Ice Bucket Prank

This is a article that speaks of teens tricking a young boy diagnosed with autism into participating in what he believed to be the ice bucket challenge.  However, there was no ice in this bucket.  I would like to know your thoughts and feelings upon this article in the things that were done to resolve this issue.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/10/15/teens-charged-ice-bucket/19761/

How can intellectual skills be developed?

Intellectual and developmental disabilities carry a real stigma that an individual is not able to achieve.  Our services primarily cater to these persons.  Therefore, my question to you is just intellectual and developmental disability necessarily means that the individual has just an academic deficiency or can their intellectual skills be developed in some other form?  For example, teaching a skill, doing things that come natural, watching other people and learning something and etc.  Let me know your thoughts.

How do you celebrate Labor Day?

Labor Day just passed.  Therefore, I thought I will be interesting to hear your thoughts as a person with a disability about what Labor Day means to you.  Is it just another day?  Is it in everyday?  Is it all year?  Do you even acknowledge it as a holiday?  Let me know how you feel about “Labor Day”?

Reference points:

http://wid.org/center-on-economic-growth/policy-summit/jacobson-labor-day-is-no-time-to-celebrate-for-people-with-disabilities

http://www.droregon.org/the-dro-blog/labor-day-should-celebrate-all-workers

Register today and earn money for The Arc Mid-South!

The Kroger Community Rewards program was designed to make our fundraising the easiest in town by simply using your Kroger Card!  You lose no benefits personally and Kroger donates a portion of the dollars spent to The Arc Mid-South.  Enroll now for the Community Rewards Program.  All participants must re-enroll each year in order to continue earning points during the coming year.  It's easy - just shop, swipe your card, and earn.  

The Arc Mid-South's organization number with Kroger is 81469.  Do you already have an account?  Please sign in here and link your Kroger Plus Card to The Arc Mid-South.  If you don't have access to the internet, please contact The Arc at (901) 327-2473 for assistance.  

What are your greatest abilities?

People with disabilities also have great abilities.  Therefore my question for you is as a person with a disability, what is it about your abilities that encourage you to keep going?  Let me know your thoughts.

How can you be a good employee?

According to the article below, more people with disabilities are finding jobs.  I like working because it makes me feel like a productive citizen.  When I’m on a job I want to remain dedicated in order to keep it because it shows that I am fighting the good fight despite my disability.  How can we show employers that we are dedicated workers?  Are you always on time?  Do you go above and beyond what is asked of you?  How do you request the accommodations that you need? 

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/08/01/jobs-july-14/19566/

How do you give back?

As a person with a disability, I’ve come across other individuals with disabilities who are less fortunate than I am and therefore don’t have a good support system.  I am fortunate enough that I wasn’t among that group of people.  However, I believe that we are all a minute away from being less fortunate.  Because of this, I am a strong and firm believer in giving back to a community that has given so much to me.  Here’s a question for you, as an individual how do you give back to the community?  Is it through volunteer work?  Donating to a organization that stands for something you believe in?  Speaking at different venues and sharing your story?  And etc.  Think about it and let me know your thoughts.

How do you express your feelings?

People with disabilities experience daily stresses in my opinion.  However, oftentimes they're not comfortable with expressing those feelings are maybe they don’t know how.  Just like others with disabilities, I oftentimes struggle with what setting is the best to express my feelings.  For me lately, a group setting has been the best because I am able to put a situation out on the table and receive feedback from people who understand me.  Whereas in a one on one setting it is much harder due to the fact that nine times out of ten you’re speaking with someone who can empathize with you rather someone who can sympathize.  Here’s a question: in what setting is it easier for you to express your feelings?  Do you express them and all?  Let me know your thoughts.

Senator Calls For Expansion Of Community-Based Services

By MICHELLE DIAMENT

June 24, 2014Text Size  A  A

A new proposal in the U.S. Senate would eliminate a government bias toward placing people with disabilities in institutional rather than community-based settings.

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said Tuesday he is introducing a bill that would put an end to what’s known as the “institutional bias.”

Current law requires Medicaid to provide nursing home services to people with disabilities, but does not mandate that home and community-based options be offered. As a result, many states have long waiting lists for individuals wishing to obtain services in the community and a Senate report last year found that over 200,000 working-age Americans remain segregated in nursing homes.

Harkin’s proposal dubbed the Community Integration Act would change things by requiring that states deem all individuals who are considered eligible for institutional care to also be eligible for supports in home and community-based settings. What’s more, the bill would prohibit states from making people ineligible for services in the community based on their particular disability.

Read more at:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/06/24/senator-expansion-community/19470/ 

How do you motivate people with disabilities?

I believe in motivating people to be the best they can be.  Like others with disabilities, I oftentimes need extra motivation because I’m so used hearing words like “no”, “you can’t”, or “you won’t”.  These words are so demoralizing and heard so often that is easy to just  give up on things that we stand for.  Here’s a question for you though: How do you motivate people with disabilities?  Do you say a kind word?  Do you encourage individuals to do things that we think cannot do?  Do you argue?  Let me know your thoughts.

How does our attitude affect the way people treat us?

As a person with a disability, we often speak of people and their attitudes.  We are often times speaking of their acceptance of us and our disability.  However, I don’t think that we as people with disabilities take the time to think about our attitudes and the perception that we give the individuals who interact with us every day.  With that being said, I would like to know your thoughts.  How does our attitude affect the way people treat us?  Let me know.

We want to hear from you!

Working with individuals with disabilities on a daily basis we see everything from severe disabilities to not-so-severe ones.  However, I’ve noticed that a few people with disabilities sometimes use it to their advantage.  For example, sometimes I see people on the bus with disabilities who wait to be escorted to their seat even though they can find a seat on their own.  Therefore, I’m interested in knowing how this affects the way you view an individual with a disability.  Are they a person?  Do you see the disability before you see the person?  Do you have a tendency to have pity on them because of their disability?  Let me know how you think a person with a disability should be treated.  

Helpful link about autism

Check out the following link for information about autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/a-parents-guide-to-autism-spectrum-disorder/index.shtml

Who is your source of empowerment?

Our mission at The Arc Mid-south is to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve to their full potential. I'd like to know who is your source of empowerment? (Is a friend of the family, a coworker, etc.) Who should it be? Think about it.

Does Autism Make Moms Parent Differently?

By SHAUN HEASLEY

February 20, 2014Text Size  A  A

A new study suggests that moms of kids with autism address their children’s behavior differently than parents of kids without the developmental disorder.

Researchers found that mothers with children on the spectrum were less likely to set rules or use discipline, but more frequently imposed so-called positive parenting, encouraging good behavior rather than focusing on the bad.

The findings come from a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders which is believed to be among the first to look at parenting behavior among moms of individuals with autism.

For the research, nearly 1,000 mothers of children ages 6 to 18 in Belgium and the Netherlands completed a questionnaire about their parenting approach. Participants in the study included 552 families with a child with autism and 437 families of kids without. None of the children had a diagnosis of intellectual disability.

For more information, please visit the following site:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/02/20/does-moms-parent-differently/19128/ 

Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship

Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship! 
The Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship is a program designed to assist students with intellectual disabilities who have completed high school and enroll in a two-year individualized program at an eligible postsecondary institution.

The award amount is $4,000 per year. Awards are made in equal installments for the fall and spring semesters. Students and parents must complete the STEP UP Scholarship application and submit the completed application to the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC). In addition, recipients must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To be eligible, the applicant must:
• Not be ineligible for the scholarship under § 49-4-904
• Have been a Tennessee resident for one (1) year immediately preceding the date of application for a scholarship or the renewal of the scholarship
• Complete high school in a Tennessee high school in accordance with the requirements of the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) and receive a high school diploma or certificate, a special education diploma, a transition certificate, or an IEP certificate
• Be admitted to and enroll in an eligible postsecondary institution in an eligible postsecondary program no later than sixteen (16) months after completing high school; and
• Apply for a Tennessee STEP UP Scholarship

To apply or find out more, go to the following web address:http://www.tn.gov/collegepays/mon_college/stepup.shtml

Students with disabilities are finding new college options

ALLEN PARK, Mich. –  As he sits in class at Eastern Michigan University, a flood of images streams from Tony Saylor's vibrant, creative mind down through his pen and onto paper.

Often, his doodling features the 9-year-old character Viper Girl who battles monsters with her pet fox Logan. Saylor, 22, has even self-published three books of their adventures.

Saylor's professors didn't exactly welcome his constant drawing, but once he explained it was the only way he could hope to process their lectures -- and even to stay awake -- most let him continue.

For college students with autism and other learning disabilities, this is the kind of balancing act that takes place every day -- accommodating a disability while also pushing beyond it toward normalcy and a degree, which is increasingly essential for finding a meaningful career.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/09/15/students-with-disabilities-are-finding-new-college-options/#ixzz2fMrqoQ32

Kids’ Attitudes About Disabilities Improve With Exposure

By MICHELLE DIAMENT

August 30, 2013

Children who are exposed to people with disabilities — either directly or indirectly — have more positive attitudes about those with special needs, researchers say.

In a survey of 1,520 kids ages 7 to 16, researchers found that increased familiarity with those who have disabilities led to less anxiety and better attitudes.

“We have known for some time that integrating children with disabilities into the regular classroom can improve attitudes. What we have established here is just how much of a difference a greater presence in day-to-day life makes,” said Megan MacMillan of the University of Exeter Medical School in England who presented the findings Thursday at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference.

To read more, please visit this link:  http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/08/30/kids-attitudes-disabilities/18615/

Keeping Students with Disabilities Safe from Bullying

Posted on August 20, 2013 by Michael Yudin

As Secretary Duncan has noted, the Department of Education is committed to making sure that all of our young people grow up free of fear, violence, and bullying. Bullying not only threatens a student’s physical and emotional safety at school, but fosters a climate of fear and disrespect, creating conditions that negatively impact learning—undermining students’ ability to achieve to their full potential. Unfortunately, we know that children with disabilities are disproportionately affected by bullying.

Factors such as physical vulnerability, social skills challenges, or intolerant environments may increase the risk of bullying. Students who are targets of bullying are more likely to experience lower academic achievement, higher truancy rates, feelings of alienation, poor peer relationships, loneliness, and depression. We must do everything we can to ensure that our schools are safe and positive learning  environments—where all students can learn.

Source:  http://www.ed.gov/blog/

TN education chief sharpens focus on special ed

As beleaguered Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman deflects public outcry over changes to teacher policies, he is already eyeing his next reform target: special education.

Huffman, who recently faced calls for his firing after changes to the state’s decades-old teacher pay plan, probably will face outrage again next week when revisions to the teacher licensing process are expected to be approved.

Even so, he is moving ahead with plans he hopes will make Tennessee the state with the fastest-improving schools by 2015, and special education is next on his list.

“Special education is a huge focus in Tennessee,” Huffman told The Tennessean editorial board and reporters Wednesday.

Read more at: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20130718/NEWS04/307180039/TN-education-chief-Kevin-Huffman-sharpens-focus-special-ed