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Edward Stanton is a man hurtling headlong toward middle age. His mental illness has led him to be sequestered in his small house in a small city, where he keeps his distance from the outside world and the parents from whom he is largely estranged. For the most part, Edward sticks to things he can count on...and things he can count. But over the course of 25 days (or 600 hours, as Edward prefers to look at it) several events puncture the walls Edward has built around himself. In the end, he faces a choice: Open his life to experience and deal with the joys and heartaches that come with it, or remain behind his closed door, a solitary soul.

Nearly four-dozen health care professionals have embarked on a campaign to increase the number of southwest Montana children being immunized against disease.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday asked the Obama administration for its views on whether a parent may bring a negligence claim against a school district that allegedly failed to identify a high school student's disabilities. The justices asked the U.S. solicitor general's office to weigh in on the issue raised under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Click here to register for this event What: This is a repeat (and updated) performance of last year's tremendously popular webinar featuring young adult presenters organized by Summit Independent Living.  Join Ashlee, Michael, Mary, Mike, Barclay, Molly and Kim to learn about: The importance of considering healthy relationships as part of transition planning Friendships, dating, and marriage How to meet other young people How parents can help young adults make safe and healthy choices What resources are available to learn more about this topic   And much more! When: Tuesday, May 3, 2011 1:00-2:30pm Mountain After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Click here to download the full flyer (PDF) What: Join our statewide network of information and resource sharing for families and caregivers of children with emotional or behavior difficulties. Together our voices will be heard by the state agencies and providers of services for our children. Be part of a life-changing movement. Topic: Communicating with Schools - Part 2 When: Friday, April 15, 2011 6:00 – 7:30pm Where: American Lutheran Church 5 Lewis Ave. Billings, MT To register, contact: Jami Machler jami.machler@pluk.org (406) 850-2564 Dinner and Childcare Provided if Pre-Registered

Click here to download this event's schedule (PDF) Click here to download the registration for this event (DOC) What: A free workshop for teachers, teaching artists, staff at arts organizations and parents When: Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:30am-4:00pm Where: Jefferson School 700 South Ave West Missoula, MT Six (6) Renewal Units from the Montana Office of Public Instruction are available for attending the whole workshop.

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.

Jennifer Byde Myers is a writer, editor and parent of a child with autism. She has been writing since 2003 at www.jennyalice.com, chronicling her family’s journey from diagnosis to daily living with her son’s special needs. She is a founder and editor of The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism.

Cator parsed the rules of the Childrens Internet Protection Act, and provided guidance for teachers on how to proceed when it comes to interpreting the rules. To that end, here are six surprising rules that educators, administrators, parents and students might not know about website filtering in schools.

Click here to download the registration form for this event (PDF) What: People with disabilities, especially developmental disabilities, are outliving their parents (their main caregivers) for the first time in history. Future Care Planning Services was launched in Rochester, NY in 2002 as a unique collaborative service of two disability service providers and an aging service provider to encourage and help aging caregivers develop written health, housing, legal, financial and guardianship plans for the future care of their also aging dependent loved ones with disabilities. The panel will consist of: Doris Green, Evelyn Exman, Ginny Lyness and Margaret Lonnen. When: May 11, 2011 1:00-2:30pm Mountain

Click here to register for this event What: Social inclusion occurs when individuals and entire communities of people have access to rights, opportunities, and resources that are usually available to members of American society. People with mental health and substance use problems are more  likely to fully recover and rebuild their lives when they have access not only to care and services, but also to social, economic, educational, recreational, and cultural opportunities that most citizens take for granted.  A socially inclusive society also provides opportunities for individuals in recovery to contribute to their communities as peers, employees, parents, residents, students, volunteers, teachers, and active citizens. Social inclusion provides a policy framework to make this vision a reality.  The SAMHSA ADS Center invites you to a FREE teleconference training to learn about three innovative community programs that are improving lives, changing communities, and transforming systems through social inclusion practices. The training will highlight the promising practices of the 2010 Campaign for Social Inclusion Award recipients, including:  SC SHARE’s Dream Team, which is reaching thousands of young people throughout South Carolina through partnerships with key government, faith, and community leaders. The Dream Team uses lived experience to show that there is hope; that a full, productive life can be the expectation; and that recovery is possible.  Heartland Consumer Network’s Poetry for Personal Power, which is changing lives and influencing educational systems by bringing open mic spoken poetry competitions to colleges throughout Missouri. This program is offering young people with mental health and substance use problems the chance to use personal experience and creativity to inspire others.     Advocacy Unlimited, Inc., which developed a 30-minute documentary titled Shining Stars – Young Adults in Recovery to give a voice to young people with mental health and substance use problems who teach about what recovery looks like and the important role all of us play in supporting each other. This program will be featured during a public viewing of the documentary in June at the State Legislative Office Building in Connecticut.    These SAMHSA-supported community-based efforts will demonstrate how social inclusion programs improve lives, communities, and systems. Participants will also learn how they can apply for the 2011 Campaign for Social Inclusion Awards and become a pioneer for building a socially inclusive America.   Date and Time Monday, May 9, 2011 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Mountain

Click here to register for this event What: The Center for Autism and Related Disorder will host a CARD Montana Autism Conference on Saturday, November 19, 2011 at the University of Montana. The one-day conference will take place from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm in the University Center Theater, located at 32 Campus Drive in Missoula. The conference is free and designed especially for parents, caregivers, students and practitioners. Attendees will learn about applied behavior analysis (ABA) and how it can be used to effectively to treat individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), as well as strategic and effective treatment programs for children with ASDs. Attendees also have the opportunity to meet Joe Mohs, who has recovered from autism and is living proof that recovery is possible. Where: University Center Theater 32 Campus Drive Missoula, MT When: Saturday, November 19, 2011 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Contact: For questions, contact Marcia Kmetz at drkmetz@hotmail.com.

Click here to register for this event What Mark your calendars for Friday, November 18 and plan to attend the 2011 Prematurity Summit! This educational conference will feature sessions on Post Partum Depression and PTSD relating to premature birth, a parent panel on the effects of prematurity, and the importance of waiting until 39 weeks completed gestation for delivery. This conference will provide a luncheon, light snack and materials, and CEU’s will be available! Seating is limited, so make sure to reserve your spot early! When: Friday, November 18, 2011 11:00am - 5:00pm Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel 3rd Floor, Ballroom C 27 North 27th Street Billings, Montana

My name is Ryan Judd and I believe that children with special needs deserve to learn and develop in a fun, creative and motivating atmosphere. I am a board certified music therapist in New Hampshire and have been specializing in working with children with special needs for over 12 years. My mission is to teach parents, educators and therapists how to use music to help children with special needs learn, grow and thrive! 

State House and Senate candidates from Gallatin and Park counties will listen to and discuss the needs and rights of people with disabilities at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Eagle Mount. Candidates from both parties will take part in the forum, organized by state and local advocacy groups: the Arc Montana, Bozeman Special ED PTA, NAMI Bozeman, Parents Let's Unite for Kids, and Disability Rights Montana.

With new teachers and classmates, bigger classrooms, new routines and more schoolwork, the beginning of a new school year can be an exciting and stressful time for children. This time can be particularly overwhelming for children who are facing major transitions such as moving to a new city, or entering elementary or middle school for the first time. As a parent there are important steps you can take to support your child as he or she heads back to school.

I’ve always believed that as a parent I am the best advocate for my children. If I don’t do it, who will? I also believe in giving back and paying forward so I joined the Bozeman Area Special Education PTA to help advocate for families who are still in need. Please join me in helping to raise awareness regarding disability issues in the community at the Legislative Candidate Forum on Disabilities on August 27. The forum will be held at Eagle Mount at 6901 Goldenstein, at 6:30 p.m., with a reception to follow. Childcare, accommodations, and transportation will be provided. This event is sponsored by The Arc Montana, Disability Rights Montana, Bozeman Area SEPTA, NAMI Bozeman, and PLUK and hosted by Eagle Mount Bozeman. For more information and transportation, please contact Mary at 406-461-2384.

My twin boys, Alex and Blake, were about 7 weeks premature. Alex cried all the time. When Blake began to talk, he pronounced the letter "r" like the letter "w." Little did I know I would soon begin the journey of my life. I would cry oceans of tears for my children before I began a path of discovery that would forever change my life.

Susan contacted Wrightslaw in 2006. In an email she ranted (her words) about her children's school system. When she received our auto-response, she replied with "thanks for another door slammed in the face of my child." Then Susan received a personal reply from Pam Wright. Pam suggested that she stop playing the victim and do what was necessary to be an effective advocate for her children. And that's exactly what she did!

The vast majority of American children may not be receiving recommended screenings for developmental delay, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. In a government survey, parents of 79 percent of young children reported that they had not been asked to participate in screening efforts in the previous year. This, despite recommendations that children are routinely checked at pediatrician visits for signs of developmental issues.

Mental health issues like depression, anxiety and substance abuse often start in adolescence, then peak in young adulthood. But for young people who don't have steady jobs or stable paychecks, getting help can be tough. A popular provision of the Affordable Care Act that took effect in 2010 aimed to make it easier for young adults to get access to health care, by allowing them to stay on their parents' insurance until they turn 26. So, are more young adults getting help with mental health issues because of the provision? Maybe, suggests a study published in the September issue of Health Affairs.