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When: Oct 3-5, 2010 in Helena, MTWhat: The 2010 Youth in Transition Conference is a youth and parent centered event that will assist youth with disabilities and their teams to plan and develop plans for after high school. This venue will include: A “Real Life” Fair: participants can meet with a wide variety of community re-sources. Keynote Presenters: Fun, informative, youth centered! Workshops: information that supports what was learned at the Real Life Fair. Students, parents, and all relevant team members are encouraged to attend! Topics and Information: Transition to What? Information Available: Housing Transportation Food/Clothing Recreation Employment Education/Training Financial Aid Community Service Self-Advocacy

BOZEMAN, MT - Teaching someone to ride a horse isn’t always a simple process. You can’t just hand them the reins, tell them to kick the horse to go, tug the reins to turn and pull back to stop. If the rider’s to have a safe, fun and educational experience, there’s more to the process, especially if the rider has special needs. And, while most riding instructors spend years honing their horsemanship and teaching skills, those working with special-needs riders must know other skills, such as various ways to safely mount riders onto the horse and volunteer management. When working with special-needs riders, there may be one to three volunteers per rider, one person leading the horse and a sidewalker on each side of the horse to provide rider support.

Last winter, a competitive gymnastics team in Lynchburg was looking for a new place to train. Meanwhile, Melissa Thompson, whose youngest daughter was one of the team members, was wondering how to help her older daughter cope with autism. She filled both needs by starting a new business, Elite Athletics, in January. The gym on Doss Road in Concord got off to a slow start, but it now offers numerous classes for people of various ages and skill levels, including one class for children with special needs. It has about 70 students, Thompson said.

SAN FRANCISCO—When Ed Gallagher goes sailing, he wears a webcam on his head, straps a netbook computer to his hip and hops onto a boat with his dog. Then he relies on Herb Meyer, a skipper back on land, to watch the live, streaming webcam video and give him instructions.

When: Tuesday, October 19, 2010 4:00-7:30pm Where: Home Arts Building at Fairgrounds (enter off of South Avenue) What: Please joins us for this free event. Organizations and services for families will be under one roof, one night only, to provide information and support to families of Missoula County. Included, but not limited to, after-school programs, health and nutrition services, recreation programs, employment services, housing, legal services and support services. Dinner will be served.

TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication related handicapped CHildren) is an evidence-based service, training, and research program for individuals of all ages and skill levels with autism spectrum disorders. Established in the early 1970s by Eric Schopler and colleagues, the TEACCH program has worked with thousands of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families. TEACCH provides clinical services such as diagnostic evaluations, parent training and parent support groups, social play and recreation groups, individual counseling for higher-functioning clients, and supported employment. In addition, TEACCH conducts training nationally and internationally and provides consultation for teachers, residential care providers, and other professionals from a variety of disciplines. Research activities include psychological, educational, and biomedical studies. The administrative headquarters of the TEACCH program are in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and there are nine regional TEACCH Centers around the state of North Carolina. Most clinical services from the TEACCH centers are free to citizens of North Carolina.

On November 9th MDSC will be hosting a Special Presentation of Mel Brooks’ The Producers at Missoula Children’s Theater. The director of the play is a New York Broadway producer; how exciting to have him in Missoula and for our performance! The evening will begin at 6pm with hors d’oeuvres and a hosted beer and wine bar. There is a wonderful silent and live auction ~ Mayor John Engen is our auctioneer.   MDSC just celebrated our 20th Anniversary of supporting adults with severe developmental disabilities. Services include residential, vocational, daily living skills training, medical, community integration, recreation, and transportation. Tickets are $50.00 for one or $90.00 for a pair. Your support is greatly appreciated.

From his home on the Neal Ranch, 14 miles west of Philipsburg, David Riggs is a short off-road drive from a favorite fishing spot on Rock Creek. The bank is flat. The trout are plentiful. Moose, deer and bighorns occasional wander across the secluded backdrop. Riggs, 43, came to realize the picturesque potential for anglers — in wheelchairs. He recently installed a handicap access gate that opens to 60 feet of creek frontage about a mile west of the Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge.

Camp Buckskin has been helping young people with ADD, ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Aspergers, or those who may be adopted to learn and grow for more than 50 years. We provide a structured, consistent, and supportive environment with quality instruction in traditional camp and some academic activities. Our featured Personal Growth Program works to enhance social awareness and improve social skills. Our parents are most interested in helping their children make and maintain friendships, so we work each day to accomplish this goal. In addition, we strive to improve problem solving/coping skills to help our campers become more self reliant and take on increased responsibility for themselves.

Meet new friends and learn with others at an AAC Summer Camp! Improve your literacy skills and participate in language-building activities. The following camps provide unique learning experiences for AAC device users and families.

Denver, CO—Seven centers offering equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) earned NARHA’s highest level of accomplishment for the first time and became NARHA Premier Accredited Centers during 2009. In addition, 216 Premier Accredited Centers renewed their Premier Accredited Center status during the year.

A first of its kind park offering rides, playgrounds and other amusement activities designed specifically for those with special needs is set to open this week in San Antonio, Texas. The $32 million facility called Morgan’s Wonderland is fully-accessible. One ride, for example, is an off-road adventure where park goers sit in vehicles designed to accommodate wheelchairs while traveling through the twists and turns of rocky terrain.

Every kid should be able to look back on summer camp as a memorable time spent having fun, making friends, and gaining new skills and independence. Yet, as if the process of finding the right camp isn’t baffling enough, parents of children with special needs come to the search process with an additional, and often complex, set of concerns. To get at the heart of some of parents’ most important questions, New York Family spoke with Gary Shulman of Resources for Children with Special Needs, who assures parents that, in the end, it’s worth the effort to find a program both you and your child will love.

Decide early in the process what type of program you want for your child. Camp should be fun, relaxing, and healthy. Camp should offer positive and rewarding experiences that foster independence and self-esteem. Some camps are for military children. Some camps are free. Some camps offer scholarships. Some camps are specifically for children with special needs.

Ah, summer camp. The mosquitoes, the swim races, the friendships, the bug juice, the postcards home. What child wouldn't benefit from the fun and structured freedom camps provide? Kids with special needs are no exception. But the prospect can seem daunting to parents and kids alike — how can you be sure that your child will get the attention he or she needs? Will your child be able to participate fully? What about the other kids? Will your child make friends? Will they understand your child's special needs?

Visitor Information Available Through TDD People who are hearing impaired may obtain visitor information through TDD 307-344-2386. Accessibility Coordinator Facilities in Yellowstone are being made physically accessible as quickly as possible within funding limitations. Most facilities described in this guide have been judged to be negotiable by wheelchair users without assistance. Those facilities that require assistance for wheelchair users are indicated. Facilities described as accessible do not necessarily comply fully with federal standards.

May May 15: Great Falls Club of the Deaf meeting May 22: Missoula Club of the Deaf annual picnic - Southside Lions Park June June 5: Gallatin Association of the Deaf Spring Crafts & Yard Sale June 17-19: Big Sky Recreation Association of the Deaf - 23rd annual campout @ Kim's Marina & R.V. Resort in Helena, MT July No scheduled social evenst during the month of July Visit http://mtdeaf.org for more information on these events on the new MAD website.