PLUK eNews June
21-25, 2004
http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Jun_21_04.htm
Volume 2 Issue 50
Welcome to the weekly PLUK eNews!
(Download the printable pdf version at: http://www.pluk.org/eNews/Jun_21_04.pdf
)
We are proud to present news of interest for Montana families of children with disabilities and special health care needs, and for the professionals and educators who serve them; however, it does not constitute an endorsement.
eNews takes summer break!
With this issue of eNews, we will be taking a break until the end of July.
Look for a new issue then.
We will be sending out a reader survey in the next week. Please let us know what
you would like to see in this publication in the upcoming year.
Conference Call Training on Cerebral Palsy, June 30
Bobbie Thurston, Family Support Counselor at PLUK will present June 30 from
10-11:30am on a conference call devoted to issues of children with cerebral
Palsy.
Anyone may participate by phone, but you must be registered as there are a
limited number of lines. Telephone Bobbie at 800-222-7585 or email
bthurston@pluk.org and we'll send you the toll free number and access code.
Yellowstone Art Museum Workshops, July 15 & 22,
Billings
All children are invited to attend workshops at the Yellowstone Art Museum
10-11:30am on July 15 & 22. Their purpose is to help kids explore their
creative abilities and have fun! Participants will be working with paint and
should wear clothing that is appropriate. There is no fee to participate, but
you must register in advance for both sessions. Space is limited so call the
PLUK office soon at 255-0540.
Augmentative Communication Seminar, September 23,
Billings
Tanya Rose Curtis of Augmentative Communication Solutions will present a
half-day seminar on communication devices September 23 at Billings Clinic Room
#3 from 3:00-7:00pm. More detailed information will be available later in the
summer.
Scottish Rite Phonological Awareness Camp, July 12-16,
Billings
Children 5 and older are welcome to attend if they are delayed in the area
of phonemic awareness or at risk of delay in pre-reading skills.
Scottish Rite Social Language Camp, July 26-30, Billings
Designed for children ages 6-10 who have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum
Disorder, Asperger's or PDD and demonstrate difficulty with social language.
Register for both camps by calling 259-1680, there is a $50 fee.
U.S. Senate Passes Hate Crimes Legislation - Disability
Added to Protected Classes
On June 15, 2004, the Senate approved, by a vote of 65 to 33, the Local Law
Enforcement Enhancement Act, which among other things, expands federal hate
crime protection to include disability, sexual orientation and gender. The bill
was sponsored by Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR), Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Edward
Kennedy (D-MA) and attached as an amendment to the Department of Defense
authorization bill.
Current law permits the federal government to assist local and state authorities
prosecuting certain types of crimes committed on the basis of the victim's race,
religion or ethnic background. The legislation approved by the Senate would
broaden it on two counts: allowing federal involvement in many more types of
crimes, and adding disability, sexual orientation and gender to the list of
covered categories. It also provides for more effective investigation and
prosecution of bias-motivated crimes by removing some of the obstacles to
federal prosecution.
Under the amendment, federal technical assistance would also be made available
to state and local law enforcement officials for the investigation and
prosecution of hate crimes that fall under federal categories, and grants would
be given for training in local law enforcement.
Read the complete article at: http://www.ucp.org/ucp_generaldoc.cfm/1/8/28/28-28/5584
PARENT GUIDANCE HANDBOOK 2003
This Parent Handbook is provided by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a tool
for all Native American parents of school-aged children as an aid in advocating
for their children's education. The overall objective is to increase the quality
of education and enhance the academic performance of Native American students.
This manual serves as a template for each tribe and state to adapt to their
specific needs, concerns, and culture. http://sva.echalk.com/www/bia/site/hosting/Early%20Childhood/Parent%20Handbook.pdf
MOVING ON TO HIGH SCHOOL: A TIP SHEET FOR PARENTS OF
CHILDREN ON INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PLANS
Time spent in school is probably the single greatest feature of a young
person's life. So it only makes sense for parents to make sure their sons and
daughters get what they need from school. Even though families don't have much
influence over how schools structure courses, there are things they can do to
make the most of what their schools have to offer. This tip sheet is based on
the experiences of students with disabilities in public schools and their
families and can be found at Moving On to High School -- http://www.communityinclusion.org/publications/pub.php?page=to19
Asperger's Syndrome: Guidelines for Treatment and
Intervention
Ami Klin, Ph.D., and Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., Yale Child Study Center, New
Haven, Connecticut
http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/astreatments.html
Asperger syndrome (AS) is a severe developmental disorder characterized by major
difficulties in social interaction, and restricted and unusual patterns of
interest and behavior. There are many similarities with "autism without
mental retardation" (or "Higher Functioning Autism"), and the
issue of whether Asperger syndrome and Higher Functioning Autism are different
conditions is not yet resolved. Nevertheless, a considerable body of knowledge
regarding this condition has been evolving in the past few years. A summary of
issues regarding assessment and diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome are discussed in
some detail in a related booklet circulated by the Learning Disabilities
Association of America, and readers are advised to consult that text prior to
reading the following guidelines. The present text is an attempt to summarize a
series of concrete proposals for treatment and intervention, with a view to
provide parents and care providers with specific suggestions that may be helpful
in devising educational and treatment programs for children and adolescents
affected by this severe form of social learning disability. Because of space
constraints, these suggestions are by necessity brief. Parents and care
providers seeking additional information are referred to the more comprehensive
reviews listed in our reference page.
OUR CHILDREN LEFT BEHIND Conference Committee Dialogue
Preparation
With the IDEA reauthorization moving toward the Conference Committee stages
in the legislative process, we thought that we'd remind everyone of the
importance of becoming familiar with the actual text of both IDEA
"reauthorization" bills: H.R.1350/EAS (as passed by the Senate on May
13, 2004) and H.R.1350/EH (as passed by the House of Representatives on April
30, 2003).
For your convenience, OCLB has downloaded these bills from the Library of
Congress and added navigational links. (Please note that after S.1248 passed
through the Senate, it was renamed H.R.1350/EAS.)
H.R.1350/EAS (The Senate Version) http://members.aol.com/OCLBinfo/108th/HR1350EAS.htm
H.R.1350/EH (The House Version) http://members.aol.com/OCLBinfo/108th/HR1350EH.htm
We have been told that it is wise for parents to be prepared and know exactly
what is most important to us about IDEA '97, what needs to be retained, and why.
It is important to note the precise sections that we feel have made (and
continue to make) significant positive differences in the school days of our
student(s). We all need to be prepared to explain this and describe real life
examples whenever we ask our Senators or their staff members to preserve
specific sections, language, and terminology found in IDEA '97.
The current law (IDEA '97) may be found at: http://www.ideapractices.org/law/downloadLaw.php
Did you know that NAPAS has recently updated its user-friendly
side-by-side-by-side comparison of Parts A and B? OCLB has added bookmarks, for
ease of navigation, and uploaded it to: http://members.aol.com/OCLBinfo/side-by-side-by-side.pdf
Additionally, NASDSE has updated its side-by-side-by-side comparison of the
bills. It is accessible via http://www.nasdse.org/government_relations/ideareauthorization.htm
Some parents just say 'whoa' to school-required
medications
As parents seek more legal protection, controversy over drugs' impact
deepens.
By Kelly Hearn | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
When Patricia Weathers's son Michael had problems in his first-grade class,
a school psychologist told the New York mother he had attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and needed to be medicated with stimulants. If
not, he would be sent to a special education facility near his Millbrook, N.Y.,
school.
Confused and intimidated, Ms. Weathers says she consented to put Michael on
Ritalin, a commonly used stimulant that doctors prescribe to decrease the
symptoms of ADHD - restlessness, disorganization, hyperactivity.
But Michael exhibited negative effects from the drug, such as social withdrawal.
Instead of spotting the side effects, Weathers says, school officials again
pressured her back to the psychiatrist's office, where Michael's diagnosis was
changed to social anxiety disorder and an antidepressant prescribed.
Finally, says Weathers, "I saw that the medicines were making Michael
psychotic, so I stopped giving them to him." When she stopped the medicine,
the school reported her to state child protective services for child abuse.
Though charges were dropped, the Weathers case has become a symbol of the
simmering controversy surrounding attention deficit disorder/ADHD, treatment for
it, and the subjective diagnostic tests some critics say has led to an overuse
of stimulants in schools.
Though there is no official count of people claiming coercion, (Weathers says
some 800 parents have logged complaints of similar coercion on her website
www.ablechild.org), child abuse allegations appear to be infrequent, perhaps
because states are moving to pass laws that to some degree limit what schools
can say or do regarding ADHD and other behavioral disorders.
Read the complete article at: http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0614/p12s01-legn.html
PLUK trainings and activities planned for 2004-05
PLUK & associate boards around the state have planned a number of
training and activities for this upcoming school year. Mark your calendar if you
are interested in participating.
Statewide Interactive Videoconferences
Other Training/Community Activities
Birthday Time?
Does your child have a birthday coming up? Are you dreading the decorating,
food preparation and cleanup? If so, Contact Bill at Montana Candy Bar &
Deli at 294-2327. Montana Candy Bar & Deli offers birthday parties at their
store located at 111South 24th Street West in the Rimrock Mini Mall.
They will do the decorating, provide lunch, ice cream and activities for the
kids giving you an opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the party for a
change. Be sure to take your camera for great photo of all the activities.
AND PLUK will receive a portion of the proceeds!
Get your Albertson Community Partners card!
PLUK has joined Albertsons' Community Partners Card Program. This program is
designed to help non-profit organizations raise funds needed for their programs.
A percentage of your grocery total will be donated to PLUK. All that is needed
is to show your Community Partners card each time you make a purchase at
Albertsons. It does not cost you anything.
If you are interested in assisting PLUK in raising funds this way, please
contact Bernice at 255-0540 to get a Community Partners card.
1. Monday Morning in Washington, DC, http://www.inclusionresearch.org
2. Rocky Mountain DBTAC, http://www.adainformation.org
3. Transition Newsflash, Montana Center on Disabilities, http://www.msubillings.edu/transition
4. PEN Weekly NewsBlast http://www.publiceducation.org
5. Reference Points: Transition updates from the TATRA Project, http://www.pacer.org/tatra/tatra.htm
6. The American Indian Disability Technical Assistance Center Training Calendar http://aidtac.ruralinstitute.umt.edu/TrainingCalendar.htm
7. Rural Policy Matters, http://www.ruraledu.org/rpm/rpm.htm
8. Technology for Nonprofits: http://www.techsoup.org
Parent's, Let's Unite for Kids - PLUK
516 N 32nd St
Billings MT 59101-6003
800-222-7585; 406-255-0540; 406-255-0523 (fax)
plukinfo@pluk.org
http://www.pluk.org
Edited by: Roger Holt rholt@pluk.org
Proofed & condensed by: Elisabeth Mills scribe@pluk.org
Mission Statement: Parent's Let's Unite for Kids unites parents, professionals, families and friends of children with special needs to support one another, and share information for the benefit of their children.
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