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The Connecting Point

Volume 3 Issue 15 October 6th, 2005

In This ISSUE:

1) New Effort to Improve Communication on DD Issues
2) New Resource on Transportation and Youth/Adults with Disabilities
3) Information and Examples of Social Security Pass Plans
4) Center for Personal Assistance Center Resources

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1) New Effort to Improve Communication on DD Issues-   
September 27, 2005. We know good information leads to good choices and decisions for people with developmental disabilities, yet recent survey data in Washington shows that many families say they do not get enough information to effectively participate in planning services for their family members. This is of grave concern to many advocacy and support organizations. We believe clear, concise information from trusted sources is critical to every family's ability to access resources and care for individuals with developmental disabilities.

That's why the Developmental Disabilities Council and the Division of Developmental Disabilities are forming a new partnership with other key state and local organizations to improve communication. The goal is to share information about changes in the DD delivery service system before those changes happen and in a manner that families can understand.

This ongoing effort to improve communication and access to information is called Informing Families, Building Trust. An editorial board representing families and key organizations will direct the effort. We will be working to help translate government language that many people find difficult to understand. We will also focus on creating materials, such as e-mails, letters, brochures, websites or other resources, that families can use to learn about changes in the system before they happen. Our materials will include the Informing Families, Building Trust logo, and families can be confident that others have reviewed the information to ensure it is accurate and straightforward.

Together we can improve communication and help families build confidence in their knowledge of the DD service delivery system.

What's First
The first communication effort Informing Families, Building Trust will be working on is the new Mini-Assessment, which the Division of Developmental Disabilities will be rolling out this fall. We will soon be sending you more information on the Mini-Assessment, what families can expect and tips on how to prepare for the assessment.

Informing Families, Building Trust Partners (IFBT)
Partner organizations, like yours, are encouraged to share IFBT communication materials with members and interested parties. Attached is a press release with similar information about the effort. For more information, email or call Ed Holen at edh@cted.wa.gov or 1-800-634-4473

2) New Resource on Transportation and Youth/Adults with Disabilities
For youth with developmental and other disabilities, the opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, and experience in using public transportation as well as other transportation options is key to preparation for adult community living. "Impact: Feature Issue on Meeting Transportation Needs of Youth and Adults with Developmental Disabilities" is a new publication from the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota that offers strategies for meeting these and other transportation needs of youth and adults with disabilities. This summer issue of the quarterly newsletter is available online at http://www.ici.umn.edu/products/impact/183/183.pdf.
It's also available in print by contacting the Institute's Publications Office at 612/624-4512 or publications@icimail.umn.edu ; the first print copy is free and each additional is $4.

Source: REFERENCE POINTS: 

3. Information and Examples of Social Security Pass Plans
From the Montana University Rural Institute. This web site contains information and examples explaining how to write a Pass Plan implementing a Social Security Work Incentive. Forms to use as a guide are included as well as specific examples and case studies. Additional web resources are listed. www.passplan.org

4) Center for Personal Assistance Center Resources
A web site containing information providing assistance to families and individuals in, finding, hiring and supervising personal care attendants. Here are some other things that you will find on this site:

• Training pages that help you train your personal assistant
• Tools that will help you to assess your needs do job ads, create a task checklist, a work agreement and other thing
• Links to other sites that may help you
• Additional resources that will provide additional information

http://www.pascenter.org/pas_users/index_old.php

"Working Together: Personal Assistance Training and You" To see the entire resource, Go to: http://www.pascenter.org/pas_users/questions_and_answers.php?print=yes The following are some of the topics from the Training, Introduction to Personal Assistance Services

• Rights
• Finding an Attendant
• Interviewing an Attendant
• Communicating with an attendant
• Your responsibilities as an Employer of an Attendant
• Personal Issues with Attendants