Oct. News letter
October 2008 News
North Carolina Disability Action Network (NC DAN)
In This Month’s News:
· ACTION: Complete Consumer Opinion Survey about NC DAN
· ACTION: Name the NC DAN Newsletter Contest
· Upcoming Event: NC Assistive Technology Expo
· Upcoming Event: Making the Most of What’s Possible: Innovative Ways to Use North Carolina’s DD Waivers – session at NC Council on Community Programs Conference
· Message from NC DAN President
Action:
Complete Consumer Opinion Survey about NC DAN
Each year, the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities asks people involved in or affected by Council funded or sponsored activities to complete a Consumer Opinion Survey. NC DAN receives funding from the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities and we ask that you complete an on-line Consumer Opinion Survey about NC DAN at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=954112899965
To complete this survey over the phone or to get additional information, contact Melissa Swartz – NC Council on Developmental Disabilities at 1-800-357-6916 or Melissa.Swartz@ncmail.net.
Name the NC DAN Newsletter Contest – Win a $50 Walmart Gift Certificate
Our NC DAN Newsletter needs a name. So, let’s have a contest. You can help. By November 14, 2008, E-mail the name you like to michaelmurray@disability-rights.org . If more than one person submits the name that is selected, the earliest time and date received will determine the winner.
Upcoming Events:
NC Assistive Technology Expo
When: Pre-conference: December 3, 2008; AT Expo: December 4-5, 2008
Where: North Raleigh Hilton - Raleigh NC
Description: Last year almost 700 registered participants from eleven states attended the NC AT Expo and approximately 1250 attended the free Exhibit Hall. Participants included: persons with disabilities, family members, teachers, therapists, Vocational Rehabilitation and Independent Living staff, employers, college professors, medical staff, college and university students and authorized state purchasers. Conference offerings include an exhibit hall, 40 concurrent sessions, pre-conference sessions, poster session and a Keynote address.
Scholarships: Consumer and family financial assistance is available to attend this meeting.
For More Information visit www.ncatp.org or contact Sonya Van Horn - Partnerships in Assistive Technology at assist@pat.org or 919-872-2298.
Making the Most of What’s Possible: Innovative Ways to Use North Carolina’s DD Waivers (Session at the NC Council on Community Programs’ “Looking for Direction?” Conference)
When: December 10, 2008; Full Conference is December 10 – 12, 2008
Where: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club – Pinehurst, NC
Description: This session will help prepare providers implement the new tiered waiver program for people with disabilities. Faculty will present perspectives on Home and Community Based Service waivers and the options available in NC’s pending waiver. The session will focus on creative and innovative ways to get the greatest benefit for people who use services and supports. The session also will help participants anticipate and counter barriers that will arise as part of implementation. The faculty will highlight ways in which the NC waiver is unique and summarize relevant innovations from around the country that can be adapted for NC looking beyond “legacy services.” This session may also be beneficial to consumers or family members who will utilize the waiver program. Speaker: Robin Cooper, Director of Technical Assistance for the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disability Services. Co-Sponsored by the NC Council on Developmental Disabilities
Save $ on Registration
We offer a money saving $170 one-day registration. If bringing multiple staff to the conference, you can register 4 and the 5th attends for FREE.
For more information: To view the entire Conference Program or register on-line, go to www.nc-council.org
Message from NC DAN President – Fran Lowder
Now ELECTION DAY 2008 (November 4) is just a few days away. I hope that a record number of people with disabilities have registered to vote. Everyone, when old enough, should be proud to vote in every election held in your city or county. Voting is an important way to make your voice heard!
In the AUGUST Newsletter, I made an error. The Kaiser Family Foundation (kff.org) publishes the information on the interaction between the Americans with Disabilities Act and Medicaid. Hope the goof on my part did not cause too much inconvenience.
On October 9, the NC DAN Advisory Committee met via telephone conference. The actions taken at the meeting included: the introduction of MICHAEL MURRAY as our new Project Director; a plan to meet again in person in November in Winston-Salem; naming Committee Chair-persons for three Standing Committees -- Ms. Tracey Willetts (lives in Wilmington) for Medicaid/Medicare and Related Issues, Mr. Keith Greenarch (lives in Sylva) for Transportation, and Ms. Kay Miley (lives in Rockingham County) for Membership Plan. The elected officers make up the Executive Committee. The Executive committee will continue work on the Draft Bylaws and will develop a procedure to fill two vacancies on the NC DAN Advisory Committee. Until we receive approval from the Internal Revenue Service to be a nonprofit corporation, we are a group in transition. In the meantime, we are looking for new people to become members as soon as we start our Membership Drive.
We want to hear from you about specific problems you may be having with regard to Medicaid and or Transportation. NC DAN is working with the staff in all of North Carolina’s Centers for Independent Living in finding answers to big and little questions. If you have ideas about ways to solve some of the problems, please share your thoughts with us. Together we will come up with a way to win on our issues. Until next month, Frances H Lowder, NC DAN President
