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We heard LOTS of great comments about Special Day for Special Kids. But we wonder if some of us might have had just a little more fun than the rest?

Thank you to all the great volunteers from Scottsdale Sunrise Rotary, Scottsdale Service Learning Students, our Parent Leaders, photographer Jeff Lang (All in the Family Photography), and every single wonderful family that joined us on Saturday. 

Raising Special Kids is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. 

Future of Disability Rights Enforcement Unclear

disabilityscoop.com

As the nation's top civil rights attorney, Thomas Perez made disability issues a priority. His nomination this week to head the U.S. Department of Labor, however, is bringing an uncertain future for disability rights enforcement.

Surgeon General Urges New Focus On Suicide Prevention

USA TODAY

Many of the 36,000 annual deaths from suicide in the United States could be prevented by making suicide prevention a part of routine health care and getting people to talk frankly about suicide in homes, schools, workplaces, the military and even on Facebook, says an updated national strategy from the surgeon general and a coalition of public and private groups.

U.S. Autism Estimates Climb to One in 50 School-Age Children

Reuters

As many as one in 50 U.S. school-age children have a diagnosis of autism, up from one in 86 in 2007.

Teaching Doctors the Price of Care

thefiscaltimes.com

Doctors in training have traditionally been insulated from information about the cost of the tests and treatments they order for patients.

Budget - House and Senate FY 2014 Budgets Released

House and Senate Budget Committee chairs Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced their FY 2014 Budgets. They provided different blueprints for federal spending and revenue for the next decade. See the Arc's review of the differences in the Capitol Insider.

Amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution

The Senate Budget Committee included an amendment in its FY 2014 budget offered by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) that will help advance care for medically complex children under Medicaid.

'Sequester' Cuts Still in Place amid Budget Wrangling

Education Week

The U.S. Congress missed a chance to avert the automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration when it passed legislation extending funding for all programs--including education--at current levels, minus a 5 percent across-the-board reduction.

Raising Special Kids is excited to announce the addition of Barbara Brent and Jenifer Kasten to our Board of Directors.

Barbara Brent is the Director of State Policy for the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), a nonprofit organization that assists state agencies and others in the development of effective service delivery systems for people with developmental disabilities.

Prior to joining NASDDDS, Barbara served as the state director for the Arizona Division of Developmental Disabilities, supporting over 30,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families.

Barbara has a master's degree in special education with emphasis on employment and community living for people with severe disabilities.

She has worked in both the public and private sectors in a variety of roles, including case management, early intervention, director of supported employment in the state of Oregon, executive director of a vocational provider agency, UCEDD education coordinator, and as the state developmental disabilities director in Tennessee. Her interests include systems change, community development, and bringing people together from communities and government to create positive change.

Jenifer Kasten was a federal law clerk and practicing attorney in Washington, D.C. and Phoenix, Arizona before beginning her career as the full time mother of two children with special health care needs.

She graduated with honors from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Concentration in Psychology after having spent her junior year studying at the London School of Economics.

Jenifer went on to graduate from Georgetown University Law Center about the time Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Jenifer studied with the lead attorney responsible for drafting the legislation, which sparked her continuing interest in the rights of people with disabilities. Her clinical work in law school involved the representation of children in the justice system. 

Prior to joining the Washington, D.C. law firm of Dickstein Shapiro as a general litigator, Jenifer worked as a legislative analyst for the Mental Health Policy Resource Center. She looks forward to bringing her legal, policy, and parenting experience together to support children and families in Arizona.

Report - America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2012

Each year the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics has published a report on the well-being of children and families. Pending data availability, the Forum updates all 41 indicators annually on its Web site (http://childstats.gov) and alternates publishing a detailed report, America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, with a summary version that highlights selected indicators.

Disease InfoSearch

Type in the name of a condition to locate information from a database of more than 13,000 conditions and thousands of support groups and foundations.

Tips for Poison Prevention and Treatment

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some important tips to prevent and to treat exposures to poison.

Phone app for People with Hearing Impairment

MercuryNews.com

An Android application has been developed that can interpret audio disturbances such as sirens, smoke alarms, car horns or even crying children, then translate them into flashing lights, vibrations and texts to those who could not otherwise hear them. The free app is now available at Google Play.

Home Use Devices: How to Prepare for and Handle Power Outages for Medical Devices that Require Electricity

As a home medical device user, it is important that your device works during a power outage and that you have a plan in place to ensure you know what to do. This completed booklet from the Food and Drug Administration will help you have an established plan to obtain and organize your medical device information, take necessary actions so that you can continue to use your device, have the necessary supplies for the operation of your device, and know where to go or what to do during a power outage.

Athlete Concussion Guidelines: Players Should Sit Out Until Cleared By Doctor

huffingtonpost.com

When athletes are suspected of having a concussion, they should be taken out of action immediately, new guidelines from a major medical group say.

5 Things Your Teen Needs to Know About ADHD

About.com

Being diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager can result in a wide range of feelings and reactions. Your teen may have a number of questions and even quite a few misperceptions about ADHD.

Events and Activities

IEP Workshop in Tucson

Participation in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process

Thursday, April 4, 2013

6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Howell Elementary School Library, 401 N. Irving Avenue (5th St. just east of Alvernon)

Presented by: Kathy Gray-Mangerson, Arizona Department of Education/Parent Information Network Specialist. This training provides information about best practices that should be used when creating a student's IEP.    

Please RSVP by Wednesday, April 3rd at 10:00 PM. RSVP's are handled by email EPPTusd@gmail.com. Questions only call 520-907-8222.

SibShop - For Brothers and Sisters of Kids with Disabilities

For ages 7 to 14

April 12th from 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Hosted by Pilot Parent's of Southern Arizona

Children's Clinic, 2600 N. Wyatt Dr., Tucson

Call Joann to register 324-3153.

Emergency Preparedness Class for People with Disabilities

Tuesday May 21, 2013  

• Make an Emergency Preparedness Plan - 10:00 am - Noon
• Build an Emergency Preparedness Kit - 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

The Disability Empowerment Center of Arizona

Conference Room, 5025 E. Washington St, Ste 200, Phoenix, AZ   85034

Take small steps every day to become better able to survive an emergency. Be informed, Identify your resources, Make a plan, and Create a Ready Kit and a GoBag. Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL) is hosting an educational class on emergency preparedness.

Registration: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2825480087# or call Liticia Hawkins at 602-443-0715.

First Things First Early Childhood Summit

Pre-Summit: August 25, 2013

Summit: August 26 and 27, 2013

Venue: Phoenix Convention Center

For more information, visit azftfsummit.com.

Teleconference - Extracurricular Athletic Opportunities for Students with Disabilities: Understanding the Issues

April 16, 2013

11:00 am - 12:30 pm Arizona Time.

This special session is being offered in response to the recent guidance provided by the Office for Civil Rights clarifying public elementary and secondary schools obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide extracurricular athletic opportunities for students with disabilities. All sessions will have a written transcript as well as a digital recording

Previously Listed in Monday Memo:

Scholarships for Camp

Eligible camps can identify qualified campers and offer scholarship funds for financially disadvantaged children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to attend a summer camp.

See camps in Arizona. Click here to learn more.

9th Annual American Indian Disability Summit

Monday, April 1, 2013

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Embassy Suites Hotel - Paradise Valley, 4415 E Paradise Village Pkwy South, Phoenix, Arizona

Visit http://9thamericanindiandisabilitysummit.eventbrite.com/ for on-line registration.

6th Annual 4cABA Conference

April 6-7, 2013

High Country Conference Center, Drury Inn and Suites, Flagstaff, AZ

Website for more information and to register.

Disability Policy Seminar 2013

April 15 - 17, 2013

in Washington, D.C. Register online at http://www.thearc.org/page.aspx?pid=2173

UCP Annual Conference
April 25 to 27

in San Diego this year, from April 25 to 27.

Learn more about the conference and how to register.
 

Art Jam Social

Saturday, April 27^TH

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

SEEDs for Autism, 1345 W. McKinley Road Phoenix. 85007

http://www.facebook.com/SEEDSforAutism

Seminar on Autism and Bullying

Friday, April 26 - Saturday, April 27, 2013

Scottsdale Public Library Civic Center Auditorium, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Register online at www.rsvp.com/sarrcbullyautismconf

Scientific and Training Symposium

The 2013 US Public Health Service's Scientific and Training Symposium

Renaissance Hotel in Glendale, Arizona

May 21 to 23, 2013. 

Here's how to register.

Evidence-based Practice in Disability Disciplines Conference

Begins at 8:00 AM on June 10th and ends at 4:30 PM on June 11th.

High Country Conference Center, 201 West Butler Avenue, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001,  928-523-9521

For information and to register visit http://nau.edu/SBS/IHD/Research/EBP-Conference/ 

Free Workshops and Trainings

Parent/Professional Collaboration

March 26, 2013

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Techniques for effective advocacy.  What to ask, how to ask for it.

Understanding 504 - Ganado

March 26, 2013

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Learn about the rules and regulations of a 504 Plan and how it differs from the IEP (IDEA). 

Getting and Keeping the First Job - Ganado

March 26, 2013

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Assist young adults and parents with identifying the importance of employment for youth with disabilities and special needs. 

"We went through the process and my son is now very happily in a class that is a perfect fit! It has made an incredible difference, and I am so grateful for the advice that pointed us in the right direction. I just wanted to let people know that sometimes a 15-minute phone call with someone who genuinely wants to help can make a big difference!"