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MPACT ENews
February 15, 2013
Celebrating 25 Years of Excellence!
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Greetings!
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Did you miss an issue of the MPACT ENews? Delete it by mistake? Wish you could find a past article? Well you can! To view current and past issues of the MPACT ENews visit our website at http://ptimpact.org/News.aspx |
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Online Trainings offered through MPACT
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MPACT has just added another online training to our resources, Extended School Year is now available along with:
- Special Education: What I Need to Know
- IDEA Transition Requirements
- Transition to Post Secondary Experiences (Part 1 & 2)
- Connecting Goals to Coordinated Activities and Services for Transition
- Transition Resources - Disability Disclosure
- Soft Skills
You can access them by going to our Training page and clicking on Online Training, or CLICK HERE .
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MPACT Parent Mentor Program
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MPACT Parent Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process. Parent Mentors are volunteers who receive 24 hours of initial training, ongoing monthly training, and technical assistance from MPACT staff with regard to special education law, the IEP process, conflict resolution, and effective communication. Their goal is to help parents build a collaborative partnership with the school district so their child may receive an appropriate education. To view the list of current MPACT Parent Mentors, go to http://ptimpact.org/Volunteer/MentorList.aspx.
If your school district has had a MPACT Parent Mentor in attendance at an IEP meeting, please take a moment to complete a brief online survey located at http://ptimpact.org/Surveys.aspx if you have not already done so. A separate survey should be completed for each mentor who has provided services to parents in your district. These surveys assist MPACT and DESE with identifying and addressing areas of success and improvement with the Parent Mentor Program.
For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a Parent Mentor, please contact MPACT by telephone at (800) 743-7634 or by e-mail at info@ptimpact.org. You can also view the MPACT website at http://www.ptimpact.org.
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Wrightslaw - Special Education Law Training
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MPACT presents Wrightslaw Special Education Law Training featuring Pete Wright.
Tuesday, May 14th - 9:00am - 4:30pm
University of Missouri - St. Louis
Some of the topics to be covered include:
- IDEA
- Understanding Tests and Measurements
- Evaluations and IEPS
- No Child Left Behind
- Tactics and Strategies
For more information CLICK HERE. Be sure to register before March 30th to receive the Early Bird Discount!
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| Check out MPACT's First Steps Page | |
Early intervention services are designed to meet the needs of infants and toddlers who have a developmental delay or disability. Sometimes it is known from the moment a child is born that early intervention services will be essential in helping the child grow and develop. Often this is so for children who are diagnosed at birth with a specific condition or who experience significant prematurity, very low birth weight, illness, or surgery soon after being born. Even before heading home from the hospital, this child's parents may be given a referral to their local early intervention office.
Some children have a relatively routine entry into the world, but may develop more slowly than others, experience setbacks, or develop in ways that seem very different from other children. For these children, a visit with a developmental pediatrician and a thorough evaluation may lead to an early intervention referral. However a child comes to be referred, assessed, and determined eligible-early intervention services provide vital support so that children with developmental needs can thrive and grow. Eligible children can receive early intervention services from birth through the third birthday.
Fore more information regarding First Steps services, how to qualify, online training, MPACT resources, or a chance to share your story regarding First Steps follow this link: http://ptimpact.org/PartC/PartC.aspx |
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Missouri Youth Leadership Forum
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If you have any questions, please contact the Governor's Council on Disability at 800-877-8249.
The Governor's Council on Disability is now accepting applications for the Missouri Youth Leadership Forum July 21-24, 2013, at the University of Missouri-Columbia. This is a great opportunity for high school students with disabilities age 16 to 21 to learn about leadership skills and career development strategies and hear from outstanding mentors and speakers sharing their experiences with school and careers. The youth delegates make new friends from all over the state. The Forum is at no cost to participants.
For more information and the application, go to http://disability.mo.gov/gcd/ylf.htm. Deadline is April 1, 2013.
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DESE - Alternate Assessment - Guidance for IEP Teams
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Please join us for a webinar on alternate assessments for students with disabilities on February 28, 2013, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This webinar will focus on participation of students with disabilities in both state and district alternate assessments. A new training video will be shared detailing the factors that must be considered in determining if a student is eligible to participate in the alternate assessments, the 1% rule, and how to document decisions on the IEP for compliance with IDEA. In addition, an updated checklist and new resources including a flowchart and guidance document will be introduced. The video will be followed by a live question and answer session.
This webinar is a collaborative effort between the Office of Special Education, the Assessment Section of the Office of College and Career Readiness, and the Office of Quality Schools.
If you have questions you would like to submit prior to this webinar, please submit them to: nancy.thomas@dese.mo.gov (indicate "alternate assessment webinar" in the subject line). We will respond to these questions and others received during the webinar as time allows and will post the questions and answers on our website.
To participate in this webinar, go to http://www.dese.mo.gov/webinar/webinar-02-28-13-SE.htm. The webinar will be recorded and posted under the Webinars - Recorded button at http://dese.mo.gov/webinar/.
If you need an accommodation as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in this webinar, please call 573-751-5739 at least 48 hours in advance of the webinar to discuss the accommodation.
We hope you will be able to join us for this webinar.
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IDEA Part B Final Regulations on Parental Consent for the Use of Public Benefits or Insurance
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On February 14, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education published final regulations related to parental consent for the use of public benefits or insurance (e.g., Medicaid) to pay for services under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including the Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities program. The regulations are effective on March 18, 2013. The new regulations amend the Department's regulations in 34 CFR §300.154(d)(2)(iv), which were published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2006. The prior regulations required the public agency responsible for providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to a child with a disability under the IDEA to obtain parental consent each time access to public benefits or insurance (e.g., Medicaid) was sought. The new regulations have two basic requirements:
- First, the public agency must notify parents in writing of a number of safeguards to protect their rights before the public agency accesses the child's or parent's public benefits or insurance to pay for services under the IDEA for the first time and annually thereafter. 34 CFR §300.154(d)(2)(v).
- Second, the public agency must obtain a one-time written consent from the parent that meets the requirements of 34 CFR §99.30 and §300.622, and also specifies that the parent understands and agrees that the public agency may access the child's or parent's public benefits or insurance to pay for special education or related services under part 300 (services under the IDEA). 34 CFR §300.154(d)(2)(iv).
For additional information see the Department's IDEA Part B Final Regulations on Parental Consent Web page, which includes a one-page summary, as well as a Q&A with non-regulatory guidance on the new regulations.
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Public Hearings for VR State Plan
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The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has issued the following news release: http://dese.mo.gov/news/2013/vr-state-plan.htm
Public Hearings Scheduled for Vocational Rehabilitation State Plan
Five public hearings on vocational rehabilitation services have been scheduled in February and March throughout the state. The hearings will be conducted by Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation (MVR) to gain feedback on ways to improve services for individuals with disabilities. Input regarding the goals and priorities for MVR's upcoming revised state plan is welcome.
Public Hearing Schedule
February 26 St. Louis
10 a.m.-noon South County Service Center
Disability Determination Services
7545 S. Lindbergh, Suite 220
Conference Room
February 28 Springfield
3 p.m.-5 p.m. Southwest Center for Independent Living
2864 S. Nettleton Ave.
Conference Room
March 6 Kansas City
10 a.m.-noon Kauffman Foundation Conference Center
4801 Rockhill Road
Brush Creek Room
March 11 Cape Girardeau
1-3 p.m. SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence
1913 Rusmar Ave.
Community Room
March 13 Jefferson City
10 a.m.-noon Vocational Rehabilitation Central Office
3024 Dupont Circle
Main Conference Room
Written comments about the current state plan http://dese.mo.gov/vr/vrstateplan.htm should be submitted by March 31 to: Lisa Sone, Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 3024 Dupont Circle, Jefferson City, MO 65109; or to info@vr.dese.mo.gov.
Individuals who require accommodations should make arrangements in advance by contacting 877-222-8963 (toll-free), 573-751-0881 (TTY), 573-751-1441 (fax) or info@vr.dese.mo.gov.
For more information, contact Lisa Sone, supervisor at Missouri Vocational Rehabilitation, at 573-751-3251 or lisa.sone@vr.dese.mo.gov. |
New Interpretation of FMLA
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The U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Wage and Hour Division issued a new Administrator Interpretation that expands the Family and Medical Leave Act's (FMLA) current language to include adult children who are unable to care for themselves because of a mental or physical disability and whose disabilities occurred before or after the age of 18. The previous interpretation of the law was unclear as it applied to adult children with disabilities.
This Interpretation also clarifies FMLA-protected leave for a parent is not dependent on the age of the adult child and the onset of their disability, and broadens the definition of "disability" to reflect the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA).
Ultimately, this Interpretation means that more parents will be able to take FMLA- protected leave from their jobs to care for their adult children with disabilities.
Learn more about the FMLA and this new Administrator Interpretation from UCP's Website.
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Give the Gift of Knowledge - Donate to MPACT
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MPACT welcomes donations in any amount and will acknowledge all donors in our Annual Report and on our MPACT Facebook page. Agency, organization and business donors making a contribution of $200.00 or more will be recognized by placing their name and logo in our monthly e-news letter and on our website's donation page. Individual donations of $50.00 or more will be added to our Friends of MPACT list which will appear in an edition of our monthly e-news letter and on our website. Donations may be made by credit card through PayPal on our website - http://ptimpact.org/Store/Donations/Donations.aspx; or by sending a check to the state office: MPACT, 8301 State Line Rd., Ste. 204, Kansas City MO, 64114. Every donation will receive a receipt for tax purposes.
Please help us to continue to provide the support that families of Missouri's children with disabilities are requesting by making a donation to MPACT. MPACT is a 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax deductible.
2012 MPACT Donation Letter
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Free MPACT Trainings
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MPACT trainings are provided free of charge to parents of children with disabilities. To sign up for an upcoming training, follow the links below, then click on the 'SIGNUP' button located next to the training name. Fill in your name, email address, phone number, the name of the training you wish to attend and the date it is being offered.
While registering for a training is not mandatory it does ensure that the trainer has an adequate amount of handouts. This also allows MPACT to contact you should a training need to be cancelled or rescheduled. To view a comprehensive list of all trainings provided by MPACT go to http://ptimpact.org/Training/Training.aspx.
Please be sure to double check the website training pages for any updates or changes to trainings offered.
Steps to Success Series:
Parental Rights
IDEA Part C to B (First Steps to Early Childhood)
IDEA Boot Camp (Understanding the IEP Process, Special Education Law, and Disagreement Resolution)
Understanding the IEP Process
Understanding ADHD
Be Determined
Student-Led IEPs - NEW
Parents Facilitate, Youth Take Action
Journey to Adulthood
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Question? Comments? Suggestions? Send them to info@ptimpact.org or
contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634. |
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