Do you have questions about the OK waiting list?

The Developmental Disabilities Service Division hosts a quarterly meeting for parents and professionals to keep them updated on the current status of Oklahoma's waiting list. The meetings also give participants a chance to ask questions and hear about changes to the systems that are "in process". The next meeting is coming up soon. Check out the info below for all the details plus a meeting agenda.

DDSD Waiting List Meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007
Time: 1:30 pm
The Capitol Complex - Oklahoma City
Sequoyah Building
Room: C-47 (basement)

Sign in at the reception window

Agenda

1. Introductions
2. Status of the Waiting List – Jim Nicholson
3. Status of the Self Directed Services pilot for the In-Home Supports Waiver – Jim Nicholson
4. Explanation of process when a person reaches top of the waiting list – Ray Hester
5. Family Questions & Comments
6. Schedule Next Meeting
7. Adjournment

Enjoy!

Lisa

Building Relationships to Create Successful Change

The Parent Training & Information Center of Oklahoma will present their 2007 Conference "Building Relationships to Create Successful Change" n September 17, 2007 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City.

Conference Registration Deadline is Friday, August 31
Register Early-Space is Limited!

Conference registration is free and open to any Oklahoma family. A limited number of spaces are also available to educators and other professionals on a first registered, first served basis. In addition, a limited number of parent stipends or rooming scholarships may be available (based on need and geographic location; first come, first served).

Anyone interested can check out the conference schedule, print a registration form or download a Stipend Application by visiting: http://oklahomaparent.org/conference.html

Last year's PTI conference received rave reviews!

Enjoy,
Lisa

Lisa Simmons
Garfield County Coordinator
Sooner SUCCESS

Need to know more about teaching students with Autism?

This all-day conference just opened up to the public. It is titled "Best Practices for Students with Autism" and will be held at Union High School Performing Arts Center at 71st and Mingo. It is August 31, 2007 from 8:30am - 4:00pm. No pre-registration is needed.

AGENDA

8:30- 9:30
Co-morbidity and Medication Management
Amy Emerson, M.D. OU College of Medicine, Tulsa Pediatrics

9:30 – 10:30
Diagnosis and Behavior Management
Jennifer Sumner, Ph.D. OU College of Medicine, Tulsa Pediatrics

10:45- 11:30
Emotional and Language Development
Cheryl Lafortune, CCC-SLP Private Practice

11:30-12:00 Question/Answer

12:00- 1:00 Lunch

1:00- 1:45
Sensory Integration Disorders
Suzette Jones, OTR/L, Therapy Works President

1:45 -2:30
Social Skills
Tonia Caselman, Ph.D., Professor, OU-Tulsa

2:45-3:30
School Services/IEP considerations
Sherilyn Walton, MSW - Family Support Coordinator TARC

Parent Supports and Resources
Michelle Wilkerson, Program Director, Autism Foundation

3:30-4:00 Question/Answer


PLEASE ENTER FROM THE SOUTH PARKING LOT BEHIND THE UMAC.

Schools and Parents: Can We Really Work Together?

Don't miss this Two-Day Parent Conference!

Topic: Schools and Parents Can We Really Work Together? ImprovingStudent Behavior

Date: August 27-28, 2007

Location: Integris Baptist Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK.

Dr. Laura Riffel is the featured speaker. Topics include functional behavior assessment and positive behavior support for parents.

The two-day conference for parents is sponsored by the Oklahoma FamilyNetwork, the Oklahoma Parents Center, Inc., and the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Special Education Services.

For more information about this free workshop contact Joni Bruce, Executive Director, Oklahoma Family Network, at 405-203-8745.

To register online:
1. Go to: www.sde.state.ok.us
2. Click on SDE Conferences (blue oval at the very bottom of the page).
3. Then go to Aug. 27-28.

It takes about a minute to register. They just want a name, county you live in, school district, and email address if applicable.

Reviews from last year's conference were excellent. News about this one has been late getting out, but the content sounds terrific. If you are free, I recommend checking it out!

Lisa

Lisa Simmons
Garfield County Coordinator
Sooner SUCCESS

What is Sooner SUCCESS?

Sooner SUCCESS is a project of the University of Oklahoma Health & Sciences Child Study Center. Currently the project has local coalitions in 9 counties including Garfield.

The Garfield County Sooner SUCCESS coalition is a group of parents and professionals who care about children that have special needs or are “at risk”. We meet once a month to identify unmet needs within our county and find positive, local solutions.

Here's what we did last year:
1. Provided individual families with information and resources to help them access:

• Inclusive recreation & leisure activities
• Advocacy Support
• A Parent Support Group (Down syndrome, Autism, Fathers)
• Evaluation Services (learning disabilities, ADHD, physical therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral, developmental)
• Counseling/Mental Health Services
• Autism/Asperger syndrome information
• Special Education Parent Handbooks/IEP Information
• Tutoring services
• A County Resource Guide
• A Parent Mentor program
• Early Intervention services
• Respite
• ADHD information
• Guardianship/Estate planning information
• Transportation support
• Independent Living Skills Training
• Parent Training
• Teen Mentor programs
• Organize a Child Care Notebook
• Cerebral Palsy Information
• Sensory Processing Disorder Information
• Spina Bifida Information
• Paraprofessional training
• Physical Therapy Services
• Ketogenic diet information
• Learning disabilities information
• Legal services
• Hearing impairment information
• Visual impairment information
• Down syndrome information
• Home schooling information

2. Raised awareness about the challenges and concerns of special needs families by participating in:

• The Systems of Care Community Team and Referral Team
• The Regional Transition Task Force
• The Walk 4RKids Information Fair
• The Disability Employment Awareness Art Contest Project
• The Public Library Summer Kick Off Event

3. Completed the following Special Projects:

The Elementary School Disability Awareness

• Visited 14 county elementary schools
• Trained 10 volunteers puppeteers in partnership with 2 local high schools.
• Provided Puppet programs and follow up activities to 33 classrooms.
• Received a $1000.00 grant from 4Rkids to provide chapter books and professional resources to schools and classrooms promoting inclusion.
• Provided story sessions to 3 schools that requested a continuation of our 2005 awareness activity.

Distribution of Recreation & Leisure Info Packets in partnership with Special Olympics, DDSD, 4Rkids, public library, and our county schools.

4. And provided or facilitated the following training programs:

• Introduction to Autism Presentation-New Discoveries Childcare Group
• Basic Rights/Writing a Successful IEP- Christ United Methodist Church~Enid
• Inclusive Childcare-Advocates for Children Conference
• Positive Behavior Support-Christ United Methodist Church~ Enid
• Transition from School to Adult Life- Christ United Methodist Church~Enid
• Regional Workshop on Autism with Dr. Bonnie McBride~Kingfisher

If you are excited to make a difference for kids with special needs and their families, then we want YOU to join us!

Stop by for a visit: We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. in the Northeast Conference Room at the Integris Bass Health Center (600 S. Monroe, Enid OK). Both parents and professionals are encouraged to participate. We hold "brown bag" meetings, so if our meeting time falls on your lunch hour, don't be shy. Bring your lunch & join us....others will be eating as well.

To learn more contact Garfield County Coordinator, Lisa Simmons.