Welcome to Connecting Point Mailing List Archives Vol. 3
The Connecting Point
Volume: 3 Issue: 23 Date: April 26, 2006
In This ISSUE:
1) Finding the Path - A Handbook for Persons with Mental Retardation and their Families
2) Finding Help When You're In trouble with the Law. A Handbook for Persons with Mental Illness and their Families
3) National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center
4) SSA Commissioner Barnhart Announces New Disability Determination Process
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1) Finding the Path - A Handbook for Persons with Mental Retardation and their Families Texas Appleseed's has conducted extensive fair defense research on the challenges facing individuals with development disabilities in the criminal justice system Individuals with these disabilities are often unable to understand their legal situation or to know what to do to ensure that their best interests are represented. They and their families may not recognize the importance of hiring or requesting a court-appointed attorney with experience in working with persons with mental disabilities. To encourage their better legal representation, Texas Appleseed has produced English- and Spanish-language handbooks for persons with DD and their families to help them navigate the criminal justice process, from arrest and Miranda warnings, to what they should know about hiring a lawyer and disclosing their disability during the legal process. Texas Appleseed has also produced handbooks for attorneys who represent these special needs clients. -.To order copies, contact Deborah Fowler at: Deborah Fowler, Legal Director, 512-804-1633 x105,
2) Finding Help When You're In trouble with the Law. A Handbook for Persons with Mental Illness and their Families - Texas Appleseed has just released the Third Edition of the Handbook who provides assistance to individuals with Mental Health legal/criminal issues. http://www.texasappleseed.net/pdf/handbook_FindingHelp.pdf
3) National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center - The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (NSTTAC) is directed and staffed by the Special Education Program at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, in partnership with the Special Education Programs at Western Michigan University and Appalachian State University. In order to ensure full implementation of IDEA and help youth with disabilities and their families achieve desired post-school outcomes, NSTTAC will help states build capacity to support and improve transition planning, services, and outcomes for youth with disabilities and disseminate information and provide technical assistance on scientifically-based research practices with an emphasis on building and sustaining state-level infrastructures of support and district-level demonstrations of effective transition methods for youth with disabilities. The NSTTAC will provide efficient and effective large-scale implementation and sustainability of research-based secondary transition.
NSTTAC Newsletter
"NSTTAC" will begin producing a monthly electronic newsletter in August, 2006. If you’d like to receive this newsletter, please provide us with your e-mail address in an message titled “news registration” to chfowler@email.uncc.edu.
The news will include information for students, parents, practitioners, and policy makers on the legal and policy updates, resource materials, evidence based strategies, success stories, and other good information on secondary transition issues. We look forward to being in touch with you each month!
4) SSA Commissioner Barnhart Announces New Disability Determination Process On March 28, Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart announced that the final rule establishing a new disability determination process is now on public display at the Office of the Federal Register. The new process, built upon Social Security's electronic claims process, will shorten decision times and pay benefits to people who are obviously disabled much earlier in the process. To learn more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/disability-new-approach . To view the press release visit www.socialsecurity.gov/pressoffice/pr/DSI-pr.htm.
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