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KEEPING YOU INFORMED
June 10, 2016
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NEWS
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Up-to-date disability-related news and information from various state and national sources
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UPDATE REGARDING ABLE ACCOUNTS
From the State Treasurer of Iowa
Below is an update from the State Treasurer's Office regarding ABLE accounts in the state of Iowa:
"In the legislation passed in Iowa in the 2015 legislative session, the earliest date possible for accounts to be open is July 1, 2016. The Treasurer's Office received additional clarification on proposed rules from the federal government in December that has allowed our legal counsel to begin writing rules for the program in Iowa with a goal of implementing in the second half of this calendar year. We have been collaborating with other states and examining all of our options so that we can offer the best and most affordable plan possible for Iowans with disabilities, as well as for the State of Iowa. We will have more information about the program as we get further into the rules making process later this summer. We are happy to add anyone to our email list for updates as we get closer to accounts being available in the State of Iowa."
For more information about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act and ABLE accounts, refer to the ABLE National Resource Center website at
www.ablenrc.org.
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MEDICAID MCO CHANGES DUE BY JUNE 16
From Iowa Medicaid Member Services
Thursday, June 16 is the last day that a Medicaid managed care member can change their
MCO (Managed Care Organization)
for any reason.
Iowa Medicaid Member Services can be reached at (800) 338-8366 or (515) 256-4606 (when calling from the Des Moines area), Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Click for more details.
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IMPROVEMENT SEEN IN U.S. DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT RATES
From Disability Scoop
The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is down significantly, according to June 3 reports from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Figures released in the agency's monthly jobs report show that the jobless rate for Americans with disabilities fell to 9.7 percent in May, down from 10.7 percent the month prior.
Continue reading
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NEW GUIDELINES FOR VISION & HEARING SCREENING STANDARDS
From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
For the past year, CMS has been working to improve the standards for vision and hearing screening during routine primary care visits, such as, developing specific guidelines for follow-up evaluation and/or treatment when a primary care provider detects a vision or hearing deficit. These standards will help to ensure access to the appropriate type of care for individuals covered by Medicaid. View the new guidelines here:
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ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY LEGAL ADVOCACY
Provided by DRI through the IPAT
Iowa Program for Assistive Technology (
IPAT) is now contracting with Disability Rights Iowa to provide free Assistive Technology Legal Advocacy. This may be especially important for families relating to the new AT purchasing processes with MCOs or access to AT for education. To request assistance contact
Disability Rights Iowa:
Local: (515) 278-2502
Toll free: 1-800-779-2502 TTY: 1-866-483-3342
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TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES
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Information on training events available for parents and professionals in and around the state of Iowa. Find upcoming conferences, webinars, workshops and more!
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PARENTING THE LOVE AND LOGIC WAY
From the Polk County C.A.N. Prevention Council
The Polk County C.A.N. Prevention Council is offering summer sessions of their popular parent training program, "Parenting the Love and Logic Way."
Avoid un-winnable power-struggles and arguments, set enforceable limits, avoid enabling and begin empowering, help your kids learn from mistakes rather than repeating them and much more!
Both sessions will be held from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Wellmark YMCA at 501 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, and FREE
childcare is available! To register, call (515) 241-6777 or go to www.can-prevent.org.
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Every Wednesday
June 15 through July 20
6:00 - 7:30 pm
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Every Thursday
July 14 through August 18
6:00 - 7:30 pm
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CENTS & SENSIBILITY: BUDGETING & HOW TO SAVE MONEY
Thursday, June 16 | 4:30 - 8:30 pm | FREE
The Iowa Able Foundation is offering a free financial literacy workshop at their office located at 1
30 S Sheldon Avenue in Ames.
Dinner will be provided. Space is limited, so register now by contacting Jill Crosser at jill@iowaable.org or (515) 292-2972. Click to view flyer
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WEBINAR: PARENT TRAINING IN BEHAVIOR THERAPY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN WITH ADHD
Friday, June 17 | Noon - 1:30 pm CT | FREE
Many parents of young children with behavior problems or ADHD have a difficult time finding the appropriate resources and professional support they need to help their children while supporting positive child growth and development. In this webinar, parents will learn about parent training in behavior therapy and why it is an important first step for young children, including those with ADHD. This webinar is provided by the National
Council for Behavioral Health.
Click here to register
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WEBINAR: ONLINE TOOLS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH RARE DISORDERS
Friday, June 17 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm CT | FREE
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has partnered with Heartland Genetics Service Collaborative to offer a free webinar to demonstrate NORD's online tools and resources available for individuals with rare disorders. Attendees will learn how to a s
earch rare disease information, e
xplore patient assistance programs, f
ind a patient organization, and much more.
Click here to RSVP.
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EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
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Connections to events and activities for individuals with disabilities, their families, and the people who serve them
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TOOLS TO COMBAT THE "SUMMER SLIDE" IN READING SKILLS
From the National Center on Accessible Educational Materials
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Summer is a time when people of all ages often have increased opportunities to read for pleasure. For individuals with disabilities, this time can be used to great advantage.
- Studies show many students lose approximately one month in reading skills, and experts report that the "summer slide" for students who read differently is even greater.
- Reports indicate that reading even 20 minutes a day can reduce the summer slide.
Fortunately, access to books and accessible reading materials during the summer can help students prevent the summer slide. Here are some helpful tips and tools:
- Bookshare's accessible online library is another excellent resource for students and adults who cannot read traditional print books due to disabilities like blindness, low vision, physical disabilities, and learning disabilities like dyslexia. Educators can check out tips for giving students with print disabilities independent access to Bookshare over the summer.
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Join the Bookshare Bingo reading event! Through Bookshare Bingo, members can discover a variety of fun and interesting titles. You can get a Bingo by reading books from different categories listed on the Bookshare Bingo card. To help get you started, Bookshare created a list of book recommendations for all ages to explore. And, while supplies last, participants will get a free gift. The summer reading program begins Wednesday, June 15.
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UCEDD WEBSITE USER SURVEY
From the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD)
Every year, CDD's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) sends out a survey to gather feedback on their website,
www.uihealthcare.org/UCEDD. They invite you to take a few minutes to visit the site and then, in a short survey, share your honest feedback on the content, usability, and what additional information you would find helpful. The goal is to make the site useful to their community partners as well as those who may be less familiar with the work they do.
The website user survey will be available through June 17 at https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_b1QFCrAixcyLJyt.
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SAVE THE DATE FOR THE ATOM ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
December 6, 2016 | Bettendorf Learning Center, Mississippi Bend AEA
Save the date and plan to attend the first ATOM Assistive Technology Conference as an inaugural attendee with several paths to AT learning plus a dozen product demonstration sessions. Learn about a variety of assistive technology devices and products for reading, writing, access, AAC and universal design. Network with others to discover new ideas. Learn from researchers, product developers, and educators who use assistive technology every day. Registration opens this Fall!
Click to view flyer
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| Click to access 2016 Summer Camp List |
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Copyright © ASK Resource Center, 2016. All rights reserved.
You're among 4,702 others who received this email because you wanted us to keep you informed of the latest disability-related news, educational opportunities, events, and more from in and around the state of Iowa.
The contents of this listserv blast were partially funded under grants from the US Department of Education, #H328M140017, Project Officer, David Emenhesier, and a grant from the US Department of Health & Human Services, #H84MC24065, Project Officer, LaQuanta Smalley. The contents of this listserv blast do
not necessarily represent the policy of those Departments, and the reader should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. ASK's Family to Family Iowa Project serves as Iowa's Family
Voic
es State Affiliate Organization. ASK is also Iowa's Parent to Parent USA Alliance Member.
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