What a beautiful night for baseball! We partnered with the
Cincinnati Reds
and
LADD for Abilities at Bat on July 26
to raise awareness and celebrate the lives and stories of those living with disabilities in our community.
The pre-game ceremony recognized more than a dozen community partners who support people with disabilities, Melodic Connections sang the national anthem, Leah Alexander represented HCDDS and delivered the game ball, and Dr. Kara Ayers received the Community Advocate Award. It was a wonderful evening to celebrate -- thank you to all who joined us!!
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Advocating for inclusion
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 Tasha Faruqui wanted her daughter to experience summer camp last year, but she kept running into roadblocks.
Soraya, 7, has a gastrostomy tube, which provides food and nutrition directly to her stomach. After attending a summer camp resource fair, she called nearly a dozen places to find a camp for Soraya.
"They all said no because they can't handle the liability or didn't have the nursing staff," Tasha said. "I was infuriated. Looking back, I couldn't understand why that was the barrier because it's the way she gets food. I thought it was going to be a challenge she'd face for the rest of her life."
Her continued advocacy, along with the willingness of Gorman Heritage Farms, created an inclusive opportunity.
"I think camp is a beautiful experience, different from school or any other activity young people can participate in," said Krystal Gallagher, education coordinator for Gorman Heritage Farm. "The more camps we can have that are more inclusive, the better it is for Soraya and other children as well."
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Project CARE STARR Classes
Project CARE STARR is a community collaborative providing supportive services to individuals with disabilities impacted or at risk for domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. Individuals may join
them for a weekly educational class that focuses on healthy sexuality and relationships, personal rights, and empowerment.
New classes are forming now in Aug. and Sept. For more information on class times, location and registration, please click here.
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Ohio budget signed into law
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state's operating budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021 into law on July 18.
The budget commits $370 million over the next two years to support Ohioans with developmental disabilities by making investments in DSP wages, Early Intervention, multi-system youth, transportation and more.
To read more about Ohio's budget as it relates to the DD system, please
click here
.
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Emily Boehl likes to keep things neat and organized at her job as a part-time, cafeteria assistant. She keeps a steady supply of milk lined up in rows by flavor, carefully making sure students can see the labels as they file through the line.
Boehl, 21, has been working at St. Clement's School in St. Bernard, thanks to a program called Pathways to Employment at Scarlet Oaks.
She began attending Pathways three years ago, after her senior year at St. Rita's School for the Deaf. At first Boehl, who has an intellectual disability and apraxia, was anxious and struggled to communicate with her iPad.
"The teachers and coaches at Pathways have helped Emily to feel proud of herself, more confident in her abilities, and build her vocational skills," said Olivia Cope, her HCDDS service and support administrator.
Boehl and her family regularly attend Mass at St. Clement Church, and the familiar faces helped boost her confidence on the job. "Emily is really funny and nice, and she tries to help where she can. We like having her here a lot," said Theresa Schrand, her supervisor.
She overcame significant hurdles and, when asked if she likes her job, Boehl gave a very confident "thumbs up" and a big smile.
Boehl graduated from Pathways in May and received the R.A. Horn Award for outstanding student achievement at a ceremony in Columbus on June 11. The Pathways to Employment team also earned the Franklin B. Walter Award for outstanding educators.
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Accessible Ohio State Fair
This year's Ohio State Fair is more accessible and inclusive for everyone!
Three new efforts are providing fairgoers with improved accessibility at the Ohio State Fair, which is open through Aug. 4.
Improvements include wheelchair/mobility charging stations, technology to connect people who are blind or have low vision to an agent who can help with navigation, and a dedicated sensory-friendly morning. Watch this video to learn more.
Photo by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities
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Services Spotlight - SSA
Hamilton County DD Services works with people at all stages of life, and our service and support administrators (SSAs) use tools to discover a person's strengths, abilities, talents and dreams.
SSAs use this information to create a person-centered plan and identify funding or other supports to help people with DD create a meaningful life.
Services Spotlight is a new feature to share
more information about HCDDS services.
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- Autism Teacher Training 2019. 9-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, Aug. 5-9 at Cincinnati Children's Medical Office. A professional development model for school-based teams serving children with Autism and similar complex learning needs. For information, please click here.
- Babysitter Training Course. 6-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, Aug. 5-9 at Children's Hospital Medical Center. For students interested in caring for/babysitting children and youth with DD. For more information, please click here.
- Transition Bootcamp: Guardianship and Alternatives. 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 at Children's Hospital Medical Office. This session will provide information on the transition from school to adult life for youth with DD. For information, click here.
- Emergency Preparedness Training. 10-4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8 at LADD. This training will help you prepare for events such as a fire, weather or violent intruder. Click here for more information.
- Marjorie Book Continuing Education presents "Carousel - The Musical." 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Aug. 9-10, 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11 at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly. Featuring a cast of actors with and without DD. Performances will be audio described for the visually impaired. For information, please click here.
- Sibshops 2019. 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 10 at Cincinnati Children's. This nationally acclaimed program provides peer support for siblings of children with special needs. For more information, click here.
- SPARK Event with Cincinnati Children's. 12-3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11 at Children's Hospital Medical Office Building. Join SPARK to help improve lives of individuals and families affected by autism. For information, please click here.
- Understanding Behavior in Individuals with DD. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 at Children's Hospital Liberty Campus. This course focuses on the reasons why challenging behaviors may occur and teaches ways to encourage positive family interactions. For more information, please click here.
- CPR and First Aid Training. 10-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21 at LADD. Training includes the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).For more information, please click here.
- Relationship Boundaries in Community & Employment Settings. 10-12 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27 at Ohio Means Jobs Butler County. Designed for providers supporting individuals in day and pre-vocational programs. Click here for more information.
- Special Needs Family Night. 6:30-8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30 at the Norwood Branch Library. Families with special needs are invited to a special night at the library to experience activities in a stress free space. For information, please click here.
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