Volume 6 - Number 5                                                                          June 2012
Empower Local Families who have Children with Disabilities  

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In This Issue
Spend $3 at Macy's to support The Children's Trust Read to Learn Book Club
Grant Applications now Being Accepted
Summer Stipend of $1,000 is offered to individuals with disabilities between the ages of 18 to 25
Medicaid Coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis for Children Under 21 with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Florida Department of Education Launches Statewide Campaign to Communicate With Parents
New GAO Report: Charter Schools
Dyscalculia the Importance of Mathematics in the LD Equation
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that Recommends Federal Funding Levels for Education Met and Approved Increases for Special Education
Workshops & Support Groups

 

 

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Spotlight

Spend $3 at Macy's to support The Children's Trust Read to Learn Book Club every time you shop between now and the end of July.  

The Book Smart campaign will directly benefit our free monthly book club for all 3-year-olds in Miami-Dade County. The Book Club is being funded and administered in partnership with the Miami-Dade Family Learning Partnership and the Early Learning Coalition.

News   

Grant Applications Now Being Accepted
We are happy to announce that The National Autism Foundation is now accepting applications for their Helping Hand Program which provides grant funding for medical treatment, supplements and therapies not covered by insurance. Funding for this program is limited, and will be awarded to families who are in dire need of financial assistance. For grant guidelines, complete details and the Helping Hand application form, please click HERE.
A Summer Stipend of $1,000 is offered to individuals with disabilities between the ages of 18 to 25 years

 
During July and August, Ms. Karen Peterson will work with four individuals with disabilities, between the ages of 18 to 25, who are interested in a possible position and invitation to join the company in the fall 2012. The individuals must have a documented disability, be interested in movement exploration, provide their own transportation and be available for weekly training after July 1st. The paid internship will help young individuals build skills to discover athleticism, collaboration and creativity towards the path of a professional performer. Please send an email of interest and a short resume to Karen Peterson at [email protected]. Details will follow. Rehearsals will take place at the company's home: Excello, 8700 SW 129th Terrace, Miami, FL 33157. This project is funded by the Rosemary Kennedy Initiative from VSA at the John F Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Medicaid Coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis for Children Under 21 with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  

On March 26, a federal judge ordered Florida Medicaid to cover Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders for children under the age of 21, effective April 2, 2012. Please note that the Agency for Health Care Administration intends to appeal this ruling. If the ruling is overturned, Medicaid will cease to cover these services for the treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Any such action will be announced through Provider Alerts and/or posted on the Medicaid website.   


An optional form for this purpose is available online at www.ahca.myflorida.com/chcup Prior authorization documentation as described above must be submitted to the recipient's Medicaid area office. Contact information for the area offices can be found at www.mymedicaid-florida.com under "Area Offices." If Medicaid approves the service, an authorization will be sent to the physician and the recipient or the recipient's parent or guardian. If services are not approved, the physician and recipient or the recipient's parent or guardian will receive notification of the denial and instructions on how to request a Medicaid Fair Hearing.

Florida Department of Education Launches Statewide Campaign to Communicate With Parents

Tallahassee 

The Florida Department of Education (DOE) today launched a host of resources geared toward communicating directly with Florida's parents about public education. The purpose of this effort is to help parents understand Florida's assessment and accountability system, increased standards, and how these changes will help prepare our K-12 students for college, career, and life.


"Florida's parents and guardians provide invaluable support to our students and the department is committed to ensuring they have the most accurate user-friendly information and resources available," said Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson. "We are asking more from our students and teachers than we ever have, and parents play a critical role in Florida's path forward."


New resources for parents include an FCAT 2.0 Call Center, Florida's Path to Success website, DOE Parent Portal by Novachi, and Just for Parents e-mail address. See below for details about these resources.  


FCAT 2.0 Call Center
- Beginning today, DOE experts will be available to answer parent questions from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parents may call 866-507-1109, toll-free, to ask questions about FCAT, recent changes to Florida's accountability system, and how this impacts students and teachers.

Florida's Path to Success - Visit the Florida's Path to Success website to find out more information about our transition to tougher standards and higher expectations. The website features a letter from Commissioner Robinson, timelines about Florida's education system, a question and answer page, and video from a Florida public school parent.

 

DOE Parent Portal by Novachi - In partnership with Novachi, the department has launched the DOE Parent Portal. This public forum is designed for parents to ask questions and voice ideas at the state level. The portal features a parent blog, discussion board, and announcements page with more education resources coming soon. Parents may logon for access to this free user-friendly site. 

 
DOE Just for Parents E-mail - This e-mail address is especially for Florida's parents to get answers, voice opinions and share ideas with the department. 

Education  
New GAO Report: Charter Schools: Additional Federal Attention Needed to Help Protect Access for Students with Disabilities

 To view  click Full Report and Highlights Page 

Dyscalculia the Importance of Mathematics in the LD Equation

 
From LD.org  

When children who struggle with learning are the topic of conversation, the spotlight is most often turned to reading. And with good reason. Trouble with reading is by far the most prevalent characteristic of specific learning disabilities (LD). That said, math is not far behind, and it is not unusual for individuals with LD to have trouble in both of these areas of learning and performance.


Just like reading skills are critical for succeeding in school and in life, there has been increased recognition during the past few years of the importance of acquiring basic math skills that set the stage for more advanced math learning required for higher education and employment.


There is no question that the failure to develop competencies in math during the school years can seriously handicap both daily living and vocational prospects for young people and adults alike. In today's world, mathematical knowledge, math reasoning, and math problem-solving skills are no less important than reading ability. Continued HERE

Legislation  
Tuesday, June 12, the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that recommends federal funding levels for education met and approved the following increases for special education:

  

$100 million for IDEA Part B Grants to States


$20 million for IDEA Part C Grants to Infants and Toddlers


$10 million for the National Center for Special Education Research.


Thank you to all of our CEC members for your continued advocacy on these important issues. CEC sent over 1400 letters to the Senate - just in the last few days - urging Senators to support special and gifted education funding. Your voice made a difference!

In Our Community... 

 



 
 
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 sell or share your information with anybody.
 
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