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December 2008, Volume 3 - Number 2 |
| JOURNEY OF DREAMS BENEFIT |
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Parent to Parent of Miami held its Fourth Annual Journey of Dreams Benefit on November 15, 2008 at the Miami's JW Marriot where over 250 guests gathered to honor community leaders and raise funds for the organization.
Our special thanks to all the guests for supporting our fundraising efforts.
Congratulations to the 2008 Journey of Dreams Benefit Honorees
Janet Bell Taylor, Miami Children's Hospital; Ms.Rose Ann Farrell accepting for Dr. Moises Simper, Inspiration Award; Roni Bader-Tables, Education Leadership Award & Judge Cindy S. Lederman, Community Leadership Award.
The Journey of Dreams Benefit serves as the mayor fundraiser for Parent to Parent of Miami and the proceeds go directly to benefit more than 5,000 children with disabilities and their families.
OUR SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EVENT SPONSOR
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Encourage the Heart Sponsors
Mr. & Mrs. Guillermo Acosta
Mr. Richard A. Bruguera
Carrie Brazer Institute
Mr. & Mrs. Escallón
Mr. & Mrs. Jose García
Mr. & Mrs. Mario A. García
Mr. & Mrs. Jose García-Frutos
Miami Children's Hospital
Paula S. Lalinde
Tropical Music Export Enterprises
Underwriters
Alex Gort Photography
12th Avenue Graphics
Maritza García
Hencorp Becstone
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Donations
Artigiano
Condotte America, Inc
D & S Insurance Consultant, Inc
Gaebe, Mullen, Antonelli,
Esco and DiMatteo
H&H Jewels
The Kelly Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Mario and Isabel Garcia
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Abbott
Mr. and Mrs. Jorge N. Martinez
Ms. Batya Elbaum
Mr. Jesus Abreu
Dr. and Mrs. George L. Vergara
Mr. Daniel Marinberg, Esq
Mr. Jaret Davis
Mr. Michael T. Lynott
Ms. Zulma Blas
Ms. America Valdes
Ms. Katherine Gould-Feldman
Mr. and Mrs. Hector P. Sanchez
Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Landa
Ms. Rosemary Stieglitz
Mr. Gary Saul
Dr. Debbie Terenzio
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| SUCCESS STORY |
Parent to Parent Serves As a Lifeline for Families Of Children with Special Needs
Published Wednesday, November 19, 2008
When a parent first learns that their child has a disability or a special healthcare need, they are plunged into a frightening new reality of testing, diagnosis and treatment.
They may feel afraid for their child, uncertain of where to turn to for information and very alone. In Miami-Dade County, parents of children and adults with disabilities can count on Parent to Parent, an organization that was started to help families connect with other families in similar situations serving as a network of support, information and services to help these families achieve the best possible outcomes for their children. The organization was recently awarded a 2008 Excellence Award by The Children's Trust for the important work its doing. |
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Parent to Parent of Miami's Community Parent Resource Center receives 10 KidSmart Young Explorer computer centers and partners with ARC, Easter Seals, REM Learning Center, University of Miami Debbie School, United Cerebral Palsy and Children's Resources to receive technology and teaching curriculum to benefit children with disabilities in
pre-school settings in Miami-Dade County.
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| Money Does Matter |
Find Florida Medicaid Doctors & Services
"Florida Medicaid Beneficiary Services can assist anyone who is receiving Medicaid. You can call or have a family member call for you. Services are free. Your records are confidential, except for the purpose of administering the program. For more information regarding these services, call the Medicaid Area Office in the list below that serves your county." Source
Note- Medicaid Areas are not designated the same as Medicaid Waiver Districts. Look at the county information, to find your Medicaid area.
| Area 10 |
Broward County
(954) 202-3200, Ext. 277
Toll Free 1-866-875-9131 |
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| Area 11 |
Miami-Dade County
(305) 499-2100
(305) 499-2111 (Español) |
Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties
1-800-953-0555 |
A description of the services offered by the Florida Medicaid program can be found in the Summary of Services, 2008-2009 [3.6 MB PDF]. Updated 10/6/08 Medicaid is NOT the Same Thing As Medicaid Waiver.
-If you are on the Medicaid Waiver, you are also receiving Medicaid.
-Medicaid is health insurance.
-Medicaid Waiver helps people to live in the community by providing some services that medicaid and other resources does not cover, such as adult day training or respite.
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| Health Care Expenses That Are Eligible |
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The following list identifies some of the common medical, dental, and health related
expenses that the Internal Revenue Service considers to be deductible
expenses. These expenses are eligible for reimbursement through your Flexible
Spending Account provided that you have not been reimbursed for them through
any other benefits plan.
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| Children with Autism and Benefit Eligibility |
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Q. My 10-year-old son has autism and will need care the rest of his life. My in-laws and my parents are willing to help financially but we've heard it's not a good idea to put our son in their wills because it might affect his ability to qualify for financial aid. Can you shed light on this?
A. The most recent figures I've seen, from a study released by Yale University last year, indicate the average healthcare expenditures for a child with autism or related disorder were almost $6,000 in 2004.
Experts recommend keeping assets from going directly to a child with disabilities. If a person with a disability or special needs owns or inherits property above a certain dollar value - generally $2,000 - it could make him or her ineligible for certain government programs, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid. "The government doesn't go out and advertise it. A lot of times families are not aware of that fact," said Joe Eppy, a special care planner in Florida with the MassMutual SpecialCare program, which assists people with disabilities and their families.
A better solution, experts say, is to set up a special-needs or supplementary-needs trust that allows families to safeguard the child's eligibility for benefits while also providing for additional needs not covered by government programs.
Understandably, for many families dealing with the day-to-day struggles of caring for a disabled child "the last thing in their minds is planning for the future," said Joanne Gruszkos, founder of the MassMutual program. But it is important for parents to take the right steps to make sure their child is cared for after they die. That's particularly the case with autistic children: People with autism tend to have a longer than normal life expectancy, Gruszkos said, and therefore will need care longer.
Easter Seals recommends that, in addition to setting up a special-needs trust, parents of disabled children draft a "letter of intent." This letter, while not legally binding, provides a guide for the child's caregivers or the courts on how the parents would like the child to live. "With Open Arms," a 72-page guide by Easter Seals and the National Endowment for Financial Education, includes a worksheet to help parents begin writing such a letter. A free downloadable version is available at www.easter-seals.org. (you must first sign up as a registered user). A printed copy can be ordered by sending a $5 check for shipping and handling, payable to With Open Arms/Easter Seals, 230 W. Monroe, Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606.
The printed guide can also be ordered free from the MassMutual SpecialCare site, www.massmutual.com/scresources. Parents and caregivers can also request a free compact disc containing a fillable Word document template for a letter of intent. Also available are a 208-page resource guide and a 64-page "Making Plans" guide for people with Down syndrome and their families.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
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| There are a few simple things you need to know about preparing your taxes this year.
Do NOT use so-called "Rapid Refunds" - they are loans on your own money, with average fees of $200-$500 and interest rates of 700% APR;Always use a reputable tax preparer;If you have a household income of less than $40,000/year, take advantage of free tax preparation services offered at more than 90 VITA sites across the County.
For more information, please call 211 or 311 or visit www.prosperitycampaign.org for a list of sites. To prepare your taxes on your own, free of charge, you can visit www.beehivemiami.org (income limit is $52,000 per household)
Be sure that whoever prepares your taxes screens you for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). If you have children and make less than $41,646 a year, you could be receive up to $4,824 back; if you have no children and made less than $12,880, you could receive up to $438 in EITC. |
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| Prescription Refills During an Emergency |
Many people depend on prescription medications as part of their daily routine. During an emergency, routines are frequently interrupted and people often face unusually stressful situations. Following these simple steps may help ease some of the stress and allow prescription medication users to increase their chances of survivability. These steps generally apply to non-controlled medications. Special arrangements must be made to refill a prescription listed as a Schedule II controlled substance. A list of laws, rules and regulations |
| LEGISLATION THAT AFFECTS YOU |
Dependent Children Ages 25-30 Are Now Eligible for Health Insurance Coverage
Good News! The State of Florida recently passed Bill 2534, expanding Health Insurance coverage for eligible dependent children up to 30 years of age, if they meet certain criteria effective October 1, 2008.
Dependent children eligibility criteria:
o Unmarried without dependents of their own; and
o Florida resident or full or part time student; and
o Not covered under any other health plan or policy; and
o Not entitled to coverage under Medicare
For more information, please contact your health insurance provider.
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| IN THE NEWS... |
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Dear Parent,
With the school season in full swing, what can you do to help your child keep up with daily demands of homework, studying for exams, and being prepared for class?
It's never too early or too late for students to learn good habits, and you can help - whether you're demonstrating the value of literacy at home to your preschooler (by their seeing you enjoy reading and your reading to them!), helping your child learn to master basic academic skills and good study habits, or introducing technological supports that allow your teen to more easily access the information they need.
NCLD's LD.org Web site is here to help you find all sorts of useful information on homework, study skills and much more. After reading the resources listed below, you'll find even more resources in our"Homework" section of LD Basics.
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| Saving the Honeymoon Before It's Over: Early Warning Signs of Problems at School |
Every year, children and their parents approach the start of school with a combination of anticipation, excitement, and anxiety. We hope for a great start, good teachers, nice kids in class, smooth sailing, but we worry that things may not go so well. We recall the butterflies we feel each morning, as our kids leave for school, and we quietly hold our breath, hoping that they will have a good day, that the teachers will be skillful and attentive and that they will do well on the next test and be treated well by the other kids in the class. For children with disabilities, our fears our even greater as they are more vulnerable to the impact of poor or indifferent teachers, services that are not in place when they should be, children or staff that are insensitive or mean. So as the school year starts, parental radar systems are on high alert. Here are some Early Warning Signs for parents to be alert to that may indicate that there are problems with your child's educational program or how it is being implemented - some may seem humorous or absurd, but all are worth keeping track of:
1) When your child goes to school the first day, no one knows which class he or she is supposed to attend or what services are supposed to be provided. The office isn't even sure of whether the child is registered at the school. Alternatively, your child is assigned to a class, program or teacher that is different than what the IEP provided for or you had been told.
2) Your child's primary teacher or case manager is unaware that your child has disabilities or has an IEP or Section 504 plan.
3) Your child's teachers are aware that your child has an IEP but communicate that they don't believe your child's disability is real, are opposed to the accommodations that the IEP requires, or are untrained in the methodologies that the IEP requires.
4) Your child is scheduled to receive various services at the start of the school year, but weeks or months later, your child has not met the therapists that are supposed to provide the service or have not been given access to the technology or curriculum they were supposed to be receiving.
5) The bus doesn't show up to pick your child up, not once, but for weeks, or when it shows up, it shows up late.
6) Your child's homework and books appear to be at an educational level that is way off from their ability level, whether too high or too low. Their work isn't being modified and they are either unable to do the work or it is far too easy.
7) Your child is having trouble getting up in the morning, doesn't want to go to school, and cries when the bus arrives.
8) Within days of the start of school, staff are calling you to report that your child is struggling, unable to keep up, having trouble behaviorally, and that the teacher doesn't know what to do. Conversely, your child's IEP provides for the staff to send home daily or weekly communication books, weekly emails or similar communications. Weeks after the start of school, these communications aren't occurring or do not have the planned information.
9) When you make suggestions to the staff, they tell you that they are the experts and while they appreciate your input, you need to trust them to do what they are trained to do and let them spend their time doing their job.
10) Other parents and/or their kids report that your child is being isolated, scapegoated or otherwise mistreated.
11) Your child has a paraprofessional working with them part or full-time and that person a) doesn't speak English, b) has no prior training or experience with kids with disabilities, c) is using inappropriate strategies or physical responses to your child, or d) is spending significant time with your child in the hall or outside the class and there doesn't seem to be any involvement by the teachers.
Disclaimer: The content of this list is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Persons with any questions about the law or needing further legal assistance are strongly advised to consult an attorney knowledgeable in special education law. |
| College Disability Services Vary Widely |
Five times as many students with learning disabilities hope to enter college next fall as did in the 1980s, but the services offered to students with special needs are still far from uniform. Basic programs do little more than the legally mandated "reasonable accommodations," but highly structured programs at about 100 colleges nationally do provide more support for an additional annual fee, writes Marybeth Kravets, co-author of a Princeton Review book on college for students with disabilities.
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| Peer Bullying Patterns Often Take Root in Early Childhood |
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Children who are bullied at a young age are likely to suffer chronic abuse from peers throughout their school years. That's the finding of a study published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The study also found that children who were raised in families with harsh parenting styles, who were hyperactive or aggressive at a young age, or who were from a lower socioeconomic background were most likely to be the victims of bullying. The results suggest not only the need for early preventive interventions but also that such interventions should target both child- and parent-level risk factors, including alternatives to harsh and aggressive interactions.
Story teaches young children how to recognize, prevent, and protect themselves from bullying!
"Rose's New Shoes -- A Story About Bullying"
Rose goes to school happy because she has shiny-new red shoes. But seeing Carlos, a classmate, being bullied leaves her feeling scared -- especially after her friend Becca warns her not to talk to Carlos for fear of drawing the bullies' attention. Rose is conflicted: She's afraid of the bullies, too -- but she's also sad that she didn't help Carlos. Later, her dad helps her see that there are lots of things that everyone -- especially victims and bystanders like herself -- can do to help stop bullying, and that it's important to take action right away. The next day there's a happy ending when Rose enlists her friend Becca's help in reporting the bullies to a teacher and the girls befriend Carlos.
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| Some Teens with Special Needs Choose GED Over Diploma |
Gifted teens as well as those with learning disabilities are increasingly looking to GED classes as an alternative to a high-school diploma, say community college officials who often run GED programs. The nontraditional setting appealed to Kristina Andriotakis, who finished her GED in six months so she could start college sooner, and Jennifer Drew, who found the smaller class sizes and individualized curriculum helped her manage her dyslexia.
The Daily News (Newburyport, Mass.) |
| Parent Leadership Training Institute |
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Human Services Coalition invites 25 adults to participate in its Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI). PLTI teaches parents to become leading advocates for children and consists of a retreat, 20 training sessions and a graduation ceremony. Classes are Monday nights, 5:30-9 p.m., starting in January 2009 and take place at Kristi House, Inc. Dinner and childcare provided onsite for each session.
Applications and interviews are required. Applications are due by Friday,
Jan. 09 2009Applications and program information are available online at www.hscdade.org
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 Parent to Parent of Miami
7990 SW 117 Ave. Suite 201
Miami, Florida, 33183
Tel: 305-271-9797
Fax: 305-271-6628
newsletter@ptopmiami.org
www.ptopmiami.org
Mission
To empower and support a network of parents of children and adults with disabilities.
Vision
All parents of children and adults with disabilities will have universal access to information, training, support and advocacy skills to ensure their children achieve their fullest potential, while leading the community on the rights of all children.
Above all, we respect your privacy. We will never rent, sell or share your information with anybody.
Changing your email? To update your contact information, email your changes to newsletter@ptopmiami.org
(C) 2008 Parent to Parent of Miami Inc. All rights reserved.
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Please help us help our families! |
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