February 15, 2008
This is the weekly e-mail newsletter from the Lucas County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
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1. Legislators invited to March Board of MR/DD meeting
Our state legislators are being invited to attend the March Board meeting, March 17. The event will be part of our commemoration of MR/DD Awareness Month. Prior to the Board meeting, legislators will be taken on a tour of Educare followed by a visit to the Hill Avenue facility. The Board meeting will begin at 5:30 at Hill. Plans for this special event are still being developed. Circle the date and join the Board for its March meeting. Remember, the location for the meeting has changed to Lott Industries on Hill.
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2. Alcohol and Pregnancy: Know the Facts
a news release from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
The recent news story "Can Pregnant Women Drink Alcohol in Moderation?", which aired on ABC's Good Morning America Weekend, has created tremendous confusion among women about the safety of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) strongly urges women not to ignore the public health warnings associated with consuming alcohol while pregnant.
ACOG is concerned that this television segment disseminated a potentially dangerous and mixed message to pregnant women. According to ACOG, patients who saw the show are asking their ob-gyns for clarification about whether moderate-or even light-drinking will impact the health of their baby. Therefore, ACOG reiterates its long-standing position that no amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy.
Maternal alcohol use is the leading known cause of mental retardation and is a preventable cause of birth defects. Children exposed to alcohol in utero are at risk for growth deficiencies, facial deformities, central nervous impairment, behavioral disorders, and impaired intellectual development. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, and stillbirth.
The bottom line according to ACOG: Women should avoid alcohol entirely while pregnant or trying to conceive because damage can occur in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, even before a woman knows that she is pregnant.
To view the ACOG Patient Education Pamphlet, Alcohol and Pregnancy, please click on the link below:
www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp132.cfm
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3. Lott Industries collecting old phone books
Lott Industries is collecting old telephone books. Lott sells shredded and baled paper to paper mills that use the material to produce toilet paper, paper towels, and other consumer goods. Phone books can be dropped off at any Board of MR/DD facility. By collecting and processing phone books we'll not only be helping to supply Lott employees with meaningful work opportunities but we'll also be doing something good for the earth by recycling and helping to reduce landfill waste.
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4. United Way 2-1-1 announces a new online service
Individuals can now log onto the United Way’s website to get connected 2-1-1 for the help and resources they need.
Previously, United Way 2-1-1 service was only available by calling 2-1-1 or by making a request in person at the United Way 2-1-1 office in downtown Toledo. “Although our information and referral specialists will continue to take walk-ins and phone calls, the new online service offers yet another way for people to get connected,” said Jeanette Hrovatich, director of United Way 2-1-1.
In order to access United Way 2-1-1 online, individuals must visit www.unitedwaytoledo.org, click on the United Way 2-1-1 logo, and then on the Information and Referral button on the right hand column. Individuals can then search by the name of an agency or by the service they need. Entering a zip code will narrow the search geographically.
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5. Upcoming Events
A flyer is attached for FREE Project ACTION (Autism Community Training In Our Neighborhood) autism training sessions that will be held at the Friendly Center on February 21.
The fourth annual TPS district-wide bake sale to benefit Special Olympics will be March 4 during regular lunch periods. All proceeds go to TPS Special Olympic Athletes. Sponsored by Toledo Public Schools Parent Congress.
The Ohio Statehouse Atrium will host the annual kickoff celebration of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Awareness Month on March 6 from 10 a.m. – noon. “When Doors Open, We Succeed,” the statewide theme for this year’s MRDD Awareness Month activities, encourages people to welcome individuals with disabilities as equal partners in their communities. The celebration of MRDD Awareness Month offers a statewide opportunity to encourage people to gain a better understanding of the nearly 80,000 individuals who are served in Ohio.
March 8 the Accessible Expressions Ohio art exhibit will be open at Toledo Botanical Garden. Opening ceremonies are 1:00 to 3:00. All of the artwork in the exhibition is created by artists with disabilities. The Lucas County Board of MR/DD is a sponsor. The opening reception is free and open to the public. RSVP to 614-241-5325 or by e-mail to info@vsao.org
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