What:
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is holding a series of Affordable Care Act implementation forums throughout the country. We encourage you all to attend these broad policy-focused meetings, as they present a valuable opportunity to insert the consumer voice into the implementation process. Although registration for the Washington, DC session has been closed due to space constraints, it will also be webcast.

HHS will use these forums to provide information to stakeholders on the Affordable Care Act implementation process. Additionally, they have promised ample time for Q&A, making these events a great opportunity to talk to key federal officials about pressing issues, such as: How you would like to see open exchange policy decisions decided, either for Federally Facilitated and Partnership exchanges, or for unresolved state exchange issues that require federal guidance. How HHS will engage with stakeholders, including consumer groups, in states that are pursuing Partnership or Federally Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs). Input on additional information that HHS could provide to help your state define a comprehensive Essential Health Benefits package. Please click here to RSVP for one of the following sessions: August 14, 2012: Washington, DC (webcast only) August 15, 2012: Atlanta, GA August 21, 2012: Chicago, IL August 22, 2012: Denver, CO

Click here to register for this webinar What:
Learning Objectives: Strategies for how to best provide health care to adults with developmental disabilities in medical offices/facilities Strategies for addressing the psychological and support needs of adults with special health care needs Click here to learn more When:
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
4:00 - 5:00pm Mountain

Click here to register for this webinar What:
Have you ever been frustrated with disability services planning for yourself, a loved one, or a friend? Did it seem like the process was focused more on the goals and needs of the planners than the person who was disabled? Person-Centered Planning is a new approach developed to help disabled persons accomplish their own goals and dreams, to give them more control over services and the direction of their lives. This webinar will introduce you to Person-Centered Planning, how it works, what you can do to help implement it for yourself or a loved one, as well as resources available to help you succeed. This one-hour webinar includes a 15-minute question-and-answer period after the presentation. When:
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
11:00am - 12:00pm Mountain

Click here to register for this webinar What:
This presentation will explore techniques to enhance the sustainability of systemic improvements in education. Schools across the nation are striving to improve educational services for all students. Under tremendous pressure to make annual yearly progress under tight budgetary constraints, district administrators and leaders must guide their staff through an ongoing process of evaluation and improvement. Enhancing instructional practices for students with autism adds a layer of complexity to quality improvement issues. Educators not only need specialized teacher skills; they face challenging behavior and manage paraprofessionals - all while documenting service provision and making decisions based on data. Throughout any improvement process, administrators need ready access to organizational performance measures to steer staff toward desired outcomes. More importantly, they must devise strong processes of sustaining improvements achieved. When:
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
12:00 - 1:00pm Mountain

To register for this free event, RSVP with Yvan Bamps What:
WebEase (Web Epilepsy, Awareness, Support and Education) is the first interactive, on-line self-management program for people with epilepsy shown to be effective in improving self-management skills. WebEase was developed by a team of researchers from Emory University with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is now available to the general public through the Epilepsy Foundation at www.webease.org. The purpose of this presentation is to provide interested epilepsy health care and social services providers with a brief overview of WebEase. In addition to exploring the benefits of WebEase for people living with epilepsy, the Webinar will review the structure and components of the program, its theoretical principles and its evidence base. WebEase for Health care and Social Services Providers is part of the MEW Network Webinar Series on Epilepsy Self-Management. For more information about this series, please go to www.sph.emory.edu/ManagingEpilepsyWell/WEBINARS. When:
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
10:00-10:45am Mountain

Click here to view the webinar on the date specified What:
Efforts at improving the IEP/IFSP processes often focus on compliance issues.  This workshop will explore the IEP/IFSP processes as Adaptive Learning tasks that bring a diverse group of people together to engage a complex challenge.  We will explore ways to better balance the Technical (compliance) elements with the Adaptive (innovative) elements of these processes as we reconnect with the core values of the IDEA.  When:
September 19, 2012
12:30 - 1:45pm Mountain To listen to the webinar via telephone:
Conference Number(s):  1-888-447-7153
Participant Code: 473502

Click here to visit the TransParenting website What:
TransParenting is an educational program designed to teach effective parenting during the transitions of divorce or parental separation. It impresses upon parents the critical role they play in their child's ability to adjust to changes in family situations. The cost of the class is $50 (single) and $75 (couples), which includes a parent handbook, certificate of attendance and handout with other community support services. Call Leslie at 406-281-8575 to register. Who TransParenting is for: Divoricing parents Never-married parents Previously divorced parents who are changing custody or visitation agreements Custodial grandparents Concerned family members Educators, social workers, therapists, clergy and school counselors When:
At least one Saturday each month
8:30am- 12:30pm Where:
3012 3rd Ave N.
Billings MT Contact:
Call Juanita at 406-671-6560 for more information

Click here to register for this event What:
A conference for service providers, criminal justice professionals, therapists, advocates, attorneys, and others who work with victims, families, or offenders, to reduce family violence. This year's featured speaker is Jane Middelton-Moz, M.S. speaking about the effects of generational trauma, bullying, grief and unattended sorrow, and stages of recovery. Also at a dinner event to be held on Thursday evening at the Billings Petroleum Club, Jane Middelton-Moz will be discussing Workplace Trauma. Employers and managers are especially encouraged to attend the dinner. When:
September 24-25, 2012 Where:
Billings Clinic - Mary Alice Fortin Health Conference Center
Billings, Montana

Click here to download the flyer for this event (.pdf) What:
Wraparound 101 Training is an additional requirement for those wishing to provide caregiver peer to peer services in the PRTF waiver. Please plan to attend both days; snack and drinks will be provided throughout the day. Lunch on your own. When:
September 24-25, 2012
9:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Where:
Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel Helena
835 Great Northern Boulevard
Helena, MT 59601 Trainer: 
Susan Boehrer To register or if you have questions:  
Contact Kelsey Antcliff at Kantcliff@mt.gov or (406) 444-5978 or Nancy Whitbeck-Nicholson at NWhitbeck-Nicholson@mt.gov and provide your name, agency, email and phone number. Register at least a week prior; space is limited. No cost for the training. For questions about the PRTF Waiver:
Contact Laura Taffs at ltaffs@mt.gov or (406) 444-1460.

Click here to register for this conference What:
The 2012 Montana Conference on Mental Illness will provide peers, family members and providers with an in-depth look into the recovery process and great examples of what recovery from mental illness looks like. When:
October 31 through November 2, 2012 Where:
Red Lion Colonial Inn Hotel
2301 Colonial Dr.
Helena, MT 59601

Click here to register for camp What:
Aqua Critters  August 6-10, 2012
Spend the week getting your feet wet! We'll explore a new, close by aquatic habitat every day. We'll wade, look for aquatic invertebrates, see if we can spot any osprey, and learn about how important water is to all living things. Creepy Crawlies  July 30-August 3, 2012
Who doesn't love learning about insects? We'll spend the week seeing what we can catch and learning about metamorphosis and other amazing insect facts. We'll even start our own (live) insect collection that we will release at the end of the week. A trip to the electron microscope at the university will let us see all sorts of neat critters up close and personal! Backcountry Explorers  July 30-August 3, 2012
Want to spend a week in the woods this summer that includes a fantastic overnight backpacking trip?  We'll hike some beautiful trails every day and explore the world around us using tools of a naturalist like field guides and compasses.  We'll also learn about plants and animals common to our region as we get out and explore, and practice Leave No Trace Principles. This camp will feature an overnight backpacking trip from August 2-3. Where:
Montana Natural History Center
120 Hickory St.
Missoula, MT  59801

Click here to register for this workshop What:
We have all heard the hype about iPads and how this mobile device will change the way we use technology, but what does that mean for education?  If you are looking for an interactive, hands-on workshop that will help you realize the power of this device and how it can be used in a K-12 classroom, then this is the one for you.  During this workshop you will have the opportunity to discover the countless ways you can use this device to change the way you "do" education.  Learn the basics of working with your iPad, research all of the available apps and find out which ones are right for your classroom, and find out how other schools are implementing iPads within their classrooms.  You will also be introduced to the many accessories you can add to your iPad to extend its functionality. Don't have an iPad yet, no worries, we will have several iPads available for you to use during the workshop. When:
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
9:00am - 4:00pm Mountain Where:
Montana State University - Billings
College of Education Room 122
Billings MT 59101 Cost:
$25.00 (Lunch is on your own)

Click here to register for this webinar What:
Mobile Learning technology is quickly changing how we look at classroom education. Tablet computers like the iPads and Android devices offer many advantages over traditional computers or laptops, but are we using them effectively? Attend this webinar to discover how many schools and districts are successfully using iPads and Kineos in their classrooms to improve student performance and increase learning time. Learn how to: Use tablets to engage struggling learners Increase learning time with increased mobility Begin the year with clear goals on tablet use to drive instruction and improve test scores Sync student usage with online reporting Provide strong professional development and implementation strategies When:
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
12:00 - 1:00pm Mountain

Click here to read the full report (.pdf) As we all know, children/youth with special health care needs eventually become adults, many of whom will continue to have health challenges or disabilities but will want to join the workforce.  This week, in anticipation of the July 26 anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) issued a report entitled "Unfinished Business: Making Employment of People with Disabilities a National Priority."  The report notes that there has been little to no change in the overall employment rates of people with disabilities since passage of the ADA almost 22 years ago.  Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), announced a goal to increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce from under five million to six million by 2015.  He plans to introduce a series of bipartisan bills aimed at:  improving outcomes in transitioning young adults from school to work; increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to own a business; encouraging states to be innovative with programs that provide support to people with disabilities; and providing incentives for people with disabilities to save in order to ensure their economic security. 

What:
This non-competitive fun-walk is hosted by the Northwest Montana Chapter of the Autism Society of America. Registration begins at 11 am with the walk starting at noon. When/Where:
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Lawrence Park
Kalispell, MT

Click here to download the full flyer with additional information (.pdf) What:
Farm to School aims to improve child nutrition by helping children understand and experience where their food comes from. It incorporates healthy farm-fresh food in school meals and snacks, provides increased opportunity for garden-based learning and agriculture education across the curriculum, and strengthens community-wide connections to support local farmers and children's well-being. We will explore a wealth of Farm to School topics throughout the cafeteria, classroom and community. You will also have a chance to network with a variety of stakeholders and be inspired by the variety of ways Farm to School has taken root in communities throughout Montana. Who Should Attend? Teachers Administrators School Food Service Professionals Parents Community partners from early childhood programs and K-12 school districts Ranchers and farmers When/Where:
August 16 & 17, 2012
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, MT

Click here to download the full flyer with additional information (.pdf) What:
This group is designed for parents who are dealing with specific challenges usually encountered once their adoptees are settled in (~ 1 year or more into the adoption), for parents with challenging children and interested others. CONNECT (formerly Together in Parenting) is a process-based support group lead by a licensed therapist that gives parents a venue in which to form an emotional connection with other parents experiencing similar issues with their children. Each month, we address concerns of parents who are present via peer support and therapeutic suggestions. Parents who are experiencing challenging times with their children find the support of other parents who have been on the adoption and parenting journey for some time to be invaluable.Therapeutic suggestions are offered when appropriate and helpful. For parents who need the support of other families who are at the beginning of the adoption journey and who would like information and the camaraderie of other families at the same early stage in the process, we offer the EQUIP support group. Please download the full brochure for more information. Child care will be available if this is determined to be a need of the group. Who CONNECT is for: For Adoptive Parents, Parents with Challenging Children Interested Others When:
The last Thursday of each month
7:00-8:30 pm Mountain Where:
Evangelical Free Church - Room 102
S. 19th St.
Bozeman, MT

Click here to register for this webinar What:
Attend this one-hour webinar to learn how to maximize the resources available on the new and improved www.sidscenter.org website. By responding to user feedback, the National SUID/SIDS Resource Center has been able to update the design of its site to heighten access to research and educational tools that will help any professional on the local, state or national level address issues in sudden infant death. Learning Objectives: The QI process in developing/refining a grantee website. The resources available for professionals to address SUID/SIDS. When:
Thursday, August 23, 2012
1:00 PM - 2:00pm Mountain

What:
LIFTT (Living Independently for Today and Tomorrow) is hosting a BBQ lunch and raffle drawing to celebrate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Lunch and drink costs $4.00 and features raffle drawings and assistive technology demonstrations. When:
July 26, 2012
10:00am - 2:00pm Where:
3333 2nd Ave. N.
Billings MT, 59101

What:
DPHHS is applying for a Money Follows the Person Grant. The "Money Follows the Person" Rebalancing Demonstration Program (MFP) helps States rebalance their long-term care systems to transition people with Medicaid from institutions to the community. Forty-three States and the District of Columbia have implemented MFP Programs.  From spring 2008 through December 2010, nearly 12,000 people have transitioned back into the community through MFP Programs. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 strengthens and expands the "Money Follows the Person" Program to more States. Click here to fill out the survey. MFP Program Goals Increase the use of home and community-based services (HCBS) and reduce the use of institutionally-based services. Eliminate barriers in State law, State Medicaid plans, and State budgets that restrict the use of Medicaid funds to let people get long-term care in the settings of their choice. Strengthen the ability of Medicaid programs to provide HCBS to people who choose to transition out of institutions. Put procedures in place to provide quality assurance and improvement of HCBS. If you are a consumer or family member, please take a moment to fill out the survey here.