In this You Tube video, Barack Obama discusses his policies concerning people with autism and other disabilities.
Click here to view the video
Friday, June 27, 2008
What autism does to a Mother
Redbook magazine recently published the 2nd in a series of articles that are doing on the personal side of autism and how it impacts families. In part one, you can meet the Kalkowski family and walk with them through the diagnosis process at:
Click here to read part 1
In part 2......
Nicole Kalkowski knows that beyond the stress, fear, and family turmoil that come with learning that your child has this devastating disorder, there is also a devastating aloneness. In the second installment of Living With Autism, we follow this mother of three as she struggles to save her son and finds help — for her children and for herself — in unexpected places.
Click here to read part 2
Click here to read part 1
In part 2......
Nicole Kalkowski knows that beyond the stress, fear, and family turmoil that come with learning that your child has this devastating disorder, there is also a devastating aloneness. In the second installment of Living With Autism, we follow this mother of three as she struggles to save her son and finds help — for her children and for herself — in unexpected places.
Click here to read part 2
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Care Notebooks Help Families Maintain Records
Sooner SUCCESS believes that parents are the experts on their children and need to be empowered with practical tools to help them manage their child's care.
The Care Notebook, created by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), helps parents and caregivers maintain an ongoing record of their child's unique care, services, providers, and notes. It is also a way to help keep the lines of communication open between the many providers and services that can make up a family’s medical home.
Health professionals recommend that parents/caregivers bring this notebook everywhere: to all medical appointments, therapies, care conferences, school meetings, even on vacations where new service providers may be necessary.
The AAP Care Notebook can even be customized online to fit the personal needs of each child.
For assistance in building a care notebook or to request links to other online examples of Care Notebooks, contact Lisa Simmons at 603-1580.
The Care Notebook, created by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), helps parents and caregivers maintain an ongoing record of their child's unique care, services, providers, and notes. It is also a way to help keep the lines of communication open between the many providers and services that can make up a family’s medical home.
Health professionals recommend that parents/caregivers bring this notebook everywhere: to all medical appointments, therapies, care conferences, school meetings, even on vacations where new service providers may be necessary.
The AAP Care Notebook can even be customized online to fit the personal needs of each child.
For assistance in building a care notebook or to request links to other online examples of Care Notebooks, contact Lisa Simmons at 603-1580.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Low birth weight increases risk of autism, particularly in girls
Low birth weight and preterm birth increase the risk of autism in infants by about twofold, but more than threefold for girls, according to a new study. The research bolsters the suspected link between autism, low birth weight, and prematurity.
To read more details about this study, click here to visit Web MD
To read more details about this study, click here to visit Web MD
Friday, May 30, 2008
Dream Night at the Zoo....no-cost family fun!
The zoo in OKC is sponsoring a special free evening of activities for families of children with special needs next Friday, June 6th. As of today (May 30th) they still had ample tickets available.
Activity Details:
DREAMNIGHT AT THE OKC ZOO is Friday, June 6, 2008 from 4:00 until 8:00. Dinner will be served approximately 5:30 pm until 7 pm.
For the past several years, Camp Cavett has been involved with a very special "DREAMNIGHT" at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Each person (including babies) in your party will need a ticket for admission. Tickets will be scanned at the entrance; therefore no photo copied tickets will be permitted. Also, if you receive
tickets and decide not to attend, please get the tickets back to us so that another family can attend. Only so many tickets were printed..... ...it would be a shame for us NOT to pack the zoo on June 6. PLEASE take only the amount of tickets that you need for your immediate family.
This evening is a private affair for children with disabilities and special health care needs and their families.
If you are reading this note and you would like to attend DREAMNIGHT, please do one of the following to obtain *tickets:
1) E-mail the name of the child with special needs (baby to 18), the mailing address where tickets need to be mailed, and the total number of tickets needed (including child) to belinda.anderson2@hcahealthcare.com
OR
2) Call Belinda at 405-271-2271. Give Belinda the name of the child with special needs (baby to 18), the mailing address where tickets need to be mailed, and the total number of tickets needed (including child).
DREAMNIGHT at the Zoo Description and History....
Dreamnight at the Zoo is a special event that invites children with special healthcare needs and disabilities along with their families to spend a cost
free evening at their local zoo.
The goal of the Oklahoma City Zoo is to create an environment in which these children and their families would enjoy a private evening at the Zoo that
includes complimentary Zoo admission, dinner, snacks, entertainment and unique zoo experiences for all involved.
Started in 1996 by the Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands, Dreamnight is an international event that is now hosted on the first Friday in June by 80 zoos and aquariums worldwide. The Oklahoma City Zoo held its first Dreamnight event on June 3, 2005 and over 1,800 visitors enjoyed the festivities.
Activity Details:
DREAMNIGHT AT THE OKC ZOO is Friday, June 6, 2008 from 4:00 until 8:00. Dinner will be served approximately 5:30 pm until 7 pm.
For the past several years, Camp Cavett has been involved with a very special "DREAMNIGHT" at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Each person (including babies) in your party will need a ticket for admission. Tickets will be scanned at the entrance; therefore no photo copied tickets will be permitted. Also, if you receive
tickets and decide not to attend, please get the tickets back to us so that another family can attend. Only so many tickets were printed..... ...it would be a shame for us NOT to pack the zoo on June 6. PLEASE take only the amount of tickets that you need for your immediate family.
This evening is a private affair for children with disabilities and special health care needs and their families.
If you are reading this note and you would like to attend DREAMNIGHT, please do one of the following to obtain *tickets:
1) E-mail the name of the child with special needs (baby to 18), the mailing address where tickets need to be mailed, and the total number of tickets needed (including child) to belinda.anderson2@hcahealthcare.com
OR
2) Call Belinda at 405-271-2271. Give Belinda the name of the child with special needs (baby to 18), the mailing address where tickets need to be mailed, and the total number of tickets needed (including child).
DREAMNIGHT at the Zoo Description and History....
Dreamnight at the Zoo is a special event that invites children with special healthcare needs and disabilities along with their families to spend a cost
free evening at their local zoo.
The goal of the Oklahoma City Zoo is to create an environment in which these children and their families would enjoy a private evening at the Zoo that
includes complimentary Zoo admission, dinner, snacks, entertainment and unique zoo experiences for all involved.
Started in 1996 by the Rotterdam Zoo, Netherlands, Dreamnight is an international event that is now hosted on the first Friday in June by 80 zoos and aquariums worldwide. The Oklahoma City Zoo held its first Dreamnight event on June 3, 2005 and over 1,800 visitors enjoyed the festivities.
New special education policy and procedures manual now available
The 2007 Policies and Procedures for Special Education in Oklahoma manual is now available. You can view it at the Department of Education's website (it's 388 pages!) OR call them at (405) 522-3248 and request that a hard copy be mailed to you.
Join the team at the Oklahoma Family Network
The Oklahoma Family Network (OFN)is currently recruiting parents who have a child with special needs to join their staff. Interested parents can consider applying for the following positions (including one right here in Northwest Oklahoma!):
Native American Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should be of Native American descent, have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability, and possess Native American cultural competency with a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the Native American Coordinator will include providing outreach to their personal tribal community then to other tribal communities across the state. They will identify and develop relationships with Native American families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), existing groups and agencies such as SoonerStart, the county health departments, Indian Health Centers, hospitals, medical clinics, etc. that support Native American families with CSHCN. With the support of administrative staff, this person will coordinate and provide regional training to Native American families and the professionals who serve them.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 15
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience.
SE Regional Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the SE Regional Coordinator will be to provide outreach to families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in the southeast quadrant of the state including the following counties: Okfuskee, McIntosh, Haskell, Le Flore, Latimer, Pittsburg, Coal, Pontotoc, Murray, Johnston, Marshall, Coal, Hughes, Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Pushmataha and Mc Curtain.
Duties will include identifying and training potential supporting families in their region, match referred families with trained supporting parents and assist families in finding resources they need with follow-up. Lastly, they will provide public relations work in their region and research for existing parent groups of CSHCN and resources in their area.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 15
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience
NW Regional Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the NW Regional Coordinator will be to provide outreach to families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in the northwest quadrant of the state including the following counties: Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Nobel, Payne, Garfield, Blaine, Major, Woodward, Ellis, Roger Mills, Dewey and Custer.
Duties will include identifying and training potential supporting families in their region, match referred families with trained supporting parents and assist families in finding resources they need with follow-up. Lastly, they will provide public relations work in their region and research for existing parent groups of CSHCN and resources in their area and share them with families.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 12
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience
Intake Coordinator/Resource Specialist (I.C.)
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: Receive calls, fill out intake forms, forward family information to appropriate staff member, research and locate health care and financial resources, and disseminate that information and the newsletter via list servs and web site. I.C. will also assist in reviewing surveys, compiling data on the 10 most common family issues to determine titles of information sheets to be developed, and compile data from conference evaluations to be distributed.
Hire Date: June 1, 2008
Hours Per Week: 20 (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 5 hours per day)
$8-10 per hour (Hours should be between 8:30am and 4pm at the OU Health Sciences Center office)
How to learn more:
Contact Joni Bruce at jbruceofn@sbcglobal.net or 405-203-8745 for further information.
Please send resume to
Joni Bruce, Executive Director
Oklahoma Family Network
PO Box 21072
OK City, Oklahoma 73156-1072
or jbruceofn@sbcglobal.net
Native American Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should be of Native American descent, have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability, and possess Native American cultural competency with a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the Native American Coordinator will include providing outreach to their personal tribal community then to other tribal communities across the state. They will identify and develop relationships with Native American families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN), existing groups and agencies such as SoonerStart, the county health departments, Indian Health Centers, hospitals, medical clinics, etc. that support Native American families with CSHCN. With the support of administrative staff, this person will coordinate and provide regional training to Native American families and the professionals who serve them.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 15
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience.
SE Regional Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the SE Regional Coordinator will be to provide outreach to families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in the southeast quadrant of the state including the following counties: Okfuskee, McIntosh, Haskell, Le Flore, Latimer, Pittsburg, Coal, Pontotoc, Murray, Johnston, Marshall, Coal, Hughes, Atoka, Bryan, Choctaw, Pushmataha and Mc Curtain.
Duties will include identifying and training potential supporting families in their region, match referred families with trained supporting parents and assist families in finding resources they need with follow-up. Lastly, they will provide public relations work in their region and research for existing parent groups of CSHCN and resources in their area.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 15
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience
NW Regional Coordinator
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: The role of the NW Regional Coordinator will be to provide outreach to families of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in the northwest quadrant of the state including the following counties: Cimarron, Texas, Beaver, Harper, Woods, Alfalfa, Grant, Kay, Nobel, Payne, Garfield, Blaine, Major, Woodward, Ellis, Roger Mills, Dewey and Custer.
Duties will include identifying and training potential supporting families in their region, match referred families with trained supporting parents and assist families in finding resources they need with follow-up. Lastly, they will provide public relations work in their region and research for existing parent groups of CSHCN and resources in their area and share them with families.
Hire date: June 1, 2008
Hours per week: 12
Pay Range: $8-$9.50 per hour depending on level of experience
Intake Coordinator/Resource Specialist (I.C.)
Required Characteristics: Applicants should have a child of any age with special health care needs or a disability and possess a good working knowledge of services available to children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in their community. Preference will be shown to family members who are identified in their community as one who is already supporting families of CSHCN.
Role: Receive calls, fill out intake forms, forward family information to appropriate staff member, research and locate health care and financial resources, and disseminate that information and the newsletter via list servs and web site. I.C. will also assist in reviewing surveys, compiling data on the 10 most common family issues to determine titles of information sheets to be developed, and compile data from conference evaluations to be distributed.
Hire Date: June 1, 2008
Hours Per Week: 20 (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 5 hours per day)
$8-10 per hour (Hours should be between 8:30am and 4pm at the OU Health Sciences Center office)
How to learn more:
Contact Joni Bruce at jbruceofn@sbcglobal.net or 405-203-8745 for further information.
Please send resume to
Joni Bruce, Executive Director
Oklahoma Family Network
PO Box 21072
OK City, Oklahoma 73156-1072
or jbruceofn@sbcglobal.net
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
