March 28, 2008
This is the weekly e-mail newsletter from the Lucas County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
Regional Family FASD Forum
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1. Next forum with Superintendent Trunk will April 8
Save the date for the next public forum with Superintendent John Trunk ─ April 8, 7:00 p.m., at the Educare Center, 1932 Birchwood. Guest speakers will include a discussion by Parent Partners from the Children's Options Department. This will be our first evening forum of the year. These open forums are designed for candid, informal discussions involving families, providers and advocates.
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2. Legislation would create disability savings accounts
Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT), have introduced two separate bills to allow families to create disability savings accounts for their children with disabilities. Senator Dodd’s bill is the Disability Savings Act of 2008 (S. 2741), and the Casey-Hatch bill is the Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2008 (S. 2743). The accounts would be designed for long-term savings to assist an individual with disabilities in meeting his/her future needs. A House bill, Financial Security Accounts for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 2007, H.R. 2370, was introduced by Representative Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) in May, 2007.
The goal of the bills is to provide secure funding for disability-related expenses on behalf of designated beneficiaries with disabilities that will supplement, but not supplant, benefits provided through private insurance, the Medicaid program, the supplemental security income (SSI) program, the beneficiary's employment, and other sources. The bills would establish tax-exempt financial security accounts for individuals with disabilities to pay certain expenses, including expenses for education, medical care, and employment training. Individual taxpayers could take a tax deduction of up to $2,000 per year for cash contributions to the account.
Financial security accounts for disabled individuals would be disregarded in determining eligibility for Medicaid benefits and certain other means-tested federal programs.
FMI: To read the bills or track their progress, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search for bill number S 2741, S 2743, or HR 2370.
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3. Chevrolet raising money for autism research
In honor of April being Autism Awareness Month, Chevrolet is giving virtual tours of a top-selling car to raise money for research. The automaker will give online tours of the Chevy Malibu, and the more people who take part, the more money Chevy will give. Those interested in taking part can go to autismspeaks.org. The automaker will donate up to one-million dollars for autism research.
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4. Regional Family FASD Forum
This Family FASD Forum is a network opportunity for parents/caregivers raising children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. It will be Friday, April 25, from 1:00pm -3:00pm at the Owens Corning Conference Center, Room - Commons 2, One Owens Corning Parkway in downtown Toledo at summit and Wshington. Dress is business casual. Please Note: all visitors MUST check in at the front desk in the lobby.
Register at www.notasingledrop.org or call 800-788-7254, option 2
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5. What Next Summer Program
As part of the What Next Program, The Arc of Lucas County is offering a summer program – “Ready to Work Academy” – 2 weeks in July/4 days/week. The flyer is attached.
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6. Core Values Survey
Recently the Lucas County Board of MR/DD randomly sent out 1500 survey’s to families of individuals who receive Board services. If you received one of these surveys please complete it and return it as soon as possible in the self-addressed stamped envelope that was enclosed. Whether you received a survey or not, please check the Board’s web site at www.lucasmrdd.com for the date and location of the four community meetings set up to review the survey results. Please plan to attend one of these important meetings.
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7. Medicaid Buy-In for workers with disabilities begins April 1
Governor Strickland has announced the Medicaid Buy-In for Workers with Disabilities (MBIWD) program and it will become effective April 1.
Individuals wishing to use the MBIWD program will have to apply with with their local County Department of Job and Family Services office (CDJFS). Applications will not be available until April 1 but you can request an application by completing the attached form and returning it as indicated at the bottom of the form. You can also apply at your local CDJFS on or after April 1, 2008.
Please take the opportunity to thank Governor Strickland for his support of MBIWD and tell him what the program will mean to people with disabilities.
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8. Upcoming Events
The Arc of Lucas County is hosting a leadership academy for self-advocates. Sessions will be held on Tuesdays through April from 10:00 to 2:15 at the Ability Center of Greater Toledo, 5605 Monroe Street. All materials, a certificate of completion, and lunch at each session are provided for all participants. At the academy, sessions will focus on improving self-advocacy skills, learning about current issues in Ohio, and how to organize other self-advocates for action. Registration will be limited to 25. For more information or call 419-882-0941 ext. 1.
The 5th annual Autism Awareness Rally will be April 2 on the south lawn of the Statehouse in Columbus. The rally will be from 11:00 to 12:30. For more information e-mail askASO@autismohio.org or call 330-376-0211.
Bittersweet invites you to explore successful ways of working with persons with autism by learning the methodology of support developed by Bittersweet Farms over 25 years. The interactive academy will be held on the 80 acre farm in Whitehouse, Ohio, Wednesday through Friday - April 2, 3, 4 from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. For more information or to access our brochure, go to www.bittersweetfarms.org
"Lift Up Your Voice," a benefit concert and Indian Meal featuring jazz artists Lori LeFevre, the Eric Dickey Trio and the Bowling Green State University Jazz Singers, will be held on Friday, April 4, at the Toledo Mennonite Church, 5501 Nebraska, Toledo. This fundraising event, which is open to the public, has been organized by Sunshine Foundation, Inc with proceeds being used to purchase communication devices for persons with developmental disabilities served at Sunshine. Reservations are needed for the dinner with a $15.00 per person suggested donation amount. An offering will be taken at the concert, which is free and open to the public. Call 419-865-0251 ext. 3153 for reservations.
Superintendent John Trunk's next public forum will be April 8, 7:00 p.m., at the EduCare Center.
April 17 the Family Information Network "Your House or Mine" get together will feature Probate Judge Jack Puffenberger. The judge will discuss guardianship, wills, special needs trusts & DNR orders. See the attached flyer.
An exhibition wheelchair football game and demonstration will be April 19 at 12:00 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center at the University of Toledo. The purpose of this event is to offer entertainment to the UT campus and Toledo community while promoting inclusive recreation. People will have a chance to try their hand at the game afterwards, and other activities will be available at the Recreation Center for people to try (eg. blindfolded climb on the rock wall). The Toledo Crash is a competitive wheelchair football team with members from the Toledo area. Some have also competed in the Paralymic Games They are coached by Mario Duncan, an employee at the Abilities Center and former athlete.
June 13 the Miracle League will hold a golf outing to raise funds to build a baseball field for children with special needs. The flyer is attached.
The Press is reporting the Special Olympics State Softball Tournament will be held at the Oregon Recreation Center September 13-14.
The annual Sibling Conference will be November 7-8 in Columbus. For more information visit the website.
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Please forward this newsletter to others interested in activities, events and issues concerning individuals in our community with mr/dd. To subscribe, send your e-mail address to comments@lucasmrdd.com
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