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This resource page addresses one aspect of development that’s important not to ignore with children with or without disabilities—the development of sexuality.  There’s so much to know and consider on this subject–what sexuality is, its meaning in adolescent and adult life, and the responsibilities that go along with exploring and experiencing one’s own sexuality. 

Many autistic adults have a hard time finding their place in the world. Less than half enroll in higher education or find work. (According to the Social Security Administration, only about 6 percent of adults with autism work full-time.) Many lack the skills to live alone. Those who cannot work generally qualify for monthly Social Security disability payments, which are too low to cover vocational coaches, therapeutic day programs, or other interventions that may help an autistic person reach a modicum of self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, the federal government does not require school systems to provide special education for students older than 18 (most states, including Illinois, have extended the requirement through age 21). “If you have a developmental disability like Frank, when you turn 22, you disappear,” says Craven’s mother, Jane Gallery, a 61-year-old Winnetka resident. “You fall off a cliff.”

Whether you’re on a farm, in a small town, or at home in your slippers, we’re inviting you to join us on Monday, April 30, from noon to 6 p.m. ET for the National Rural Education Technology Summit 2.0, as we use the power of technology to overcome distance, bring resources to rural schools, and engage administrators, teachers, and students in this free virtual conference.

MCPS Special Education Department invites you to a Brown Bag Breakfast Meeting The meeting will focus on the following: Community/School collaboration Update on Federal/State/Local policies/procedures Formulation of a Special Education Advisory Board When: November 10, 20107:30 AM - 8: 15 AM Where: MCPS Administration Building, 2I5 S, 6th St. W. Rm 24, Missoula, MT If you plan on attending: Please RSVP by 11/5 to Rebecca Myers at ramyers@mcps.k12.mt.us or 406-728-2400 x 1087 Coffee and tea will be provided. Feel free to bring a bagged breakfast and be prepared for a great  conversation on what we can do collectively to provide 21st Century Education Initiatives to our students!

As the Commissioner of the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD), I am absolutely committed to making our schools, communities, workplaces and neighborhoods more welcoming and inclusive for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I believe strongly in supporting approaches that shape attitudes by raising expectations, change outdated or broken systems, engender respect for all people and empower individuals with disabilities to pursue the lives they imagine for themselves. In order to determine the best path forward, ADD is currently embarking on a collaborative process to collect public input for our five year strategic plan through a series of meetings we are calling, “Envisioning the Future.”

The 2011 OPI Assessment Conference "On the Horizon" is scheduled for January 20-21, 2011 at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.  The keynote speaker on Thursday morning will be Paul Andersen. Paul is a science teacher and technology specialist at Bozeman High School and the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year. Presentations on assessment and data topics as well as training for the 2011 MontCAS CRT test administration will be available.  For more information and to register for the conference, visit http://www.opi.mt.gov/curriculum/MontCAS/#p7GPc1_5 For more information, contact Judy Snow, 406-444-3656

The Office of Public Instruction has posted links to current Section 504 guidance on our Website.  This guidance is from the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE)  and the Office of Civil Rights. The links are available on the Special Education Webpage (http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/SpecialEd/Index.html) under "RELATED LINKS" and include: Guidelines for Educators and Administrators for Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-Subpart D A Parent and Educator Guide To Section 504 Accommodations for Identified Children With Disabilities Section 504 Procedural Requirements for School Districts; and Section 504 A Possible Service Option for Students with Disabilities Section 504 requirements are separate from special education.  This guidance is provided as a courtesy.

George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy

The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law and Public Policy is for full-time graduate students with a moderate to profound hearing loss who are attending accredited law school or a masters or doctoral program in public policy or public administration.

The Obama administration on Saturday called for a broad overhaul of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind law, proposing to reshape divisive provisions that encouraged instructors to teach to tests, narrowed the curriculum, and labeled one in three American schools as failing.

Part I: What Families & Caregivers Need to Know About Managing Seizures May 11, Tuesday – 5:00-7:30 PM MDT Part II: DIASTAT as Treatment for Acute Seizures July 20, Tuesday, 5:00-7:30 PM MDT Who Should Attend:  Families and Caregivers; Physicians; Nurses; Educators and School Administrators; Allied Health Care Professionals; Institutions Serving the ID/DD Population: State and privately-held facilities, Military Healthcare personnel.

This webinar is free and pre-registration is not required! Join us for this free webinar entitled "RTI for English Language Learners (ELLs): Appropriate Screening, Progress Monitoring, and Instructional Planning." This presentation focuses on improving educational outcomes for ELLs through culturally and linguistically responsive implementation of an RTI framework in elementary reading. Specifically, presenters will discuss critical considerations to appropriately use screening and progress monitoring data to improve reading outcomes for ELLs. The presentation addresses the factors that influence ELLs' academic success and provides information about the selection and use of screening and progress monitoring data based on students' unique backgrounds and needs. A case study of a first grade ELL student illustrates the recommendations. What topics will be discussed? Principles and examples of screening, progress monitoring, and instructional planning for ELLs in reading for elementary grades. Serving ELLs in an RTI framework. Who will benefit from this Webinar? Teachers, administrators, school psychologists and other related service providers, and technical assistance providers seeking more information about ELLs and RTI. Those currently implementing RTI and wanting to learn how ELLs can be served in RTI.

Click here to register for this event What: The AG Bell Listening & Spoken Language Symposium is the premier professional development event dedicated to the fastest growing trend—the desire of families to seek a listening and spoken language outcome for their children who are deaf and hard of hearing.  Hearing health professionals and educators of the deaf need better tools and new strategies to help families make the most of these advances. Professionals face new challenges and opportunities in meeting the needs of multiple cultures and generations, and in early diagnosis of additional learning or physical challenges.

Symposium highlights: Six short courses that will build your knowledge on best practices for listening and spoken language skill development. 15 Workshop sessions that will provide research and innovative strategies to guide professional practice. Access to products and technologies to support the families and children that you serve. Networking opportunities with other listening and spoken language professionals. Who should attend? Certified Listening and Spoken Language Specialists (LSLS Cert. AVTs and Cert. AVEds) Candidates for LSLS certification Teachers of the deaf Audiologists College and university professors in teacher/clinician training programs Early interventionists Speech-language pathologists Supervisors and administrators of listening and spoken language programs and public schools

To learn more and to access the online survey, go to http://ehhs.kent.edu/link/ What: Steve Bagnato, John Neisworth, and Kristie Pretti-Frontczak are inviting those who work with young children from birth to age eight to participate in a consumer rating of early childhood assessment measures. Results will expand upon LINKing Authentic Assessment & Early Childhood Interventio, by Stephen Bagnato, John T. Neisworth, & Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, 2010. The survey takes about 10 minutes per assessment. The website will be open until March 18th.  Input is being sought from teachers, family members, paraprofessionals, administrators, related service providers, therapists, consultants, social workers, school psychologists, child care providers, nurses, or others who have familiarity with early childhood assessment measures to participate. For questions or concerns: Contact Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak at 330-672-0597 or kprettif@kent.edu. Information about Kent State University's rules for research can be obtained from Dr. John West, Vice President and Dean, Division of Research and Graduate Studies 330-672-2851.

Click here to register for this free webinar What: Evidence-based prevention programs are attractive because research shows they can produce good results. The challenge is getting similar results when they are put into practice. Experts on two childhood programs will explain the keys to implementing evidence-based programs and achieving expected outcomes. Peggy Hill, Chief Strategic Relations Officer at the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office, will introduce Nurse-Family Partnership as an example of an effective home-based health promotion program during pregnancy and infancy that has been developed through rigorous research and taken to broader scale nationally. She will describe what makes an “evidence-based” program unique, what supports for implementation are crucial for assuring that research-proven outcomes can be replicated in community settings, and how policy and administrative practice can foster success. Kristy Johnson, Director of Special Projects with Invest in Kids will describe The Incredible Years program as another proven early childhood program that supports child development in classroom settings. Kristy was responsible for creating needed supports for broader scale implementation of Incredible Years throughout Colorado, and will share lessons learned from the process of working with a researcher to make a strong program accessible and available to local schools interested in improving outcomes for young children. When: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Mountain Contact: For questions, email rbridge@mentalhealthamerica.net or call 703-684-7722.

What: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are disability income benefits administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that also provide Medicaid and/or Medicare health insurance to individuals who are eligible. The application process for SSI/SSDI is complicated and difficult to navigate. Nationally, about 37 percent of individuals who apply for these benefits are approved on initial application and appeals take an average of two years to complete. For people who are homeless or who are returning to the community from institutions (jails, prisons or hospitals), access to these programs can be extremely challenging. Approval on initial application for people who are homeless and who have no one to assist them is about 10-15 percent. For those who have a mental illness, substance use issues, or co-occurring disorders that impair cognition, the application process is even more difficult – yet accessing these benefits is often a critical first step in recovery. SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) is an approach that helps states increase access to mainstream benefits for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness through: Strategic Planning Meeting(s) to establish collaboration among key state and/or local stakeholders and to develop an action plan for implementing the SOAR approach (e.g. SSA and Disability Determination Services (DDS); State Mental Health Agency and Department of Corrections leadership; and community homeless, health and behavioral health providers). Training of case managers using SAMHSA's Stepping Stones to Recovery curriculum that includes a step-by-step explanation of an improved SSI/SSDI application process. A Train-the-Trainer program allows for expansion and sustainability. Technical Assistance to states and communities including support for action plan implementation, training observations with feedback, and assistance with tracking outcomes in order to document success and help access additional resources.  (SOAR Technical Assistance Center. http://www.prainc.com/SOAR). When/Where: Great Falls SOAR Refresher Course September 23, 2011 & October 28, 2011  9AM – 2PM Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Billings SOAR Training Registration: September 28 & 29 | 8:00 – 5:00 Garfield School – Room 103 3212 1st Avenue South Billings, MT 59102 Great Falls SOAR Training Registration October 13-14, 2011 Largent Building - 915 First Avenue South Great Falls, MT (406) 761-2104 Helena SOAR Training Registration November 1-2, 2011 Disability Determination Services 2550 Prospect Avenue Helena, MT 59601

Do you know a consumer/peer leader who has been a leader in educating the public about   behavioral health (mental health and/or addiction issues)? If so, please help the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recognize his/her accomplishments by nominating him/her for a 2011 Voice Award. This year, SAMHSA is putting special emphasis on the impact of trauma and the significant effects   it can have on individuals, families and friends, communities, and our Nation. Consideration is being given to consumer/peer leaders who have successfully advocated for the rights of trauma survivors and promoted the importance of trauma-informed care. Each year, the Voice Awards honor consumer/peer leaders whose exemplary leadership and  advocacy plays a vital role in raising both awareness and understanding of behavioral health problems. Specifically, these individuals have made outstanding contributions in all of the following areas:  Led efforts to promote the social inclusion of individuals with trauma histories and behavioral health problems;  Personally demonstrated that recovery is real and possible; and Made a positive impact on their community, workplace, or school. To nominate an eligible consumer/peer leader(s), visit the Voice Awards Web site at www.voiceawards.samhsa.gov. ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011. Nominations are open to anyone and are free. There is no limit to the number of nominations an individual can submit. Self-nominations are welcome. The 2011 Voice Awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 24 at Paramount Studios   in Hollywood, CA. Please consult the Voice Awards Web site for event updates and instructions on how to submit a nomination(s).

What: Participants from around the world attend the TASH Conference to learn more about best practices in the field of significant disabilities, network and share information, and most importantly, stake their claim in a movement to include people with disabilities in all aspects of life. We hope you’ll join us! When: November 30 - December 3, 2011 Where: Atlanta, Georgia Who attends the TASH Conference? People with disabilities Parents, siblings and other family members Educators (General Education and Special Education) School Administrators Researchers College Professors Students Click here to learn more about submitting a proposal to present at the 2011 TASH Conference. Proposals are due by May 6, 2011, at 5 p.m. ET.