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The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is accepting applications for the 2011 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program. This intensive summer program provides college students with an opportunity to work on policy issues in a congressional office and to engage in original health policy research and analysis under the guidance of Foundation research staff.

Click here to register for this webinar What: This presentation examines how students who are at greater risk for suspension, expulsion and referral to the juvenile justice system because of behaviors associated with their disabilities, are targeted by school push-out policies and practices that systemically exclude these most vulnerable students from school and deny them their education. Our presenters will describe the array of such policies and practices - retention, academic sanctions, ineffective interventions, including those used for bullying and harassment, abusive use of zero tolerance, criminalization of disability related behavior and referral to law enforcement. Presenters will also identify and discuss concrete strategies for parents and advocates to use to help students protect their rights to remain in school and receive a high quality education. Time is provided for questions from participants. When: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm MT

What: This presentation examines how students who are at greater risk for suspension, expulsion and referral to the juvenile justice system because of behaviors associated with their disabilities, are targeted by school push-out policies and practices that systemically exclude these most vulnerable students from school and deny them their education. Our presenters will describe the array of such policies and practices - retention, academic sanctions, ineffective interventions, including those used for bullying and harassment, abusive use of zero tolerance, criminalization of disability related behavior and referral to law enforcement. Presenters will also identify and discuss concrete strategies for parents and advocates to use to help students protect their rights to remain in school and receive a high quality education. Time is provided for questions from participants. When: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm MT

The U.S. Department of Education released today Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies, a new report summarizing current approaches in the 46 states with anti-bullying laws and the 41 states that have created anti-bullying policies as models for schools. The report shows the prevalence of state efforts to combat bullying over the last several years. From 1999 to 2010, more than 120 bills were enacted by state legislatures from across the country to either introduce or amend statutes that address bullying and related behaviors in schools. Twenty-one new bills were enacted in 2010 and eight additional bills were signed into law through April 30, 2011. Out of the 46 states with anti-bullying laws in place, 36 have provisions that prohibit cyber bullying and 13 have statutes that grant schools the authority to address off-campus behavior that creates a hostile school environment. "Every state should have effective bullying prevention efforts in place to protect children inside and outside of school," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "This report reveals that while most states have enacted legislation around this important issue, a great deal of work remains to ensure adults are doing everything possible to keep our kids safe."

You can begin registration here! What:Participate in this webinar to hear Reece Peterson, Joe Ryan, and Michael Rozalski discuss the latest information on the legislative, policy, and practice issues concerning restraint and seclusion. Federal legislation is pending that, if passed, will regulate the use of physical restraint and seclusion in school settings. The webinar will also provide an overview of the content that will be covered in more detail in the strand on restraint and seclusion at the CEC Convention & Expo in Denver in April.Federal legislation is pending that, if passed, would regulate the use of physical restraint and seclusion procedures for students in school settings. This webinar will discuss the legislative, policy, and practice issues that have arisen because of the deaths and injuries of students due to these procedures. The webinar will provide an overview of the content that will be covered in more detail during the strand on restraint and seclusion at the CEC Convention & Expo in April 2012. Participants will be able to: Identify current laws, policies, and guidelines governing the use of physical restraint and seclusion procedures in school settings. Understand the lack of knowledge in many schools of the underlying ethical and moral problems and the role the media may play in covering abusive incidents. Identify recommendations for “best practice” in using these procedures, including training needs and the use of prevention and de-escalation strategies. When:March 8, 20122:00 pm - 3:00 pm MTContact:CECPhone: 888-232-7733   TTY: 866-915-5000

Today, the Department posted a summary of state laws, regulations, policies, and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion techniques in schools: http://www.ed.gov/policy/seclusion/seclusion-state-summary.html. The summary is a result of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s letter issued to Chief State School Officers on July 31, 2009, urging a review of current state policies and guidelines regarding the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. Since August, the Department’s regional Comprehensive Centers have researched and compiled information on state-by-state restraint and seclusion techniques.

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.

PHILADELPHIA –Results were released yesterday from the Pennsylvania Autism Needs Assessment, which includes feedback from 3,500 Pennsylvania caregivers and adults with autism, making it the largest study of its kind in the nation.  Among the findings, the study shows that training in social skills has been identified as the most common unmet need for both children and adults with autism.  The study also found that more than two-thirds of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed. The survey was led by the Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “The results of the needs assessment provide the most comprehensive and specific information to date about where Pennsylvania has been successful and where we still need work in helping people with autism and their families,” said David Mandell, ScD, associate director, Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research. “My hope is that these results will be an important driver of new policy and innovative practices for years to come.”

You can download the My Learning Plan Directions here! Download the agenda here! What:OPI Tobacco Prevention InitiativeDana Geary will present the state initiative on tobacco prevention policy and incentives for school districts to become involved.  Dana will also indicate the policies that will change in the MSSA Rural Policy Handbook for adoption.  New tobacco products aimed at our youth will be presented during the course if this half-day workshop. Media Literacy 101 Kids spend an average of more than 7 hours a day with some form of media. As a result, they sometimes grow up having more interaction with TV, the Internet, and other media messages than people. Media Literacy refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media messages of all kinds. This interactive training will explore basic concepts of media literacy by examining TV commercials, messages and print ads, and tobacco and alcohol marketing. We will work in small and large groups to discuss the language of persuasion, deconstruct ads, and create counter messages. After this training, participants will have a greater understanding of media literacy and walk away with tools they can use with their learners. Objective 1: Participants will define media literacy and understand some techniques of persuasion. Objective 2: Participants will understand how media literacy education helps prevent tobacco and alcohol initiation among youth. Objective 3: Participants will learn new media literacy activities and exercises they can do with their learners.When and Where: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 at the Lewistown Yogo Inn Mountain RoomsMonday, February 27th, 2012 at the Butte Quality Inn Big Sky Room (formerly War Bonnet)Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 at the Bozeman Comfort Inn Big Sky Room8:30 am - 4:00 pm All daysContact:Sharon M. RedfernExecutive Director, RESA4UPhone: (406) 422-5049 (Home)  (406) 672-1549 (Cell)Email: sredfern@resa4u.org or smredfern@optimum.net

The Obama administration wants to see more kids with disabilities — no matter how significant — participating in classrooms alongside their typically-developing peers. The U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services are jointly seeking public comment this week on a draft policy statement encouraging greater inclusion for young children with disabilities.

The Villers Fellowship for Health Care Justice was created in 2005 by Philippe Villers, Founder and President of Families USA. Each year, the Villers Fellow works in our health policy department and assists our organization's efforts to improve access to health coverage for all Americans, especially for low-income and other vulnerable communities. Specifically, the Villers Fellow will conduct research on a range of health care policy issues and write and contribute to publications that are relevant to health reform implementation and other health policy issues.

Click here to register for this event What: Telling Our Stories is a monthly webinar series that hosts people with disabilities sharing their stories of success and challenge. This month our guest speaker is Anthony Tusler, author and disability advocate. Guest Speaker: Anthony Tusler is a writer, consultant, trainer, and advocate on disability issues related to technology access and policy, alcohol and other drug policy and training, and disability culture. He was the Coordinator of the Technology Policy Division at the World Institute on Disability for three years and the founding Director of the Disability Resource Center at Sonoma State University. He helped to start the Institute on Alcohol, Drugs, and Disability and Community Resources for Independence ILC in Northern California. He has taught at Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College.He is the author of the book, How to Create Disability Access to Technology: Best Practices in  Electronic and Information Companies. His web site AboutDisability.com is the home for The New Paradigm of Disability Bibliography. When: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 12:30 PM –  1:30 PM MST

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.