We have a PINK theme this month in recognition of
Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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The North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities (NCCDD) is hosting a monthly discussion series to boost the voices and messages of NC self-advocates* for influencing social and systems change.
*We welcome people who identify as individuals with disabilities, with conditions, or as self-advocates to our self-advocate discussion.
Facilitated by Chris Hendricks, NCCDD Policy Education Coordinator/Legislative Liaison and NCCDD self-advocate executive committee member, Cheryl Powell, the monthly sessions will be held on the following dates and times:
Oct 6 I Nov 3 I Dec 1 I Jan 5
1 - 2 PM – via Zoom
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Mark your calendars for the 2021 Invisible Disabilities Week – Visible Courage, Stories of Life! Together we can bring awareness, education and support to your neighborhood and around the world during Invisible Disabilities Week Oct 17 – 23, 2021.
Find Invisible Disabilities Week online on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! Invite your friends, family, medical teams, groups and pages.
Share and comment on our posts and TAG #InvisibleDisabilitiesWeek on your posts!
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"An “invisible,” “non-visible,” “hidden,” “non-apparent,” or "unseen" disability is any physical, mental, or emotional impairment that goes largely unnoticed. An invisible disability can include, but is not limited to: cognitive impairment and brain injury; the autism spectrum; chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia; d/Deaf and/or hard of hearing; blindness and/or low vision; anxiety, depression, PTSD, and many more. We understand the body as always changing, so disability and chronic illness may be unstable or periodic throughout one’s life." | |
Over the last 6 months
the dRC has been partnering with Community CPR and Facts of Life Church (Pastor Daisy Brooks) to ensure families with disabilities in Columbus County can have a cushion during times when resources are scarce. The dRC has been connected with Community CPR for the past year and when Wallyce Todd, Executive Director of CCPR asked if disAbility Resource Center would be interested in assisting families in the South end of the county to receive produce, meat boxes, and other staples from Facts of Life Ministry we were more than happy to participate. dRC Program Director Ashlei Shaw-McFadden and Community CPR material Handler Bryant Johnson teamed up to deliver food to seven families with disabilities in the Tabor City area. On the third Friday of the month, we load up and roll out to provide these resources to individuals and families who don’t have the ability to make it to the drive thru location outside the city limits of Tabor City. Thanks to this program, the dRC has been able to meet the needs of 21 people in the Tabor City area; many of these are children who may have to go without if this program did not exist. The dRC is very proud of the partnerships we have built in Columbus County as they provide us the ability to not only make our presence known but allow us the opportunity to make sure that no one is left behind.
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We received the most beautiful reminder this week of how important it is to recognize others for their efforts and dedication to their community. Kaylie Norris shared this memory;
"Four years ago today I got a most outstanding student award for being an EC buddy and helping those with disabilities at my school. The Disability Resource Center gave me the award. Only one student in the county received this award! I couldn’t be happier to help those with special disabilities! It’s what I love to do, I want to be a special education teacher. The main person I want to thank is Ms. Stevie, (dRC Youth Transitions Coordinator, Stevie Cruse) she had a big part in it as well. She saw something in me and saw that I had a connection with special needs students. I fell in love with them. I love that they get to do things students without a disability do is absolutely amazing. They got to do what most kids want to do and that is play sports. I was part of helping out the students at Hoggard High School at special Olympics all 4 years of high school. Once again thank you."
THANK YOU, Kaylie!
--> This is SUCH great timing as the dRC Leadership Team has been working hard on a plan to re-introduce the Community Recognition Awards. The challenge of the COVID pandemic impacted the in-person programs and initiatives, but the dRC is committed to creating a meaningful way to celebrate the organizations, businesses, and individuals who are making a difference for persons with disabilities. Inclusion, accessibility, representation, and strengthening the community are hallmarks of past recognitions, and we look forward to sharing more information in a future update. STAY TUNED!
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Did you know that many of the North Carolina Farmer's Markets not only accept EBT and SNAP benefits but that using them at these locations can offer an added value by increasing their worth when buying fresh, and local foods? Learn more by visiting this guide from The Farmer's Market Coalition:
https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/education/snap/
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Duke Caregiver Community Event Get connected with local resources that can help you care for your loved one during this free virtual event on October 26. Featuring: 30 virtual education sessions -- More than 50 service providers, including home health, homecare, attorneys, and medical equipment providers. Topics Include: Workable solutions to dementia behaviors-- Navigating conversations with family and loved ones --Hospitalization and the role of a caregiver --Understanding advanced directives/living wills -- Overcoming compassion fatigue -- Connections to resources that will save you time and money.
Register:
https://www.dukehealth.org/duke-caregiver-community-event
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The Wilson Center and PNC Bank are bringing Broadway to the Beach! A few of the shows are "Escape to Margaritaville," "Summer- the Donna Summer Musical," "Hairspray," and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
The Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College is committed to your safety and is following all the guidelines set forth by state and local health officials. Please review the policies here; https://wilsoncentertickets.com/covid-19/
To learn more about the Wilson Center's Accessibility, please click this link;
https://wilsoncentertickets.com/accessibility/
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EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2021 STATE FUNDING BENEFITS WILL BE REDUCED, RECIPIENT ALERT!
The North Carolina General Assembly has not yet finished work on the budget for the fiscal year which began on July 1, 2021. Trillium Health Resources has been notified by the Department of Health and Human Services that if the General Assembly does not increase the total budget of State funds available for mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services in the final budget, our share of the available State dollars will be reduced by $5.4 million this year.
It is helpful to have a little history of State funding. State funds are used to pay for services for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured or, in some cases, to pay for services for Medicaid beneficiaries that Medicaid doesn’t cover. In July 2019, the NC General Assembly permanently reduced the funding available for these services by $36.5 million statewide. This reduction was taken despite the fact that North Carolina’s population is growing every year and the demand for services in increasing. We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased feelings of anxiety and depression for many people and isolation has caused some to abuse substances. Treatment works but, unfortunately, just as the need is growing, the funding for services is shrinking. Direct Support Professionals are leaving the field to work in retail because rates have been stagnant with reduced funding.
The NC Department of Health and Human Services distributes the funding appropriated by the General Assembly to each of the LME/MCOs based upon a formula developed by the Department. This year, the Department made a change to the formula that is causing a funding reduction of $5.4 million. In the past,
This loss of funding threatens to terminate many of innovative programs entirely. Some of the programs and services in jeopardy are IDD Transition to Employment expansion in Onslow County, Co-responder programs in Columbus, Brunswick, New Hanover, Onslow, Carteret, Craven, Pitt, Pasquotank, Dare, and Nash counties, Outpatient benefits reduced, Harvest/Magnolia House respite program for children in DSS custody, Developmental Therapy and Personal Assistance benefits reduced or eliminated.
If you have questions about how the Department of Health and Human Services distributes the money among LME/MCOs, you can direct your comments or questions here: contact dmh@dhhs.nc.gov
Benefits will be reduced for mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services effective October 1, 2021. Thank you for your input into this very difficult decision. We know it impacts people’s lives. We wish there was something more we could do to prevent having to make this cut to benefits.
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National Disability Employment Awareness Month is held each October to commemorate the many and varied contributions of people with disabilities to America’s workplaces and economy. Browse the website for information about staying at work, or returning to work.
\https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/saw-rtw
There are also resources for employers, community organizations, state and local governments, advocacy groups and schools to participate in celebrating NDEAM through events and activities centered around the theme of “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.” Learn more about the disability employment initiative through this link-
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/disability-employment-initiative
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Wilmington-based filmmaker Susan Kranyik recently completed a 43-minute documentary about Wilmington-based artist and Artist Link Project member Rachard McIntyre.
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Here is a link to a great interview as well, from Wilmington Magazine, 2019 - https://wilmingtonncmagazine.com/dream-catcher
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WHEEL SERVE NC, THE GREATER WILMINGTON TENNIS ASSOCIATION, UNCW RECREATION THERAPY PROGRAM & ACCESS of WILMINGTON PRESENT
WHEEL SERVE WILMGTON - Wheelchair Tennis Program.
All players with a physical disability are welcome no matter your skill level. The clinic is free of charge and all tennis and adaptive equipment is provided. We just need YOU! Contact Candy Pegram at tennis@wilmingtontennis.com to RSVP or with any questions
| | One thing is certain, you will always find Billy Eno ready to help. Recently he helped repair a ramp to ensure accessibility for a local consumer to safely enter their own home. Projects like this take not only a great time and effort commitment, but often the materials may not be donated and also need to be secured. Every donation to the dRC helps, Billy and the team do the work beneficial to so many of your neighbors. Home access assistance, youth and young adult services, the LOOKOUT Peer Support Group, Life skills assistance, and so much more. Thank you for your support! | |
Are you familiar with the "TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT?" Many children, especially those with special needs, have dietary restrictions that would not include a lot of the candy normally offered during Halloween. But if you wish to have non-candy alternatives, or non-allergy foodstuffs available for your Trick-or-Treaters, placing a teal pumpkin outside is a sign to those with such needs that they can visit your house for a treat with those concerns in mind!
Here is an article from 2019 that still has some great information about this initiative-
https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a23459514/teal-pumpkin-project-halloween/
This is a little different from the "BLUE BUCKET INITIATIVE" where those Trick-or-Treaters using a BLUE bucket or jack-o-lantern bucket signify that they are on the Autism spectrum. They may be non-verbal, not wish to actually say "trick-or-treat" or socially engage in the same manner, but still wish to be part of the fun!
Here is a link with information on that initiative;
https://www.newsweek.com/blue-bucket-halloween-autism-trick-treat-1465718
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Ride the Wave to the polls this November!
To encourage civic engagement and to support our neighbors in their efforts to vote, Wave Transit is fare free for everyone November 2, 2021!
Passengers can ride fare free on the fixed route bus, DART, and Microtransit.
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Ryan Clark, from BLUE WATER FINANCE donated a transport chair to the dRC. BLUE WATER FINANCE is a neighbor in our office building and it means so much when those around us recognize our mission and know how helpful such donations can be. THANK you Ryan!
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What do you have to share???
Share your feedback, your thoughts, or even information you feel is important for the community! Do you own a business and have a special offer you'd like to present to our five counties? Is there an event happening that you think would be of interest? We love hearing from you!
media@drc-cil.org
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PLEASE SHARE OUR NEWLETTER WITH YOUR NETWORK!
THANK YOU!
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