Community Connections February15, 2013
In This Issue:EFRC Family Support
Upcoming Trainings
New Resources
Advocacy
Opportunities
Recreational Activities
Health Care
Military
Conferences/Trainings:
February 2013
Managing Food Aversion
Special Needs Dental Clinic
Technology and Persons with Disabilities
March 2013
Involved Exceptional Parents’ Day
Information/Registration Form
Información/Forma de Registro
Benefits & Employment Training
MediCal, Medicare, Social Security and SSI. Presented by Michael Walling, M.Ed. Receive clearly explained information on how income affects medical benefits and eligibility for SSDI and/or SSI.
March 7: Area Board XIII - State Council on Developmental Disabilities
8880 Rio San Diego Dr. #325
San Diego, CA92108
Register Online or contact to request registration form. / EFRC/DSA FAMILY SUPPORT:
Wednesday, February 20 10:00am – 12:00pm
EFRC Grupo de Apoyo
Imperial County
Thursday, February 21 11:00am – 1:00pm
Down Syndrome Support
ImperialCounty
Tuesday, February 26 6:30pm a 8:30pm
Down Syndrome Support
Central San Diego
Presentation:The Importance of Play: (Birth to Five Families)
Learn about the relationship of play skills and healthy development. Discover strategies to promote the development of your child's play skills and incorporate accommodations to assist your child's special needs.
Martes, 26 de febrero 6:30pm a 8:30pm
Apoyo Síndrome de Down
San Diego Central
Presentation: IEP Strategies(Marta Leyva)
Friday, March 8 9:30am – 11:30am
EFRC Grupo de apoyo
National City
Tuesday, March 12 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Down Syndrome Support
Oceanside
Detailed listing of all local Support Groups
EFRC Community Calendar:
Local, State and National events, workshops, webinars, conferences, etc.
EFRConline.org/calendar/maincal.cfm
RESOURCES:
Bright Futures for Kids Classes
Bright Futures For Kids are child-parent classes designed to strengthen your relationship with your child. This series of FREE monthly parent workshops is hosted by HealthyStartMilitaryFamilyResourceCenter. Moms, dads and caregivers are invited to attend! Location: 3487 Santo RoadSan Diego, CA92124.View Flyer for Topics and Details.For pre-registration, Contact Marlene Fuentesat (858)496-0044 or
Free Tax Preparation Assistance
February 20, 2013 11am– 7pm
This event will provide free tax preparation for taxpayers who made $31,000 or less in 2012, are EITC eligible or are active duty military who made $57,00 or less in 2012. It is recommended that clients make appointments to reserve their spot for the event by calling 1-866-577-1231. Location: LoganHeights Public Library, 567 South 28th Street, San DiegoCA92113.
Tools 4 School
High school students willing to help elementary and middle school children who have missed or are currently unable to attend school due to medical issues.
CRS Connect
The new edition of the YMCA Childcare Resource Service quarterly newsletter, CRS Connect is now available in English or Spanish. You can find information on their 2013 workshops, and childcare related legislative updates.
Camp for Children with Serious Medical Conditions
The Painted Turtle where children with serious medical conditions celebrate just being kids! Through innovative, camp-based programs that offer a great big dose of fun and support, children with more than 30 medical conditions visit The Painted Turtle each year, reclaiming the joys of childhood.A member of Paul Newman’s renowned SeriousFun Camps, The Painted Turtle has offered thousands of children and their families hope and encouragement through its Summer and Family Weekend camps since it opened its gates in 2004. Campers and their families attend free of charge – limited spaces for various conditions. Must apply at thepaintedturtle.org/
Free Clothing for Teenage Girls
My Girlfriend’s Closet is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organizationdedicated to provide quality, gently used clothing, shoes and accessories free to economically disadvantaged teenage girls, in an atmosphere that enables them to shop with pride.mygirlfriendscloset.info
Preparing Youth for Adulthood
NCWD/Youth has released the InfoBrief, The Guideposts for Success: A Framework for Families Preparing Youth for Adulthood, which examines how the Guideposts for Success can be used as a framework from which families of youth with disabilities can consider the support needs of their youth during the transition planning process. This information will also be helpful to professionals seeking strategies to effectively partner with families, and to advocates looking to empower families in the transition process. The brief is available online.
Youth Discuss Disclosure and Personal Assistance Services
NCWD/Youth has posted eight videos for and by youth with disabilities. The 411 on Disability Disclosure video features youth with disabilities discussing how their decisions to disclose their disabilities have affected them at school, at work, and in social situations. This video is a companion to the publication, The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities. Three shorter video clips from the full video are also available online. In the video, Making Your Move to Managing Your Own Personal Assistance Services (PAS), youth share how they use personal assistance services (PAS) and what's involved in finding and managing their own services. This video is a companion to the publication, Making the Move to Managing Your Own Personal Assistance Services (PAS): A Toolkit for Youth with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood.
Soft Skills for Young Workers
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy has developed a series of free video vignettes as part of its "Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success" curriculum. Youth services programs, educators and others helping young job seekers prepare for employment are encouraged to view, display, share and lead discussions about the videos, which aim to help all youth, including those with disabilities, develop and strengthen six essential skills needed to succeed in today's workforce: communication, networking, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, problem-solving and critical thinking, and professionalism. The videos explain what soft skills are, why they matter, and what young workers and job seekers can do to improve them.
REFERENCE POINTS is an activity of TATRA, a project of PACER Center
IEP Tips and Tricks video
Does anticipating your child’s IEP meeting give you anxiety? Thomas S. Nelson, a special education advocate and attorney in San DiegoCounty, offers a video series where he provides tips and tricks for tackling your child's IEP meeting. In his video, Thomas Nelson covers what to bring with you to the meeting, what to look for in the report, what questions you should be asking, what to prepare ahead of time, and what you should talk to your children about. IEP meetings can seem daunting, and these videos are a must-see.
ADVOCACY:
Arc of CaliforniaPublicPolicyCenter and United Cerebral Palsy of California are seeking input from consumers and families related to Support Accountability for Service Delivery Delays.
If this has ever happened to you, NOW is the time to step up and tell your story to help The Arc of California Public Policy Center prevent it from ever happening again. Here’s what we hear happens sometimes:
1.Your IPP or IFSP clearly says that you need a certain support or service. Under the Lanterman Act, that means that you are legally entitled to it.
2. The regional center thinks someone else, such as a school district or insurance company, should be paying for it. So they send you to that someone else (who in our jargon we call a “generic provider”).
3. The generic provider doesn’t think they should be paying for it, either. Or they put you through a long process of applying.
4. So, for a while at least, nobody pays -- and you don’t get the support or service that the law says you’re entitled to.
Arc and UCP have been working for over a year on getting the Department of Developmental Services or the Legislature to put an end to delays like that, but they haven’t gotten anywhere because of the lack of real people’s specific stories. PLEASE EMAIL YOUR STORY details to Greg deGiere, the Public Policy Director at The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy in California.
OPPORTUNITIES:
ProjectCollege
Experience 6 days & 5 nights of campus livingon the beautiful campus of the University of San Diego. This is a unique
Orientation to College Life for Youth with Disabilities and will be held July 7-12, 2013. Learn valuable skills for transition to college:Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, Campus Connections New Perspectives. Make new friends and be inspired. For more information, contact r call (858) 278-5420 x131.
Application l Flyer l FAQs
DHH Online Class
A FREE online classis being offered by the John Tracy Clinicemphasizing listening, language and speech - for parents of preschool children with hearing loss. Classes are taught by credentialed DHH teachers. A set of 7 sessions will be held every other week in Spanish.
760-222-6359 or
RECREATION:
Valentine’s Day Dance
February 16 7-10pm
WarMemorialBuilding, 3325 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA92101.
Cost: $10.00 per person includes DJ, snacks and a souvenir photo. Wear your pink or red outfits and your dancing shoes. The City of San DiegoPark and Recreation Department, Therapeutic Recreation Services. View Details
Home of Guiding Hands Walk & Fun Run
February 16, 2013
SanteeLakes. Details
Ability Exhibition in BalboaPark
“access/ABILITY” is currently scheduled to run from October 13, 2012 through June 30, 2013. Go to the Museum of Man website for more information.
SDRC Social/Recreation Calendar
The San DiegoRegionalCenter quarterly Social/Recreation Calendar was recently updated to include activities in ImperialCounty, and two upcoming cooking classes sponsored by the Client Wellness Committee.
Community Recreation Opportunities January 2013-March 2013
Sea World Passes
For Credentialed Teachers:free year long pass (MUST HAVE a credential number to be verified with the CTA). Go to the following website to apply. Registration must occur online only by April 30, 2013.
For Children under 5:free PreschoolPass. Families can register by going to
For Military families: free one day pass. To save time families can register online. Dependents may take advantage of the offer without their service member, though an adult must accompany minor dependents, and dependent ages 10 and over must present valid dependant I.D. Offer expires Dec 31., 2013
Around The World Playday
Sunday, March 10 12:00-3:00 p.m.
Bonjour! Hola! Konichiwa! Pack your bags and get ready for a trip around the world with the Kid Zone group - featuring cultural games, activities, crafts and snacks. Bring a lunch. Meet at the WarMemorialBuilding, located at 3325 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA92101.
This program is designed to instill play and recreation skills, foster socialization, and increase social skills. Activities are designed to meet the cognitive, physical, social, emotional, creative and ethical developmental needs of children ages 3 to 12.
Sign-up by Monday March 4. Cost: $5.00 Leslie Willis at or
619-525-8247.
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday April 20, 2013
DSA Reach for the Stars Gala
“Under the Big Top”
Hilton San Diego Resort(on MissionBay)
A Tribute to Siblings
Keynote speaker Dr. Brian Skotko isCo-Directorof the Down Syndrome Program at Massachusetts GeneralHospital. Dr. Skotko is a Board-certified medical geneticist and
has co-authored numerous books and articles on Down syndrome
DSA Event Registration coming soon
HEALTH CARE:
Free Flu Shots
Free flu shots are available for individuals 6 months of age and older. No appointment needed, walk-ins are welcome. Protect your family from the flu: get vaccinated! Location: King-ChavezHealthCenter, 950 S. Euclid Avenue, San Diego92114. Hours: Monday – Friday from 9:00 - 11:00am and 1:30 - 3:30pm. For more information, please call (619) 662-4100.This program ENDS February 28, 2013.
Vacunas gratis contra la gripe están disponibles para personas mayores de 6 meses de edad. No se requiere cita. La vacuna contra la gripe reduce el riesgo de enfermedad, hospitalización o incluso la muerte y puede impedir la propagación. Location: King-ChavezHealthCenter, 950 S. Euclid Avenue, San Diego92114. Horas: lunes a viernes de 9:00 a 11:00am a 1:30 a 3:30pm. Para más información, llame al (619) 662-4100. Este servicio gratuito estará disponible hasta el 28 de febrero del 2013.
MILITARY:
Military Saves Week 2013
Tuesday, 12 February 1800-2000
Join Fleet and FamilySupportCenter for an evening of financialfun and food for the entire family!The FFSC’s Personal Financial Management team will be facilitating age appropriate financial activities for children and youth, teaching various skills to form sound financial habits at an early age. There will also be a resource fair representing several national and local area resources to answer questions and provide information. Location: MurphyCanyon Chapel, 3200 Santo Road, San Diego, CA92124. For childcare: 619-572-8675 or . Questions: 619-545-6076
Fleet & Family Support Centers for Military Families
Fleet & Family Support Centers (FFSC) are located at Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Naval Base Point Loma, and in the following military family housing areas: MurphyCanyon, Village of Serra Mesa, Bayview Hills and GatewayVillage.
The School Liaison Officer (SLO) works with parents, commands, exceptional family member program liaisons, and local school officials to facilitate the best education experience possible for the military child.CVP, through child and youth education services, provides school transition support, deployment support, K-12 special education assistance, home school support, college and technical education. Contact FFSC San Diego at (866) 923-6478 or .
View the "Welcome to San Diego" online resource guide:
Navy Exceptional Family Member Program
Military Web-Based Resources for Children/Youth
DOD special needs parent toolkit:militaryonesource.mil/efmp/parent-tool-kit?content_id=268726
Find a school at your new duty station:schoolquest.org
Dept of Defense Education Agency:dodea.edu
Student Online Achievement Resources(soar):soarathome.org
Post-Secondary Preparation: eknowledge.com/military
College Scholarship Info:militaryscholar.org
Student Aid:govbenefits.gov
Military Child Education Coalition:militarychild.org
Need a tutor:tutor.com/navy
Talk Time- EFMP Support Group
Every third Wednesday of the Month from 9:00-10:30 am Come to Talk Time where Exceptional Family Member Program families can share coffee and conversation for free. Children are always welcome! Meet at GatewayVillageHousingCommunity Center. 2741 Mendonca Dr, San Diego, Ca. 92110. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Wright at 619.524.8086 or Barbara Regan at 619.556.7218.
FORWARD eNEWS
Exceptional FamilyResourceCenter
l EFRConline.org l 800-281-8252
ExceptionalFamilyResourceCenter does not promote or recommend anytherapy,treatment, institution, etc. and does not espouse any particular political,educational or religious views.Inclusion of information or resources does notnecessarily imply promotion or recommendation by EFRC. Content is provided for informational purposes only.
El Centro de Recursos para Familias Excepcionales no promueve o recomienda ningún tipo de terapia, tratamiento, institución, etc. y no está ligado a ningún tipo de opinión de partidos políticos en particular, educativos o religiosos. La información incluída o recursos, no necesariamente implican promoción o recomendación por medio de la agencia EFRC.