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TASH Looking
for Ideas, Strategies, and Suggestions for Supporting
Friendships
from the National Association of Councils on
Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Public Policy Update:
October 17, 2003
TASH is working with a program called Community of Caring,
founded by Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.
Foundation. Through a grant from the Administration on
Developmental Disabilities, Community of Caring is spearheading
a project to identify the most effective ways to support
children and young adults with disabilities as they endeavor to
make and keep friends. As part of this effort, Community of
Caring has asked TASH to partner in building a "tool kit" -- a
collection of hints, ideas, resources and strategies that family
members, teachers, para-educators, professionals, advocates and
others have found to be successful. When completed, the tool-kit
will be distributed through Community of Caring's network of 850
public schools across the nation as well as through disability
and education organizations, and those who contribute ideas.
Send your stories, ideas, resources and strategies. These can
be:
a. strategies that worked with your son, daughter, sister or
brother;
b. strategies that you, yourself, have tried to make and keep
friends; or
c. school- or classroom-wide strategies that you as an educator
have found to have some success.
Also, if you have found articles that have been particularly
useful in understanding or overcoming the challenges of
supporting friendships, please share them as well. TASH will
send all contributors who provide a name and mailing address a
free copy of this "Tool Kit" as soon as it is available. You may
send your contributions to:
Nancy R. Weiss
Executive Director
TASH
29 W. Susquehanna Ave., Suite 210
Baltimore, MD 21204
410-828-8274, ext. 101
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What's New
HHS Awards Planning Grants to Design "One-Stop Shopping"
Centers for People With Developmental Disabilities
from the National Association of Councils on
Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), Public Policy Update:
October 17, 2003
On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services'
Administration and Children and Families announced the award of
31 one-year planning grants of $100,000 each to create a
seamless system of services for underserved families of people
with developmental disabilities.
According to the HHS press release, The grantees will enter into
partnerships with other agencies that provide such families with
a variety of supports and services, including health and mental
health care, family strengthening, food stamps, child care,
housing, transportation, special education, job training and
employment. The eventual goal is to plan for the establishment
of "one-stop shopping" centers where coordinated,
outcome-oriented and family-centered services would be
delivered. These centers would offer families one point of entry
to establish eligibility for many services and develop a
comprehensive plan to preserve and strengthen the entire family.
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What's New
Kennedy Center Announces Arts "Mentoring" Grants
from the
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD),
Public Policy Update: October 17, 2003
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ha announced
a request for proposals to implement mentoring programs in the
arts for individuals with disabilities. The project is supported
by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education
Programs and the National Endowment for the Arts. Proposals must
be received by Monday, December 15, 2003, may include a request
for up to $15,000 in support. Projects funded should take place
between February 2004 and December 2004.
The intent of the project is to provide arts or arts service
organizations with resources to offer individuals with
disabilities, who are interested in exploring or advancing their
professional careers in the arts, the opportunity to learn in a
professional arts or arts service environment and to be mentored
by a working arts professional. Mentorships can be in any field
of the arts including but not limited to:
1) Administrative: development, marketing, education,
advertising, human resources, archivist, information
systems/technology, retail operations, special events, box
office and programming.
2) Production: stage management, stage crew, construction,
directing, choreographing, writing, design, and museum practices
including research, collections, management, exhibit design and
conservation.
3) Design/Arts: visual arts, exhibitions, facility design,
costuming, sets, props, lights, sound, painting, film, graphics
and multi-media.
4) Performance: dancer, actor and musician.
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What's New
Social Security Announces Benefit Increases
for 2004
from the
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD),
Public Policy Update: October 17, 2003
The Social Security Administration has announced cost-of-living
adjustments (COLA) for 2004. Monthly Social Security and
Supplemental Security Income benefits for more than 51 million
Americans will increase 2.1 percent in 2004.
The 2.1 percent Cost-of-Living Adjustment will begin with
benefits that 47 million Social Security beneficiaries receive
in January 2004. Increased payments to 7 million Supplemental
Security Income beneficiaries will begin on December 31.
The 2004 SSI rate is $564 for individuals and $846 for couples.
(The resource limits remain unchanged at $2,000 for individuals,
$3,000 for couples.) The SSI earned income disregard for full
time students under 21 will be $1370 monthly, up to a yearly
maximum of $5520.
The monthly Substantial Gainful Activity level for people with
disabilities who are not blind will be $810 a month, a $10
increase. For people who are blind the SGA will be $1,350 a
month, up from $1,330. The monthly Trial Work Period trigger
will be $580 a month, also an increase of $10.
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