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Rhode Island Department of
Behavioral Healthcare,
Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals
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Division of Developmental Disabilities
Community Newsletter
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September 2017 Newsletter
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Quarterly DD Community Forum Recently Held
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The Quarterly DD Community Community Forum was held on August 8th at the Coventry Department of Human Services and Senior Center.
Developmental Disabilities Director Kerri Zanchi and the DD leadership team attended the forum and each team member gave an update on the area for which they are responsible. There were also reports on the Consent Decree, Regulations Reform and Community Partner Updates.
You can read about the forum and see the DD PowerPoint presentation
here
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The next Quarterly
DD Community Forum will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2017 from 4-6 pm at The
Smithfield Senior Center
1 William J Hawkins Jr Trail
Greenville, RI 02828
This meeting is accessible to individuals living with a disability. Any individual requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this meeting should contact Thomas Mannock, Ph.D. at 401-222-6377 (voice) or #711 (R.I. Relay) at least two (2) business days prior to the meeting.
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Hi folks,
I am sure you were as happy as we were that Governor Raimondo's budget item to increase wages for Direct Support Professionals passed through the General Assembly untouched. The Governor's $6.1 million has been approved by the legislature to support the much needed pay increase.
The DD Quarterly Community Forum took place in Coventry a few weeks ago (see article on left). My apologies that I was unable to attend and miss the opportunity to meet with those who were there.
One piece of information of which I was pleased to learn, is the creation of RI FORCE (see article below), which is a welcome entity. I do remember a time when families played a large role in the Developmental Disabilities community and helped create meaningful change. RI FORCE has an opportunity to do the same; we look forward to seeing them make a difference.
Hope to see you at the next Quarterly DD Community Forum, scheduled for Tuesday, November 7th at the Smithfield Senior Center in Greenville.
Sincerely,
Becky
Rebecca Boss
BHDDH Director
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RI FORCE Can Make a Difference
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RI FORCE (Families Organized For Reform, Change and Empowerment) is an independent family organization focused on innovation and success for people of all abilities.
There will be an RI FORCE launch event sometime in the fall for with a
Coffee and Café Conversation
. This will allow the opportunity for individuals and families to work together to create a strategic plan of action to address critical issues facing RI families.
For more information and to be added to an invitation list , please contact:
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Invitation to the 1
st
Meeting
of the DDD Quality Advisory Council
Meeting Date: Wednesday, September 27, 2017 at 2:00 PM
Location: BHDDH, Barry Hall, Room 226
14 Harrington Rd, Cranston, RI 02920
The Division of Developmental Disabilities is establishing a Quality Advisory Council (QAC) to solicit
the input of stakeholders in the development and implementation of quality standards for DD services provided by agencies and through self-directed services. DDD invites any of the following to join the QAC:
- Individuals receiving DD services and supports
- Family members of individual receiving DD services and supports
- Representatives of advocacy groups
- Representatives of provider agencies or staff working for self-directed individuals
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Provider and Self-Direct
Opportunity
Rhode Island Developmental Disabilities Council (RIDDC) has invited
Doug Crandell
to Rhode Island in September. As you know, Mr Crandell's area of expertise is using evidence-based supported employment practices to help support people with complex barriers to work.
Mr Crandell will host a day-long session for those interested in engaging with their teams to learn and implement best practices.
ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED to 3 – 5 individuals.
Each participant will work with Mr Crandell for an individualized 3-hour session to brainstorm potential customized employment or self-employment options at a location of the participants choosing. The session will involve between 8-12 people, including the individual, their support team, Mr Crandell, and a DD Council/BHDDH representative. There is no charge for the session.
Self-Direct Individuals or Providers who are interested in participating in this activity should email Tracey Cunningham, by Monday, September 11th
with a short summary about the individual, the planning processes he/she has already done and if identified, their vocational goal. Tracey's email is
Tracey.Cunningham@bhddh.ri.gov
.
Also,
Save the Date for an Afternoon with Doug Crandell on Wednesday, September 20, 2017
. More information on this event will be forthcoming and will be posted on the BHDDH website.
Doug Crandell is a Subject Matter Expert working in various states to restructure their employment supports to include evidence-based supported employment, customized employment, and self-employment with the Employment First State Leadership Mentoring Program at the US DOL, Office of Disability Employment Policy. He consults with Georgia's vocational rehabilitation program, Medicaid's Money Follows the Person project, as well as with Georgia's mental health and developmental disabilities agencies on systems-change efforts to increase capacity, joint funding, and access to training and technical assistance to improve employment outcomes in Georgia.
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What's Going On?
Wednesday, September 13th
The Sherlock Center presents
"S
elf-Directed Supports User Group,"
a network of individual and family members using self-directed supports in RI. Meetings are planned for the morning (10 am - 12 noon at Warwick Public Library, 600 Sandy Lane, Warwick) and evening (6:00 - 8:00 pm at Sherlock Center, RI College).
Featured guest speaker is BHDDH's
Associate Director of Employment
,
Tracey Cunningham
, leading a discussion on "employment supports for people using self-directed supports."
More information and registration information is available
here
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Tuesday, September 26th
Seven Hills RI, in conjunction with Kindred Hospice and the RI Geriatric Education Center of the University of RI presents "
Improving Care and Service Quality to Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
" at Amica Mutual Insurance Company, 100 Amica Way, Lincoln, RI 02865
from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Space is limited - please register
here
.
Wednesday, September 27th
Sherlock Center, DHS/Office of Rehabilitation Services and CPN present "
Work Incentives Public Information Session"
at Anchor Recovery Community Center, 249 Main Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860 form 1:15 - 2:15 pm. There are more sessions scheduled in different areas of the State - click
here
for the full listing and to register for the session you would like to attend.
Thursday, October 29th
Advocates in Action presents
Rhode Island's 22nd Annual Statewide Self-Advocacy Conference, entitled, "
It's MY Life!
" at the Crowne Plaza, Warwick. Conference materials will be posted on the Advocates in Action
website
soon.
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Remember, if you have any questions or comments about the DD Division,
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RI Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities & Hospitals
(401) 462-3201
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Questions about -
Authorizations:
(401) 462-1833
Transportation issues:
(401) 462-2766
Social Services:
(401) 462-3421
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