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What: STEP, in partnership with Rocky Mountain Easter Seals/Goodwill, will offer a workshop for siblings of people with disabilities. This event will feature group discussion and unstructured fun, aimed at celebrating the siblings who often do so much to help brothers and sisters with disabilities. When: March 5, 2011 Where: St. Pius X Church, 717 18th St. W. Billings, MT Contact: For more information on the event, call 869-3010.

Click here to download the NAMI Basics Commitment to Teach form (PDF) Click here to download the NAMI Basics Education Program Teacher Application (PDF) Who can teach the course? The course is designed to be taught using a co-leader training model. Both teachers must have been trained in use of the curriculum by either a NAMI National trainer or a nationally certified state trainer. Teacher trainings are expensive, time consuming and can be emotionally draining for all involved. In an effort to ensure that only the best candidates participate in the training, NAMI organizations are encouraged to use an application process to select individuals to participate in teacher trainings. There is a sample Teacher Application form in the COURSE FORMS section on page CF-1 that can be used as the first step. Individuals who are interested in being trained to teach the curriculum must meet the following criteria: Be the parent or other primary caregiver of an individual who began experiencing symptoms prior to the age of 13 (it is not necessary that the child have been formally diagnosed prior to 13). It is important that all individuals trained in this curriculum have lived through the experiences of having a young child with a mental illness. Be at a point in their life where they are familiar and comfortable with the emotional issues families face and can self-disclose about their own feelings of guilt, anger, shame, ambivalence and grief regarding their life situation. Be willing to participate in an intensive weekend training on how to teach the curriculum. Be willing to make the commitment to participants in the course, the co-leader and to the NAMI organization to complete the 15-hour course once it begins.

What: Today, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued guidance through Dear Colleague Letters to elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education along with a Frequently Asked Questions document on the legal obligation to provide students with disabilities an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of technology. This guidance is a critical step in the Department’s ongoing efforts to ensure that students with disabilities receive equal access to the educational benefits and services provided by their schools, colleges and universities. All students, including those with disabilities, must have the tools needed to obtain a world-class education that prepares them for success in college and careers. Today’s guidance provides information to schools about their responsibilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The guidance supplements a June 2010 letter issued jointly by OCR and the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. The June letter explains that technological devices must be accessible to students with disabilities, including students who are blind or have low vision, unless the benefits of the technology are provided equally through other means. Today’s guidance highlights what educational institutions need to know and take into consideration in order to ensure that students with disabilities enjoy equal access when information and resources are provided through technology. “Technology can be a critical investment in enhancing educational opportunities for all students,” said Russlynn Ali, assistant secretary for civil rights. “The Department is firmly committed to ensuring that schools provide students with disabilities equal access to the benefits of technological advances.” Today’s guidance is part of a larger effort by the Department and Obama administration to better serve the needs of people with disabilities. Last month, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined Kareem Dale, associate director for the White House Office of Public Engagement and special assistant to the President for disability policy, for a conference call with stakeholders to talk about some of the Department’s efforts. During the call, Duncan discussed the Department’s commitment to maintaining accountability in No Child Left Behind for all subgroups, including students with disabilities, and highlighted the Department’s proposal to increase funding for students with disabilities in the fiscal year 2012 budget. Ali will also join Dale for a stakeholder conference call where she will discuss today’s guidance and address the Department’s work to ensure that all schools are fulfilling their responsibilities under the federal disability laws that OCR enforces.

The Kid Manual (aka Welcome to Our Asperger’s) I intend on writing plagues me the most. How do I explain it? How do I say that I need his future care-takers to re-invent their thinking? How do you tell someone that when your kid says “I hate you,” he’s really saying “I lack the ability to process and handle this situation at this particular moment in time?” How do you tell another adult, a family member and person stepping in to run your household in a time of great need that they are going to have to re-learn child care-taking from the ground up?

For parents concerned that their child is experiencing restraint or seclusion at school, information can be hard to come by. Now a new guide is offering practical advice for dealing with the issue. A 23-page document being put out by the disability advocacy group TASH is designed to give parents a straightforward look at the steps they can take to prevent the use of restraint and seclusion, identify if it’s occurring and react.

The information for this Tools for Inclusion came from a research study in Massachusetts. We interviewed 16 people with intellectual disabilities and their families and employment staff to understand how they make decisions about work and how their family members help them make decisions. "Family" can mean: two parents, one parent, step-parents, older and younger siblings, or extended family members such as aunts, uncles or grandparents.

Wondering or concerned about your Child's: Development? Speech? Hearing/Vision? Social Skills? Free Child Development Clinic for Children Birth to Six Years of Age, provided by Yellowstone-West/Carbon County Cooperative in conjunction with STEP and in cooperation with your local public school. Purpose: Screen children birth to 6 for a wide range of developmental areas Provide information to parents about their child's development Birth to 3 Years Old: Development - Screens social skills, language and motor skills. Wellness - By public nurse, if available. Hearing - By an audiologist. 3 to 6 Years Old: Motor - Screens your child's catching, jumping, skipping, and cutting. Concepts - Screens your child's colors, counting, naming body parts, and following directions. Language - Screens your child's articulation, language usage, and problem solving. Social - Screens how your hcild engages with other children and adults. Self-Help - Screens your child's ability to take care of himself or himself. Wellness - By a public nurse, if available. Hearing - By an audiologist. Vision - Screens your child's near and far vision. For more information please call: 406-628-7903

Click here to pre-submit a question and to join on the day of the webinar What: Mean, cruel and/or bullying behavior is a problem in many schools in the United States -- in urban, suburban, and rural areas. And, it can also take place outside of school. Unfortunately, children who have learning disabilities (LD) are especially vulnerable to it. In support of National Bullying Prevention Month this October, guest expert, Jonathan Cohen, Co-Founder and President of The National School Climate Center (NSCC), will discuss: Signs that your child may be bullied (or may be bullying others) Steps parents can take if they suspect their child is being targeted How parents can work with the school to address the problem How to help a child cope with verbal, physical, or emotional insults Learn more about Jonathan Cohen When: Thursday, October 6, 2011 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 p.m. Mountain

Click here to download the full flyer and registration for this event (PDF) Free training for: Elementary teachers, Special education teachers, Administrators, Paraprofessionals and parents This workshop is designed for a variety of individuals: Schools just beginning to think about Response to Instruction (RtI) Support staff in schools already implementing RtI (speech therapists, school psychologists, occupational and physical therapist, tutors, etc.) New administrators or teachers in schools already implementing RtI New members on established RtI teams Participants will be provided: An overview of the Montana RtI model--both the “big picture” and the eight essential implementation components Practical strategies and possible next steps they might take to “power up and move forward” with RtI implementation efforts Discussion of how their specific positions and roles “fit in” with RtI structures and procedures. When: October 4, 2011 8:00am - 3:30pm Mountain Where: Robins Administration Building 425 6th Street Upstairs Conference Room Havre, MT

n high school cross country, there are names for people like Andrew Gerdts - gifted, dedicated and strong. But the memory of the high school junior from Le Sueur-Henderson is seared with another name: "I just dislike the word retarded, or retard," says Andrew softly. The boy with his name in lights on his school's electronic sign wishing him well on at state, has lived most of life defined by a word in a report: autism. "He was not actually diagnosed with autism until the summer after third grade," says Andrew's mother.

New York, NY — Eleigha Love, who describes her brain as a computer, and Jared Schmidt, a teenage sky diver, are the recipients of this year's $10,000 Anne Ford and Allegra Ford Scholarships given to two graduating high school seniors with documented learning disabilities (LD) who are pursuing undergraduate degrees. Anne Ford, Chairman Emerita of the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), is a well-known philanthropist and author, who has been a long-time parent advocate for children with learning disabilities, starting with her own daughter, Allegra. The scholarship was created in 2001 by the NCLD board when Ms. Ford stepped down as chairman in honor of her service. In 2008, Allegra agreed to match the existing award, creating a second scholarship. Anne Ford and Today Show Host Al Roker presented the scholarships at this year's NCLD 34th Annual Benefit Dinner, emceed by Paula Zahn in New York City. Jared and Eleigha are two of more than 2.5 million students who are wrestling with learning disabilities. They are among the mere 64 percent of students with LD who graduate high school, and only 10 percent with LD that go on to a four-year college. "We received over 300 applications, and let me tell you everyone of them came from students deserving a scholarship," said Anne, handing out the awards to this year’s winners. “We hear so much about the challenges and struggles of students with LD, and it is so inspiring to see that so many are able to meet and surpass those challenges." "Our goal is to see every child with LD graduate from high school," said James Wendorf, Executive Director of NCLD. "We are still failing about 1 million children. We've seen graduation rates and classroom inclusion rise more than 15 percent over the past 10 years. But we need to continue to empower parents and teachers, reduce stigma among kids, and keep education funding on the top of the education agenda if we are going to see those numbers increase, not decrease." One of the biggest problems with learning disabilities is diagnosing them in time, before children get frustrated with the system. "To a child with learning disabilities, school can be a very isolating place, it can be a very frustrating place and frankly overwhelming," relayed CNN's Anderson Cooper at a recent NCLD lunch. "Too many kids with LD struggle to try and keep up with their peers and suffer from low confidence and self-esteem and lose their love of learning at a young age. It's hard to rekindle that once it's gone, which is why the work of this organization is so important."

A top official at a state facility that caters to people with developmental disabilities and behavioral problems has stepped down following a letter by an advocacy group that contends the facility has a pattern of abuse, neglect and mismanagement. Montana Developmental Center Superintendent Kathy Zeeck on Friday asked to be reassigned following the letter by Helena-based Disability Rights Montana.

Click here to register for this event What: Ensuring School Readiness will explore how and why smooth transitions among early learning environments are critical for school readiness and are the first step toward preparing students for success in college and career. Presenters will focus on what it takes to foster continuity as children move from early learning programs to preschool to kindergarten, and will discuss the specific roles of early learning programs, schools, and families in preparing young children to enter school ready for success. This webinar will highlight innovative practices, explore the range of supports and services offered to young children and their families, and emphasize how to help families understand how to remain involved in their child’s education as the child moves into the early school grades. Jacqueline Jones from the U.S. Department of Education will discuss the importance of successful early transitions to education reform. Sharon Ritchie from FirstSchool, a research-based preK–3rd grade initiative, will discuss “seamless education” and how to use data to improve practice. Judith Jerald from Save the Children will talk about developing early childhood programming with an eye toward facilitating transitions. And Whitcomb Hayslip will discuss how a Los Angeles-based transitional kindergarten initiative uses deliberate collaboration between teachers and families to prepare children for school success. When: April 14, 2011 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Mountain Featured speakers include: Moderator: Tom Schultz, Project Director for Early Childhood Initiatives, Council of Chief State School Officers Jacqueline Jones, Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning, U.S. Department of Education Sharon Ritchie, Senior Scientist, FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Judith Jerald, Early Childhood Advisor, Save the Children Whitcomb Hayslip, Early Childhood Education Consultant and Former Assistant Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District Click here to view the webinar archive for this event series

Great Falls residents are promoting mental well-being around the community - one step at a time. The Center for Mental Health held a team captain kickoff luncheon on Wednesday for the annual Beautiful Minds Walk. The event aims to help improve the lives of those living with mental illness.

Click here to register for this webinar What: Going to college is both an exciting and scary step for everyone. If you are a young adult who happens to have a disability or chronic health condition, that transition can add a whole other list of things to think about- but it doesn’t mean that you can't have a great experience!  Tune into this episode of Got Transition Radio as hosts Mallory Cyr and Eileen Forlenza offer their insight about what high school students- with and without special health needs- might think about as they begin the college transition process. During the show, they will be asking their listeners to share personal lessons learned as well as taking their comments and questions. Don't miss this chance to hear and share your own adventures with college transition. When: Wednesday, October 26, 2011 1:00 - 1:30pm Mountain

People with disabilities have long complained of inequities at the doctor’s office due to everything from inaccessible equipment to the physicians themselves. Now, the federal government is taking steps toward leveling the playing field.

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.