News
Join the Welcome Team!
Are you a viral social butterfly? Do you like to connect with people with the same interests? Do you enjoy interacting with people online? We are currently seeking voluntary Network Hosts to join the Welcome Team for the Self-Determination Network.
As a Network Host, your primary duties would be to welcome and engage new members. Members of the Welcome Team get email notifications when new members join the Network, and then if it is your week (a monthly schedule is created based on hosts’ availability), you would welcome the new member by posting on his/her timeline. With support from the community manager, you would also be encouraged to post content on your profile and come up with ways to interact with members.
Network Hosts would need to:
- Be able to check email on a regular basis
- Be active in the disability community
- Be familiar with the Self-Determination Network
- Engage and interact with others
- Be willing to learn some “behind-the-scene” tricks of the Network
What would you receive in exchange for joining the Welcome Team? You will have opportunities to:
- Share your skills and knowledge
- Gain new skills, knowledge and experience as a host with an online network (and you can add this to your resume!)
- Connect with your fellow members and get to know them better
- Support an online learning community
Please note that, while we value all our hosts, we are not able to offer paid work opportunities.
Apply to become a Network Host. Applications are due October 3rd. Contact Stacy at sellingen@incontrolwisconsin.org with any questions you have.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Reality TV's 'Born This Way' featuring Orange County cast members wins Emmy
By SD Network, 2016-09-12
For the first time, a TV series starring a cast with disabilities has won an Emmy Award. Born This Way, which is in its second season on A&E, won for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Series. The unscripted reality show follows a group of seven young adults with Down syndrome along with their family and friends in Southern California.
There’s a saying that goes something like, “you can’t choose your family, but you can choose your friends.” As I’ve alluded to in past entries, I’m incredibly blessed to have an absolutely wonderful family but I’m also very fortunate to have awesome friends. For some people who have disabilities, finding true friends can be challenging.
For me, since I have pretty severe limitations, it was hard to get people to understand that I was fully cognitively aware. This was especially the case when I was younger. It really helped that I was completely mainstreamed from Kindergarten on. Each year, more and more classmates got to know me. Teachers and educational assistants were great about making sure students included me. In fact, I remember my very first day of first grade (I had switched schools because my parents were building a wheelchair accessible house in a different part of the city), my teacher (who I ironically had for two years of Early Childhood previously) took me out of my chair and sat me on a bench with her where she explained my disability to the class. I think that really helped.
Over the years, I made many great friends in school. They got to know me and understand my needs. Like most kids, I had many “best friends” during my elementary school years. These friends understood me (I’m mostly nonverbal) and didn’t mind helping me with things like feeding and driving my chair (not that I needed help driving, but it was a cool thing to do back then). They saw past my disability. I got invited to things like birthday parties just like my peers. Most of the time, my mom accompanied me to parties to assist me. I also had many birthday parties and sleepovers. I was in things like Girl Scouts too. My parents were all about providing me with opportunities to socially interact.
My junior high years were interesting years for me. Because of where we lived, I went to a junior high school than most of my friends from elementary school—including my three “best friends.” I did make friends during those years, but I also kept in touch with my best friends. When we went to high school, we were all back together and it was awesome. As I mentioned in a previous entry, even though I never had a date, I attended every school dance with my friends. I’m still close friends with these girls today.
When I started at UW-Whitewater, I vaguely knew three people. I laugh at that now because I have so many friends from college. UW-Whitewater was different in that since it specialized in serving students with disabilities, it wasn’t unusual for students with disabilities to become friends with other students with disabilities. In fact, it was more common than not. It took me awhile to get used to because in my high school, I was practically the only student who had significant physical limitations who was in all regular classes; so for obvious reasons, I did my best not to associate myself with those with cognitive disabilities. In college, though, since there was such a variety of students with and without disabilities, I learned quickly that it didn’t matter. Actually, it was very apparent that it was natural for those with similar circumstances to become friends. I became friends with lots of people who had various types of abilities. We were there for each other when limitations got in our way, and we also pushed and encouraged each other to reach our highest potential.
At UW-Whitewater, I also quickly became friends with a different group of people—my personal care assistants. Yes, the care agency tried to prevent it from happening because it was “unethical,” but it’s almost inevitable not to become friends with someone who is helping you with your personal care needs. Most of my care assistants were students as well, so it was just like I was hanging out with friends. Obviously, not all of my assistants became close friends (and that’s ok), but I had a great group of girls who had my back. We’d hang out and do things outside of my shifts. I’d try to be conscious not to “use” them to help me outside of my shift times, but, to them, it was no big deal to help me with things when they weren’t working—to them, it was like helping a friend. Like many college students, we’d stay out late and those girls had no problem throwing me in bed when we got back. The care agency eventually gave up trying to stop our friendship and loved how close we were.
Four of us became super close and remain close to this day. We don’t see each other as often as we’d like, but it just makes the times we do get together more special. Recently, my parents and I attended a wedding of one of the girls. The four girls were back together for a mere few hours, and, on the way home, my mom said, “those girls bring out something in you that no one else can.” She’s right. I can only hope our friendship lasts forever.
I understand that being friends with someone who has a physical disability takes some extra effort. As we get older, my friends have to explain my disability to their significant others and children. I’m sure that’s not an easy conversation to have, but they do it because they love me and want to remain friends. Their boyfriends/husbands and children always seem to embrace the situation. To me, that’s true friendship!
Where would I be without my friends? Honestly, it’s a scary thought. I can’t begin to imagine my life without them. I’m so incredibly blessed that they chose to become friends with me!
***The views expressed here are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of InControl Wisconsin, the Network or any of our sponsors.
The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities Wants Your Input!
Are you an individual with a disability or family member that has participated in a BPDD activity (e.g., conference, training, community conversation) during the past year?
If yes, please take a few moments to complete this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N3PYBRH.
Your feedback is very important to BPDD. To thank you for completing the survey byFriday, September 16th , your name will be entered into a pool for a chance to receive a $50.00 gift card to Amazon!
Ann Sievert
WI-BPDD
State Plan Project Manager
608-267-9897
Email: ann.sievert@wisconsin.gov
The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Workforce Alliance is looking for some help! Please visit the Alliance Facebook Page to Like, Comment and Share their post on nominations for the 2016 Caregiver Awards. Here's the Link:
https://www.facebook.com/Alliancewisconsinlongtermcareworkforcealliance/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
According to the Dept. of Justice, having people with disabilities on waiting lists for community-based services may violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. It may put people at risk of being institutionalized. Under the ADA, individuals with disabilities are entitled to access services in the most integrated setting possible.
Countdown to the Self-Determination Conference! Earlybird Registration Extended!
By SD Network, 2016-09-02
Register Now!
2016 Self-Determination Conference
November 8-10, 2016
THE COUNTDOWN TO THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BEGINS!
9. THIS WEEK: Don’t miss out on this Early Bird opportunity! Register by Thursday, September 15, 2016, and save on your registration fee.
8. BEFORE YOU COME IN NOVEMBER: Vote on Nov 8! Be sure to stop by your local voting place on November 8 to cast your ballot before heading to the conference. Be sure to allow for plenty of time, because it is a national election and there may be lines at the polls.
7. COME TO THE PRE-CONFERENCE: Head to the Self-Determination
Pre-Conference in the Wisconsin Dells. Sessions start at 3 pm.
Choose from the following topics: (Don’t forget to pre-register)
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Creating a Meaningful Life Learn about ways you can have a full life.
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Before 18 Learn about some new interactive tools to support youth successfully transition to adult life.
- Apps and Extensions for Everyone! Explore free apps to make information accessible and life easier. (We encourage you to bring your laptop or smart device.)
6. ELECTION NIGHT NOV. 8: Join us for the kick-off event: IT’S YOUR PARTY! Watch the election results with us! Enjoy a meal with friends and learn more about the issues facing the disability community in 2017.
5. AT THE CONFERENCE NOV. 9-10: Meet our special Keynote speaker, Keith Jones. As a black man with a disability, Keith has many experiences and insights to share with us on disability, diversity and inclusion.
4. Count me in! We have a lot we can learn from others of diverse backgrounds about the challenges they see in their communities and how they are working to overcome the barriers. Many stories! Many learning opportunities!
3. Work, Community, Support, Transition, Money and More! So much to learn!
2. Just for fun and Enrichment: Parks and Recreation, Paralympics, Drumming and Improv; just to name a few topics to enrich your community involvement.
1. Well we can’t tell you everything! As always you can COUNT ON some surprises along the way! So don’t miss out on being a part of this very special community!
The Wisconsin Self-Determination Conference empowers people with disabilities in Wisconsin to have more control over their lives.
This year's theme is Count Me In! Join us as we explore ways you can and do make a difference.
To register or apply for a scholarship, visit Register Online
More than 600 people each year participate in the conference to learn more about self-determination so they can live independently, be members of their communities, and use public funds efficiently. The conference participants include people with disabilities and their family members, direct care providers, and professionals from Wisconsin's disability community. #SDCountMeIn
Recently, the Dept. of Justice announced its issuing new regulations to expand who's covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It will cover those with everything from cancer to diabetes, epilepsy, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities, and other conditions. The new regulations will take effect October 11th.
According to a new report, the number of potential voters with disabilities is increasing. About 35.4 million Americans with disabilities will be eligible to vote in November's election. It's a 7% increase from the 2012 election. As this number increases, voters with disabilities will surpass other demographic groups that normally receive more attention.
Many disability providers are looking to Congress for a boost in funding to help with new mandates that many worry will cut services. A new bill, known as the Disability Community Act, would offer a temporary increase in Medicaid funds for programs for people with developmental disabilities. Providers are preparing for the federal rule that will require many more workers to be paid overtime.