Family Voices Indiana

SAVE THE DATE!  DDRS Information Summit  June 23, 2016 Time: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.  Indiana Government Center Auditorium Indianapolis, IN The Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services (DDRS) would like to encourage consumers, families, providers, staff and stakeholders to attend the DDRS Information Summit to hear DDRS Director Kylee Hope discuss the DDRS vision.  Information about remote access will be made available soon. 

from Indiana Association of United Ways: Legislative Study Committees Announced During the legislative session many   interim study committee topics   are recommended by the General Assembly. The meetings allow experts in the field and state agencies to share information about the current state of issues in Indiana in preparation for the next legislative session.   In late May, the  Legislative Council  announced the  topics to be studied in the interim  before the 2017 session.  Here are a few highlights of interest to our members and partners (only a subset of all): Corrections and Criminal Code  will study use of GPS in victim notification in domestic violence cases. Courts and the Judiciary  will study guardianship, civil rights issues related to gender identity and sexual orientation and visitation with a protected person. Education  will study ways to reduce school sexual misconduct and violations in schools. Employment and Labor  will study mis-classification of i

Access to dental care is an important aspect of maintaining good health, but it’s something that’s commonly overlooked when consumers look for health coverage. Remind consumers not to forget about getting dental coverage! Consumers can obtain dental coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2 ways; as part of a health plan, or by itself through a stand-alone dental plan:   Some health plans include dental coverage and this information is available in the Marketplace. Consumers can view which plans offer dental coverage by comparing them. Consumers who select a health plan with dental coverage can expect to pay one monthly premium to cover the health and dental plan. This dental plan option can only be modified during Open Enrollment. Cancellation of the dental plan on Healthcare.gov will also cancel the health plan.    Stand-alone dental plans are also offered in the Marketplace. This option is available to consumers who select a health coverage that does not include dental

Early Intervention Services   1. Early intervention services should be provided in the natural environment and reflect the routines and activities of the child/family. At the initial IFSP team meeting, opportunities for service delivery in the child's natural environment should be identified. Strategies or interventions outside of the natural environment should not be considered before services provided in the child's natural environment have been determined not to be effective. When early intervention cannot be achieved satisfactorily for an infant and toddler in a natural environment, federal law does allow the IFSP team to decide on an individual basis, that services may be provided in a setting other than the natural environment. The Indiana First Steps system also allows the IFSP team, (on which parents are participating members), to make the decisions regarding the provision of early intervention services. As written in the Bureau of Child Development Services - Natural

“Our child – soon to be a teenager – has autism, and there are times when we find ourselves in a true behavioral crisis. What can we do besides call 911?” So important is this question – and so broad the situations and options - that we’ve invited two experts to provide answers. This week’s response is from child psychologist Lark  Huang-Storms. Dr. Huang-Storms works within  Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network  at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland.  A meltdown can be really tough with a toddler and truly frightening in an adolescent or teenager – both for those witnessing it and for the child who has lost control. With an adolescent, the stress of surging hormones and increasingly complex social expectations can mount faster than coping strategies can keep up. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see an increase in out-of-control behaviors. Rule out or address underlying medical and sensory problems First and foremost, it’s important to have your child evalua