The Rest of the Story  Welcome, Dicia Kemp! Dicia joined the staff of The Arc of Aurora last month as an Advocacy Assistant. She works part time and you will, no doubt, "meet" her when calling the office. We welcome Dicia's energy and efficiency on The Arc of Aurora team! Grupo de apoyo en español Para padres de niños con necesidades especiales o discapacidades Sábado, 12 de Mayo, 2012 -- 1:00 PM a 4:00 PM en Children's Hospital Colorado- 2nd piso Princeton/Harvard, 13123 E. 16th Ave, Aurora, Co 80045 Venga y apoye este nuevo grupo que se ha formado en respuesta a sus solicitudes. Tendrá la oportunidad de conocer otras familias, compartir sus experiencias y preocupaciones, y conocer los recursos que existen en la comunidad para ayudar a los niños a alcanzar sus metas. Para más información o para inscribirse favor de llamar a Ana Amador 720-338-8226- o- Maria Macías 720-251-5315 National Survey on Abuse of People with Disabilities Dr. Nora Baladerian, through The Disability and Abuse Project that focuses on physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of people with developmental or intellectual disabilities, is conducting a survey that focuses on incidents of, response to, and attitudes about, abuse or crime victimization of children and adults with disabilities. The purpose of the survey is to seek input from the public, especially from persons with disabilities or those who interact with them, such as family members, caregivers, service providers, and advocates. Dr. Baladerian's intention is not to create a scientific research project, but rather a robust survey, the results of which may be used for research, education, and advocacy. Civitan Club of Aurora Seeking New Members The Civitan Club of Aurora supports The Arc of Aurora by providing Thanksgiving food baskets to families in need and and Holiday gifts to adults and families who may not have as jolly of holidays without that support. The Club is looking for new members. It meets every Thursday morning at 7:00 AM at Spaulding Hospital in the employee cafeteria, 900 Potomac, Aurora. The one hour meeting features a continental breakfast and brief presentation by guest speakers. If you are interested in joining the Aurora Civitans in all of their work throughout the year supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities or have questions about Club activities, contact Randy Patrick at 303.210.4717. CDC Releases Disaster Preparedness Guide for Vulnerable Older Adults Identifying Vulnerable Older Adults and Legal Options for Increasing Their Protection During All-Hazards Emergencies: A Cross-Sector Guide for States and Communities, and the launch of the accompanying preparedness web portal, were announced in late March by the CDC. The guide is being disseminated to national organizations, and state and community groups, including state units on aging, local area agencies on aging, state public health departments, and other key partners. To view the web portal and a pdf copy of the guide, visit the CDC website. Consumers can now compare results from home health agencies' patient surveys The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is offering public reports on consumer experiences with Medicare-certified home health agencies. Results from the CMS national survey that asks patients about their experiences with Medicare-certified home health agencies are now available on the agency's Quality Care Finder website. Stop Bullying Website The Stop Bullying Website, recently updated, encourages children, parents, educators, and communities to take action to stop and prevent bullying, and provides a map with detailed information on state laws and policies, interactive webisodes and videos for young people, practical strategies for schools and communities to ensure safe environments, and suggestions on how parents can talk about this sensitive subject with their children. The site also explores the dangers of cyberbullying and steps youngsters and parents can take to fight it. Going to College: A Website for Students with Disabilities Interested in College Going to College is a website with information about college life, designed for high school students with disabilities. It provides video clips, activities, and resources that can help them in planning for college. Video interviews with college students with disabilities offer firsthand experiences of students with disabilities who have been successful. Modules include activities that will help students explore more about themselves, learn what to expect from college, and suggest important considerations and tasks to complete when planning for college. Father Learns His Autistic Son Is Being Bullied by Teacher, Aides After Sending Him To School With a Wire Stuart Chaifetz, father of an autistic 10-year-old boy named Akian, became alarmed when his son began receiving notes claiming he was being violent in class. ADA Transportation Survey The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF) is disseminating a short web survey on ADA transportation as part of our current research, funded by the US Department of Transportation. The survey focuses on what factors are most important to riders with disabilities when deciding which transit mode to use. The confidential survey results will be part of a national study called Transit Cooperative Research Project B-40: Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. The goal is to develop strategies to improve bus and train systems for people with disabilities. Restraint and Seclusion Two recent reports offer different perspectives on the issue of restraint and seclusion use in schools. The National Disability Rights Network has released a report, "School Is Not Supposed to Hurt: The U.S. Department of Education Must Do More to Protect School Children from Restraint and Seclusion." This report argues that the U.S. Department of Education is in the unique position to issue guidance to state education agencies and local school districts concerning the use of seclusion and restraint and the potential violation of antidiscrimination and education laws. The Department of Education is urged to pull together a national summit of researchers, educators, and mental health professionals to discuss whether restraint and seclusion has any therapeutic value and to develop evidence-based best practices to prevent and reduce the use of restraint and seclusion. The Department is also urged to release and analyze data collected concerning restraint and seclusion incidents. Click here to read this report. While noting that the use of seclusion and restraint should not be commonplace or used as a means for punishing bad behavior, a report from the American Association of School Administrators identifies seclusion and restraint as "necessary tools in the toolbox of school personnel to defend themselves and their students from incidents that could be dangerous for everyone who attends or works in a school." This report posits that "the use of seclusion and restraint have enabled many students with serious emotional or behavioral conditions to be educated not only within our public schools, but also in the least restrictive and safest environments possible." Click here to read this report. Looking for a job? Check out aurorajobnetwork.com. Social Security Administration to outfit more than 1,250 field offices with the UbiDuo communication device These communication devices will enable Social Security staff to interact directly and immediately with clients who are deaf or hard of hearing who walk into SSA office for assistance to discuss their SSI/SSDI benefits. Rather than using paper and pen or waiting for a sign language interpreter to arrive, the staff can turn on the UbiDuo and within seconds begin engaging a conversation with the client. This portable communication tool can be carried anywhere within an office, and its self-powered battery provides power when electrical outlets are not available. My Child is Graduating...What Next? After high school, more students with disabilities are continuing their education at two- and four-year colleges, and attending vocational and career schools. Where do you begin? Which school will support your success? Is financial aid available? This issue of the Special Ed Advocate includes information to help you plan ahead, choose (& finance) a post-secondary school, and advice about challenges students with disabilities will encounter as they make the transition from high school. New Federal Agency Gives Boost To Disability Issues A major organizational change last month at the federal level could give significantly more voice to those working on developmental disability issues. Gardening for People with Disability Today with the aid of special adaptive tools nearly anyone with a disability can enjoy the benefits of indoor or outdoor gardening. Millions of people around the world have physical limitations and disabilities due to aging, injuries, or diseases. However that does not mean they can't still enjoy gardening, whether its flower gardening or starting a new vegetable patch in your back yard. Gardening for people with disabilities or seniors with mobility impairments can be achieved... The Institute on Community Integration (ICI) at the University of Minnesota's website includes resources on - Students with Disabilities in Postsecondary Education - Educational Assessment - Graduation Policies/Diploma Options - Standards-Based IEPs - K-12 Student Engagement with Learning - Children with Disabilities in Global Context | 
