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"The VMRC Newsletter"
Friday, April 21, 2023
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Message from the Executive Director
Tony Anderson
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The DSP Collaborative Event on TV
This week our DSP Collaborative started airing television commercials on KCRA in our media market to promote the upcoming career expos centered on careers and jobs supporting people with developmental disabilities. This project is a collaboration between the Valley Mountain Regional Center provider community, the Alta California Regional Center provider community, and our two regional centers focused on doing everything we can think of to improve the capacity of our network of providers. Recognizing that one of the biggest barriers to quality services that fully meet the needs of people with disabilities is the workforce crisis.
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If you or anyone you know might be interested in working one of the many satisfying and rewarding jobs in our field come to one or more of these free career expos and register here: | |
If you hire Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) join us for free to exhibit at the expo and connect with DSPs ready to serve: | |
In addition to these expos visit our website and search for jobs or post your jobs and submit your company information to attract more candidates to your job board: | |
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Opportunity for DSPs to Publish
The most notable publication for the DSP profession is called the Frontline Initiative. It features stories from DSPs from all over the country and occasionally includes articles from families and people with disabilities on the importance of the DSPs in their lives and various studies and findings about the workforce. For DSPs interested in advancing this profession publishing in this online journal is a great way to achieve this. Check out this opportunity below:
NADSP NEWS & UPDATES
Call for DSP and FLS Authors
The next issue of Frontline Initiative is on the Direct Support Professionals Code of Ethics. The focus of this issue is:
The NADSP Code of Ethics is intended to guide professional practice of direct support professionals who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Supporting people with disabilities in the community is often complex work and requires ethical decision making. How well do you know the Code of Ethics? This issue revisits the Code of Ethics, and includes DSPs, FLSs, and people supported telling stories about ethical decision making and how they have resolved challenges they have faced.
Interested authors should complete this form by April 26. Articles are due May 19. Contact Julie Kramme and Chet Tschetter for more information at frontline-dsp@umn.edu.
Learn More >
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And Finally this just in from DDS:
"The 2022 DSP Workforce Data Collection will begin in early May 2023. DDS is collecting data from agencies that employ DSPs about factors that impact the workforce. Registration is required to participate. The data collection effort will collect data, through an online survey, on vendor agencies’ direct service professionals (DSPs) for calendar year 2022. Vendor agencies who are eligible to participate in the data collection and complete the survey in its entirety will receive an $8000 incentive after the data collection has ended. DDS offers two online webinars/meetings to vendor agencies and regional centers to provide information about the following topics:
• Survey registration
• Incentive payment
• Types of data collected
• Data collection window
• How data will be used
Please join one of the following two virtual meetings to learn more:"
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Thursday (4/20), 3:45 – 4:45 pm
o Zoom Meeting Link: https://cal-dds.zoom.us/j/88592713640?pwd=eS9yVDZhWWFJZWxLSkdINEFDbUhpQT09&from=addon
o Meeting ID: 885 9271 3640
Passcode: 786172
One tap mobile
+16694449171,,88592713640# US
+16699006833,,88592713640# US (San Jose)
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Tuesday (4/25), 9:00 – 10:00 am
o Zoom Meeting Link: https://cal-dds.zoom.us/j/86869401871?pwd=ZUhWUFVzZFNIMndxa25DcE9FSURYZz09&from=addon
o Meeting ID: 868 6940 1871
Passcode: 105406
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,86869401871# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,86869401871# US
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Upcoming VMRC Public Meetings
Board of Directors Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 6:00 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
Consumer Services Committee Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, May 3, 2023, 5:15 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
Executive Committee Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 6:30 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
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Case Management Update - Adults
Christine Couch
Director of Consumer Services - Adults
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Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has partnered with State Council to provide a statewide orientation and training to all participants and families who are interested in participating in the Self-Determination Program (SDP). For more information: https://scdd.ca.gov/sdp-orientation/ | |
2023 Transition Fairs are on Schedule! | |
Calaveras/Amador/Tuolumne Counties | |
Case Management Update - Children
Tara Sisemore-Hester
Director of Consumer Services - Children
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Early Intervention, Advocacy and the California Budget May Revise
with Teresa Anderson
Monday, May 22, 2023
12:00pm-1:30pm (PST)
Virtual Event
Can't attend the event live?
Register to receive access to the recording!
The CA Budget - May revise 2023 is an opportunity to give input on priorities on what our state spends money on to your legislators. Attend to learn the latest Early Intervention issues and how to address them
Early Intervention programs along with many other services provided through the Department of Developmental Services are seeing their rates implemented this year and in the future. Legislators need to hear how things are going with this process.
Do you know who your legislators are? Check here Assembly - www.assembly.ca.gov; Senate -www.senate.ca.gov
Invite them to your program, and let them see and hear from families about the benefits of early intervention.
- Participants will learn how the CA Budget supports Early Intervention Services, Legislation related to ECE, Rate Adjustment process and Early Childhood Department focus
- Participants will learn how to participate in the CA legislative process
- Participants will learn about constituent involvement in the CA Budget process
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Teresa has provided legislative and regulatory advocacy in health care and Developmental Services with much of her efforts focused on increasing access to care, vulnerable populations, workforce issues, and criminal justice/civil rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development from Sacramento State University and a Masters Degree in Public Health from Drexel University, and a Juris Doctorate from Lincoln Law School.
Non-Member: $35
IDA Agency/Individual Member: FREE (you must register)
IDA Parent/Student/New Clinician Member: FREE
(you must register)
ADA Requests: Contact IDA @ mail@idaofcal.org
with ADA request by May 3, 2023
Limited number of scholarships available
REGISTER NOW
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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library! Free books for children ages 0-5. Check out the link below. | |
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Clinical Update
Dr. Claire Lazaro
Clinical Director
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Family Wellness Brunch
We are grateful for everyone who participated at the first VMRC's Family Wellness Brunch last April April 15, 2023, held at the Modesto office. We had about 40 families attend the event plus eight vendors/community resources. Aside from the complementary brunch, we also provided childcare to about children. The parents learned a lot of valuable information from our parent speaker Astrid Zuñiga and keynote speaker Julie McGoveran of Parents By Choice who spoke about Positive Parenting. We are grateful to the parents and families who attended, our wonderful speakers, the volunteer staff, and our dedicated vendors that came: B.E.S.T., DINOs, DRAIL, El Concilio, Family Resource Network, Embrace Ministries, Parents By Choice, and Turlock Autism Group (TAG). Special thank you to B.E.S.T. who helped us with childcare provision! Please look forward to future announcement of when we will have another Family Wellness Brunch.
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Community Services Update
Brian Bennett
Community Services Director
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Made possible by a Grant from the Department of Developmental Services, VMRC is happy to announce Saturday April 22nd at Camp Taylor, Family Fun, Community Day! Registration required. | |
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The DEI Corner
Mark Crear, DEI Manger
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Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC)
Self Determination Advisory Committee (SDAC)
EVERYONE is WELCOME At Our Meetings!
We meet each month on the 3rd Thursday from 3:30pm-5pm on Zoom
(until we are able to meet in person at the VMRC Stockton Office)
Our Meeting Dates for 2023
January 19 February 16
March 16 April 20
May 18 June 15
July 20 August 17
September 21 October 19
November 16 December 21
For the zoom links for each meeting these are posted 10 days before the meetings at https://www.vmrc.net/self-determination-advisory-committee/
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North Valley Hills Update
Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930
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Don't forget the Program Development Grant Cycle 46 Bidder’s Conference Call is next next Tuesday April 25, 2023 from 10am to 12pm.
The Council has allocated a total of $300,000 to fund Cycle 46 projects in any of four (4) proposed focus areas: •Education •Employment •Health and Safety •Self-Advocacy.
Detail Flyers for the Focus Areas
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The California Memorial Project and Valley CAPS Present...
21st Annual Remembrance Day September 18, 2023
This annual event is to remember and honor people with disabilities who died while living in California state institutions
Ceremony Details:
Time: 10:30 AM
Locations:
Parkview Cemetery
3661 French Camp Road
Manteca, CA 95336
and
VMRC Campus
(Memorial rock/water area)
702 N. Aurora St.
Stockton CA. 95202
For more information call Rachelle Munoz at (209) 239-7072 or email Rachelle@valleycaps.org
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Family Resource Network (FRN) Update
Lisa Culley, Executive Director
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Did you know? The Medi-Cal Program currently offers dental services as one of the program's many benefits. Family Resource Network (FRN) can assist families of children 1-18 years old, who live in San Joaquin County, and have Medi-Cal coverage, through the SJ TEETH program. FRN Care Coordinators can assist families to select an appropriate dental provider, make appointments and support other oral health needs and education. Call the Family Resource Network at 209-472-3674 to speak to a Care Coordinator and start the process to better dental health for your child! | | | | |
