West Virginia Assistive Technology System Newsletter Winter 2015 (pdf)

Meeting the Communication Needs of Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities Factsheet (PDF, ada.gov)

National Alliance on Mental Illness's (NAMI) Health Insurance Coverage Survey 2015 (surveymonkey.com)

The FACES Disability Networking and Support Group Meeting (pdf) in Parkersburg, WV will be on January 13th from 11 AM to 1 PM. The topic is Rethinking Guardianship.

Goodwill Industries of Kanawha Valley is having a meet the artist night (pdf) on December 15, from 6 PM to 7:30 PM.

The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council is recruiting nominations of individuals with disabilities to fill vacancies on the Ron Yost Personal Assistance Services (RYPAS) Board.

• RYPAS Solicitation Letter (DOC)
• RYPAS Member Nomination Form (DOCX)

Gas Mileage Reimbursement through MTM Brochure (PDF)

More information on requesting gas mileage reimbursement from an email from MTM:

Once an individual has contacted the reservation line, they will indicate that they would like to receive reimbursement for transporting the member. The five-business days’ notice does not apply to individuals who are receiving reimbursement like it does for individuals who actually need MTM to find transportation for them. As long as they call us before the appointment, we will schedule the trip. We will need the following information on the call:

• Member name, home address and phone number
• Member Medicaid ID number
• The street address and phone number to which they are traveling to
• The name, phone number, address and zip code of the health care provider the member is seeing
• The date and start time of the appointment
• The end time of the appointment if they know it

The payee is reimbursed at $0.57 per mile (this is a fairly recent 10-cent increase from the former $0.47 rate) and they will be reimbursed via a ComData MasterCard once we receive copies of these credentials:

• Proof of valid registration
• Proof of valid vehicle insurance
• Driver’s license number
• Social security number

The customer service representative can provide additional detail about all of this on the call. Additionally, I have included an electronic version of a brochure that provides a brief overview of the gas mileage reimbursement program.

I hope this information helps streamline this transition for everyone as well as ease concerns. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have additional questions or concerns. I will be glad to help!

Thank you,

Crystal R. Richardson
Education, Training and Outreach Coordinator, MTM, Inc.

Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Guidance on students under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and a free appropriate public education (FAPE) (PDF).

“Ban the Box”: Good for People with Disabilities (dol.gov)

From WhiteHouse.gov:

Friends,

Today, the White House will present Disability Employment & The Arts: A Celebration of Diversity and Inclusion, an event designed to highlight the contributions and creative solutions of people with disabilities in the arts and entertainment industries.
We invite you to tune in live at www.whitehouse.gov/live at 4:00 pm EST to watch this exciting event, which will include:

• Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz
• A panel of artists with disabilities and inclusive employers
• Performances from the ground breaking cast of Broadway’s Spring Awakening and a discussion with the cast and creative team

Tune in live at 4:00 PM, and join the conversation on social media by highlighting the talents of people with disabilities in every occupation by using the #WHDisability.

The live stream for the event will be captioned.

Best,
The White House Office of Public Engagement

West Virginia Assistive Technology System Newsletter Fall 2015 (pdf)

Assistive Technology for Hunting (cedwvu.org)

WrightsLaw The Special Ed Advocate Newsletter: Moving and "Comparable IEPs" (wrightslaw.com)

From the Statewide Independent Living Council:

SILC Newsletter Naming Contest

Win a night’s stay for two in The Lodge at Stonewall Resort!

The SILC is looking for a name for our quarterly newsletter. Something unique and catchy!

The winner will be chosen by the SILC Executive Committee and staff and will receive a night’s stay for two in The Lodge at Stonewall Resort located in Roanoke, West Virginia, plus a set of our lapel pins, and will be featured on the front page of the newsletter.

All entries must include:
Your newsletter name entry
Your Name
E-mail address
Mailing address
Phone number

Submit your suggestion to:
“Newsletter Name”
by Fax to 304-766-4721
or email to [email protected]

All entries must be received by December 15, 2015.

SILC members and staff are not eligible.

Previous names submitted.

• The Independent Living Insider
• The SILC Scoop
• News of Independent Living
• Quarterly Independence
• SILC Time
• SILC Times
• SILC news
• Independent Times
• SILC Generation
• SILC Regeneration
• The SILC Independent
• SILC Free Press
• Barrier Free Press
• Independent Living Bulletin
• IL Community
• IL Newsletter
• SILC Life
• The Able Press
• The Independence News
• Autonomous Journal
• A Journal of Autonomous Living

The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council is recruiting nominations of individuals with disabilities to fill vacancies on the Ron Yost Personal Assistance Services (RYPAS) Board.

• RYPAS Solicitation Letter (DOC)
• RYPAS Member Nomination Form (RTF)

Contents

• From the Executive Director
• The Value of Peer Support Services
• The Bomar Drop-In Center
• Hampshire County Pathways Drop-In Center
• NAMI Marian House Drop-In Center
• The Cope Center
• PAIMI Advisory Council
• Terry Dilcher Recognized for his Service on WV Advocates’ Board of Directors.
• Funding

Check out WVA's Voting Rights video (youtube.com).

A message from the Fair Shake Network:

ALLLLLL ABOARD the North Pole Express!!! Join us on this memorable experience and allow us to take you on an incredible journey.

First you will board a one hour round trip bus ride as we depart the Perrow Station (in Cross Lanes) for a journey viewing lights, singing Christmas Carols, and believing in the Holiday Magic. Children's faces will show the magic of the season when the North Pole Express arrives at the North Pole to find a Winter Wonderland where children of all ages will enjoy face painting, cupcake decorating, a holiday craft, and more! You will enjoy cookies, milk, and hot chocolate before going to see Santa himself!

The first bus leaves the Station promptly at 5:00PM and will run every 30 minutes with the last bus departing at 7:30PM. You won't want to wait.....call the Santa hotline and reserve your tickets TODAY!!!

Tickets Prices:
Adults $20
Children 12 and under $10
Two Children tickets $18
Three Children tickets $24

Bus Departs:
5:00PM
5:30PM
6:00PM
6:30PM
7:00PM
7:30PM

Please arrive no more than 30 minutes prior to departure. We cannot refund tickets or change your departure time if you are late and miss your departure.

Please join us for a magical night to remember!
Below is the link to register online!

https://form.jotform.com/53018425037146

We will have accessible seating on buses available and prices are HALF OFF for all current Fair Shake Members as of October 30th! Please make sure you mention those in the 'details' on the online registration.

The Santa Hotline will be available to answer any questions you may have beginning on Monday at 304-690-0826! We will also be offering Breakfast with Sensitive Santa on Saturday, December 12th from 9:00AM-12:00PM. Tickets for that will be $5.00. We will have more information on our Breakfast next week!

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Tracy White
Director
Fair Shake Network, Inc.

Message from hhs.gov:

The Health Insurance Marketplace is open for business!

Starting today through January 31, 2016, you can visit HealthCare.gov to sign up for an affordable health insurance plan for 2016 that fits your needs and budget. As you get ready to enroll (or help a friend or family member do the same) here’s what you should know:

• Financial assistance is available. More than 7 in 10 current Marketplace enrollees can get coverage for $75 a month in premiums or less with tax credits.
• Signing up is easier. We’ve made upgrades to our site and added more tools to help people find the plans that are best for them and their families. We’re adding new features to HealthCare.gov that will help new and returning consumers understand their coverage options in their area, compare plans side by side, and easily evaluate which plan best meets their needs this year.
• We’re here to help. Free and confidential assistance is available 24/7 by calling 1-800-318-2596 or through free, in-person help in your community (which you can find at LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov). Additional resources are available at HealthCare.gov or CuidadoDeSalud.gov.

Join the millions of Americans who now have access to quality, affordable coverage: sign up today!

We also need your help to spread the word. You know how to reach your friends and loved ones better than anyone.

An email from Social Security

Attend Ticket to Work Virtual Job Fair November 18-19

Hello!

We are pleased to announce that the Ticket to Work program is hosting its first Virtual Job Fair, sponsored by Social Security! The job fair, which will take place in November, will connect you to more than 10 companies that do business with the government, such as Anthem, CACI, Enterprise, General Motors, and others. These companies have job openings for people with many different skills and experience levels and are particularly interested in hiring qualified people with disabilities.

The fair will be held online, and over two days:

• November 18: 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
• November 19: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

Note: If you use assistive technology, the Virtual Job Fair environment will be screen-reader friendly.

If you are using your Ticket to receive services from an approved Employment Network (EN) or your state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency, and are ready to work, you should register for the fair. By participating in the fair, you can:

• Talk with job recruiters online via chat forums and one-on-one messages
• Ask questions at virtual resource booths about:
  • Job accommodations
  • Social Security Work Incentives
  • Legal issues that sometimes create barriers to work for people with disabilities

Talk to your EN or state VR agency if you have questions about the Virtual Job Fair. If you're not sure if you have or are using your Ticket or if you need help finding an EN or state VR agency, call the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Representatives are standing by Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET.