IPUL's E-News for April 1, 2022
Here are the highlights of our recent activity online. Not everything is included due to timeliness. If an advertised event already took place, we've left it off.
Questions And Answers With You in 2022 - Week 13
Idaho Parents Unlimited
Engage + Educate + Bridge + Lead
For week 13 we asked:
"There are options when it comes to choosing which Developmental Disabilities pathway works best for your child and family. Do you know what the differences are between the Traditional and Family Directed pathways are?"
Week 13 answer
Week 13 Answer

Traditional
Under this pathway your child can receive services from a Developmental Disability Agency (DDA) or an Independent Provider of your choice. Under this service pathway, you may purchase:
  • Respite – This service provides relief time for you to do activities outside or inside the home that you cannot do while you are caring for your child. 
  • Community-Based Supports – This service is designed to help your child participate in activities in their community as independently as possible and helps your child to explore their interests and practice things they have learned from other therapies.
  • Education –This service offers parents education on topics such as understanding your child’s diagnosis, how to use adaptive equipment, and how to manage things your child has difficulty with.

Your Case Manager will get to know your child, their needs, and the needs you have for them and assist you to develop a plan to meet those needs. They will help you navigate Medicaid systems and obtain and coordinate both Medicaid funded services and non-Medicaid services and supports in your community.

Family Directed
This pathway provides you with more flexibility to choose, design and direct your child’s services to allow for more creative ways to access services. Under this service pathway, you may purchase:
  • Community Support Worker Services - You can hire individuals of your choosing to assist your child in the home or community. You can hire an individual, called a Support Broker, who will write your child’s plan for services or you can write it yourself as a parent.
  • Adaptive Equipment – This is equipment for your child. These items must be related to your child’s DD diagnosis and not available through their Medicaid card.
  • Other Approved Services – includes music therapy, aqua therapy, hippotherapy, and therapeutic riding. These services require a recommendation and justification and must be provided by an individual qualified to deliver the service.

A Case Manager will help you navigate the process to enroll in Family Directed Services. After Family Directed enrollment is completed, continued Case Management is optional, but not required, to assist with activities that are beyond what the Support Broker is required or negotiated to deliver.

These two pathways are different, however the process to apply is the same. You can then make a decision on what works best for you and your family.
This information was retrieved directly from the Department of Health and Welfare's website.
#QuestionsWithYouIn2022
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Stories We Shared
‘Sesame Street’ Welcomes New Muppet With Disability
The people behind “Sesame Street” are introducing a new Muppet who uses a wheelchair in an effort to spotlight children with disabilities around the world.

Ameera, an 8-year-old with a spinal cord injury, relies on forearm crutches or a bright purple wheelchair to get around. Sesame Workshop describes Ameera as “everyone’s favorite comedian” and “a natural leader who encourages others with her bright personality.”
Job Opening: Administrative Assistant
Now Hiring: Part-Time Administrative Assistant

Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides training, resources, support, and one to one assistance for parents of children with disabilities and special health care needs, as well as accessible and inclusive arts programming. IPUL is seeking a Part-Time Administrative Assistant. 

TITLE: Part-Time Administrative Assistant
REPORTS TO: Executive Director / Supervising Program Coordinator
LOCATION: IPUL Office, Boise
HOURS: 10-15 hours a week

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES:
A. Perform general clerical duties to include, but not limited to, bookkeeping, copying, faxing, mailing and filing.
B. Data entry.  
C. Data collection for surveys as needed.
D. Maintain project calendars to coordinate work flow.
E. Organize documents and files.
F. Collect and maintain inventory of office equipment and supplies.
G. Assists the Arts Coordinator in collecting teaching artist materials and reports, communications, and assisting in the Work of Art events. 
H. Other responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Director including assisting in other special events as needed.
I. Accept and represent the IPUL organizational philosophy.

QUALIFICATIONS:
A. Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Windows, Access, and Excel.
B. Excellent writing skills including proofreading and assimilating and summarizing information.
C. High school diploma required; college credits or related work experience desirable.
D. Experience with family/families of a child with a disability.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
A. Work hours may be flexible with both in-office and remote options available
B. Must adhere to applicable privacy laws
C. Must be fully-vaccinated for Covid-19

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT:
The employee occasionally lifts, pushes, and/or moves up to 50 pounds, such as boxed hardware and software or office materials, or furnishings.
The noise level of the work environment is moderate to loud noise.
Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB: 
Please email your resume to jobs@ipulidaho.org Please, no phone calls.

Parents of children with disabilities strongly encouraged to apply
Bilingual in English / Spanish is a plus
This position will remain open until filled.
April 2022 Statewide Training:
IEP Roadmap
April workshop flyer
IEP Roadmap

Step-by-step guide on how to read the actual document for your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP)

Participants will be taken on a tour of Special educaiton using Idaho's Individualized Education Program (IEP) as the map, and IPUL staff as the guides. 

TUESDAY APRIL 19, 2022 
12:30 - 1:30 PM MDT (11:30 AM - 12:30 PM PDT)
Live on Zoom


Live workshops will no longer be recorded so the chat feature will be available 

On-Demand recorded webinars located at IPULIDAHO.ORG
 

ipulidaho.org
208-342-5884
parents@ipulidaho.org
Point your smartphone at the QR code to be taken directly to IPUL's registration page
question ask here
Contact Idaho Parents Unlimited!

The best method to reach us for assistance is through our website:  
https://ipulidaho.org/connect-with-us#contact-us-here . You can also shoot us a question using the abbreviated version of that form at the bottom of every page on our website, although we may need to get more information from you.

We monitor our intake phone line (208-342-5884) during the workday, and will try to respond to any request there within 24 hours. We use an automated intake phone system, so you will be leaving a message. (Please be sure the number you are leaving us can accept text or voice messages.)

For questions that are not about something in our scope of work, you can still leave a phone message as above, send the question to the form on our website, or shoot us an email at parents@ipulidaho.org.

We keep our website updated with new news and events, and maintain a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
IPUL's programs are funded in part through grants and contracts with the following:
logos for F2F Family Voices and Ideas that Work
Programs and services offered by Idaho Parents Unlimited are supported in part by the U.S. Department of Education (H328M200033) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Affordable Care Act Family to Family Health Information Center (H84MC12896), opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions of either department, endorsement is not assumed