Parent to Parent of Washington State Newsletter
March, 2014
A Program of the Arc of Washington State 

 

1-800-821-5927

 
"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are."

- Marianne Williamson

Hi everyone,

 

Wanted to send you information about our new Parent to Parent Coordinators-

Please welcome:

Amanda Sloan & Kim Irish in Skagit County

Dana Becker-Snell in Benton/Franklin Counties

 

Good-bye and thanks to:

Gabby Lopez (Skagit), Michele King (Snohomish), and Alina Zollfrank (Whatcom), and Patty Carey (Benton/Franklin).

 

Enjoy the sunny days and the spring ahead.

Susan

 

Calendar of Events

NEW RESOURCES:
 
Join The Arc US on March 29: A Day of Awareness
This year in honor of National Developmental Disabilities Month, The Arc US is launching a campaign to encourage all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their friends, family members and interested organizations to get out in public and raise awareness. Click here for more info.
 
Plan To Work - serves individuals in the state of Washington (except Pacific, Lewis, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Clark, Skamania, Klickitat, Benton, Franklin, and Walla Walla) who are currently receiving disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and want to work. 
 
From Edutopia.org: article - "How to Become a Socially Inclusive School" In this blog post, psychology professor Maurice Elias shares ideas about how schools can become more inclusive of individuals with disabilities.
 
Laptops and internet for low-income households at the Computer Reuse Center in Seattle. Click here for more information.
 
Free cell phone & minutes program - You may qualify if you are eligible for Medicaid. Click here for more information.
 
Smart 911 - A free service that allows citizens to create a Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 to have in the event of an emergency. Click here for more details.
 
Are You Ready (pdf file)? - This document is prepared annually by Joanne O'Neill, Parent Training Coordinator for the King County Family Coalition, a Program of The Arc of King County. It's a valuable resource for families with young adults who are transitioning into the adult service system.
 
The National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Down Syndrome Resources - Recommended by Susan Atkins as a resource for good materials and accurate information.
 
 
March 2014
 
3/5 - 7: 2014 Special & General Education Conference: Inclusion, Collaboration & Differentiated Learning - Seattle. Click here for more info.
 
3/12 & 3/13: Assistive Technology Conferences held by Wise (Washington Initiative for Supported Employment). Click here for more info and to register. 
 
3/15: IDEA - Blueprint for Special Education - Seattle. This full day workshop will explain how to use the building blocks of IDEA to develop appropriate services for your child. Click here to register.
 
3/15: Families United for a Better Future - A Bi-lingual Conference for Families and Others Caring for Children with Developmental and Other Disabilities - Sunnyside. To register, contact Inspire Developmental Centers at (509) 837-8909 or 1-877-821-4113.
 
3/21: 35th Annual Duncan Seminar: Home From the NICU - Preparing for the Early Years - Seattle. Contact Marianne Gonterman at (206) 987-5318 with questions or click here to register.
 
3/24 - 26: Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center Annual Conference - Portland, OR. Click here for more info.

 

May 2014

 

5/2: Washington State Transition Conference - Presented by W.I.S.E. in Vancouver 9:00am to 4:00pm. Contact Marsha Threlkeld by e-mail or call (206) 343-0881 with any questions.
 
5/7 - 9: The Infant and Early Childhood Conference (IECC) - Tacoma, WA. Save the date! Presenter application deadline is November 1st. For more information, click here.
 
June 2014
 
6/2: 21st Annual Caregiver's Conference - Tukwila. Space is limited so pre-registration is required. Brochures & registration forms will be mailed out in April. To receive a brochure or register, call (360) 725-2544 or 1-800-422-3263.
 
6/30 - 7/2: Supporting Children Affected by Parental Co-Occurring Disorders: Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, HIV - national symposium in Seattle presented by WA Department of Early Learning. Click here for more information.
 
 

Resource Links

Resource Links now on the Arc website in the Resource Library.
 
Click here to access the links.
 
Click here to find a local P2P Coordinator.
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Our Sponsors:
Arc of Washington State

 
Dept. of Health/CSHCN Program

  

 Developmental Disabilities Administration

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Susan is enjoying her Meditation & Mindfulness Class and she related to the following description from Get Some Headspace by Andy Puddicombe:
"And that's where meditation comes in. It is not that meditation causes the change to take place, but rather it creates the conditions for change to take place. It reminds us of that fundamental essence, which is innocent, vulnerable, gentle, kind, content, fulfilled, untouched, uncomplicated and free from habit. This is what it means to rest in the present member, watching as the body and mind naturally unwind, allowing change to happen effortlessly. I like to think of that essence as the blue sky, always present, always clear. Sure, there might be some cloudy days, but if we sit in the metaphorical deckchair for a short time, day after day, we see the clouds begin to disperse, the habits disappear... and we are left instead with the beauty and wonder of the blue sky."
 

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