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Legislators and candidates vying for different House and Senate positions in the Montana Legislature joined together to learn about different challenges faced by the disabled community Tuesday night.The forum on disabilities at City College in Billings helped to shed light on issues that many families with disabled children or family members face.The event, put on by the ARC of Montana, Disability Rights Montana and Parents Let’s Unite for Kids (PLUK) hosted 14 candidates campaigning for House and Senate seats, a few of whom are running for re-election.

BILLINGS - State Legislative candidates gather at MSU Billings City College to hear about the issues surrounding citizens with disabilities.

The Disability and Aging Alliance of Missoula in collaboration with Parents Let’s Unite for Kids, the ARC of Montana and Disability Rights Montana is holding a Missoula County legislative candidates forum at the Hilton Garden Inn on Thursday, Oct. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m.

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.

Everyone knows a mom wears a variety of “hats.”We function as nurses, counselors, taxi drivers, coaches, and we have other responsibilities. Since my fourth child was diagnosed with a neurological disorder, my number of “hats” has increased.

Everyone knows a mom wears a variety of “hats.”We function as nurses, counselors, taxi drivers, coaches, and we have other responsibilities. Since my fourth child was diagnosed with a neurological disorder, my number of “hats” has increased.

The forum, which included 14 candidates from Great Falls and northcentral Montana, was organized by Parents, Let’s Unite for Kids, Disability Rights Montana and The Arc of Montana.

A forum of legislative candidates will discuss disability rights in Montana at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cameron Auditorium at Benefis Health System, 1101 26th St. S., Great Falls.The forum is sponsored by Parents, Let’s Unite for Kids, Disability Rights Montana and The Arc of Montana.

Google Lime Scholarship for Students with Disabilities

Recipients of the Google Lime Scholarship will receive a scholarship for the 2010–2011 academic year. Selected students will also be invited to attend the all-expenses-paid retreat at the Googleplex in Mountain View, CA, in 2011. Scholarships will be awarded based on the strength of candidates’ academic background, leadership and passion for computer science - $10,000USD for those studying in the US and $5,000CAD for those studying in Canada (based on average tuition costs).

Candidates must be: A current junior or senior year of undergraduate study or enrolled in a graduate program at a university in the United States or Canada (in addition to US and Canada citizens, international students with disabilities studying at universities in the US or Canada are also encouraged to apply) Enrolled in a Computer Science or Computer Engineering program, or a closely related technical feld, as a full-time student for the 2010–2011 academic year A person with a disability (dened as someone who has, or considers themselves to have , a long-term, or recurring, issue that impacts one or more activities that others may consider a daily function); this denition also includes the perception among others that a disability exists

Local candidates for the state Legislature gathered at a forum Wednesday to discuss the challenges facing disabled Montanans. Held at Eagle Mount in Bozeman, the forum drew 16 candidates from both major parties who asked and answered questions about the issues facing disabled people and their families. Most told stories of disabilities in their own families.

Parents of developmentally disabled Montanans probably left a recent legislative forum with more questions than answers.Most of the 14 legislative candidates attending the June 17 forum at City College in Billings admitted they didn’t know much about services for folks with disabilities.To their credit, the candidates came to learn.

While they seem like the least likely candidates, the elderly are killing themselves with greater regularity than any other age group in Montana. That’s also true across the country, eroding the myth that teens run the highest risk of suicide.

A yearlong student-teaching model being used on a limited basis at the University of South Dakota is showing how more classroom exposure helps to better prepare future teachers.This fall, using a $4 million grant from the St. Paul-based Bush Foundation, USD began piloting a full-year residency for teaching candidates. Ten senior education majors have spent the school year so far in classrooms at Lowell, Harvey Dunn and Anne Sullivan elementaries in Sioux Falls.

Many children with disabilities don’t get the schooling they’re entitled to, but Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said Tuesday he’s committed to changing the status quo. In a speech to hundreds of parents and educators attending a national special education conference, Duncan acknowledged the lengths that many parents must go to ensure that their children with disabilities get an appropriate education.

Yellowstone County voters will find many candidates for office on the June 8 primary election ballots, but only one ballot issue: a proposed 3.2 mill countywide levy to help sustain mental-health services. The three county commissioners, Bill Kennedy, John Ostlund and Jim Reno were unanimous in their decision to put the question to voters. The commissioners are asking voters to consider funding a portion of some local crisis mental-health services that help local law enforcement agencies do their job of protecting public safety.

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

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.

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.