Free Webinars and Training P.11
TIMES
MAGAZINE
Exceptional
What's Going ON?
From the Executive Director, Mary Jacob Family Engagement is Critical to School Success P.4
ISSUE 07
September 2018
A mom's evolution Of understanding: reconsidering People-first language P.9
COVER STORY
EXCLUSIVE
MISSION The Mission of Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans is to educate and connect children and adults with disabilities, and their families to resources, services, and supports to attend school, work, and thrive in their communities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gregory Brenan, CPA, CCIFP, CGMA Lisa Gennusa Ledet Jo Ann D. LoRusso, Ph.D. Denise Barrera, MPH, MSW Judith Otto, LOTR, CDRS Debra Dixon M.Ed.+30 Jedidiah Jackson Ashley Bourg
OFFICE HOURS Monday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Tuesday: AFTER HOURS 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wednesday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Thursday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM Friday: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
OUR TEAM Mary Jacob, Executive Director mjacob@fhfofgno.org Ext. 207 Sharon Blackmon, Community Outreach Specialist sblackmon@fhfofgno.org Ext.208 Bebe Bode, Director of Public Relations bbode@fhfofgno.org Ext. 226 Nicole Desroche, Information & Training Specialist ndesroche@fhfofgno.org Ext.218 Liz Dumas, Administrative Assistant ldumas@fhfofgno.org Ext. 202 Laura S. Nata, Director of Peer to Peer Support lsnata@fhfofgno.org Ext. 209 Thuy Nguyen, CSHS Parent Liaison tnguyen@fhfofgno.org 504.896.1340 phone | 504.896.1360 fax Steven Nguyen, CSHS Youth Liaison snguyen@fhfofgno.org 504.896.1340 phone | 504.896.1360 fax Denise Sweatman, Director of Administrative Services dsweatman@fhfofgno.org Ext. 203 Minerva Flores, Outreach Assistant mflores@fhfofgno.org Jessica Rodrigue, Lead Training Specialist jrodrigue@fhfofgno.org Paul LeBlanc, Property Manager
700 Hickory Avenue Harahan, LA 70123 504.888.9111 800.766.7736 504.353.2350 fax info@fhfofgno.org fhfofgno.org
Contents
04 From the Director - Family Engagement is Critical to School Success 05 Impact on Health & Wellness for Families - Mental Health 06 Success Story - Corinth Corley 07 Baby Art's Play 08 Connections 2018 Conference 09 COVER STORY: The Evolution of Understanding: Reconsidering People-First Language 10 Jefferson Parish Community Resource Fair 11 What's Going On? 14 Partners in Policymaking 15 Resources for FAMILIES & EDUCATORS 17 Overcoming Ableism: What You Don't Know As An Able Bodied Person 18 JPHSA - Regional Advisory Committee
Ready or not, the 2018-19 school year has arrived for school children all over Louisiana. With this beginning also comes the relentless never-ending cycle of homework, projects, book reports, and after-school activities. Somewhere in between all of that, you are supposed to find time to feed them, bathe them, and put them to bed! As we start this year, we need to address family engagement in the school process. We know that there is piles of data and reports that demonstrate that children have improved outcomes when parents and families are engaged in the education process. In fact, it’s one of the largest predictors of student success. So what exactly is family engagement? The US Department of Health and Human Services defined it as “Parents and school personnel working together at the classroom, local, and system level to support and improve the learning, development, and health of children and adolescents. "Family Engagement in school is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community agencies and organizations are committed to reaching out to engage parents in meaningful ways, and the parents are committed to actively supporting their children’s and adolescents’ learning and development. Parents of children with disabilities on an IEP or 504 Plan needs to be more involved than those without these plans. This is especially true if your child is in a self-contained special education class. It’s important that you know the plans are being followed and your child is making progress. Parents of children with disabilities should also understand the basic rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Families Helping Families of GNO routinely offers free trainings on a variety of topics addressing IDEA. Check out the website calendar of events at www.fhfofgno.org. What else can you do to be involved or engaged? Attend open houses, back to school events and other things that go on at the beginning of the school year. Even if you were just at school for an IEP meeting, it’s important to demonstrate that you are there for all the important things that go on at school. Attend all other school events. Parent lunches, parent-teacher meetings, parent organization nights, award days, breakfast meetings, student exhibitions, sporting events, etc. You may not be able to attend everything but attend as much as you can. This helps you broaden your community of parents, demonstrates to the school that you are involved, and show your child you care about his school and education. Volunteer at school when you can. Chaperone field trips, help with class parties, help with building maintenance or improvements, help with food for special events, etc. There are many opportunities to volunteer – just ask what they need. Remember, volunteering is about what they need – not always, about what you want to do. Provide the support you need for your child to succeed by having proper homework materials at home, helping your child with their homework, making sure your child completes homework, reading assignments, writing assignments and projects. If your child is struggling, ask the school about tutoring and how you can access some extra help. Unfortunately, sometimes parents and teachers don’t always see eye to eye on everything. If you find you are in this situation, it’s critical that your child doesn’t sense any negative vibes toward a teacher. Once a child knows you don’t respect or have issues with a teacher, the child may think that’s permission to be disrespectful toward the teacher. The stress of school can be equally daunting for the parent as it is for the child. Therefore, the more you can do to build relationships in school, support your child in and out of school, and staying positive will go far in your child’s success. I hope everyone has a great school year!
From the
Mary Jacob
Executive Director
Family Engagement is Critical to School Success
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continued on p. 17
MENTAL HEALTH
To Sleep, Or Maybe to Dream - Teenagers and Sleep A report from the National Sleep Foundation, Adolescent Sleep Needs and Patterns: Research Report and Resource Guide, describes what many parents of teens have noticed: their teens stay up later, get up later, and are sleepier in the day. This is a typical pattern, but with potentially serious consequences. Increased risk of unintentional injuries and death. Drowsiness and fatigue in drivers 25 and younger caused more than 55% of fall-asleep crashes in North Carolina alone. Low grades and poor school performance. While lack of sleep has not been shown to cause poor grades, teens who are struggling at school report later bedtimes and more irregular sleep schedules. Negative moods. Sleepy teens are more likely to feel depressed, angry, or fearful. Increased likelihood of stimulant use. Sleepy teens are more likely to use caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, and other substances to deal with effects of poor sleep. Sleep-Friendly Schools - Just a Dream or a Needed Reality? Because the changes in normal sleep behavior are at least partly biological for a teen, some schools are making changes to help sleepy teens perform better in and out of school. Positive ways schools can influence teen sleep patterns include: Educate teachers, school nurses, and other staff about teen sleep needs and patterns, as well as the signs of sleep loss. Signs include: difficulty waking in the morning; irritability later in the day; falling asleep spontaneously during quiet times of day; and sleeping for extra long periods on the weekends. Educate teens about the benefits of sleep and the consequences of too little sleep. Include sleep lessons in biology and health classes, and driver’s education courses. Change the school schedule. Some high schools start classes after 9 am, with positive results. This puts teens in class during times of day when they are naturally more alert. Students report feeling better, and schools report fewer behavior problems. To read more go to: https://sleepfoundation.org/
on Health & WELLNESS for FAMILIES
IMPACT
With an Improving Understanding of MCH grant, Family Voices IMPACT works to develop ways to improve health and wellness for all children and families, and to encourage partnerships between families and professionals for children's good health. www.familyvoices.org and www.brightfuturesforfamilies.org This digest is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Health Resources and Services Administration - Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Division of Child, Adolescent, and Family Health UCMC21535
I am the proud Mother of Corinth, affectionately called Dr. Du, who is a happy and lovable four-year-old with a diagnosis of Autism, Sensory overload, Dysphagia, Epilepsy, and multiple others. His nonverbal communication has led him to converse with others using American Sign Language (ASL) and Picture Exchange Communication (PECS). Corinth also attends Speech and Occupational Therapy at Moreau Pediatric twice per week and ABA therapy with Autism Spectrum Therapies five to six days per week. Due to Corinth's exceptionalities, he qualified for Special Education services including Speech and Occupational Therapy. Corinth's exceptionalities and transitioning from Early Steps allowed him the opportunity to start school at the age of three. However, nothing in this world prepared me for Corinth being neglected and abused at the hands of the teacher and staff of the school. In my efforts of fighting for Corinth's civil rights, I learned about Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans employee Nicole Desroche. She and I spoke multiple times in regards to Corinth's situation. Nicole helped me in more ways imaginable including providing a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on. Thanks to Nicole and Families Helping Families, I have some tools to aid in our fight for justice and equality. Robert Kennedy said, "each time a person stands for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centuries of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." Nicole and Families Helping Families are the tiny ripples of hope. I encourage each of you to engage and form a relationship with them because together we can make a difference.
Success
t o r y
By Corhonda Corley
Corinth Corley
continued on p.13
Young Audiences Baby Artsplay! Presented by The Helis Foundation. The newly expanded program offers an opportunity for young children and their caregivers to enjoy an educational, yet fun-filled trip to the museum. Hosted by eight cultural institutions around the city, Baby Artsplay! provides engaging activities designed to instruct parents, caregivers, and early childhood teachers in how to use the arts at home, school, and daycare to promote early learning. The 30-minute workshops allow children to explore, observe and investigate their world and the museum through song, dance and movement experiences. Workshops explore six key themes in early childhood development: Workshop 1 - Oh, What a Feeling! (Emotional Development) Workshop 2 - Hello, Friend (Social Skills) Workshop 3 - Express Yourself (Early Language) Workshop 4 - Tiny Motor Scooters (Fine Motor Skills) Workshop 5 - Baby Balancing Acts (Bilateral Integration) Workshop 6 - Tiny Household Helpers (Multiple Development Areas) Workshops are conducted by a diverse group of certified Louisiana Wolf Trap Artists, who have expertly crafted multi-sensory experience that foster children’s natural curiosity for learning. Children and their caregivers will leave each session with a Connections Card exploring how workshop activities can be continued at home. Caregivers are encouraged to attend each of six workshops in a series. They have teaching artists with many years of experience working with children on the autism spectrum and children who need a little more learning attention. The classes are FREE and inclusive. Registration is required as space is limited. If you are interested in attending a workshop visit here. ABOUT - Young Audiences of Louisiana Young Audiences of Louisiana was founded in 1962 with the mission to inspire, empower, and unite children and communities through education, arts, and culture. Over the last 55 years the organization has grown from presenting school performances of chamber music to their current position as the state’s largest provider of arts-integrated and after-school programs. ABOUT - Louisiana Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts is a recognized leader in early childhood arts-integrated learning and instruction. Wolf Trap Institute is scaled nationally, with 17 affiliated organizations and numerous partners in 30 states that deliver arts-integrated education experiences to 60,000 teachers, parents/caregivers, and students annually. ABOUT - The Helis Foundation The Helis Foundation is a Louisiana private foundation, established and funded by the William Helis Family. The Art Funds of The Helis Foundation advance access to the arts for the community through contributions that sustain operations for, provide free admission to, acquire works of art, and underwrite major exhibitions and projects of institutions within the Greater New Orleans area.
Baby Arts Play
continued p.16
As the mother of a daughter with Down syndrome, a comment made recently by a new father caught my ear. He insisted his son was “not a ‘Down’s baby’ but a baby with Down syndrome.” What’s more, he maintained, the term “Down’s baby” was incorrect because it carried the connotation that his son was somehow less than “normal.” Right there with ya, buddy! Or at least I was when my daughter was a baby. Over thirty years ago, I wrote down my philosophy that “Kolleen should be treated not as a Down syndrome child but as a child with Down syndrome.” It was important – critical – to me that the world see her first and her Down syndrome second, rather than the other way around. I embraced that I would spend my life standing between her vulnerability and a challenging, potentially unkind world. I was ready. But now, something about that father’s comment, that this distinction between saying “Down’s baby” and “a baby with Down syndrome” was the difference between right and wrong, bothered me. Wait – what? I had written almost the same words as my own viewpoint. Why did that viewpoint no longer fit comfortably? Guilt began whispering hello from the periphery. Had I become complacent, abandoned my post? Had I let my daughter down? The answer came as an epiphany, fully formed and comprehended: my starting premise had been faulty. Yes, I’d been ready to be her champion, but by advancing the idea that it was inappropriate to call Kolleen a “Down’s baby,” I was silently complicit in the unspoken but prevailing belief that Down syndrome rendered her less desirable, less satisfactory. Down syndrome was a check in the minus column. By saying, don’t consider her Down syndrome first, I was sending the message, don’t look first at what’s perceived to be wrong, look at what’s right. Don’t look at what’s wrong. Unwittingly, I was supporting the status quo instead of advocating for my child. That was my mistake. Even today, the preferred terminology of People First Language states, “a disability descriptor is simply a medical diagnosis,” and that we should “respectfully put the person before the disability.” Therein lay the seed of my uneasiness, that attitude that Down syndrome is “simply a medical diagnosis” that provides a foundation for the acceptance and advocacy of the person, but is not good enough to actually be a descriptor of the person. Why? Because many accept Down syndrome as a disability only. When I was pregnant, I had hoped for a daughter. Got her! I had hoped her hair would be red. It wasn’t, but that was ok. I had hoped her eyes would be blue. They weren’t, but that was ok. What I didn’t think to hope for was a neurotypical child, a child without Down syndrome. But she had it, and like her brown hair and grey eyes, it was never going to change. And that was ok too. Yet, I fell in step with considering Down syndrome as “other,” rather than an integral part of my child, as if the true Kolleen transcended her diagnosis. “Look at her, her true self, first,” we seemed to be saying. “Look past the part we don’t like but have accepted.” I was also asking the world to see Kolleen this way before even I could see her, before I knew who she was. At the time, I only knew a lot about her and her typical baby needs; her not-so-typical baby needs; her anticipated struggles; and, most frightening, her medical concerns. That last list was long. Soon after recovering from her first open-heart surgery, Kolleen’s personality began to emerge, as all baby personalities eventually do. Overall, she was a sweet baby when life was easy and going her way, like when we cuddled, when we went for evening walks, or even when I sang Broadway show tunes while we rocked. She was a loud, cranky baby when forced to endure physical therapy to ensure various systems would develop properly. She was a curious baby when blowing bubbles or licking lollipops for speech therapy, or playing with new, intriguing toys for occupational therapy. The thing I remember most of all was, she was a wickedly funny baby. If something she did made me laugh once, she would repeat the behavior again and again until I’d laughed so hard, I had tears running down my face. Then we’d move on to a new activity, and about the time I was thinking of something else, she’d give me the side-eye and do it again. One. More. Time. Just to make me laugh. She was the funniest mute comedian since Harpo Marx. Kolleen’s now a woman. A brown-haired woman. A grey-eyed woman. A sweet woman when life is going her way, a cranky woman when forced to do something she doesn’t want to, and a curious woman when intrigued by something new. And, oh yeah – a wickedly funny woman who still makes me laugh a lot. You know what else she is? A Down’s woman. Why should we consider that last description inappropriate? It’s who she is and is as appropriate as all the others. More importantly, it’s not inherently bad. I decided to stop treating it as though it were. I decided to stop treating the descriptor as though it were chaff to be separated from the more desirable wheat. Down syndrome happens, like brown hair and grey eyes and short stature and tiny feet and whatever else your child may be born with. It definitely comes with challenges, but then, so do neurotypical children. Down syndrome also comes with the joys and profound life lessons not found elsewhere. There’s ample reason to consider it a check in the plus column. I understand that now. Kolleen has been an excellent teacher.
by Pepper Caruso
The Evolution of Understanding: Reconsidering People-First Language
The Jefferson Parish Community Resource Fair will provide information and resources for parents of and individuals with disabilities, their families, and interested community professionals. It aims to assist individuals of all ages and abilities. It is like one-stop shopping for families facing the challenges of daily living with a disability. There will be exhibitor tables scattered throughout the mall that address such topics as vocational rehabilitation, education, independent living, employment, early intervention, recreation, and much more. Come and learn more about the services and supports that can help people with disabilities to work, play, and live in their communities. Visitors can register at any of the exhibitors’ tables to win door prizes. Free and open to the public.
Free WEBINARS
What's Going On?
Introduction to Special Education - Do you suspect your child could benefit from special education and related services? or, Is your child newly evaluated? If so, this training is perfect for you. This intro to special education will give you a strong foundation to build future knowledge. You will learn the very basics through the philosophy of special education, the laws, evaluation process, and ultimately an IEP. Co-Sponsor: Northshore Families Helping Families Date: Tuesday, September 4, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. How to Introduce Your Child to New Providers - Parents rave about our in-house publications All About Me and My Portfolio and the usefulness in introducing their children to a variety of new service providers such as teachers, DSP’s, Therapists and more. Join us for this webinar where we will provide you access to these publications, instructions on how to personalize them for your child, and things you need to think about including in your personalized publication. If you do not have access to a printer, email us your publication, and we’ll be happy to print them out for you. Date: Tuesday, September 4, 2018 Time: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Basic Rights in Special Education - Whether you are new to special education or involved for a while, this workshop is for you. This presentation provides families with an introduction to their rights and responsibilities as parents of children with special needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Parents begin to identify dreams and goals for their children, understand laws and learn advocacy strategies that will help them help their children reach those goals. Date: Thursday, September 6, 2018 Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Understanding the Importance of Inclusion - Why is inclusion of children with disabilities in schools, classrooms, and communities important? This webinar answer that question. It explores what inclusion is and is not, who’s involved in making meaningful inclusion successful, and its underpinnings in federal law. Date: Thursday, September 6, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Section 504, Title 11 and Students with Disabilities - Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Section 504 provides: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Learn more about this civil rights law. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Acadiana Date: Thursday, September 13, 2018 Time: 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Anatomy of an IEP - Like a biology student, this presentation will dissect the parts of the IEP document and examine their functions individually, learning their meanings and application. It will provide constructive and practical tips to help create an IEP that supports all of the student's needs. We will explore the parent’s role in the IEP process and learn the basics of their child’s right to special education services, the process of developing special education plans, and the parent’s role. Date: Thursday, September 13, 2018 Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Accommodations vs. Modifications - Meeting after meeting, parents and teachers use the words “accommodation” and “modification” almost interchangeably when discussing IEPs and student needs. If understood and used correctly, these words can greatly impact the success of a child’s educational program. Get answers to these questions and more: How can accommodations and modifications help my child in the general education classroom? How are accommodations and modifications included in IEP? Which accommodations are provided for state testing? Accommodations and Modifications can be a game changer for your child. Date: Saturday, September 15, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Addressing Bullying in School - The purpose of the webinar is to define and discuss the meaning of bullying, outline why it is important to discuss bullying in the school settings and why students with autism spectrum disorders are at risk and outline what we can do to prevent children from being bullied or becoming bullies. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Greater Baton Rouge Guest Presenter: Marcus Hibbard, MA, BCBA, LBA, Clinical Supervisor, Center for Autism Related Disorders (CARD) Date: Monday, September 17, 2018 Time: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Procedural Safeguards: Do You Know Your Rights? - Since the first federal law dealing with the education of students with disabilities in public schools passed, legal rights for parents has been an important part of the law. These legal rights for parents generally referred to as “procedural safeguards” , are a critical component to The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The purpose of this webinar is to let parents know they have legal rights and to help them understand these rights and what to do when you disagree with the school. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Southwest LA Date: Monday, September 17, 2018 Time: 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students. Related Services - Children with disabilities are entitled to special education and related services. The IEP must contain a statement of the special education, related services and supplementary aids and services to be provided to the child. Participants will learn several critical elements used to determine what related services a student needs. Co-Sponsor: Families Helping Families of Southwest LA Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Time: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Audience: Parents, Caregivers, and Professionals of School-Aged Children/Students.
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 8
Baby Arts - continued from p.7
Your State's Data on Education and Special Education 2018 State Determination Letters from OSERS The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services released State determinations on how well each state is implementing IDEA for babies and toddlers with disabilities (birth through 2) and for school-aged children (Part B). Just 21 states received the "meets requirements" designation in an annual compliance review. How did your state do? State-level Statistics and Fact Facts The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is an excellent resource to consult for education data at both the national and state levels. The back-to-school data are especially interesting! How Body and Brain Development Affect Student Learning During adolescence, students experience a variety of biological changes in their bodies and brains. A new Alliance for Excellent Education (All4Ed) report argues that by understanding these changes--as well as the science behind student learning and development--education leaders can take advantage of this important developmental stage to support adolescent learning, close achievement and opportunity gaps, and ensure that students develop the higher-order thinking skills they will need in college, work, and adulthood. Read the Press Release. The report, Science of Adolescent Learning: How Body and Brain Development Affect Student Learning, recommends ways education practitioners and policymakers can support adolescent learning for all students, including historically underserved populations. It is the first in a series of four reports informed by All4Ed's Expert Advisory Group, composed of twenty-two experts and researchers in adolescent learning and development. Together, these researchers have agreed upon a set of twenty essential findings, or consensus statements, that educators, policymakers, and parents need to know about how adolescents learn and develop. Download the Report. Accompanying the report, All4Ed held a webinar featuring Dr. Jesse Washington, III, a practitioner, and Dr. Richard Clark, a researcher. In the webinar, Washington and Clark examine the biological changes in the body and the brain that occur during adolescence and discuss how learning opportunities can support adolescents' development during this critical time. Watch the Webinar. Back to School Tips from Parents and Professionals Four ways to reduce stress when it's time to head back to school Parents of children with autism are always trying to plan and prepare ahead of time. Unfortunately, we can’t account for every detail but here are a few tips for reducing the stress associated with back to school from school psychologist Dr. Peter Faustino. Autism and school phobia: Parents seek help for anxious teen This week’s “Got Questions?” answer comes from Jeffrey Wood, PhD, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Resources for FAMILIES & EDUCATORS
Photograph by Mariasatrustegui [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Follow Peppers Blog The Silver Scribe Chronicling the wisdom learned from a daughter with Down syndrome
continued from p. 9
Overcoming Ableism: What You Don't Know As An Able Bodied Person Naty Rico | TEDxUCIrvine
Naty Rico shares her story of struggles over the past 3 years at UCIrvine and the hopes she has for the future.
Engagement - continued from p. 4
The Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center (LaPTIC) is a program of Families Helping Families of GNO and a grant from the US Department of Education; Office of Special Education (OSEP) as Louisiana's official and only statewide federally funded Parent Training and Information Center.
The following meetings will be held at Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority 1500 River Oaks Road, Suite 200, Harahan January 29, 2019 July 30, 2019
e-Learning Mini Modules are formatted for all devices so even if you are at a ball game, dance practice or waiting for your dinner to arrive in a restaurant, you can log onto our website and watch one of our e-Learning Mini Modules in approximately 10 minutes. That's right - you only need about 10 minutes! CLICK HERE to go to our website and learn more about the e-Learning Modules!
Any information provided by Families Helping Families of Greater New Orleans (FHF) and/or Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center (LaPTIC), its staff, and/or its volunteers is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Any information expressed or implied is not intended nor should be construed as legal, medical, or other professional advice. FHF and/or LaPTIC does not render legal, medical, or professional advice or recommendations; nor is legal, medical, or other professional advice implied by any information given. Any information provided should not replace consultations with qualified legal, educational, healthcare, or other professionals to meet individual or professional needs. Reference to any program, service, therapy, or treatment option does not imply endorsement by FHF and/or LaPTIC or by its organizational staff/members and should not be construed as such.
The Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) has four developmental disability home and community-based waivers, New Opportunities Waiver (NOW), Residential Options Waiver (ROW), Supports Waiver, and Children's Choice Waiver have now been operationalized to a tiered waiver system of service delivery, which will allow for individuals to be supported in the most appropriate waiver. To learn more, click here.
Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) Meetings
700 Hickory Avenue Harahan, LA 70123 504-888-9111 800-766-7736 504-353-2350 fax info@fhfofgno.org fhfofgno.org
Parents and Caretakers of individuals with developmental disabilities, individuals with developmental disabilities, and concerned citizens are invited to attend this meeting. All guest will have the opportunity to make public comments about developmental disability topics.
The following meetings will be held at Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority 5001 West Bank Expy., Room 118, Marrero October 30, 2018 April 30, 2019 October 29, 2019