Hello to all of our loyal readers.  CDRC hopes everyone is enjoying their summer. 

In this newsletter, we will be updating you on some issues and letting you know about a couple of events that are happening in July.

 

Money Follows the Person.

 

The request for proposal (RFP) for MFP’s Transition Center ’s is finally out of the procurement process. It has gone to The Department of Budget Management.  (DBM) The Department estimates the Transition Center ’s RFP should be out between August and September.  The sooner the better so they can get started working.  There has been 25 people who moved from Rosewood and Nursing Facilitates to a community setting on MFP.  11 of the 25 people have moved out on the Older Adults Waiver and 14 moved on the Living At Home Waiver.

 

CDRC would like to welcome Wayne Reed III as DDA's Money Follows the Person Statewide Coordinator.  In this capacity Wayne will coordinate all aspects of the Money Follows the Person Demonstration grant for individuals with developmental disabilities
moving from State Residential Centers and other congregate settings into community-based settings.  He will work closely with other State agencies and stakeholder groups to facilitate the movement of approximately 250 individuals with developmental disabilities into community placements under Maryland 's Money Follows the Person Demonstration Project grant. 

 

 

Communication Taskforce Committee

 

CDRC was invited to participate in a Communication Task Force.  The task force is just beginning to work on the issue.  We had our first meeting the middle of June.  Our second meeting will be in mid-August.  The committee is chaired by Bill Webster.  Bill is a Service Coordinator.  The task force contends that many people receiving services from the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) do not receive enough support in stating what they want or need at their annual or periodic Individual Plan (IP) meeting.  There is typically no formal assessment of communications needs and no plan to address the communications skills of a person receiving services or the skills of that person's communication partners (DDA, service coordinators, service providers, employers, family members, friends, peer mentors and community members).  The Communication Task Force will:

ü                 Initially address the removal of communication barriers encountered by people who do not articulate their preferences vocally

ü                 Assess the current level of support for individual communication rights in the Maryland developmental disability system

ü                 Identify short-term tactics that service coordinators can employ to improve an individual’s ability to communicate preferences

ü                 Identify strategies to systematically improve the communication between people eligible for DDA services and their communication partners

ü                 Develop recommendations for communication skills training for service coordinators and service providers.

 

Upcoming Events

 

On Monday, July 21, 2008, Governor Martin O’Malley and the Maryland
Department of Disabilities will recognize the impact of the 2008 Maryland
Fitness and Athletic Equity Act for Students with Disabilities, a new
Maryland law that will provide more opportunities for all students to
participate in adaptive physical education, unified sports and, for those
who qualify, varsity athletic competition. 
 
The event will feature Maryland 2008 Paralympians, including Tatyana
McFadden a Maryland athlete whose photo is currently appearing on McDonald’s
cups.  Special guest and keynote speaker, Willie Stewart, winner of the 2007
New York City Triathlon physically challenged division, also will share his
experiences and discuss “Armed for the Challenge” an award-winning
documentary about his life that will be screened as part of the event
program.   Representatives from the Maryland State Department of Education,
Special Olympics of Maryland, local disability organizations will be on hand
for the event.  Special displays, demonstrations and information will be
available for parents and local school systems as they prepare to implement
this new law.  PLEASE BE ADVISED that the July 21 Fitness and Athletic Equity event HAS BEEN MOVED from Annapolis to the M & T Bank Ravens Stadium in Baltimore .  The event hours have also been changed.  The event will now be held from 3 – 4 p.m.

 
On Saturday, July 26, 2008 people with disabilities will be celebrating the 18th Anniversary of the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act at the Music Center at
Strathmore.  The Music Center at Strathmore is located at: 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda , MD 20852   The event will take place from 4:00-7:00 PM. The event will include a special salute to disabled veterans for their support of the ADA . 

The festivities will include refreshments, music, etc. 

Governor O’Malley is scheduled to participate in both events.

 

Thanks

 

CDRC would like to thank Tamar Clark from Toastmasters for presenting to the CDRC members at our last membership meeting in June.  We would also like to thank Barbara McCord for taking the time from her Sunday to attend CDRC’s membership meeting in June to discuss CDRC’s continuation proposal with the membership.

 

Meeting reminder

 

Just a reminder that CDRC does not have a membership meeting in July.  Our next training / membership meeting will be August 24th.