POSITIVE BEHAVIOR SUPPORT MEETING

Hear Scott Carroll speak on Positive Behavior Supports as a team approach concept. This full team support ranges from assessment, program development, implementation and evaluation.

Breakfast is provided so come join us learn strategies from Scott on how you can positively impact your life and your child’s life – at home, school, and in the community.

When: Saturday, May 6, 2006
Time: 8:30AM – 11:30AM
Where: Our Place, 875 Davis Drive, Conyers, GA. 30094 - 770 922 7272
RSVP: Kay Rogers @770 860 4244, Juanita Rowe @770 385 0205 or Stephanie King @770 401 4059
Cost: Free

Blaze Track & Field Camp

BlazeCamp

BlazeCamp Georgia provides skill development in wheelchair sports such as wheelchair track, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and adaptive swimming as well as recreational sports such as kayaking, football, bowling, etc.

This year’s camps will be led by several Paralympic and elite athletes and coaches. Offered to boys and girls ages 9-18 with physical disabilities, the camp emphasizes health, fitness and independence within a traditional camp experience. $50 will reserve your spot. Scholarships are available.

• BlazeCamp 7-Day
  June 9-15, 2006. This camp is held over a seven-day period for campers ages 10-18 who have been away from home before and who are ready for further sports skill development. Campers must be fully independent in all daily living skills (dressing, transfers, showering, personal hygiene, etc.) A nurse will be on staff to issue medications. Cost $350.
• BlazeCamp 4-Day
June 17-20, 2006. This camp is held over a four-day period for novice campers ages 9-18 to introduce camp and teach basic and intermediate skills. Campers may receive limited assistance from camp staff in daily living skills. A nurse will be on staff to issue medications. Cost $200.

For registration information please visit our website: www.blazesports.com.

U.S. Paralympic Track & Field Championships

The US Paralympic Track & Field Championships hosted by, BlazeSports America, will be held June 30-July 2, 2006 at Atlanta’s Lakewood Stadium. This open competition will serve as the only qualifier for the U.S. Team to the IPC Athletics 2006 World Championships. Eligible to enter are those USA or international athletes with physical disability and/or visual impairments who meet the event qualification standards as determined by U.S. Paralympics.This is an excellent spectator opportunity, so be sure to pass on to your staff, community supporters, participants and parents. Registration information for athletes will be available at www.blazesports.com in January 2006. Inquiries can be addressed to 2006athleticscc@blazesports.com.

FUNDING FOR MEDICAL WAIVERS

Everyone,

We need to contact our legislators as soon as possible regarding the continued lack of funding for Medicaid Waivers. At this rate, we’ll never be able to accommodate even those who graduate each year with developmental disabilities, much less the ones who are already sitting at home. Below is a note from the “Unlock the Waiting List campaign….

The release of the Governor's budget this week came as a real disappointment.

Go to http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/actionalert.html to find out how you can help with only two easy steps.

While Governor Perdue included 750 disability slots to unlock the waiting list in his proposed for the 2007 budget, he chose not to fund the recommendation of the multiple year funding plan developed by the Department of Human Resources and Community Health (those state agencies that manage these services) for 1,500 slots.

The fact is that in a year when Georgia's revenues are increasing by over 8%, 750 slots is simply not enough to keep pace with Georgia's growing waiting lists for disability supports. In addition, there was no funding included for the Independent Care Waiver or ICWP slots. Services under these two programs are vital to helping individuals with basic daily living skills, so they can continue to live and work in the community.

Now is the time to ask our state legislators to honor their commitment to Unlock Georgia's waiting lists for home and community based supports for people with disabilities. Currently, over 6,400 people are waiting for services, with this number growing last year by 1,187 people.

Please take five minutes of your time right now to let your voice your frustration and disappointment to your legislators. Please call or email your legislator today.

If you or a family member have been waiting for services, tell them how the lack of services directly affects your life, making sure to include the length of time you have been waiting. If you already have a waiver, please describe how services have helped your family.

In your email or phone call, ask your legislator to support the following changes to the 2007 budget:

Go to http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/actionalert.html to see a sample of what to say in your email.

If you receive a reply from your legislator, please forward it to us and we will post it on the new disability blog at http://aaddpolitical.blogspot.com. You can also find other important information on this blog such as a calendar of important meetings, proposed legislation and actual statements from legislators on our issues.

Thank you for all that you are doing!

Dave Blanchard
Unlock the Waiting Lists!
www.unlockthewaitinglists.com

Annual wards given out by Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities included three Rockdale County individuals and organizations: Rachel Fisher - Teacher of the Year, Paul Schubert, Pike Nurseries - Vital Service Award, and Mark Barr, Publix in Conyers - as Employer of the Year

Rachel Fisher Rockdale County Schools Teacher of the Year Award

Paul Schubert Pike Nurseries - Conyers Vital Service Award