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December 1, 2014
Celebrating 26 Years of Excellence
Serving Missouri Families!
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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.
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| New way to support MPACT while you shop! |
MPACT has added another way that you can support MPACT while you shop online! Shop at AmazonSmile and Amazon will make a donation to MPACT. It is an easy way to help support MPACT's mission while doing online shopping that you would have done any way.
You can continue to support MPACT while online shopping at other sites using iGive.com. iGive will donate an extra $5 to MPACT for each new person that uses their site prior to December 15. Learn more and sign up today!
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MPACT in the News!
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MPACT and our sister organization in Kansas, Families Together, were featured in a September issue of Dos Mundos. Dos Mundos is a bi-lingual (Spanish and English) newspaper that is published in the Kansas City area.
The edition of the paper MPACT is featured in is available online. Turn to page 7 or 20 to find the article!
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Board of Directors Applicants Wanted
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MPACT (Missouri Parents Act) is looking for enthusiastic individuals to help develop a diverse community-based board of directors. We seek members with a broad variety of backgrounds, ethnicities and experience, people with disabilities, parents of children with disabilities, people with experience with other children's issues, people simply interested in child education, people with fundraising expertise, business professionals and educators.
For more information and to apply, please download our Board Member Application packet.
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MPACT is Hiring
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MPACT is currently seeking a Regional Coordinator for the Southeast Region of Missouri. This area includes Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Dunklin, Howell, Madison, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard and Wayne Counties.
Download the job description for full details on duties and qualifications. Our employment application is available on our website.
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| MotionSavvy UNI |
Individuals seeking ways to improve communication between those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, and those who are not, might be interested in the MotionSavvy UNI. This small, portable mobile device "translates sign language into audio and spoken word text." The sign to speech component works by motion gesture recognition technology, translating signs into audible speech for hearing individuals. The speech to text component uses voice recognition technology and converts it to text for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals.
To learn more about MotionSavvy UNI, visit the MotionSavvy website or the MotionSavvy
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OtoSense App for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
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The recently released OtoSense app might be of interest to individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Currently only available for Android, the OtoSense app learns the sound of the doorbell, smoke and fire alarms, telephone ringing and other audio alerts and sounds relaying time-sensitive information. OtoSense learns these sounds and notifies users with flash and vibration. It can also send text and push notifications to your device. The app is currently free during its launch. An Apple version is set to launch soon.
To learn more visit the OtoSense website.
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2015 Partners in Policymaking
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The Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council (MODDC) is accepting applications for the 2015 Partners in Policymaking class through December 12.
Partners in Policymaking is a leadership training program designed for self-advocates and parent of young children with developmental disabilities. It is based on a national model and the goal is to develop productive partnerships with people who need and use services and those in a position to make policy and law.
To learn more and download the application visit the MODDC website.
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2015 Missouri Youth Leadership Forum Dates Set!
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The 2015 Missouri Youth Leadership Forum will be July 26 - 30. Please mark your calendars and help recruit new youth leaders. Applications for the 2015 Forum will be online by Thanksgiving.
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| MPACT Mentor Spotlight |
This month we are highlighting an MPACT Mentor from the Southwest region of Missouri, Billie Ridenour.
When did you first learn about MPACT? I learned about MPACT in 2003.
When did you decide you wanted to become an MPACT Mentor? In 2003, after I went through the "IDEA Boot Camp" training. It made me feel like I wanted to make sure other parents did not to go through what my daughter and I had in the school systems.
What do you do outside of volunteering your time to MPACT? I work with adults with special needs to become more independent in there own homes.
Share a little about your own children and how your relationships with MPACT helped you to advocate for their needs. I have a 21 year old daughter with autism, bi-polar, dystonia, seizures, ADHD, OCD, ODD, and cerebral palsy. I also have a 20 year old with psycho effective disorder and bi-polar. I believe that by knowing my children's rights and what their needs truly were that I was able to ask the right questions and look for the right answers.
In your experience, what is one of the biggest barriers parents of children with special needs face in the education system? I believe the biggest barrier is that the parents don't know their rights or their child's rights and they don't know where to go to get the answers.
You've served countless families as an MPACT Mentor. Can you share one of the most memorable and/or most rewarding situations you've experienced? I can't say I have had one more rewarding then the others. They are all rewarding in the end when the child is getting the help they need because the parent has a better understanding of what their rights are and can advocate for their child successfully.
If you could share one piece of advice with your fellow MPACT mentors and families, what would it be? For my fellow MPACT mentors, the best advice I can give is just remember that we were there once. The parents are coming to us for help so, no matter what, give them your attention and support. Remember that we have others to go to if we don't know the answer and they are always there to help.
For Families, just remember it is ok! We were there once so we understand and are here to help you any way we can. If we don't know the answer, then we will find it. Also put EVERYTHING in WRITING! it does not exist unless it is in WRITING.
Something a little extra, I want to thank everyone who has been my mentor, my building block, my friend, and my support. THANK YOU all for this wonderful opportunity to be able to support so many families! THANK YOU!
MPACT is grateful for all of the hard work that Billie has given in support of families in her area. Our volunteer Mentors make MPACT the strong statewide organization that it is. To learn how you can become a volunteer Mentor, read on!
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| MPACT Mentor Program |
MPACT Mentors are available to offer support and guidance to parents of children with disabilities throughout the IEP process. 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. Click here to view the list of current MPACT Mentors.
If your school district has had a MPACT Mentor in attendance at an IEP meeting, please take a moment to complete a brief online survey 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 MPACT Mentor Program.
For more information about MPACT or if you have questions regarding the status of a 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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| Does Your Child Receive First Steps Services? Visit MPACT's First Steps Page |
For more information regarding First Steps services, how to qualify, First Steps online training, or MPACT First Steps resources follow this link:
http://ptimpact.org/PartC/PartC.aspx
Families new to First Steps are often unsure what to expect. They need families who have been in First Steps to Share their stories! To share your story regarding First Steps services that your child has received, click this link: http://ptimpact.org/PartC/OurStory.aspx
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FREE Online Trainings offered through MPACT
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Our free online trainings will help parents understand the special education process in the state of Missouri. You can access the MPACT online trainings listed below by going to the Training page on our website and clicking on Online Training.
- Extended School Year
- Mediation
- IDEA Transition Requirements
- Connecting Goals to Coordinated Activities and Services for Transition
- Transition Resources - Disability Disclosure
- Soft Skills
- Solving the Employment Puzzle
- Special Education: What I Need to Know
- Steps to Success: Family Record Keeping
- Steps to Success: Effectively Communicating Your Child's Needs
- Steps to Success: Understanding First Steps Parental Rights
- Steps to Success: Understanding the IFSP
- Steps to Success: Transitioning from First Steps to ECSE
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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 live 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.
Bullying Prevention; What Parents Can Do
Disagreement Resolution Processes
How to Write Measurable Annual Goals
IDEA Boot Camp
McKinney-Vento Act Overview
Interested in training in your area? We are always looking for groups to host MPACT trainings! Contact Lori Williams, Training and Resource Coordinator, at 800-743-7634 or by email at lwilliams@ptimpact.org to find out how to bring MPACT training to parents located near you.
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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 on our website's donation page. Individual donations of $50.00 or more will be added to our Friends of MPACT list. Donations may be made by credit card through PayPal on our website 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 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.
MPACT Donation Letter
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Help MPACT every time you shop online by joining iGive.
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Help MPACT every time you shop online using AmazonSmile.
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or contact the MPACT State Office at 1-800-743-7634.
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Empowering families to advocate for themselves so that children with special education needs can reach their full potential in education and life -
through support, training and education.
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