 11, Jackson

Disability Awareness Day at the State Capitol, hosted annually by the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, gives people with disabilities and advocates a chance to talk with decision makers who can preserve or expand services that make a critical difference in the lives of Mississippians with disabilities. This year’s event, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., also kicks off a yearlong series of celebrations commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the 25th anniversary of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities. For more information or to register, call 601.969.0601 or 1.800.721.7255 or visit http://www.msccd.org/.

3) Valentine’s Dance and Social – Feb. 14, Ocean Springs

A free Valentine’s dance and social will be held for teens and young adults with disabilities ages 12 to 45 on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 5 to 9 p.m. inside the gymnasium at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church on Highway 57 and Highway 90 in Ocean Springs. Dress is semi-formal (carnival ball style). For more information about this community-sponsored event, contact Donna Brewer at 228.326.8587 or donnabrewer72@hotmail.com.

4) Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment Ends Feb. 15

Open enrollment for the 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace began Nov. 15, 2014, and runs through Feb. 15, 2015. Consumers can visit https://www.healthcare.gov/ to review and compare health plan options. Consumers shopping for health insurance coverage should have signed up by Jan. 15, 2015, to have coverage effective on Feb. 1, 2015. If consumers who were automatically reenrolled decide in the coming weeks that a better plan exists for their families, they can make that change at any time before the end of open enrollment on Feb. 15. Consumers can find local help at the healthcare.gov website or call the federally-facilitated Marketplace Call Center at 1.800.318.2596. TTY users should call 1.855.889.4325. Translation services are available. The call is free. A monthly CYSHCN blog produced by Family Voices provides information and resources to help families, family leaders and other stakeholders assist families in understanding and enrolling in health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. Visit the blog and check out the latest tip sheets at http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/blog/.

5) Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Conference - Feb. 26-27, Jackson

The 2015 Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Special Education Conference will be held Thurs., Feb. 26, and Fri., Feb. 27, at the Jackson Convention Center at 105 East Pascagoula Street in Jackson. Topics covered at this conference for parents and professionals include assistive technology, inclusion, dyslexia, bullying, the new standards-based IEP form, procedural safeguards and positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and much more. Keynote speakers are Dr. Patrick Schwarz, a professor, author and education leader, and Dr. David Hurford, a psychologist and researcher specializing in dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. CEUs and SEMIs will be available. Parent scholarships and stipends are available. For more information or to register, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ea7z6pt241f4daa0&llr=julfnscab&showPage=true.

6) Arbor Day Run/Walk/Roll and Event for Disability Awareness – Feb. 28, Biloxi

The 2015 Arbor Day Run/Walk/Roll for Disability Awareness is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on the Town Green in Biloxi. The free party-on-the-green event includes music, snacks, sports demonstrations and health and wellness vendors. For more information and to register for the optional Run/Walk/Roll by Feb. 19, visit www.disabilityconnection.org. The fee for the run is $20.

7) Start a Parent/Professional Satellite Council

Start a satellite council so your area and your family can be represented at the Statewide Parent/Professional Advisory Council (SPAC) meetings. The SPAC provides input on improving health care services to children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and offers a network of support and education to parents and caregivers. Organizing a satellite council in your area will help provide your family and others with localized resources and supports. Contact Shawn Smith with the Mississippi F2F at 1.866.883.4474.

8) Guidance on Meeting the Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision or Speech Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has updated their online collection of Memos and Dear Colleague Letters to include guidance dated November 12, 2014, on meeting the communication needs of student with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities. To view the information, visit http://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/index.html.

9) Defeat Monster Mouth

Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Developing good habits at an early age and scheduling regular dental visits helps children to get a good start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums. If your child has Medicaid, they are afforded dental exams and services. For more information about the 2015 campaign, “Defeat Monster Mouth,” and links to resources, visit http://www.ada.org/en/public-programs/national-childrens-dental-health-month/.

10) Resource of the Month! Partners in Policymaking

Partners in Policymaking has online courses in the basic rights for people with disabilities, from living independently to helping make educational decisions for your student with a disability. Find out more at http://mn.gov/mnddc/pipm/online.html.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - January 2015

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

January 2015

Inside this issue:

1) Free Developmental Screener Events – Jan. 13, Jackson; Jan. 16, Petal; Jan. 20, Grenada

2) Wheelchair Basketball Community Game – Jan. 17, Jackson

3) The Signs Are Everywhere: 2nd Annual Child Development Conference –Jan. 30, Jackson

4) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

5) Building Partnerships . . . Working Together Conference - Feb. 26-27, Jackson

6) Start a Parent/Professional Satellite Council

7) Bookshare, an Accessible Online Library

8) Autism NOW Answer Series

_______________________________________________________________

1) Free Developmental Screener Events – Jan. 13, Jackson; Jan. 16, Petal; Jan. 20, Grenada

The Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) in partnership with the Early Years Network is providing free developmental screener events in three locations across the state. A screening day will be held in Jackson on Tues., Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Mid-Jackson Family Resource Center at 301 Adelle Street. A screening day will be held in Petal on Fri., Jan. 16, at the Petal School District Center for Families and Children at 201 West Central Avenue. A screening day will be held in Grenada on Tues., Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Grenada Early Learning Advantage Center at 1276 Martin Luther King Boulevard. These events are for children 6 months to 5 years of age with possible developmental delays. For more information or to register, call Dr. Leslie LaVergne in Hattiesburg at 601.266.6225 or Shelley Ezelle, M.S. in Jackson at 601.432.6179.

2) Wheelchair Basketball Community Game – Jan. 17, Jackson

Ready for some basketball? Come to the LIFE of Mississippi and AmeriCorps wheelchair basketball community game on Sat., Jan. 17, at 2 p.m. at 3000 St. Charles Street in Jackson. The AmeriCorps wheelchair basketball team will take on the Jackson Police Department. Admission is free in honor of Martin Luther King Day. For more information about the game, contact any AmeriCorps member at LIFE’s Jackson office at 601.969.4009.

3) The Signs Are Everywhere: 2nd Annual Child Development Conference –Jan. 30, Jackson

Recognizing and addressing mood and anxiety disorders in children and youth is the focus of this year’s child development conference being held Fri., Jan. 30, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Conference Center at the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 W. Woodrow Wilson Drive in Jackson. Speakers include Dr. Susan Buttross, chief of Child Development and Behavioral Pediatrics at UMMC, and Dr. Bob Black former American Academy of Pediatrics president and director of the AAP’s Center on Child Resilience. This program is open to all interested health professionals, educators and parents. Conference fees are from $90 to $170. For more information, visit http://www.cvent.com/events/the-signs-are-everywhere-recognizing-mood-anxiety-disorders-in-children-youth/event-summary-8373994bd0c54213b0b69dcd606e2d44.aspx.

4) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

Open enrollment for the 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace runs from Nov. 15, 2014, through Feb. 15, 2015. Consumers should visit https://www.healthcare.gov/ to review and compare health plan options. Consumers shopping for health insurance coverage should sign up by Jan. 15, 2015, to have coverage effective on Feb. 1, 2015. If consumers who were automatically reenrolled decide in the coming weeks that a better plan exists for their families, they can make that change at any time before the end of open enrollment on February 15. Consumers can find local help at https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/. Or call the Federally-facilitated Marketplace Call Center at 1.800.318.2596. TTY users should call 1.855.889.4325. Translation services are available. The call is free.

5) Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Conference - Feb. 26-27, Jackson

The 2015 Building Partnerships. . . Working Together Special Education Conference will be held Thurs., Feb. 26, and Fri. Feb. 27, at the Jackson Convention Center at 105 East Pascagoula Street in Jackson. Topics covered at this conference for parents and professionals include assistive technology, inclusion, dyslexia, bullying, the new standards-based IEP form, procedural safeguards and positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS) and much more. Keynote speakers are Dr. Patrick Schwarz, a professor, author and education leader, and Dr. David Hurford, a psychologist and researcher specializing in dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. CEUs and SEMIs will be available. Parent scholarships and stipends are available. For more information or to register, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ea7z6pt241f4daa0&llr=julfnscab&showPage=true.

6) Start a Parent/Professional Satellite Council

Start a satellite council so your area and your family can be represented at the Statewide Parent/Professional Advisory Council (SPAC) meetings. The SPAC provides input on improving health care services to Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) and offers a network of support and education to parents and caregivers. Organizing a satellite council in your area will help provide your family and others with localized resources and supports. Contact Shawn Smith with the Mississippi F2F at 1.866.883.4474.

7) Bookshare, an Accessible Online Library

Thousands of students have print disabilities and need accessible textbooks. Bookshare can help. With a Bookshare membership, qualifying students and schools have free and unlimited access to accessible books, textbooks, newspapers, and magazines. For more information, visit https://www.bookshare.org/cms/.

8) Autism NOW Answer Series

The Autism NOW Answer Series developed by the National Autism Resource and Information Center allows readers to ask experts a question. Two questions are selected each month to be answered. Amy Goodman, co-director of the Center and an individual with autism, has filmed more than 30 short YouTube videos as part of the Autism NOW Answer series, answering individual’s questions on topics ranging from “What is positive behavior support?” to “What is vocational rehabilitation?” For more information, visit http://autismnow.org/2012/11/12/introducing-the-autism-now-answers-series/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - December 2014

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

December 2014

Inside this issue:

1) Parenting to Employment Webinar – Dec. 16, Noon or 6:30 p.m.

2) MS F2F Is Now on Facebook

3) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

4) Free Developmental Screener Events – Jan. 13, Jackson; Jan. 16, Petal; Jan. 20, Grenada

5) Mississippi Sibling and Supporter Network

6) IDD Toolkit Offers Transition Tools to Health Care Providers

7) Mississippi Get FIT Program Offered for Families

_______________________________________________________________

1) Parenting to Employment Webinar – Dec. 16, Noon or 6:30 p.m.

This webinar targeting parents and youth or young adults with disabilities will focus on how parents can “parent” to employment. The presenter is Dr. Jerry R. Alliston, coordinator for Community Inclusion and Volunteers Services at the Institute for Disability Studies at The University of Southern Mississippi. Specific activities that promote independence and pre-employment skills will be shared. In addition, some young leaders with disabilities will share their stories on the path toward employment describing what worked and did not work for them. To register, go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/8114266433487806722. You will choose your webinar time when you register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

2) MS F2F Is Now on Facebook

Join the Mississippi Family 2 Family Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/idsfamily2family. Like MS F2F to keep up with events, news and training opportunities.

3) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

Open enrollment for the 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace starts on Nov. 15, 2014. You must have enrolled by Dec. 5, 2014, for new coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2015. To change plans, you must enroll by Dec. 15, 2014, to avoid a lapse in coverage. Coverage for 2014 plans ends on Dec. 31, 2014. Coverage for 2015 plans starts as soon as Jan. 15, 2015. Open enrollment ends on Feb. 15, 2015, the last day to apply for 2015 coverage. There are four ways to enroll for Marketplace coverage: online at www.healthcare.gov, in person with a navigator (Find your local center at https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/), over the phone with the call center (1.800.318.2596 or TTY 1.855.889.4325), or a paper application (Call the Marketplace Call Center or download from www.healthcare.gov).

4) Free Developmental Screener Events – Jan. 13, Jackson; Jan. 16, Petal; Jan. 20, Grenada

The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) in partnership with the Early Years Network is providing free developmental screener events in three locations across the state. A screening day will be held in Jackson on Tues., Jan.16, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Mid-Jackson Family Resource Center at 301 Adelle Street. A screening day will be held in Petal on Fri., Jan. 16 at the Petal School District Center for Families and Children at 201 West Central Avenue. A screening day will be held in Grenada on Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Grenada Early Learning Advantage Center at 1276 Martin Luther King Boulevard. These events are for children 6 months to 5 years of age with possible developmental delays. For more information or to register, contact Dr. Leslie LaVergne in Hattiesburg at leslie.lavergne@usm.edu or 601.266.6225 or Shelley Ezelle, M.S. in Jackson at sezelle@ihl.state.ms.us or 601.432.6179. For more information on the Early Years Network, visit www.childcaremississippi.org.

5) Mississippi Sibling and Supporter Network

Do you have a brother or sister with a disability? Are you or will you be involved with the support or care of an individual with a disability? Please join the Mississippi Sibling and Supporter (MS SandS) Network. The MS SandS Network is a group of siblings and supporters who are either currently involved or will be involved in the future care and support of an individual with developmental or other disabilities. MS SandS strives to connect people, receive and share information, provide social and emotional support, and to advocate for improved services with or on behalf of siblings and others with disabilities. For information, please email Christy Ashley with the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities at christy.ashley@dmh.state.ms.us or call her at 601.359.5533.

6) IDD Toolkit Offers Transition Tools to Health Care Providers

Families of youth transitioning to adult health care providers can find best-practice tools and information regarding specific medical and behavioral concerns of adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), including resources for patients and families. The aim of this project is to equip primary care practices in the United States to care for adults with IDD as they transition from their pediatrician's care. The website's information is an adaptation for U.S. use of a Canadian book, Tools for the Primary Care of People with Developmental Disabilities, which is based on consensus guidelines and is peer-reviewed. The site has recently added a Health Watch Table for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The IDD Toolkit is a project of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center (TN UCEDD/LEND) and the UT Boling Center (TN UCEDD/LEND) and the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and was funded by the Special Hope Foundation. To visit the website, go to http://vkc.mc.vanderbilt.edu/etoolkit/.

7) Mississippi Get FIT Program Offered for Families

Get FIT Mississippi is a program helping children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers. It’s a free 12-week Get FIT at Home program that can help your child set healthy goals, be active, build a healthy plate, make health food choices, learn healthy behaviors and attain a health weight in the comfort of your home. Get FIT Mississippi is a program of the Epilepsy Foundation of Mississippi, the Family Resource Network and the Mississippi Department of Mental Health. For more information, visit http://epilepsy-ms.org/blog/treatment-maintenance/get-fit-mississippi/.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - November 2014

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

November 2014

Inside this issue:

1) Time to Vote – Nov. 4

2) Dialogue on Community Transportation – Nov. 10, Jackson

3) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

4) Developmental Screener Event – Dec. 2, Petal

5) Mississippi Sibling and Supporter Network

6) November is American Diabetes Month

7) Mississippi Autism Advisory Committee Releases Report

8) Early Literacy Toolkit

9) Four New Results Matter Videos

_______________________________________________________________

1) Time to Vote – Nov. 4

Mississippians will vote in the state’s general election on Nov. 4. For more information about elections and voting, visit the Mississippi Secretary of State’s website at http://www.sos.ms.gov/Elections-Voting/Pages/default.aspx.

2) Dialogue on Community Transportation – Nov. 10, Jackson

The Mississippi Department of Transportation’s Public Transit Division is hosting a community dialogue on transportation for people with disabilities on Mon., Nov. 10, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Community Conference Room on the first floor of the Jackson Medical Mall at 350 West Woodrow Wilson Boulevard. The purpose of the dialogue is to develop a priority list to increase the quality of life for people with disabilities in local communities, to create strategies to build a network of community stakeholders to coordinate resources through the use of education and awareness tools, and to identify leaders or advocacy groups to lead local initiatives in respective regions. For more information, call the Public Transit Division at 601.359.7800.

3) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

Open enrollment for the 2015 Health Insurance Marketplace starts on Nov. 15, 2014. You must enroll by Dec. 5, 2014, for new coverage to begin on Jan. 1, 2015. To change plans, enroll by Dec. 15, 2014, to avoid a lapse in coverage. Coverage for 2014 plans ends on Dec. 31, 2014. Coverage for 2015 plans starts as soon as Jan. 15, 2015. Open enrollment ends on Feb. 15, 2015, the last day to apply for 2015 coverage. There are four ways to enroll for Marketplace coverage: online at www.healthcare.gov, in person with a navigator (Find your local center at https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/), over the phone with the call center (1.800.318.2596 or TTY 1.855.889.4325), or a paper application (Call the Marketplace Call Center or download from www.healthcare.gov).

4) Free Developmental Screener Event – Dec. 2, Petal

The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), in partnership with the Early Years Network, is providing a free developmental screener event on Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Petal School District Center for Families and Children at 201 West Central Avenue in Petal. The event is for children six months to five years of age with possible developmental delays. For more information or to register, call Dr. Leslie LaVergne in Hattiesburg at 601.266.6225.

5) Mississippi Sibling and Supporter Network

6) November is American Diabetes Month

Nearly 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes. Another 86 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that the total national cost of diagnosed diabetes in the United States is $245 billion. For more information on American Diabetes Month in your community, visit http://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html.

7) Mississippi Autism Advisory Committee Releases Report

The Mississippi Autism Advisory Committee (MAAC) recently released its 2014 Report to the Legislature. Suggestions made in the report include passing legislation mandating coverage of evidence-based Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) services by private and public insurance providers and creating three ASD positions to coordinate ASD statewide efforts. One position would be located at the Mississippi Department of Education, one at the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and one at the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. To read a copy of the report, visit http://www.dmh.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/MAAC_2014_Report_KS_Final_2014.pdf.

8) Early Literacy Toolkit

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently released a toolkit with information and resources for pediatric health care professionals and families about the benefits of promoting early literacy and early learning for children. The Books Build Connection toolkit released in October provides tips and publications to help encourage families to talk, read, and sing with their children. The toolkit is a follow-up to the AAP policy statement on promoting early literacy that was released in June 2014. For toolkit information, visit http://littoolkit.aap.org/Pages/home.aspx.

9) Four New Results Matter Videos

Results Matter, a program of the Colorado Department of Education, recently posted four new videos in their Results Matter Video Library. Three of the clips were produced to be used in professional development activities to provide early care and education providers opportunities to practice observation, documentation, and assessment skills. These clips can be viewed online and downloaded at no cost for use in educational and professional development activities from the Clips for Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills section of the library

Cameron and Alexis Playing with Blocks (Runtime: 4:25) Cameron and Alexis demonstrate a rich variety of communication, social, problem-solving, motor, manipulative, imagination, and play skills in the block area.
The Puppet Stage (Runtime: 3:20) Jenniah, Cameron, and Evelynn demonstrate a rich variety of imaginative, communication, social, motor, manipulative, and play skills while playing with puppets.
Jadyn Writing and Drawing (Runtime: 3:13) Jadyn demonstrates a variety of skills while writing her name with a pencil and drawing a picture with crayons.
The fourth video discusses the importance of making home visits in preschool. It can be viewed online and downloaded from the Practices Here and There section of the library. Preschool Home Visits - Making the Time to Build Relationships (Runtime: 5:12) - In this video, Sara Hefner, an Early Childhood Special Educator, discusses and illustrates the importance of making home visits in preschool. Sara and a father that she visits describe the benefits of home visits for children, families, and teachers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

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[Familyhealthnotes] Family Health Notes - October 2014

Institute for Disability Studies

Family Health Notes

October 2014

Inside this issue:

1) New F2F Parent/Family Liaison

2) Mississippi General Election Voter Registration Deadline – Oct. 4, 12 Noon

3) Eudora Welty Library Autism Resource Center Grand Opening – Jackson, Oct. 9

4) Jackson State University Focus Group Session for Parents of Children with Autism – Jackson, Oct. 15

5) City of Jackson Disability Awareness Day – Jackson, Oct. 22

6) IDS Gulf Park Campus Fall into Fun! – Long Beach, Oct. 27

7) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

8) Family-Centered Care Assessment

_______________________________________________________________

1) New F2F Parent/Family Liaison

Keishawna A. Smith has joined The University of Southern Mississippi Institute for Disability Studies as parent/family liaison for the Mississippi Family to Family Health Information and Education Center (MS F2F), the state’s Family-to-Family Health and Information Center (F2FHIC). Shawn and her husband have two children, both living with Sickle Cell Disease, type SS. She began her work in the disability community when her first child was born in Texas. She started a parent support group in her community because she saw so many parents going to doctor’s visits and not understanding what sickle cell was and how it was affecting their children. She decided to gather as much information on the subject since this was all new to her also. At each group meeting, the parents talked about their experiences and solutions or what resources they had found. When Shawn’s family moved back home to Mississippi, she became involved with the Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center (MS PTI), eventually as a parent educator/advocate where she educated parents about their rights and responsibilities under IDEA/ADA. She has collaborated with the Mississippi Department of Education, the Mississippi disAbility Mega Conference, LIFE of Mississippi, Hinds County Human Resource Agency (Head Start), The Arc of Mississippi and Parents for Public Schools. As parent/family liaison for MS F2F, Shawn’s goal is to help parents become better advocates for their own children and their communities. She wants to make sure parents are involved in their children’s health, education and overall well-being. Shawn is available for one-on-one consultations on health information and resources for children with special health care needs. For the MS F2F Center, call toll free, 1.866.883.4474.

2) Mississippi General Election Voter Registration Deadline – Oct. 4, 12 Noon

The voter registration deadline for the State of Mississippi is Sat., Oct. 4. Circuit clerk offices must remain open from 8 a.m. until noon. Mail-in registration applications must be postmarked no later than Sat., Oct. 4.

3) Eudora Welty Library Autism Resource Center Grand Opening – Jackson, Oct. 9

The Eudora Welty Library announces the grand opening of its Autism Resource Center. Dan Weiss, director of the Fanwood Library in Maplewood, New Jersey, and co-developer of Libraries and Autism: We’re Connected, will speak on Thursday, Oct. 9, at 11 a.m. Libraries and Autism is an award-winning project that has produced a customer service training video and website primarily for library staff to help them serve individuals with autism and their families.

4) Jackson State University Focus Group Session for Parents of Children with Autism – Jackson, Oct. 15

Health promotion and behavioral health researchers at Jackson State University are conducting a focus group session to better understand parents’ participation habits in special needs support groups and their influence on health outcomes for their child with special healthcare needs. If you participate, you will attend a one-hour focus group session to answer and discuss questions related to parents and their use of support groups. For more information, call 601.291.2217.

5) City of Jackson Disability Awareness Day – Jackson, Oct. 22

Disability Awareness Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 22, at Metrocenter Mall Center Court. Registration starts at 9 a.m. and the conference starts at 9:30 a.m. The expo will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Disability Awareness Day is designed to increase public awareness and provide an opportunity for increased services to people with disabilities. The day is sponsored by United Healthcare, BankPlus, United Way and the City of Jackson. For additional information, call Sam Gleese, ADA coordinator for the City of Jackson, at 601.960.1572.

6) IDS Gulf Park Campus Fall into Fun! – Long Beach, Oct. 27

Gulf coast ghosts and goblins will be welcomed at the Institute for Disability Studies’ (IDS) Gulf Park campus in Long Beach for some fall fun on Wednesday, Oct. 27 from 3 to 5 p.m. Come dressed in a costume and decorate a pumpkin from the patch in the park. IDS Gulf Park is located on the Gulf Park campus of The University of Southern Mississippi at 730 East Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. For more information, call 228.214.3400.

7) Health Insurance Marketplace 2015 Enrollment Dates

The next Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment period for 2015 is just around the corner. Key dates to remember are Nov. 15, 2014 – open enrollment begins; Dec. 15, 2014 – you must enroll by this date for new coverage to begin in Jan. 1, 2015; Dec. 31, 2014 – coverage ends for 2014 plans; and Feb. 15, 2015 – the last day you can apply for 2015 coverage. For additional information, visit www.healthcare.gov.

8) Family-Centered Care Assessment

Did you know that family-centered care can improve patient and family outcomes, increase satisfaction, decrease health care costs, and lead to more effective use of health care resources? You can learn more about what makes health care family-centered by using the Family-Centered Care Assessment Tool, a 24-question tool to measure the family centeredness of provider care based on ideas created by families themselves. For more information, visit http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/activities/fcca/fcca-families/. To download a copy of the tool, visit http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/files/5113/0626/9069/fcca_FamilyTool.pdf. A tool for providers is available at http://www.fv-ncfpp.org/files/4113/0626/9064/fcca_ProviderTool.pdf.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~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.

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