PLUK News feed

National Service Opens Door Wider for People with Disabilities

Link: Corporation for National and Community Service

The 50 million Americans who are living with disabilities will have an easier time learning about and participating in national service and volunteer programs thanks to new initiatives announced recently by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Corporation is the latest partner in DisabilityInfo.gov, a collaborative effort among 22 federal government agencies dedicated to making it the leading, one-stop federal source for disability-related information. The site provides information on benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and other subjects. The Corporation will be providing content about service and volunteering opportunities, grants, special initiatives, and training resources geared to including people with disabilities in service.

"We hope people with disabilities will come to DisabilityInfo.gov not just to receive services, but to find ways to serve," said David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation. "We know that service connects people with disabilities to skills, networks, and career paths that can bring added value to their lives."
The Corporation has a longstanding commitment to bring more people with disabilities into its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, VISTA, NCCC, and Learn and Serve America programs.
It has committed over $50 million to inclusion of people with disabilities over the last 10 years, and supported more than 144 national and local organizations since 2001. Through the National Service Inclusion Project, it has provided training and technical assistance to over 11,000 participants at 300 regional and state events and developed over 88 training tools.

DailyCal.com: Although ADHD is still classified a disorder because of the challenges individual's face with it, I'm more convinced everyday that it is a way of thinking and processing the world that is so beneficial to humanity, we must turn our attention

Link: The Daily Californian

In recent years, students with disabilities have pointed to dense bureaucracy and policy changes in the campus's Disabled Students' Program, which they say sometimes leave them with inadequate accommodations. Alex Ghenis, president of the Disabled Students' Union, said there are many ongoing concerns expressed by users of the program's services and that he has observed that the number of complaints is on the rise this year.

bozemandailychronicle.com: Julie Bertelsen named Woman of the Year

Link: bozemandailychronicle.com
Julie Bertelsen, a pioneer for people with disabilities, has been overcoming great odds all her life.
Born with Down syndrome, Bertelsen was honored Saturday as a role model for all and as the Chronicle's 2007 Women's Expo woman of the year.
“Wow,” she said. “It's very awesome.”

Montana: Transition Projects For Youth

Link: Transition Projects

Transition Projects Mission: To expand the model of transition planning created through Project WISER to include self-employment as a career exploration strategy and a post-school employment option for students with ongoing support needs, and to increase the accessing of Workforce Investment resources as part of transition planning. Linkages will be developed and piloted in six Montana communities.

Questions Are the Answer: Get more Involved with the Health Care

Link: Improvement

Clinicians, the Government, and many other groups are working hard to improve health care quality, but improving health care quality is a team effort. You can improve your care and the care of your loved ones by taking an active role in your health care. Ask questions. Understand your condition. Evaluate your options.

Parents' Top Tips for Surviving Homework … Without Tears

Link: Homework

Struggling with your child over math, science, and reading homework every night ranks high on most parents’ Least-Favorite list. And yet the work must be done in order for the child to succeed in school. How is a parent to cope?

NREPP - The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices

Link: NREPP

NREPP is a searchable database of interventions for the prevention and treatment of mental and substance use disorders. SAMHSA has developed this resource to help people, agencies, and organizations implement programs and practices in their communities.

NCLD - Parenting Strategies

Link: Parenting

Parenting a child with learning disabilities;can be hard work, requiring one to become an advocate and mentor. Parenting a child with LD requires becoming knowledgeable about the skills necessary for healthy development and developing strategies to address daily living. It can be exciting, fun, frustrating, invigorating and extremely gratifying.

Mothering Babies with Special Needs

Link: Babies

There are as many ways to mother a child with special needs as there are mothers in the world - and maybe more, since mothers often have different relationships with each of their own children. I believe that the earliest bond a mother feels with each child is as unique and wonderful as her pregnancy and delivery, or the fingerprint of her baby. Our expectations, personalities and history may define us in other relationships, but the mother-child connection is something beyond all others.

Are Learning Disabilities The Only Problem? You Should Know About Other Related Disorders

Link: LD

You know that you or your child has Learning Disabilities (LD). You need to know that about 50 percent of people with LD will also have one or more related disorders. There is a "Continuum of neurologically-based disorders" that are frequently found together. It is important that all problems be recognized so that all can be addressed.