Fw: ILLINOIS VOICES NEWSLETTER

February 1, 2011

Hi all: Thought you might be interested in the Illinois Voices Newsletter...

Ellen

Dear Friends,

The February Illinois Voices Newsletter is attached. As always, we appreciate

any comments or suggestions.

Luther King Jr. said, " The time is always right to do what is right. "

How do we know what is the right thing to do? I think that perhaps each of us

have to go inside our hearts and minds to find the answer. It requires that we

take the time out of or busy schedules to get quiet, so that we can hear the

answers.

We all have the resources that we need to do that, if we set an intention.

Honor the silence and listen.

In gratitude,

Shirley

Shirley Paceley

Blue Tower Training

P. O. Box 2760

Decatur, Il. 62524-2760

Phone: 217-875-8890

TTY: 217-875-8898

Fax: 217-875-8899

www.bluetowertraining.com

January 2011

About Self-Advocates. For Self-Advocates. By Self-Advocates.

The Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois

at Chicago invites you to

A Colloquium with Simon for a sneak preview of

The Story of Beautiful Girl (coming out May 2011)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

11:30am - 12:45pm

Disability, Health, and Social Policy Building

1640 W. Roosevelt Road

Chicago, IL 60608

Simon is the author of the critically acclaimed Riding the Bus with My

Sister, a memoir about her year riding city buses with her sister, who has a

developmental disability. It was made into a 2005 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie

starring Rosie O'Donnell and Andie MacDowell that was watched by 15 million

viewers during its first airing. It is a seminal book in the disability

community. Simon is also the author of the critically acclaimed The House on

Teacher's Lane and The Magic Touch, as well as a book for writers, The Writer's

Survival Guide, and a collection of short stories: Little Nightmares, Little

Dreams. Simon lives in Wilmington, Delaware. To learn more, go to

www.Simon.com.

Simon will read an excerpt from The Story of Beautiful Girl and

facilitate a discussion. The book is an unforgettably moving love story about

the improbable odds faced by a couple with disabilities and a lost child. It is

1968, and Lynnie, a young white woman with a developmental disability, and

Homan, an African American deaf man, are locked away in an institution, the

School for the Incurable and Feebleminded, and have been left to languish,

forgotten. Deeply in love, they escape and find refuge in the farmhouse of

Martha, a retired schoolteacher and widow. But the couple is not alone-Lynnie

has just given birth to a baby girl.

Free & Open to the Public! Bring a Friend!

In This Issue

Topic Page Topic Page Topic Page

Panel Discussion on 2 Disability.gov and 3 TRN's Career Development for 5

Guardianship Issues Benefits.gov Information Youth & Adults with Disabilities

Illinois Imagines Helps 2 Self-Advocacy Committee 4 Ligas vs. Hamos Agreement to

5

Pass Two New Laws Meeting Expand Community Living

Opportunities in Illinois

Midwest Alliance 2 The Alliance Update 4

Information Statewide Advisory Council Meeting 5

NCPAD's ?14 Weeks to a 4

Ability Online 3 Healthier You? program Network Advisory Council Meetings 6

ISBE Parent Involvement 3 Access Living's Disability 5 ICDD Needs Your Input on

Proposed 6

Webinar Series Awareness Week Five Year Plan

Conference

Southern Network Request 6 2

The Special Education District of McHenry County

&

McHenry County Transition Planning Committee presents:

Panel Discussion: Guardianship Issues for Students with Disabilities

When: Friday, February 4th, 2011 Where: McHenry County College, Room A102 Time:

1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.

Join us for a panel discussion regarding guardianship and hear about different

philosophies and options parents have from individuals with expertise in this

area. Topics such as guardianship, power of attorney, trust funds, planning for

adulthood, legal services, and advocacy will be discussed.

Speakers will include:

? The Law Office of Rubin & Associates

? H. Farley, Jr., LTD-Attorney at Law

? Annette Hammortree-Hammortree Financial Services

? Options & Advocacy for McHenry County

? Equip for Equality

? Individual with a Disability

There is no cost to attend this event. Please RSVP to Jeweldean Drechney:

jdrechney@...

ILLINOIS IMAGINES HELPS PASS TWO NEW LAWS!

Throughout history, people with disabilities have always been at a higher risk

for experiencing sexual violence than those without disabilities. Timely medical

care and rape-crisis center counseling are two things that can immediately help

survivors to heal. Sadly, it has been the case that if a person with a

disability has a guardian, that guardian must give permission for that person to

get RCC counseling and medical care. Sometimes, guardians say no to both, and

the healing process is delayed.

Until now! ICASA, the Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault, one of the

Illinois Imagines partners, has helped to pass two new laws that say the

following:

1) If a person with a disability has a guardian, s/he does NOT need that

guardian's permission in order to receive medical

care and rape-crisis center counseling after experiencing sexual violence. S/he

can have a rape kit done and evidence

collected and released based upon HIS OR HER OWN DECISION. This is a great step

forward! (Effective January 2010)

2) When a person with a disability goes to rape crisis-center counseling, if

s/he has a guardian, that guardian does NOT

have automatic access to the person's file. The guardian CANNOT automatically

find out what that person and their

counselor talked about. Nor can the guardian decide who can knows the

information without a court hearing.

(Effective January 2011)

Sexual violence is a crime. NO ONE deserves to experience it, whether they have

a disability or not. Let's give ICASA a big round of applause for helping to

pass these new wonderful laws! Hopefully, because of them, people with

guardians and disabilities who DO experience sexual violence can heal and talk

in a safe space, and a safe place!

Are you or someone you know a part-time or full-time college student in

Illinois, Iowa, or Wisconsin who has a disability and is interested in receiving

help finding an internship in a science, social science, technology,

engineering, or math field? The Midwest Alliance is here to help!

Benefits to applicants include the help searching for internships, stipends of

up to $200, and the ability to gain experience and information about

accommodations and career choices. Online applications to our internship and

mentoring programs are being accepted now through February 15, 2011 at the

following website: ttp://stemmidwest.org/default.asp?contentID=543 3

ISBE Introduces Parent Involvement Webinar Series

The Illinois State Board of Education's Division of Innovation and Improvement

has planned a series of four 90 minute Parent Involvement Webinars as part of a

statewide parent involvement initiative. The webinars will examine areas of best

practices pertaining to parent involvement and provide tools and resources for

implementing evidence-based strategies. These sessions are open to district

staff, school staff, parent facilitators and parents.

Parent Involvement as a Collaborative Process, 3:30 - 5 p.m., 2.24.11: No single

person can hum a symphony - it takes a full orchestra to deliver all of the

elements that make it a symphony. Student success is much like a symphony in

that it depends on several persons coming together in a collaborative spirit to

play their part. This webinar will examine three dimensions of parent

involvement that together build a supportive educational network through

intentional collaborative processes. It will offer evidence-based tools,

strategies and resources to help schools develop collaborative relationships

with families, other schools, and assist in building positive relationships

between families that support student success. Register at

www1.gotomeeting.com/register/276971937.

Ability Online is an extraordinary and absolutely free Internet community.

Here, young people with disabilities and illnesses connect with all kinds of

possibilities that address their needs as curious, growing citizens of the

planet. They meet and chat with other people like them in a virtual world that

transcends boundaries and barriers. They make friends, get tips from mentors,

and freely participate in an atmosphere of collaboration, companionship and

support.

And this remarkable community also provides many benefits to parents, family

members and others who want to make a difference in enabling and enriching the

lives of those they know and love.

Learn more at www.ablelink.org/public/new/index.html.

With more than 1,000 federally-funded benefits and assistance programs available

to people with disabilities, Veterans and others, it's no surprise that finding

the benefits for which you might be eligible can sometimes be difficult. Here's

some information to help point you in the right direction:

If you are looking for information about disability benefits start your search

on Disability.gov by visiting

www.disability.gov/home/i_want_to/disability_benefits. Disability.gov's Benefits

section has information about the eligibility requirements for receiving Social

Security disability (SSDI and SSI) benefits, disability benefits for children

and how to apply for Social Security. The site also has information about

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (formerly referred to as welfare)

and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly called Food Stamps).

You can also look for benefits in your state by visiting

www.disability.gov/state/index?go.y=16 & state= & go.x=31 and going to your state's

benefits section.

Disability.gov also has information about benefits for Veterans, Service Members

and their families. Another good place to learn about benefits for Veterans and

military families is the National Resource Directory.

Remember that if you want to apply for benefits from Social Security, the

Department of Veterans Affairs or another federal or state agency, you must

contact that agency directly as Disability.gov cannot not take applications for

benefits.

Benefits.gov's new Benefits Finder is another easy way to find out which

government benefits you may be eligible to receive. After answering a few

questions, you'll get information about disability benefits, housing assistance,

health care or other benefits for which you might be eligible. The Benefits

Finder will also let you know about the next steps to take to apply for

assistance and who to contact. 4

The Illinois Self-Advocacy Alliance (The Alliance) became an official

organization on December 14, 2010! We also have a board of directors who are

self-advocates from Alliance member groups. The board has passed bylaws (rules)

for the Alliance, and is working on planning a big event for later in the year,

so stay tuned for details! The Alliance is also working on a position paper

about self-directed supports that we will present to Lilia and her staff in late

January.

Self-Advocacy Committee Meeting!

The next meeting is scheduled for April 28, 2011 at 1pm at the Illinois

Education Association building, 3440 Liberty Drive, Springfield, IL.

Spring is the perfect time to start on a new plan to a healthier you. As the

weather is warming up, 14-Week Program Participants are also warming up their

bodies by engaging in our free physical activity program.

The Illinois Department of Public Health's Disability and Health Program is

collaborating with the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability

(NCPAD) at University of Illinois at Chicago to market their online physical

activity and nutrition program called ?4 Weeks to a Healthier You?which will be

available in March 2011. The program is designed to assist people with

physical/mobility limitations in starting moderate exercise, maintaining

flexibility and eating healthy. Training for an in-person version for people

with developmental disabilities will be available later this year.

There is no cost for participating in the program. NCPAD is designing a

flier/newsletter article about the program that will be provided later, but if

you'd like more information right now, here is a link to a fact sheet on their

Web site. http://www.ncpad.org/fitt/fact_sheet.php?sheet=677 & section=2807

Started in 2009 and runing every spring, NCPAD's 14-Week Program to a Healthier

You is a free web-based program designed to get you moving and eating well! The

program follows our motto that " Exercise is for EVERYbody! " Not only does the

program provide you with information on how to exercise and eat nutritious

foods, it also provides you with motivational tools to help you get started and

maintain your new healthy behaviors. Every week, over the course of 14 weeks,

you will receive new resources, advice, exercises, motivational tips, and

recipes.

The goal of the physical activity portion of the program is to provide you with

tools for being more active in your own home (or whatever other location you

prefer) with little to no additional equipment, whether you're new to working

out or already exercising regularly. If you are new to exercise, this program

can help you take the first steps toward a lifetime of physical activity. For

those already following an exercise plan, this program can serve as a source of

variety to break up the monotony of your regular workouts, or to supplement your

exercise regime when you can't get to the gym, are traveling, or just taking a

break from a specific training schedule. Each exercise has a ?ip Box?that will

give you ideas on how to increase or decrease the intensity or difficulty and

give you modifications to accommodate the widely varying abilities of our NCPAD

audience.

Since it would be impossible for us to predict what would be best for everyone,

NCPAD also offers support from physical activity and nutrition experts via

e-mail (ncpad@...), live chat and phone calls (800-900-8086) throughout the

duration of the program. (Live chat and phone calls are available Monday through

Friday during the hours of 9:00-5:00 CDT.)

Watch for more information in the March 2011 Illinois Voices listserve!

" Having a disability does not mean you can't be healthy. "

~ U.S. Surgeon General, 2005

The next Statewide Advisory Council Meeting is scheduled for January 27, 2011

from 10am - 1pm at ICDD, 830 S. Spring Street, Springfield.

Come and be a part of the changes! 5

Disability Awareness Week Conference

For Girls with Disabilities (Ages 13 to 21)

April 18 - 22, 2011

Access Living

115 W. Chicago Avenue

Chicago, IL

10am - 5pm (Monday - Thursday)

12noon - 8pm (Friday)

Disability Workshops:

Disability Pride Workshop

Filming your Disability Story

Domestic Violence & Judo Workshop

Disability & Employment

Disability & Adaptive Sports

Disability & Sexuality Workshops

Disability Pride Spelling Bee (Friday Evening)

Lunch & snacks will be served!

Application deadlines for this conference are March 15, 2011. For more

information, please contact A. , Women & Girls Community

Organizer at 312-640-2190 or via email at Kwilson@...

Career Development for Youth and Adults

with Disabilities

March 9 - 22, 2011.

Career Development is a 2-week, approximately 18-hour web training on developing

career goals through innovative vocational assessment, career development

skills, and vocational profiling for youth and adults with disabilities. Topics

will include principles of self-determination, the discovery process, and

situational assessment.

We will also discuss entry jobs versus dream jobs, self-employment, career

exploration strategies, self-presentation, and other approaches.

Registration is $149 US. Credit cards and purchase orders accepted, but payment

must be received for enrollment. Participants can log on at ANY TIME from ANY

COMPUTER with internet access during course access and participate in the

training. Successful completers receive a certificate.

The course will be facilitated by Rob Hoffman, a well-known consultant who has

taught extensively on the employment of people with disabilities. Career

Development is a key component of preparing youth and adults for job success.

Learn about supporting people in discovering and enhancing

their job interests and talents, and how to help people develop job search tools

and represent themselves to employers with confidence.

Registration is limited, and previous courses have all filled to

capacity, so register early to be sure to have a slot.

To learn more about the training and to register, go to:

https://trn-store.com/content/course-career-development

Landmark Agreement Will Expand Community Living Opportunities for People with

Developmental Disabilities in Illinois

A groundbreaking agreement in Ligas v. Hamos, filed 1.11.11 in the federal

district court in Chicago, will dramatically expand community living options for

people with developmental disabilities, while assuring those who choose to live

in Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DDs) that

their needs will continue to be met. If approved by the court, the proposed

Consent Decree will give residents of ICF-DDs the choice to move into small

community-based settings with the necessary supports. The agreement also

requires that an additional 3,000 people with developmental disabilities

currently living at home without services be provided with community services.

Read more at www.accessliving.org/index.php?tray=content & tid=top683 & cid=v29

The next Statewide Advisory Council Meeting is scheduled for April 28, 2011 from

10am - 1pm at the Illinois Education Association building, 3440 Liberty Drive,

Springfield, IL.

Come and be a part of the changes! 6

ICDD Needs Your Input!

The Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities follows a 5 year state plan

in determining where to focus its efforts and resources. The plan is developed

by our Council with input from the public to ensure the selected goals and

targets address true needs in Illinois.

ICDD exists under the federal Developmental Disabilities Act. It states that we

cannot provide services directly. ICDD's mission is to change, (improve!),

Illinois systems of service delivery. Bear in mind ICDD's role to advocate,

educate, and push for positive changes as you read our proposed 5 year plan.

Please review ICDD's proposed state plan for the fall of 2011 to the fall of

2015. ICDD would like to hear if you agree with the goals and targets of this

plan as outcomes ICDD should strive to achieve for Illinois and its citizens

with developmental disabilities. We also want to hear if you have refinements to

suggest or feel a specific target should be added or deleted.

You can find the plan at

www.state.il.us/agency/icdd/pdf/Draft%20State%20Plan%20goals%20and%20target%20Ja\

nuary%2012%202011.pdf

Send all comments by March 1st to:

Margaret.harkness@..., or

Fax 1-312-814-7141, or

Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities

100 W. Randolph, Suite 10-600

Chicago, IL 60601

North Suburban Network Meeting

February 17, 2011 9:30am

Center for Enriched Living

280 Saunders Road

Riverwoods, IL

Contact: Ed McManus 312-814-5981

North Central Network Meeting

February 1, 2011 10:00am

Meeting conducted via Tele-Conference at the following sites: Marcfirst ~

Bloomington; Fox Developmental Center ~ Dwight; Achievement Unlimited ~

Galesburg; DHS DDD ~ Springfield; Arc of Iroquois County ~ Watseka; ton

Transitional Facility ~ Champaign

Contact: Medley 217-524-2520

City of Chicago Network Meeting

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

Institute on Disabilities and Human Development

1640 West Roosevelt Road - Auditorium, Chicago, IL

Contact: Madison 312-814-8665

* please contact Madison for the date and

time of the next City of Chicago Network Meeting

North West Network Meeting

March 8, 2011 3:00pm

Meeting conducted via a call-in telephone number (217.545.6649) or Tele-Video at

the following sites: DHS DDD ~ Springfield; Kreider Services, Inc. ~ Dixon;

Malcolm Eaton Enterprises ~ Freeport; Jack Mabley Developmental Center ~ Dixon;

Singer Mental Health Center ~ Rockford

Contact: Byrd 217-524-2517

South Suburban Network Meeting

March 16, 2011 2:00pm

Suburban Access

925 W. 175th Street

Homewood, IL

Contact: Mike Dittmer 312-814-4290

* please contact Mike Dittmer to confirm the date and

time of the meeting prior to attending.

Central Network Meeting

February 10, 2011 12.30pm

Centrum Building North, Conference Room 2A

401 N. 4th Street, 2nd Floor

Springfield, IL

Contact: Pam Gray 217-524-2518

Southern Network Meeting

February 16, 2011 1.00pm

Meeting conducted via Tele-Conference at the following sites: Warren G. Murray

Developmental Center ~ Centralia; Choate Developmental Center ~ ; START ~

sboro; Challenge Unlimited ~ Alton

Contact: Alan Cherrick 217-782-5230

The Division of Developmental Disabilities/Southern Network is requesting an

e-mail address from those interested in attending the Southern Network Advisory

Council meetings. The Southern Network is attempting to streamline the meeting

announcement process. Please send your e-mail address to

craig.laskowski@.... If you do not have an e-mail address, please

contact Craig Laskowski at 618.235.6324.

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

ILLINOIS VOICES NEWSLETTER