Victory in the House – November 11, 2005



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e-NEWS May 6, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,

The Center for Emerging Leadership has a current part-time opening for a Peer Mentor. This job entails working in integrated community employment settings with individuals from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. The peer mentor is responsible for assisting with the day-to-day operation of the Center for Emerging Leadership. Peer mentors field telephone calls and E-mail messages, and provide mentoring and advocacy services for youth and emerging leaders, ages 13-30. Peer mentors will attend San Diego People First meetings on a monthly basis.

Peer mentors must be age 18-30, and have experience with self-determination and self-advocacy or have the desire to learn. View details at

A job description and application can be found at

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In this eNEWS Issue You Will Find Information on:

• Support Groups / Grupos de Apoyo

• IDEA Fairness Restoration Act

• Disability-Related Phrases for Travel Abroad

• Reasonable Modifications Guidance released by Department of Housing and Urban Development

• Free classes for parents and caregivers / Clases Gratis para padres y tutores de niños

• Wheelchair Regatta

• Disaster Preparedness and Response Online Course

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

For event details go to

By clicking on an Event link you may view the event details.

Local:

5/08/08 Reading Social Cues Part I teen workshop

5/10/08 SD People First meeting

5/10/08 Epilepsy Mentor Training

5/12/08 2008 IEP Transition Support Seminar – North County

5/15/08 Charity Golf Classic DSA Fundraiser

5/15/08 Understanding ADHD & Learning Differences

5/15/08 Aim High Open House

5/17/08 Promoting Self Advocacy for Your Youth & Young Adults

with Developmental Disabilities – Mission Valley

5/17/08 Arts & Tea Celebration Home of Guiding Hands in El Cajon

5/18/08 Fragile X Awareness Day – downtown San Diego

5/24/08 Juntos pero no Revueltos – Mission Valley

5/30/08 De Padre a Padre – Kearny Mesa

6/05/08 Safe Summer Slam – Chula Vista

6/07/08 Understanding Social Security – Kearny Mesa

6/21-22 San Diego People First conference

Save the date > > 9/27/08 FAACT conference at USD.

Regional:

5/15/08 Capitol Action Day – Sacramento

5/30/08 Abilities Expo - Anaheim

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Community Advisory Committee meetings:

5/08/08 Central San Diego CAC

5/20/08 North Inland CAC

5/21/08 North Coastal CAC

Save the Date! June 2, 2008 NCCSE Community Advisory Committee Excellence in Special Education Awards Ceremony

¡Reserve la fecha! La Ceremonia de Entrega de Premios del Comité Asesor Comunitario de NCCSE tomará lugar la noche del lunes 2 de junio, 2008.

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UPCOMING EFRC SUPPORT GROUPS:

For details:

5/09/08 Grupo de Apoyo:

Para familias de niños mayores de 5 años con necesidades especiales. Hora: de 9:30 a 11:00am . Lugar: Boys and Girls Club, 1430 D Avenue, National City, CA 91950. Contamos con cuidado de niños. Información y reservaciones de cuidado de niños, llame a Laura Cervantes 619-470-5227, Tessie Salcedo 619-594-7391 o EFRC 800-281-8252. Vea el volante a o mapa a

5/12/08 Autism Parent Support Group:

For parents of young children on the Autism spectrum. Meets in the Multi-Purpose Room at Greg Rogers Elementary School, located at 510 E Naples St, CV 91911.Supervised playtime is available ONLY by advanced reservation, Call 800-281-8252 or email msebastyn@. Sponsored by Exceptional Family Resource Center, Hope Infant Family Program and First Five San Diego. View flyer at or map.

5/12/08 Grupo de Apoyo:

Para familias de niños y adolescentes con Autismo.

Nos reuinimos el segundo Lunes de cada mes de 6:00-8:00pm. Lugar: Scripps Mercy Well Being Center, 311 Del Mar Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91911. Para más información llamar EFRC al (800)281-8252. Vea el Volante a

5/13/08 DSA/EFRC North County Support Group:

For parents of children birth to 5 years with Down syndrome.

Meets monthly at the EFRC North Coastal office, 255 Pico Avenue Suite 101, San Marcos, CA 92069 (in the North County Regional Education Center)  from 6:00pm - 7:30pm. No childcare provided, but parents are welcome to bring babies. For more information, please call (760)761-5553 or email tshortal@projects.sdsu.edu.  For directions, visit or view flyer at

5/15/08 DSA/EFRC Central Support Group:

Support Group and informational meeting hosted by Down Syndrome Association and Exceptional Family Resource Center - for parents of children (birth-5) with Down syndrome. Meets monthly at the Harold J. Ballard Parent Center, 2375 Congress Street, San Diego 92110 (Old Town) from 6:30 - 8:30pm. Supervised play for children up to age 10 is available with reservation. Please call EFRC at (619) 594-7416.  View flyer at Group DSA 20072008.pdf

5/16/08 Grupo de Apoyo:

Para familias de niños menores de 5 años con necesidades especiales. Hora: de 9:30 a 11:00am . Lugar: Boys and Girls Club, 1430 D Avenue, National City, CA 91950. Contamos con cuidado de niños. Información y reservaciones de cuidado de niños, llame a Laura Cervantes 619-470-5227, Tessie Salcedo 619-594-7391 o EFRC 800-281-8252. Vea el volante a  o mapa a

5/21/08 Grupo de Apoyo:

Para familias de niños con necesidades especiales. El tercer miercoles del mes de 10:00am a 12:00pm. Lugar: Centro Regional del Condado Imperial, 512 West Aten Road, Imperial, CA 92251. Para más información llame Bertha Mendoza al (760)355-0147. Vea el Volante a

5/22/08 DSA/EFRC Central Grupo de Apoyo:

Asociación Síndrome de Down y Centro de Recursos para Familias Excepcionales lo invitan a asistir una seria de juntas para padres de niños (0-5 años de edad) que presentan Síndrome de Down

Hora: de 6:30 a 8:30pm. Lugar: Harold J Ballard Center, 2375 Congress Street, San Diego, CA 92110 (Old Town). Habrá una area de juegos supervisada para niños menores de 10 años. Reserve su lugar. Para hacer su reservación, llame al Centro de Recursos para Familias Excepcionales con Edna al  619-594-7407. Vea el volante a

6/02/08 Evening Parent Support Group:

For parents of children 0 - 5 with special needs meets from 6:00-7:30pm in the Multi-Purpose Room at Greg Rogers Elementary School, located at 510 E Naples St, CV 91911.Supervised playtime is available ONLY by advanced reservation. Call (800)281-8252 or email msebastyn@. Sponsored by Exceptional Family Resource Center, Hope Infant Family Program and First Five San Diego. View flyer at

5/12/08 Military Support bunco party - Tierrasanta

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SPECIAL EDUCATION LEGISLATION:

The IDEA Fairness Restoration Act (H.R. 4188) is Important to Parents because it will override the Supreme Court's decision in Arlington Central School District v. Murphy (2006) and allow parents who prevail to be reimbursed for their expert witness fees. H.R. 4188 will help to level the playing field and it is essential to protect the rights of 7 million children with disabilities and their parents.

Here are a few reasons why the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act is so important:

• When prevailing parents cannot recover expert costs, the playing field is neither level nor fair, and children are denied a free appropriate public education and other fundamental IDEA rights.

• Hiring qualified medical and technical expert witnesses can cost many thousands of dollars. Few parents can afford this high cost, putting due process out of reach for most parents, who struggle to afford what their children with disabilities need.

• School districts use tax dollars to employ and pay for psychologists and other paid experts at IEP meetings and hearings. Parents have fewer resources and yet must bear a greater financial burden. Approximately 36% of children with disabilities live in families earning less than $25,000 a year; over 2/3 earn less than $50,000 a year.

• Congress intended for parents to recover their expert witness fees in the Handicapped Children's Protection Act of 1986. H.R. 4188 will restore Congress' original intent.

• If parents cannot afford due process, the IEP process becomes even more one-sided and unfair. School personnel control the IEP process and usually outnumber parents. The right to due process helps ensure that school districts provide free appropriate public educations to children with disabilities.

• Most parents turn to due process and litigation as a last resort. In 2003, the GAO reported that there were 5 due process hearings per 10,000 special education students. When parents are forced to request due process, they need expert witnesses to prevail.

Why the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act Matters

A Pennsylvania public interest organization represented the mother of 8th grade student with dyslexia and written expression disorders. The child had struggled to read and write all his life. The school district failed to provide a scientifically-based reading program so the child was failing.

His single mother was forced to request a due process hearing to implement the recommendations of an independent evaluator and obtain appropriate special education services for her child. This parent had to borrow $1,400 to pay the independent evaluator to testify. She also had to pay for the expert's time while being cross-examined by the school district for two days. She won her due process case.

Because this case was decided before the Supreme Court’s decision in Murphy, the mother was able to recover her expert fees. But - if she had requested a due process hearing after Murphy, she would not be allowed to recover her expert witness fees. Without an expert, it would have been difficult to pursue the case if at all. The IDEA Fairness Restoration Act will ensure that parents can recover their expert witness fees.

Here's the link providing more information on how to take action.

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REFERENCE POINTS:

Know What to Say!  Disability-Related Phrases and Vocabulary to Learn Before You Go Abroad

Would you know how to ask about accessibility, explain that something is damaged on a wheelchair, or request a sign language interpreter in another language? Many people with disabilities going abroad to study, intern, work, volunteer and teach find themselves unable to communicate the most basic needs related to their disability due to a lack of vocabulary. Created by the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE)

Find Volunteer Opportunities In Your Community - A valuable online tool that connects people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to volunteer opportunities is the USA Freedom Corps volunteer search engine. This search engine can be found in the upper right-hand corner of the USA Freedom Corps homepage at . Select a category from the drop-down menu, enter your zip code or state and click the "Find Opportunities Now" button to locate hundreds of volunteer opportunities in your community. 

Did you know that you can appeal a decision on your Social Security disability claim online? To be able to use this Internet process, a claimant must: 1) have applied for benefits; 2) have received a "Notice of Disapproved Claim", a "Notice of Reconsideration" or "Notice of Federal Reviewing Official Decision; 3) disagree with the disability decision; and 4) live in the United States or one of its territories. For more information, visit the SSA's website at . The SSA also has an online screening tool to assist with determining potential eligibility for any of the programs it administers. The online screening tool can be found at   

What Is The Difference Between Medicare And Medicaid?

Medicare is an insurance program that serves people over 65 regardless of their income, younger people with disabilities and dialysis patients. Medicaid is a medical assistance program. Under Medicaid medical bills are paid from federal, state and local tax funds. This program serves low-income people of every age. More information on both programs can be found at

Información de Medicare en Español

New guidance recently released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Department of Justice (DOJ) reinforced the right of persons with disabilities to make "reasonable modifications" to their dwellings if a structural change to their dwelling or to a common area of the building or complex in which they live is needed so that they can fully enjoy the premises. The guidance is designed to help housing providers and homeowners' associations better understand their obligations and help persons with disabilities better understand their rights regarding the "reasonable modifications" provision of the federal Fair Housing Act (FHA). The guidelines are available at  Información en Español

New Videos Featuring Youth Sharing Their Success Strategies

The New England ADA Center and No Limits Media have released informative videos featuring students with disabilities sharing their strategies for successfully staying in school, graduating and getting jobs. Students reveal their struggles with self-reporting their disability, and negotiating accommodations in school and at work. These videos can be used as part of trainings (each video is 7-9 minutes) and shared with students and other professionals. The videos are open captioned and can be viewed at

REFERENCE POINTS was launched with the initial support from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition . REFERENCE POINTS is administered by the TATRA Project at PACER Center , and funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration.

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RECREATION:

5/15/08 May Day Dance from 11:00am - 2:00pm

Enjoy lunch and dancing to popular tunes while making new friends. Meet at the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park  $3. For all teens/adults ages 13 and over with any disability. For more information, call 619-525-8247 or 619-692-3866TDD.

5/16/08 from 6:00 - 9:00pm - join the Kick Back Club at the Worldbeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park to learn dances and play various instruments from different cultures. Dinner will be provided. Bring $10.

5/18/08 Kids Zone Playday 12:00 - 3:00pm

This program instills play & recreation skills and fosters socialization for children ages 3 - 12 of all abilities - Sponsored by the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Dept. Therapeutic Recreation Services. Come play games and do crafts and have a snack. Bring a sack lunch and $5. Drop-off and Pick-up at the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park. For more information, call Semret Hailemariam at 619-525-8247, 619-692-3866TDD or email shailemariam@

5/23-25/08 Deaf & Hard Of Hearing Family Camp – Camp Marston

5/24/08 Spring Celebration 11:00am - 2:00pm

Come celebrate the spring season by potting plants, tie-dying, arts & crafts and getting pampered for anyone affected by epilepsy. The party will be held at Florence Burnham Hall at the Girls Scouts San Diego Imperial Council, located at 1231 Upas Street, San Diego 92104.  Space is limited, RSVP by calling Sasha at 619-296-0162 or sasha@

5/31/08 Walk to cure Crohn's & Colitis - Cal State San Marcos

5/31/08 Floor Hockey & Golf Tournament at the Balboa Park Activity Center/Golf Course. Event by SPORTS for Exceptional Athletes.

6/08/08 Silver Gate Yacht Club’s 48th Annual Wheelchair Regatta - For further Information regarding this annual tour of the San Diego Bay, contact Nina at 858-571-7803 x315 or ntarango@

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TRAININGS/CLASSES:

Free classes for parents and caregivers of 2 – 4 year olds on raising healthy kids, preparing healthy snacks and shared active play with your kids. Classes willl be held throughout South Bay. Child care provided. Call Hilda at 619-336-8371. View details at

Clases Gratis para padres y tutores de niños de 2-4 años de edad. Aprenda como: criar niños saludables, preparar comidas y botanas saludables para llevar a casa para su familia y participar en juegos activos con sus niños. Cuidado de niños Gratis! Lllame Hilda a 619-336-8371 or vea el volante a

Are you interested in attending an upcoming class on Teaching Social Skills to Your Child or Student? They are free and available to any adult that works with children or youth. Details can be found at . There is also a bi-monthly support group meeting held on the first and third Saturdays from 4:30pm-5:45pm in room 410 at Skyline Church, 11330 Campo Road, La Mesa, 91941. They are studying “F.A.T. City” (Frustration, Anxiety, Tension). The support group is free and confidential to all. Contact Tonya at 619-885-8315 or mblestby3@

Ready, Willing, & Able – Disaster Preparedness and Response Course on Meeting the Needs of Persons with Disabilities – FREE Online Course designed for the public health, hospital, preparedness, emergency response, and disaster relief workforce. The course has twelve objectives focusing on the needs of, and communicating with, individuals with disabilities. The course also has a component requiring creative problem solving in responding to possible scenarios a person may face when assisting people with disabilities during an emergency. This is a two hour course sponsored by the University of Kansas Research and Training Center on Independent Living and the Kansas Department of Health Education. The course #1010882 is available at Public Heath Foundation, Ready, Willing and Able Online Training at



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RESOURCES:

The Fleet & Family Support Centers for military families May Workshop Schedule can be found at



Another resource is San Diego Military Outreach Ministries (SDMOM) at

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INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK:

“Smile at each other, 

smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other -- it doesn't matter who it is -- and that will help you to grow up in greater love for each other.” 

                   

    - Mother Teresa

    Catholic Nun, Missionary

     Nobel Peace Prize Recipient

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If you have comments or would like to unsubscribe,

please contact us at info@

Visit or call 1-800-281-8252

May 6, 2008

Exceptional Family Resource Center does not promote or recommend any therapy, treatment, institution, etc. and does not espouse any particular political, educational or religious views. Inclusion of information or resources does not necessarily imply promotion or recommendation by EFRC. Content is provided for informational purposes only.

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