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| July 2004 | Volume 1, Issue 9 |
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This
Month's Feature Stories Information is for Sharing The following Center for Self-Determination trainers are now available to work with individuals and groups across the nation interested in "Guaranteeing the Promise of Freedom through Redefining Quality and Creative Individual Budgeting": Mary Bryant and Bonnie Woodward from Nevada; Sherri Boyd, Angela Martin, Kristen Smith, Carol Wallace, Elaine Wallace and Tammy Finn from Michigan; Brooke Lovelace, Lisa Balduf and Sarah Renner from Iowa; Wendy Hecht and Beth Hougan from Wisconsin; Beth Spinning from Georgia and Mike Allen from New Mexico. Among this new group of Center Budget trainers are parents and sisters of persons with disabilities, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, Education, Research, and Service (UCEDDs) professionals, State Developmental Disabilities Council Program Managers, local ARC Directors, independent brokers/agents and current and former agency support coordinators. Based on the Center's guidebook "Guaranteeing the Promise of Freedom through Redefining Quality and Creative Individual Budgeting" the trainers listed above accomplished and provided input in how to work with the guide's Budget Template and in turn lead others in its usage. Center trainers will meet again in six months to assess the Center's proposed guidebook on Independent Support Coordination. Plans are underway to develop a cadre of trainers concerning this important tool of self-determination. Additionally, further budget 'Train-the Trainer" sessions are being planned in different regional locations. If you are interested in becoming a Center trainer, want to participate in the next national training or sponsor the budget training in your agency or community, contact Pat Carver at pcarver@chartermi.net Budget Trainers, specially matched to your learning needs and training circumstances, will be accompanied by a seasoned Center trainer who is available to provide ongoing mentorship and consultation with you or your group. The Center is proud to include and involve these accomplished trainers and confirmed belivers in self-determination. It is our conviction that useful information must be disseminated widely and made readily available to anyone who supports the quest for freedom. News from Self-Determination.com Information is Also Power Long standing Center member Mike Allen has assumed web communications coordination for nearly half of the United States. "I am so happy Mike is coming aboard in this official manner," says Communications Director Pat Carver. "He will truly add to the Center communication capacity by establishing relationships with each state contact. With Mike, I trust that efforts will be made to keep members and website visitors as up-to-date as absolutely possible." Bringing years of advocacy to the Center, Mike currently works as the New Mexico contact for Southwestern/Western Collaborative on Self-Determination, a participant in the Institute on Self-Determination at the ARC of New Mexico, www.self-determination.com/states/newmexico/index.html, Advisor to SABE Region 3 www.sabeusa.org and father of Debbie Allen, a self-advocate leader in Denver, Colorado. As of July 15, Mike is responsible for the following Center web page updates: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. If you live in one of these states, feel free to inform Mike of activities and policy development that involve self-determination. You may also feel assured that he will be contacting you soon! mikepatallen@earthlink.net Self-Determination State Sites
Michigan Bryan Safranski, project coordinator for a Michigan DD Council Mobilization and Enhancement grant on Self-Determination, shares two of the newest documents created by the Allegan County Community Mental Health Services agency. View the Handbook for Services & Supports and a handy new Vision-Mission-Values Bookmark at: www.self-determination.com/states/michigan/ddcouncil/enhance.html North Carolina Denise Mercado of Person Centered Support Services, LLC says, "We are excited about what we are doing across the state (of North Carolina) for families of children and adults receiving CAP MR/DD funding. We would love to talk with any family you know who has CAP MR/DD. Send them our way!" Visit the new website for Person Centered Support Services, LLC at http://www.pcssllc.com West Virginia Debi Lewis, a parent activist from West Virginia, signs up as a State Resource for the Center and sends along the following links, including a Yahoo! Discussion group which she moderates for families interested in self-directed waivers. WV Waiver Families (Yahoo! discussion group) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WV_waiver_families WV Medicaid Recipients' Union www.MRUWV.org A new organization -- formed around the principles of self-determination and proactive program participation. Updates and Announcements Natural Support Without Formality Rick Renzelman is retiring as the bookkeeper for the Center after three years of exceptional service. Rick owns RIMA bookkeeping in Keene New Hampshire where he also does the books for Center consultants Doreen Rosimos and Darcy Smith of Income Links. Doreen Rosimos says, "He's there for Darcy and me, and the things that he has done for the Center are enormous! Rick has been Jack's (Doreen's brother and a pioneer of self-determination) bookkeeper since day one, always looking out for what's best for Jack and those who care for him." Rick isn't a social service certified fiscal intermediary -- he's a neighborhood businessman helping to make his community a better place. Doreen continues, "Rick has read all of Tom's papers and is committed to the fight with us! Because of his Center affiliation, he closely follows what's going on with Medicaid in New Hampshire and is often heard voicing an opinion. He's one of us! " The Center is proud to be counted among the likes of Rick Renzelman and will always appreciate his initial support and guidance during our formative years. Although he worked with the Center a short time - a natural FREEDOM ALLY is what we consider Rick!! Nerney Honored for Work on Employment, Medicaid and Social Security At the 15th Annual Conference "At the Crossroads - Advancing Employment in a Changing Landscape" of APSE in Indianapolis July 12, Center Executive Director Tom Nerney was honored for his contributions to APSE: the Network on Employment. Tom was specifically recognized for his presentation at "A National Conference on Change" held earlier this year. Dohn Hoyle Receives Appointments Center member and Board Treasurer, Dohn Hoyle has been appointed by the Governor of Michigan to two statewide committees relevant to self-determination. Dohn, in addition to his persistent and successful advocacy work as President of the Association for Community Advocacy in Ann Arbor, will now serve on the Michigan Quality Community Care Council (QCCC) and the Michigan Medicaid Long Term Care (LTC) task force. The QCCC examines coordinated, effective and efficient personal assistance services, while the LTC will set short-terms goals for the next three to five years and develop long-term solutions for the next two decades while lessening the enormous pressure on the state's Medicaid budget. To contact Dohn Hoyle call 734-662-1256. APRAIS APRAIS, (Alliance To Prevent Restraint, Aversive Interventions, And Seclusion) an alliance of the nation's leading education, advocacy and research organizations has formed to protect children from abuse in their schools, treatment programs and residential facilities. APRAIS has scheduled a national press conference on July 15 to brief Congress and the press concerning these ongoing threats to our children's health and safety - of injury, trauma or death through the use of restraint, aversives or seclusion - to present a White Paper outlining the necessary systemic reforms, to begin distribution of a Parents' Guide to keeping children safe from these outdated practices, and to introduce a new informational website. For more information please contact Ddotson@tash.org or aprais@tash.org The Disability Law & Policy E-Newsletter ~ Iowa An excellent new source of information for disability advocates and service providers, this project of the Law, Health Policy & Disability at the University of Iowa College of Law, recently published it's second on-line issue. Among the topics included this month are a report released by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, an analysis of the Workforce Investment Act and the states' Section 188 plans, and an update on Dept. of Justice housing discrimination lawsuits. To subscribe to this free e-newsletter, go to http://disability.law.uiowa.edu/lhpdc/publications/news.html Another Positive Outcome from Atlanta Members of the Texas Team were dually inspired by both the planning team from a Midwestern state which included two state legislators and Shelly Brantley's presentation about the Florida Freedom Initiative. Due to attendance at the Atlanta Immersion Learning Opportunity, members of the Texas group - through a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant - have begun assembling a team of Texas legislators to visit with the Florida Developmental Disabilities Program and Florida State Legislators. Larry Lottman from the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitation Services and Norine Jaloway of Imagine Enterprises are working with State Representative John Davis to coordinate plans for a trip this Autumn. Connecting people and resource sharing is another goal of the Center that we believe will live on and benefit Americans for years to come who are supported in any manner through public dollars. For information visit Imagine Enterprises www.imagineenterprises.com Closing Quote Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you. Jean-Paul Sartre |