Here are the highlights of our upcoming events and recent activity online. Not everything is included due to timeliness.

If an advertised event already took place, we've left it off. 

Idaho Parents Unlimited will be closed for Martin Luther King / Idaho Human Rights Day on Monday, January 15.

Any messages left for us during that time will not be responded to until Tuesday, January 16. 

As we write this newsletter, a massive winter storm is moving in on much of Idaho. We share this from the Ada County Highway District as a reminder of how you should best deal with any snow accumulation.

Snow Removal

Putting Snow in it's place!

When a winter storm hits, the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) winter maintenance crews work to clear roads of snow to make them safer. With more than 5000 lane miles to cover, its a huge job.

Residents have a job too!

Keeping the sidewalk in front of your home or business clear of snow and ice is required by local and state codes

* it's also Polite

WHERE SHOULD THE SNOW GO?

Clearing Sidewalks

Place the snow on your property or within the buffer between the sidewalk and the street if one exists.

Clearing Parking Lots

Keep the snow within the private property

PLEASE!

Do not push the snow into the street

Storm Drains

Everyone plays a part in mitigating potential flooding, and property owners should work to keep their adjacent storm drains clear of debris and snow.

Find your neighborhood storm drains online at achdidaho.or/stormdrainmap

Hiring a Contractor

Homeowner’s associations can apply for a permit from ACHD to hire a bonded contractor to remove snow from residential streets. 

Visit achdidaho.org/snowpermit to learn more.

Parents of youth:

Idaho Parents Unlimited is presenting at Tools for Life 2024 in Idaho Falls

March 4, 2024

Choose your time

8-9 AM or 6-7 PM

Having High Expectations When You Don’t Know What to Expect

This interactive training is designed to help parents, educators, and related service providers understand the importance of having high expectations in children with disabilities, but to also have high expectations of parents, educators, and the community as a whole in supporting students with disabilities to be successful in school and to achieve their goals for postsecondary education, employment, and independent living.

Registration:

Not Required but encouraged

No Cost

Holiday Inn & Suites Idaho Falls - Boardroom

3005 South Fork Boulevard Idaho Falls,

ID 83402

https://forms.gle/GDME2rt1oPD2Bnce7

We shared this link to the Parent Resource for Idaho Public Education! This page offers helpful links and content for the parents and guardians of students in Idaho public schools.

https://prtoolkit.org/

Celebrating Family Caregivers as Care Champions

Date: Saturday, March 9th, 2024

Time: 9:00AM - 4:00PM (MST) Registration: $25 (virtual)

The 13th Annual Idaho Caregiver Alliance (ICA) Conference is a celebration of family caregivers of all ages. 

The event includes speakers, resources, and the opportunity to visit with other individuals who provide care for a family member, friend, or neighbor. This conference will be presented virtually using the Zoom platform. 

Click here for full information and to sign up to attend.

IPUL Arts spotlights teaching artist, Mr. Jordan!

A special thank you to Music therapist, Matthew Jordan, who has been a teaching artist with Idaho Parents Unlimited Art Residence program for over a decade. Through his exceptional skill teaching students of all abilities, he has brought music education to youth throughout the Treasure Valley. His ability to bring joy and connection to learning through music has made all our lives better.

Though he has recently moved back east, we want to take this moment to acknowledge his contribution to IPUL Arts and music education.

If Mr. Jordan has had a positive impact on you or a loved one, please share in the comments! We would love to celebrate him as a community.

"Mr. Jordan was instrumental (unintended but appropriate pun haha!) in my daughter's life for many years. He's provided music therapy as well as weekly music classes at the Arc prior to Covid, and just fun music events over the years. We wish him the very best in his new chapter back east. He is such a gift!" - Angela Lindig

Attention! ONLY 4 -6 SPOTS left. 

Idaho parents of youth with special health care needs 14-16 years of age.

Your Future Self Will Appreciate This!

We are working on a pilot project to create a smoother process for youth who will need to transition their health care to adult service providers in the next few years.

What Can I Expect?

FREE resources and tools for your teen and their primary care provider; calls and coaching with IPUL and our Maternal Child Health partners to receive individualized support through this short term process (pilot is complete this spring); $100 stipend for participation

Sounds Simple! How can I sign up?

It is simple! Contact Stephanie Walters, CYSHCN Director and Maternal & Child Health Clinical Coordinator, IDHW at stephanie.walters1@dhw.idaho.gov

or for additional questions about this project, contact IPUL at parents@ipulidaho.org or 208-342-5884

This project is supported by Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc. (IPUL), Got Transition®, and Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Maternal Child Health

Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day

Thursday,

February 1, 2024

10:00 AM 1:00 PM

AWARD CEREMONY AT NOON

FIRST FLOOR CAPITOL ROTUNDA

Sign up for a Capitol Tour: bit.ly/CID24

Set up meetings with your legislators

Learn about issues that impact people with disabilities

Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day Proclamation

NOON

Presentation of CID Awards

ASL and

Spanish Interpreters

Join the

Disability community and the Our Care Can’t Wait Coalition during the event.

The coalition will be hosting a table with information for legislators about

the direct care workforce shortage. Invite your legislator to the event and

share why your direct care staff is important to you (or your family member).

Not sure

who your legislators are? Click here and enter your address to find out who

they are and get their contact information.

Visit

the LINC website for more information about Advocacy Day on January 31, 2024 in

conjunction with Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day. Registration Deadline

is January 5, 2024!

YOUR STORIES MATTER!

Are you

a person with a disability or a senior who uses the services of a direct care

worker? Or do you provide such services? If so, the Our Care Can't Wait

Coalition would like to hear from you.

Share your Story!

Our Care

Can't Wait, is a coalition of people with disabilities, families, disability

advocacy organizations and HCBS provider agencies working to ensure people with

disabilities and families have a well-qualified, reliable workforce that meets

their needs to live the life they choose.

We're reaching out to awesome individuals of all ages with different abilities – yes, that includes YOU!

We want to hear YOUR unique story and learn how direct care workforce staff shortages have impacted your life and your access to home and community-based services.

Your story is powerful, and we believe it deserves to be heard! This year, we're making a big impact at the annual Fred Riggers Disability Awareness Day, and we need your help. Share a bit about your journey and submit a photo to be part of something special.

Here's how you can contribute:

1. Share Your Story: Tell us how staff shortages have affected your life and access to services. Don't worry, just speak from the heart, like you're telling a friend.

2. Submit a Photo: Include a picture of yourself – it could be a snapshot of your daily life, a favorite hobby, or anything that represents you.

3. Spread the Word: Let's make some noise! Encourage your friends, family, and community members to share their stories too.

We'll be sharing these stories with legislators and community members to raise awareness and make a real impact. Because YOUR story matters!

Ready to be a part of something awesome? Reply to this email with your story and photo attached by January 26th. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We can't wait to hear from you!

Send your story and photo to:

parents@ipulidaho.org or mail to

4619 Emerald St. Ste. E

Boise, ID 83706

If you need a fillable option please email us and we can send it. We are not able to attach it to the post.

“Has your child been newly diagnosed and you want to know what Idaho offers? Maybe your child is supported by the Family Directed pathway and you are curious how it differs from the Traditional pathway. Have you just moved to Idaho and want to know more about Idaho Medicaid services for children with disabilities or special healthcare needs? Then this training is for you!”

Self-Guided Module

Deciphering Idaho’s Medicaid Services

The modules will cover:

• Social Security
• YES Program
• Medicaid/Katie Beckett
• Children's Developmental Disabilities Program
• And much more!

Going Live NOW

via self guided module

Registration Required (Click here to go to registration page)

Connect the Dots:

Join us for our Monthly Office Hours

Idaho Medicaid Q&A

January 17, 2024 from 12:30-1:30 PM MST

To access Zoom for the Q&A please register for this month's modules above

Contact Idaho Parents Unlimited!

The best method to reach us for assistance is through our website:  

https://ipulidaho.org/connect-with-us/ . 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 events and maintain a presence on Facebook, and Instagram

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