Despite a heavy emphasis on education in the president's budget proposal this week, advocates are worried that students with disabilities are being left out.

Funding for special education would remain largely flat under President Barack Obama's proposed budget for 2013 that was released Monday.

Meanwhile, money for new programs like Race to the Top - a competitive grant program that awards money to states that commit to reform models - would grow dramatically.

And that has some advocates concerned.

"In this context, level funding is a cut," said Lindsay Jones, senior director for policy and advocacy at the Council for Exceptional Children, which lobbies on behalf of special educators.

School districts are already reeling from the loss of stimulus dollars and reduced state and local funding, Jones said, not to mention inflation. At the same time, districts are seeing more students with diagnoses like autism that incur a high level of need and significant expense.

"It's difficult to see so much investment in competitive grants when there's so much need in foundational programs like IDEA, so we're disappointed," Jones said.

There was one bright spot, however, for special education. Obama proposed an additional $20 million for early intervention services for children with disabilities in their first years of life.

The budget plan reflects Obama's priorities for federal spending for the 2013 fiscal year, which will begin in October. However, much like last year, the president's proposal is likely to face an uphill battle in Congress, which must approve any final spending plan.

The Department of Education's (Department) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today issued a Dear Colleague letter concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (Amendments Act). The letter and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) provide additional guidance on the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) in elementary and secondary schools, given the changes to those laws made by the Amendments Act.

"We must continue to take steps to enable every child, regardless of disability, to reach their full potential," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "This guidance reiterates the Department's commitment to ensure that educational opportunity is provided free from disability discrimination."

The Amendments Act, effective Jan. 1, 2009, amends the ADA, as well as the Rehabilitation Act. The Amendments Act broadened the meaning of disability and, in most cases, shifts the inquiry away from the question of whether a student has a disability as defined by the ADA and Section 504, and toward school districts' actions and obligations to ensure equal education opportunities.

Today's Dear Colleague letter and FAQ discuss the various obligations of school districts, such as the requirement to evaluate students for disability, and provide a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities, as well as the changes made by the Amendments Act.

"It is critical that school districts remain vigilant in their duty to protect the civil rights of all their students, including students with disabilities. When Congress changes the law affecting those rights, districts must ensure that their policies and practices reflect this altered landscape," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali.

To review the Dear Colleague letter, please visit http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201109.html. The FAQs are posted at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-504faq-201109.html. More information about OCR can be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html, as well as Facebook.com/EDCivilRights and Twitter (@Edcivilrights).

To read more, please go to Article Source.

Join us at the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel Galleria in Houston Texas to explore innovative ways to design and operate programs and services that support youth in transitioning to adulthood.

You will learn:

How "nothing about us without us" is especially important when involving youth in CIL programs

What services and programs successful CILs are offering to support youth transition

How successful CILs design, fund, staff, and operate their youth transition programs

How to support transition from school to work, post-secondary education, adult health care, and independent living

Target Audience:

CIL staff involved in youth transition services and supports, and those interested in expanding services in their centers and increasing the capacity of the youth in their communities.

End bullying in our schools.

Over 85 percent of students with disabilities have experienced some form of bullying.

Bullying is more than kids being kids-it can make school a hostile place and prevent students from receiving the education that is their civil right.

This silent epidemic must be stopped.

Students are the most powerful argument against bullying. That's why we encourage you to view and share AAPD's public service announcement, "30 seconds."

The PSA features three real students sharing a simple message: people with disabilities are powerful, self-determined individuals-not victims.
What can you do?

Use "30 Seconds" as a tool to start conversations about keeping schools safe and respectful places for all students regardless of disability. Share it with your family, friends, co-workers, schools, and congregations.

Get informed about current legislation and initiatives aimed at ending bullying.

Join the conversation.

California Celebrates 2nd Annual Ed Roberts Day
"I am convinced that we are making the most profound social change that our society has ever known." - Ed Roberts, 1990

SACRAMENTO, CA- Californians will honor the life and legacy of Ed Roberts, a champion for disability rights on the 2nd Annual Ed Roberts Day, January 23, 2012.

"Celebrating Ed Roberts' Day is a time to honor the life of a pioneer for disability rights and to celebrate the legacy that lives on in the ability of people with disabilities to shape their own future," said Teresa Favuzzi, Executive Director of the California Foundation for Independent Living.

Coinciding with the day of honor, Roberts, a 2011 California Hall of Fame inductee is recognized for his contributions to California's history and the cause of disability rights in an exhibit at Sacramento's California Museum. On January 23 the museum will offer discounted admission to visitors attending the exhibit.

"Learning about disability leaders like Ed Roberts shows young people with disabilities that we can be leaders of change just like Ed was," said Jamie Caron, a student at Ohlone College in Fremont. "Today's events will help more people learn that people with disabilities have - and will continue - to shape history for the better."

Roberts, who passed away in 1995, was an international leader, educator and champion of persons with disabilities. Roberts began his advocacy efforts at UC Berkeley, where he was the first student with significant disabilities to be admitted to the campus. He later became one of the founders of the Center for Independent Living Inc. in Berkeley. In 1975, he was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown as the first Director of the California Department of Rehabilitation with a significant disability he served in that position until 1983, at which point he went on to become a co-­‐founder of the World Institute on Disability.

The California Museum acknowledged these achievements by naming him one of the 2011 California Hall of Fame inductees and featuring an exhibit that showcases his accomplishments. On Ed Roberts Day (January 23rd, 2012) the museum will offer a discounted admission of $6 to museum patrons who indicate they are visiting to "Celebrate Ed Roberts."

Two of the campuses Roberts spent time attending, the University of California, Berkeley and the College of San Mateo, are also planning events to honor his life and work on Monday. The Disabled Student Services Program at the College of San Mateo will be acknowledging Roberts in the Student Senate and the Disabled Students' Program (DSP) and the Berkeley Center of Independent Living will cosponsor an event to celebrate Roberts at UC Berkeley while providing information to high school students with disabilities looking to attend University. Over 100 high school students are expected to attend the event and speakers will include State Senator Loni Hancock (D-­‐Berkeley) and Zona Reports.

Passed with overwhelming support in the California State Senate in 2010, the bill declaring January 23 as "Ed Roberts Day" was authored by Senator Hancock. Congress member George Miller (D-­‐Martinez) authored a similar resolution which was adopted by Congress.

Ed Roberts Day Events:

California Museum Celebrates Ed Roberts Day
Discounted admission rate of $6.00. Patrons wishing to participate should advise the Museum ticket office that their visit is to "Celebrate Ed Roberts." LOCATION: 1020 O Street, Sacramento CA 95814

Ed Roberts Day Celebration at UC Berkeley
Featuring information on post -- secondary options for high school students with disabilities Speakers: State Senator Loni Hancock and Zona Reports. LOCATION: Cal Alumni House, 1 Alumni House, Berkeley, CA 94720.

The College of San Mateo Recognizes Ed Roberts
The College's Disabled Student Services program will recognize and honor the life and work of Ed Roberts at their Student Senate. For more information on this event, contact Beverly Madden madden@smccd.edu. LOCATION: College of San Mateo, 1700 W. Hillsdale Boulevard, San Mateo, CA 94402

National Federation of the Blind
2012 Scholarship Program

Our new and improved online application form for our 2012 scholarship program is now fully functional. The link is posted below.

2012 Deadline: All scholarship applications and documents must be received by the scholarship program no later than March 31, 2012.

30 SCHOLARSHIPS

To recognize achievement by blind scholars, the National Federation of the Blind annually offers blind college students in the United States and Puerto Rico the opportunity to win one of thirty national scholarships worth from $3,000 to $12,000.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

All applicants for these scholarships:

- Must be legally blind (PDF document) in both eyes, and must be residing in the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, and
- Must be pursuing or planning to pursue a full-time, postsecondary course of study in a degree program at a United States institution in the 2012 scholastic year, except that one scholarship may be given to a person employed full-time while attending school part-time, and
- Mmust participate in the entire NFB national convention and in all of its scheduled scholarship program activities.

In addition to a scholarship, each winner will receive assistance to attend the 2012 National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention in July, providing an excellent opportunity for high-level networking with active blind persons in many different professions and occupations.

PROGRAM TIMING

November 1, 2011: The program for 2012 commences. The application is made available online and, upon request, in print.

March 31, 2012: Deadline today for all applications and documents to be received by the NFB Scholarship Program and applicants must have requested an interview. The interview may take place after March 31 but before April 15.

April 2012: Interview reports are required by mid-April. In late April, the NFB Scholarship Committee chooses the 30 winners for 2012.

May 2012: After all 30 winners are personally notified that they are a scholarship winner this year, the complete list of winners for 2012 will be posted on www.nfb.org/scholarships. Applicants who are not listed here did not win an NFB scholarship. With the financial assistance of the NFB, all 30 winners attend the 2012 Annual NFB Convention, to be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, from June 30 to July 5, 2012, departing for home on July 6.

2012: After convention the scholarship checks are sent directly to the winners in time for their 2012 fall semester.

2012 Deadline: All scholarship applications and documents must be received by the scholarship program no later than March 31, 2012.

What kind of student wins an NFB scholarship? You may read about past NFB National Scholarship recipients in August-September "convention issues" of the Braille Monitor.

Braille Monitor, August-September 2011
Braille Monitor August-September 2010
Braille Monitor August-September 2009
Each year, information on the NFB Scholarship Program is made available online, in print, and in a fall issue of the Braille Monitor (available in large print, in Braille, recorded, and online). Subscribe to a free e-mailed copy of the Braille Monitor (11 issues per year) to know when to apply for each year's contest and to read other news of interest to blind Americans.

TO APPLY FOR AN NFB SCHOLARSHIP:

Confirmation of Legal Blindness (PDF document). Are you eligible?
Submissions Checklist. A complete application consists of one Scholarship Application Form (either online or print), one essay, other documents as detailed in this checklist, and one interview. Complete applications tend to have an advantage in the competition. The NFB Scholarship Committee takes no responsibility for notifying you if required information is missing from your application.
Frequently Asked Questions (Scholarships FAQ). Answers include useful advice for any applicant.
"The Secret to Winning a National Federation of the Blind Scholarship" by Scholarship Chairperson Patti S. Gregory-Chang, Esq.
2012 Scholarship Application Form, online edition. The application period is open from November through the following March. (Complete either the online edition or the print edition.)
2011 Scholarship Application Form, print edition -- available upon request. The application period is open from November through the following March. (Complete either the print edition or the online edition.)
2011 List of Scholarships, $12,000 to $3,000. Fill out only one application for the program to be in competition for all 30 scholarships. The NFB Scholarship Committee decides which scholarship each winner will receive. All questions should be directed to the chairperson. E-mail is preferred.

Chairperson Patti Chang, Esq.

NFB Scholarship Program
NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, Maryland 21230

Office: (410) 659-9314, extension 2415
E-mail: scholarships@nfb.org

Despite several recent threats to cut funding for special education, federal spending on students with disabilities will increase this year.

Congress approved an additional $100 million for special education under a budget passed in late December.

Though the increase is modest, advocates say any extra funds represent a win given Washington's recent focus on trimming costs.

"It's a good outcome," said Lindsay Jones, senior director for policy and advocacy at the Council for Exceptional Children, which lobbies on behalf of special educators. "We always want more money and we're nowhere near full funding, but considering the political climate, this is fine."

When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act became law in the 1970s, Congress committed to funding 40 percent of the program's cost, but that never happened and today the federal government pays for less than 20 percent.

Jones described last year as a "roller coaster," which began with a proposal to cut $557.7 million from the federal special education budget. As a result, advocates say they're breathing a sigh of relief now that funding did not shrink.

In addition to the $100 million added to special education, Congress also provided an extra $5 million for programs supporting young children with disabilities as well as increases in funding for parent information centers and technical assistance.

Like all education programs, however, special education was subject to an across the board cut of nearly 2 percent, so the true growth in funding for this year compared to 2011 will be slightly less than the $100 million increase.

School districts will receive their next round of funding from Washington this summer and that's when the newly-approved increases from this year's budget will head their way.

Despite the good news this year, advocates say next year's budget could spell trouble, however. Since lawmakers were not able to reach a deal last fall to reduce the federal deficit, automatic spending cuts are slated to hit many programs, including education, in January 2013.

The purpose of the ADA Program is to award and encourage a young individual with a disability between the ages of 14 and 26, who has dedicated himself/herself to positively affecting the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families in the United States. The Program also supports an innovative project developed by this young person with a disability that serves and empowers individuals with disabilities.

The Advocates in Disability Award (ADA) is a program of The HSC Foundation, funded in part by the Sarah Beth Coyote Foundation. The selected recipient is awarded $3,000 in recognition of his/her past disability advocacy and will receive up to an additional $7,000 in funding support for his/her proposed project that focuses on serving and empowering individuals with disabilities.

The ADA program seeks a deserving young person who has distinguished himself/herself through contributions in the area of disability. Some examples of qualified applicants could include (but are not limited to): a student who is advocating for equal access to quality education, a young professional educating an employer about workplace accommodations, or a young person advocating for better policies and legislation for people with disabilities. This person does not have to be a "professional" advocate, but should be effectively working to make a difference. The ADA seeks to recognize and award individuals who are advocates through their deep belief and commitment to the inclusion and empowerment of all people with disabilities.

Applicants must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States at the time of application submission and recipient selection.

The Advocates in Disability Award Program is part of The HSC Foundation's National Youth Transitions Initiative (NYTI). The Advocates in Disability Award Application is available at: www.hscfoundation.org/2012ADA.php

In recent years, important changes in public policies and attitudes have resulted in improved opportunities for people with physical and mental disabilities. Now, people living with disabilities assume their rightful place in society as the equals of non-disabled people. Unfortunately, societal attitudes have changed less in regard to sexuality and disability. Even today, many people refuse to acknowledge that all people have sexual feelings, needs, and desires, regardless of their physical and/or mental abilities. As a result, many young people who live with disabilities do not receive sex education, either in school or at home.

This summary addresses sex education for youth who live with physical and/or mental disabilities-including, but not limited to hearing, sight, and motor function impairments; Down syndrome; cerebral palsy; paraplegia and quadriplegia; developmental disorders; and mental health issues. Beginning with a few statistics on disability among American youth and an overview of common myths and facts about the sexuality of people living with disabilities, the document also provides general guidelines for parents of physically or mentally challenged children and youth and offers a select, annotated bibliography of sex education materials and resources.*

For more information, go to article source.

Students who miss a lot of school often have symptoms of psychiatric disorders, according to a new study.

The study of more than 17,000 children found that a high rate of absenteeism is linked to a higher prevalence of mental health problems later on in adolescence.

The research also found that mental health problems during one year predict missing additional school days in the following year for students in middle and high school.

"We've long known that students who are frequently absent from school are more likely to have symptoms of psychiatric disorders, but less clear is the reason why," said Jeffrey Wood, associate professor of educational psychology and psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, who led the study.

"These two aspects of youths' adjustment may at times exacerbate one another, leading over the course of time to more of each."

The researchers looked at children in first through 12th grades using three sets of data: the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, a study of a nationally representative sample of adolescents in grades seven to 12; the Johns Hopkins Prevention Intervention Research Center Study, a study of classroom-based interventions involving children in grades one to 8; and the Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers trial, a study of children in grades one through 12.

Researchers interviewed students and parents annually or biennially, and they gathered information from school attendance records. In addition, students, parents, and teachers filled out questionnaires.

The study found that between grades 2 and 8, students who already had mental health symptoms, such as antisocial behavior or depression, missed more days over the course of a year than they had in the previous year and than students with few or no mental health symptoms. Middle and high school students who were chronically absent in one year of the study tended to have more depression and antisocial problems in subsequent years.

For example, 8th graders who were absent more than 20 days were more likely to have higher levels of anxiety and depression in 10th grade than were 8th graders who were absent fewer than 20 days, Wood says.

"The findings can help inform the development of programs to reduce school absenteeism," Wood said. "School personnel in middle schools and high schools could benefit from knowing that mental health issues and school absenteeism each influence the other over time.

"Helping students address mental health issues may in turn help prevent the emergence of chronic absenteeism. At the same time, working to help students who are developing a pattern of chronic absenteeism come to school more consistently may help prevent psychiatric problems."

The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 17 other agencies.

Source: Society for Research in Child Development

When young people with disabilities end up in the juvenile justice system, they're less likely to return to youth prisons after their sentence is up if they have jobs or go to school quickly after being released, a new paper says.

However, comprehensive programs that help these youth go from prison to the outside world are scarce, says this piece from Project Forum at the National Association of State Directors of Special Education. And juveniles with disabilities have a high recidivism rate-more than the 55 percent rate for youth without disabilities.

The report looks closely at the practices in four states-Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, and Oregon-when it comes to supporting all juveniles, including those with disabilities, who are leaving the justice system.

Some common practices the report found in states with programs intended to reduce recidivism for these young people include: a continuum of supports for youth that begins in prison and keeps going once they leave; transition facilitators or coordinators who are dedicated to working with these youth; and programs for reentering society that are comprehensive, addressing education, employment, social and behavioral skills, mental health, substance-abuse issues, housing, and transportation. Another common theme in the report? Budget problems often keep these programs from going long-term...

To read more go to article source

When Andrew Van Cleave thought about what he wanted to do after high school, this son of two university graduates came up with the same answer many his age come up with: go to college.

Until the past decade, though, college wasn't much of an option for students, including Mr. Van Cleave, who have significant intellectual impairments. This month, the 24-year-old, who has an intellectual disability and ADHD, became one of the first graduates of a two-year program at Vanderbilt University designed for students with severe cognitive disabilities. He starts a job next month.

To read more go to Article Source

American Youth are Struggling to Get the Work Experience They Need for Jobs of the Future

Youth employment is a critical element of success for young people. As a pathway to careers and education, meaningful summer employment not only helps young people develop workforce and leadership skills to get and keep good jobs, but also connects them to long term economic opportunity.

Unfortunately, the recession has had a particularly hard impact on youth employment. Only 45 percent of youth between the ages of 16-24 were employed the end of August, including only 33.8 percent of African American youth. This is significantly lower than the 54.5 percent of youth who were employed five years ago and 56.1 percent of youth who were employed 10 years ago. Only 21 out of every 100 teens in low-income families had a job this past summer.

In 2009 and 2010, Recovery Act funding supported over 367,000 summer and year-round job opportunities for low-income youth. This past summer, the Department of Labor set a goal of obtaining 100,000 summer job commitments from the private sector - and nearly reached that goal with 84,000 jobs despite a lack of funding.

Summer employment helps introduce youth to the working world and provides the skills and experiences they need to launch their careers. According to a Department of Labor report, nearly 75 percent of low-income youth who participated in the 2009 federal summer jobs program reported increased work readiness skills. Additionally, young people reported that, in the absence of their summer jobs, they would be competing with more experienced adult workers for jobs or doing nothing productive over their summer breaks.

The Private Sector Can Help

We believe every US company can play a part in creating pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth. In January 2012, the President will challenge businesses to commit to connecting low-income youth to summer employment. Recognizing that in a difficult economy not every business is in a position to hire, the Administration's new Summer Jobs Plus program will recognize and support not only businesses that hire youth, but also those companies that provide additional pathways for youth. Summer Jobs Plus identifies three key ways for companies to help connect youth to a better future while simultaneously deriving benefits for their businesses, such as increased employee engagement, customer loyalty and employee retention.

Businesses can accept the President's challenge and make a "Pathways Pledge" by choosing at least one of the following three pathways to employment for low-income youth:

• Life Skills: Provide youth work-related soft skills, such as communication, time management and teamwork, through coursework and/or experience. For example, your company could offer resume writing or interview workshops or provide employee mentors.
• Work Skills: Provide youth insight into the world of work to prepare
  for employment. For example, businesses can host job shadow days.
• Learn and Earn: Provide youth on-the-job skills in a learning environment while earning wages for their work. For example, businesses can offer paid internships, and/or offer permanent positions that provide on-the-job training. Business can also partner with schools and higher education institutions to give youth the opportunity both to strengthen their academic skills while working as well as to connect learning to the context of work.

Tools for Employer Success

To support companies that make pledges to Summer Jobs Plus, the Corporation for National and Community Service will make available a Youth Employment Partnerships toolkit. The toolkit will provide information on how businesses can create clear, community-supported, mutually beneficial pathways to employment for low-income and disconnected youth. Complete with case studies of best practices, the toolkit will guide businesses down one of the three pathways that best matches the company's assets and readiness to provide youth the skills they need for employment and adulthood.

Conveniently available in print and online, the toolkit will walk businesses through four key stages to identify and define a successful program.

• Assess and Select: Employers take an assessment survey which guides them to select one of three engagement models (Life Skills, Work Skills or Learn & Earn).
• Define Scope: Employers walk through an exercise to define the scope of their company's model.
• Plan and Pilot: Users are guided through a plan to build their company's pilot program.
• Refine and Grow: Employers set up for ongoing program development and refinement.

Additionally, employers who commit to support youth employment in one of the three pathways will register their commitments with the Summer Jobs Plus Bank, an easy-to-use tool that helps low-income youth and communities find job postings from companies looking to hire them. To help ensure youth can find these Summer Jobs Plus opportunities, the Administration will engage public and private sector resources to train employers and providers on how to "tag" listings for jobs as well as corporate mentorship opportunities and other "Pathway Pledges."

Making a Pathways Pledge

Companies who join the Summer Jobs Plus challenge will commit to the following:

• Create new or expanded opportunities for a specific number of low-income youth ages 16-24. Each commitment will provide a specific number of young people they plan to engage in Summer 2012.
• Hire youth, or to support youth via one of the three pathways to employment: Life Skills, Work Skills, or Learn and Earn
• Participate in the Summer Jobs Plus Bank, including tagging listings for jobs, corporate mentoring experiences and other "Pathways Pledges."
  
  Summer Jobs Plus Commitment Tracker Sheet...

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth is conducting an online survey to learn whether and how individuals and organizations use the "Guideposts for Success", a national framework that identifies what all youth need for successful transition to adulthood. NCWD Youth is conducting a survey--please follow article source link to participate in the survey.

If you have not seen the Guideposts for Success resources check them out at:
http://www.ncwd-youth.info/guideposts

FEMA Provides Youth-Based Technical Assistance Workshops

Leading educators and scholars in the field of preparedness education consider our nation's youth to be the best envoy for taking preparedness messages home to their families. In order to better prepare our nation's youth to bring preparedness home, FEMA is providing technical assistance workshops to state and local practitioners who support youth-based programs and who are interested in integrating preparedness education into their offerings.

As part of these workshops, participants hear from experts who have developed and delivered some of the most successful youth preparedness programs across the country. In discussing their programs, they also emphasize the following:

• Getting Started & Engaging Partners
• Identifying Curriculum
• Implementing the Program
• Promoting the Program
• Sustainment & Evaluation

You don't have to wait for a workshop in your area to get started. For more information about integrating preparedness education into your local youth programs, send a message to citizencorps@dhs.gov.

Nominations are now open for the ninth annual Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities Youth Achievement Award. This $1,000 award recognizes the strengths and accomplishments of young people with learning disabilities and ADHD. It will be given to a student 19 or younger for demonstrating initiative, talent and determination resulting in a notable accomplishment in any field-including art, music, science, math, athletics or community service. Honorable Mentions will also be awarded.

Deadline to apply is February 28, 2012

This is an invitation for California high school juniors and seniors who have disabilities to apply to come to Sacramento and attend the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (YLF) July 23-27, 2012.

Students will have the opportunity to live on a college campus and join more than 900 alumni from across the state that have been a part of this unique program created specifically for young leaders with disabilities. At no cost for the student!

Students who attend YLF make new, life-long friendships and resource connections to help them reach their personal, academic, and career goals.
Alumni of the California Youth Leadership Forum say it has forever changed their lives for the better.

What to learn more? Go to www.dor.ca.gov/YLF for more information and a copy of the application and instructions.

If you experience any difficulty in filling out this application, we can help you. Please contact DOR by phone at (916) 558-5407, or by email at YLF@dor.ca.gov or by TTY at (916) 558-5403.


Deadline to submit applications, January 13th, 2012.

Join us the California Coalition for Youth for an amazing 3 days of fun, leadership development, learning and advocacy!

CCY's annual Taking Action Conference empowers youth and youth advocates with strategies to create change and improve the lives of California's youth. It's your chance to come to our state's capital to share ideas, energy and experiences with transition-age youth, youth-serving programs and youth advocates from throughout California.

This year, we've decided to do our conference superhero style (hence the title, California Youth Powers Activate ! - a riff off the WonderTwins slogan). We are so excited to once again bring together youth advocates and service providers, state legislators, and amazing youth from across California for an exciting mix of fun, leadership development and advocacy. Register for the conference today and book your room ASAP for big savings!

To learn more go to article source

Yesterday, at a public school in Washington, DC, joined by cable and technology executives and nonprofit leaders, FCC Chairman Genachowski announced an unprecedented effort to help close the digital divide, bringing low-cost broadband and computers to millions of low-income Americans.

Right now nearly one-third of the country - 100 million Americans - doesn't have high-speed Internet at home. Compare that to Singapore and Korea, where broadband adoption rates top 90 percent. Minorities and low-income Americans are the hardest hit by this divide. Research shows that cost, relevance, and digital literacy are the primary reasons many people aren't connecting. Whether we're talking about jobs, education, or health care, in this day and age, getting online is a necessity, not a convenience.

The "Connect to Compete" effort will offer millions of families eligible for the National School Lunch Program discounted $9.95/ month broadband Internet, $150 laptop or desktop refurbished computers, and free digital literacy training. This represents a $4 billion in-kind offering for tens of millions of Americans. And it won't spend any taxpayer dollars.

Yesterday, President Obama said: "This important partnership between my Administration and American businesses represents a major step towards closing the digital divide -- connecting more families to the 21st century economy, creating new jobs and unleashing new opportunities, and helping America win the future....

To learn more go to Article Source

When a 14-year-old student with a disability in Ohio told her father she was being bullied at school, he figured it was something that many teenagers endure.

Then he realized it was his daughter's teachers doing the bullying.

"We were shocked,'' he tearfully said. "We couldn't know. We didn't know.''

After being told repeatedly by school administrators that his daughter was lying about being harassed and bullied, he outfitted her with a hidden tape recorder under her clothes. For the next four days, she recorded a series of abusive and cutting remarks from a teacher and a teacher's aide at Miami Trace Middle School in Washington Courthouse, Ohio.

The father, Brian, and his daughter, Cheyanne (their last names were withheld in the interview), appeared on TODAY with their attorneys Tuesday as snippets from the secret audio tapes were played.

When asked by Ann Curry how all of this made her feel, Cheyanne simply replied, "Sad.''

'Are you that damn dumb?'

The tapes reveal teacher Christie Wilt and her teacher's aide, Kelly Chaffins, saying disturbing things to Cheyanne in the classroom. Cheyanne, who is now in high school, was in Wilt's class for three years of middle school. Chaffins has since resigned, while Wilt had to undergo eight hours of anti-bullying and child abuse training. On Monday, Wilt was put on unpaid leave for the rest of the school year, but Cheyanne's family is hoping to prevent her from ever teaching or working with special needs students again.

To read more click on Article Source

International Day of Persons with Disabilities is annually recognized on
December 3.

This year's theme is "Together for a better world for all: Including persons with disabilities in development." Priorities Identified this year are:

Mainstreaming disability: including a disability perspective in all development processes

Gender: including women and girls with disabilities in development

Including children and youth with disabilities in development

Accessibility: removing barriers and promoting disability-inclusive development

Promoting data collection and statistics on disability

To learn more go to Article Source

By Sarah Moussavian,
YO! Corps Volunteer at Silicon Valley Independent Living Center

Born with a disability, I know how hard it can be to go to school every day, feeling 'different'.

Since I was one of only a few students to have a physical disability in Elementary and Middle School I didn't have many friends to turn to when I was a victim of bullying.

As I was growing up, my classmates were afraid to be friends with me because they thought my disability was "contagious." After graduating, I thought about many of the friendships I missed out on and realized I wanted to break down the barriers that so many people with disabilities face every day.

I decided to join a leadership group for young people with disabilities, and that's where I first participated in fighting to change things. I got the chance to help author the proposal to create a Disability History Week in California.

We're celebrating the first Disability History Week this October. I believe that change will happen, and people with disabilities will eventually no longer fear being bullied.

To listen to the commentary visit
http://www.youthradio.org/news/one-girls-take-on-disability-history-week

Do you want to CELEBRATE Disability History Week?

With a $10 donation to YO! Disabled & Proud you can receive the 2011 Disability History Week poster that depicts a critical moment in our history: the 504 Sit-in

With a donation of $25 you can receive the the incredible documentary
"The Power of 504"

YO! has teamed up with Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund to make a special October offer--with a $30 donation to YO! you can recieve the Poster and the Documentary

Make your donation today, in celebration of our history!

Disability History Week is the topic of discussion on Capitol Public Radio Insight program this morning....

Disability History Week The Second Annual California Disability History Week will be celebrated around the state this week. We'll speak with the deputy director of California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Christina Mills, and Katie Laackmann, a Youth Organizing! Disabled and Proud volunteer.

KXJZ 90.9 Sacramento KKTO 90.5 Tahoe/Reno KUOP 91.3 Stockton KQNC 88.1 Quincy KXPR 88.9 Sacramento KXSR 91.7 Groveland/Sonora KXJS 88.7 Sutter/YubaCity

Governor Brown signed into law last night Seth's Law, a bill that will improve
school procedures and policies to prevent bullying in California schools. A very timely signature, as October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

Congratulations to YO! members who educated policy makers about the impact of bullying on youth with disabilities. Your letters, emails and visits ensured that youth with disabilities were included in this new law.

California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced the legislation "As a former teacher, I know how important it is for our students to feel safe at school," Ammiano said in a statement after the state Senate passed the bill. "We have a moral duty to our youth to prevent bullying … before a tragedy occurs."

To learn more visit our Own MY Power Freedom from Bullying Campaign

The Office of Disability Employment Policy each October, recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month, as a time to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme, "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities," focuses on improving employment opportunities that lead to good jobs and a secure economic future for people with disabilities - and America. This theme emphasizes the dividend we all gain by increasing employment opportunities for workers with disabilities.

The American Association on Health and Disability (AAHD) is proud to announce that applications are being expected for the 2011-12 Scholarship Program.

The AAHD Scholarship Program supports students with disabilities who are pursuing higher education. Preference will be given to students who plan to pursue undergraduate/graduate studies in the field of public health, health promotion, or disability studies, to include disability policy and disability research. Royalties from the Disability and Health Journal partially fund the the AAHD Scholarship Program.

Please visit www.aahd.us to learn more about the Scholarship Program and to download the application. Applications are due by November 15, 2011.

If you would like to make a donation to the AAHD Scholarship Program, please send your contribution to American Association on Health and Disability, 110 N. Washington Street, Suite 328-J, Rockville, MD 20850. All donations to the Scholarship Program are used 100% for scholarships. For additional questions, please contact Maria Manolatos at mmanolatos@aahd.us or Roberta Carlin at rcarlin@aahd.us or 301-545-6140 ext. 202.

Please feel free to circulate this announcement to your friends and colleagues.

The report describes the experiences and outcomes of young adults with disabilities in postsecondary education, employment, independence, and social domains during their first 8 years out of high school.

Selected findings include:

Sixty percent of young adults with disabilities reported having continued on to postsecondary education within 8 years of leaving high school.

Ninety-one percent of young adults with disabilities reported having been employed at some time since leaving high school, holding an average of four jobs.

Ninety-four percent of young adults with disabilities reported having been engaged in employment, postsecondary education, and/or job training during this post-high school period.

Fifty-nine percent of young adults with disabilities had lived independently (on their own or with a spouse, partner, or roommate), and 4 percent had lived semi-independently (primarily in a college dormitory or military housing).

The participation rate of young adults with disabilities in any one of three types of social and community involvement activities—lessons or classes outside of school, volunteer or community service activities, and organized school or community groups—was 52 percent, ranging from 20 percent to 39 percent of young adults across the three types of activities.

Proposed changes by some Republican senators to the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, now called No Child Left Behind, could push more children with disabilities away from taking the same kinds of tests as their classmates. That could limit how many students with special needs are included when schools and districts are held accountable for their students' progress, the National Center on Learning Disabilities told several senators in a letter this week....

SVILC and CRIL would like to invite teachers to the Annual Disability History Week Teacher Training. During this training educators will learn classroom lessons, and are asked to commit one class period per section to teaching a lesson about Disability History. There are 20 spots available, and are accepted on a first come, first serve spaces. Registrations sent in after we have reached our limit will be placed on a wait list. If you have any questions, please contact

Sara Moussavian (saram@svilc.org - Santa Clara County)

Dolores Tejada (dolores.tejada@cril-online.org - Alameda County).

Thank you!

The National Longitudinal Transition Study provides a unique source of information to help in developing an understanding of the experiences of secondary school students with disabilities nationally as they go through their early adult years. This report addresses questions about youth with disabilities in transition by providing information over a 10-year period about a nationally representative sample of secondary school students with disabilities who were receiving special
education services under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act in the 2000–2001 school year.

YO! Corps Volunteer Katie Laackmann from River City High School published an article in the California Progress Report

For me and other youth with disabilities, the "back to school" season has special significance this year. Over the summer, our state legislature passed a bill that will finally require California public schools to include the history of the disability rights movement in social studies and history lessons and on July 14, Governor Brown signed it into law.

In 2010, youth with disabilities led the effort to establish the second week in October as Disability History Week and on the heels of that victory, SB 48 (Leno), the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act will now ensure that our peers in K-12 schools learn about the contributions people with disabilities have made in our country...

To read more go to source article

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy is currently working on a publication that is intended to be a complete transition guide as youth and young adults (age 14-25) with disabilities move from high school to post-secondary settings, including but not limited to full-time jobs, vocational training (being an apprentice), service, internships; and junior college and university settings. Since experiences are a great way to learn, they are trying to collect stories from youth and young adults with disabilities about their transitions. This project is open to youth with different types of disabilities, from all backgrounds, and from all across the country!

Please feel free to contact Hamza Jaka at Jaka.Hamza.A@dol.gov or Laura Ibanez, at: Ibanez.Laura@dol.gov

ProPublica and Chronicle of Higher Education

After suffering from panic attacks and episodes of psychosis, Donita McDonald was diagnosed with a severe mental illness in 2009. She was unable to work or attend school, so the Social Security Administration declared the 21-year-old disabled. After the ruling, McDonald's family turned to the Department of Education, appealing to also have her thousands of dollars in student loans forgiven. The department is supposed to forgive the loans of former students who develop severe and lasting disabilities, such as McDonald.

But rather than accept the Social Security Administration's ruling, the Education Department has forced McDonald to go through a separate, arduous and largely duplicative review that has left her facing continuous collection efforts, even though she is unable to handle her own finances.

McDonald's experience is far from unique. As ProPublica, The Chronicle of Higher Education and the Center for Public Integrity detailed in an article in February [2], the department's dysfunctional process for evaluating disability is keeping many genuinely disabled applicants in debt. Internal reports by the department's own ombudsman found that the program has suffered from "fundamental deficiencies" including "no written medical standards for determining disability," "no formal appeals process" for denials and "undue burden and costs" on borrowers.

To Read More Go to Article Source

Nearly one of every five kids between age 12 and 17 report being "cyber bullied," according to a recent survey that examined the connection between social networking sites and substance use.

Out of 1,037 teens polled by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 19 percent of respondents said they had someone post "mean or embarrassing things about them" on a social networking site such as Twitter or Facebook.

Girls were far more likely than boys (25 percent versus 14 percent) to report having been bullied.

The figure is significantly lower than earlier surveys of youth about online bullying. In a 2004 survey of 1,500 students, in grades four through eight, 42 percent reported having been bullied online and 35 percent reported being threatened online.

Compared to teens who are not cyber bullied, "teens who have been cyber bullied are more than twice as likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana," according to the survey, which mostly asks about the use of drugs and alcohol by teens and their attitude about substance use.

To read more link to source article below

UCLA Tarjan Center and SAGE Mitsubishi Inclusion will fund up to three schools to include students with and without disabilities in, socially responsible, student run businesses. Like any business, socially responsible businesses, provide a needed product or service to the community. Socially responsible businesses take extra efforts to help people and protect the planet.

The selected schools will receive an annual $2000-$2,500 Project Stipend to support their participation. The teachers in selected schools will be designated as a SAGE-Mitsubishi Inclusion Fellows. In addition, each selected school will receive a video camera. The students participating in the student run businesses, at the selected schools, will be responsible for shooting video footage of their experience. These individual team videos will be compiled and edited to create a "Making Entrepreneur Inclusion Happen" project video, which will demonstrate best practices for including all students in entrepreneur leadership.

Also, each student business team, within the selected schools, will receive a public relations package (including T-shirts, buttons and other promotional materials) and be expected to promote inclusion in their school and local community. If a team desires, they can also participate in the national SAGE competition, where their room and board will be covered. Successful applicants will be funded for a 21 month program period (approximately 2 school years) 10/31/2011 through 8/1/2013. The second year of funding is contingent upon satisfactory performance in year one, and other programmatic decisions.

For more information go to article source

Sensational stories of students being bullied, causing physical and mental illness or even death, by their own hands or others’, have sadly become too common. Television viewers are becoming desensitized to dangers lurking around school yards or computer desks.

It is heartbreaking to see children’s lives ruined by the behavior of other kids, whose parents and teachers seem not to care.

When we were kids, bullying was confined to a classroom or school yard. Nowadays, bullying is worldwide, and has intensified in meanness and manipulation.

I was shocked to see how many TV programs have to do with bullying—mean girls, liars, real housewives, and what have you!

Fat, thin, short, tall, ugly, too pretty, quiet, braces, wrong clothes, wrong accent, gay, nerdy, dumb, poor, too rich. No one is safe from bullying.

Calling All Youth Voices
The Young Minds competition is looking for exceptional young people from ages of 18 to 24 who are changing their communities and the world. These "future world-changers" will have the opportunity to join over 400 of the planet's top leaders and biggest brains - from businessmen to bloggers and inventors to activists - at Google's annual Zeitgeist event. Applicants should submit a one minute video describing how they're making a difference. Before you know it, you could be in Arizona chatting with Desmond Tutu or Will.I.Am

Watch Youth Videos and Apply NOW!

The report, titled “Divided We Fail: Inland Empire Regional Profile,” shows that 70% of students who enrolled in a California community College still had not completed a degree or a certificate or transferred to a four-year school after 6 years. When the data was broken down by race, it showed that the number of Latino and black students who failed to achieve any of the above objectives was between 75% and 80%.

It tracked more than 250,000 students who enrolled in community colleges throughout California and tracked their progress over the next 6 years. Statistics for Inland Empire mirror those of the rest of the state

AT & Transition: What Happens after High School?

Do you have questions about how to access the tools you need for success once you are out of the education system? Do you know which systems pay for what, and how to advocate for what you need? This webinar will answer these questions, plus provide info on how to best coordinate services within the Regional Center, Department of Rehab, college, and medical insurance systems. Personal experience stories will be shared, so you can learn how it can work, and how to make it work for you!

CFILC is seeking energized and motivated candidates for our Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud Youth Advocate position.

The YO! Advocate is responsible for developing presentations and doing outreach and recruitment for YO! events. The YO! Advocate is responsible for identifying topics and speakers for YO! statewide webinars.

The YO! Advocate will provide logistical support to the Youth Advisory Council, YO! Corps Volunteers, YO! Campaign Organizers, and the advancement of YO! organizing campaigns for social change.

The Youth Advocate is responsible for responding to the YO! Information and Referral Line as well as developing materials and resources for YO! Line callers. This position is responsible for data input and collection for the YO! Line database.


This is a full-time position working 40 hours per week and is based in the CFILC offices located in Sacramento California

Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud is launching a statewide webinar series focused on issues impacting youth with disabilities. The first webinar will be an overview of
Issues Impacting Youth with Traumatic Brain Injuries Tuesday - August 16, 2011 • 3:30-4:30pm, brought to you by the Central Coast Center for Independent Living.

Future webinars will cover Youth and Personal Assistance Services, Youth Work Incentives and Disability Benefits, Independent Living Transitioning to Adulthood.

Sign-Up Today!
http://www.yodisabledproud.org/education/yo-webinar-training-series-072911.php

California Foundation for Independent Living Centers
PRESS RELEASE

Sacramento, CA – The Herb Levine Legacy Fund has announced its grant to the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers’ program YO! Disabled and Proud. This grant will support the YO! Disabled and Proud Volunteer Program by providing one youth stipend for one full year. In addition, this funding will support that volunteer to attend the YO! Disabled and Proud Youth Summit in September.

The Herb Levine Legacy Fund is designed to foster grassroots disability rights activism in California. Named after former Independent Living Resources Center San Francisco Executive Director, Herb Levine, the fund is working to foster grassroots projects that are in line with the mission of working to ensure that people with disabilities are full social and economic partners, both within their families and in a fully accessible community. Grant recipients.

YO! Disabled & Proud Connects, Educates and Organizes youth with disabilities, ages 16 to 28, by offering opportunities for youth with disabilities to build community with each other, develop a sense of history, leadership, a positive disability identity, as they organize and mobilize each other on issues that impact their lives. Our YO! Volunteer Corps supports over a dozen youth across California who have collectively volunteered over 2,000 hours in the last year.

This year, YO! will launch an anti-bully campaign at a Youth Summit on September 16th -18th at Sierra Health Foundations’ Grizzly Creek Ranch in Portola California. During the Summit, Youth with disabilities from across California will develop a plan to connect, organize and educate our communities about this issue through the development of videos and materials, story collection, training and outreach events.

Youth Organizing! Disabled and Proud is a program of the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, our mission is to support Independent Living Centers in their local communities through advocating for systems change and promoting access and integration for people with disabilities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2011

Attached is a proclamation signed by the President today regarding the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Also, see text below.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release July 25, 2011
ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT, 2011
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Generations of Americans with disabilities have improved our country in countless ways. Refusing to accept the world as it was, they have torn down the barriers that prohibited them from fully realizing the American dream. Their tireless efforts led to the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), one of the most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation in our Nation's history. On this day, we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the ADA and the progress we have made, and we reaffirm our commitment to ensure equal opportunity for all Americans.

Each day, people living with disabilities make immeasurable contributions to the diversity and vitality of our communities. Nearly one in five Americans lives with a disability. They are our family members and friends, neighbors and colleagues, and business and civic leaders. Since the passing of the ADA, persons with disabilities are leading fuller lives in neighborhoods that are more accessible and have greater access to new technologies. In our classrooms, young people with disabilities now enjoy the same educational opportunities as their peers and are gaining the tools necessary to reach their greatest potential.

Despite these advancements, there is more work to be done, and my Administration remains committed to ending all forms of discrimination and upholding the rights of Americans with disabilities. The Department of Justice continues to strengthen enforcement of the ADA by ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to community-based services that allow them to lead independent lives in the communities of their choosing. Under provisions of the Affordable Care Act, insurers will no longer be able to engage in the discriminatory practice of denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, and Americans with disabilities will have greater control over their health care choices. And last year, I signed an Executive Order establishing the Federal Government as a model employer for individuals with disabilities, placing a special focus on recruitment and retention of public servants with disabilities across Federal agencies.

Through the ADA, America was the first country in the world to comprehensively declare equality for citizens with disabilities. To continue promoting these principles, we have joined in signing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. At its core, this Convention promotes equality. It seeks to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy the same rights and opportunities as all people, and are able to lead their lives as do other individuals.

Eventual ratification of this Convention would represent another important step in our forty-plus years of protecting disability rights. It would offer us a platform to encourage other countries to join and implement the Convention. Broad implementation would mean greater protections and benefits abroad for millions of Americans with disabilities, including our veterans, who travel, conduct business, study, reside, or retire overseas. In encouraging other countries to join and implement the Convention, we also could help level the playing field to the benefit of American companies, who already meet high standards under United States domestic law. Improved disabilities standards abroad would also afford American businesses increased opportunities to export innovative products and technologies, stimulating job creation at home.

Equal access, equal opportunity, and the freedom to make of our lives what we will are principles upon which our Nation was founded, and they continue to guide our efforts to perfect our Union. Together, we can ensure our country is not deprived of the full talents and contributions of the approximately 54 million Americans living with disabilities, and we will move forward with the work of providing pathways to opportunity to all of our people.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, July 26, 2011, the Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I encourage Americans across our Nation to celebrate the 21st anniversary of this civil rights law and the many contributions of individuals with disabilities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA
# # #

The legislation, authored by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, was approved in the Legislature along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The governor's office announced this morning that Brown had signed the bill.

Senate Bill 48 requires public instruction in social sciences to include the role and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, as well as people with disabilities and members of other cultural groups.

It is with great pleasure that the Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF) announces the establishment of an annual fund designed to foster grassroots disability rights activism in California. Our esteemed Executive Director, Herb Levine, is retiring after more than 30 years of visionary leadership in the Independent Living Movement and we want to honor his legacy of service by making a sustained commitment to fostering grassroots projects that and are in line with our mission of working to ensure that people with disabilities are full social and economic partners, both within their families and in a fully accessible community.

DEADLINE JULY 9th

Disability Pride Parade Transportation Assistance Scholarships Available

Transportation grants will be considered for Disability Community members who would like to participate in the 2nd Annual West Coast Disability Pride Parade & Festival by joining in the Parade procession, the Disability Resource Fair and Festival. Registration in the Parade is REQUIRED. Scholarship funds are limited. All scholarship requests will be reviewed and those funded through a reimbursement process will be notified on/or before July 8, 2011.

Submit your request for transportation assistance no later than July 6, 2011. For additional information, or assistance, contact Firdosh Agarwal at SVILC 408-894-9041(voice),866-945-2205(TTY), or email firdosha@svilc.org.

Last week, President Obama met with young Americans in the West Wing to de-brief on the “100 Youth Roundtables” Initiative. In that session, young folks reflected on the feedback given to the White House during the course of the initiative. They discussed issues regarding environmental regulations, community organizations, legislation that the President supports, and how to really make a difference all around. To follow up on that feedback, the President announced a new series that will take us through the summer, called, “How to Make Change.” Check out his announcement...

"AWARENESS, PROGRESS, CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE -20 YEARS—SO FAR !"
YLF Community Leadership Luncheon

Celebrating the 20th Annual California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities. Meet the New Generation of Young Leaders From the Disability Community

Showcasing 20 Years of YLF Alumni
Recognizing our YLF Supporters
Honoring our YLF Founders

Wednesday July 27, 2011 from 12:30- 2:30 PM
Sacramento Sheraton Grand Hotel, Grand Ballroom
1230 J Street, Sacramento, California

Register Now! (Deadline to Register-JULY 15)
Private Sponsors Include: Wells Fargo Foundation and Molina Health Care

From 1987 through 2009, Congress sent hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities grants to the states. That money funded violence prevention programs in almost every school district in the country.

But those programs have been running on fumes for the last two years. Faced with federal budget problems, Congress opted in 2009 to eliminate Safe and Drug Free Schools grants entirely. Because districts were allowed to spend Safe and Drug Free School grants they received in 2009 over the course of 27 months, the funding shortfall is just now beginning to be felt.

Young leaders were joined by Obama Administration Senior Advisors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House for a listening session on the topics that young leaders discussed in their respective roundtable sessions all over the country. The leaders briefed the White House on their conversations and solutions around jobs for young people, youth entrepreneurship, workforce development, energy & the environment, global poverty, racial & ethnic profiling, human rights, and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) policy.

We write to express concern on the part of the Department of Justice and the Department of Education that colleges and universities are using electronic book readers that are not accessible to students who are blind or have low vision and to seek your help in ensuring that this emerging technology is used in classroom settings in a manner that is permissible under federal law.
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-20100629.html

This FAQ is a follow-up to the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) that we sent to college and university presidents on June 29, 2010, regarding the use of electronic book readers and other emerging technologies in educational settings.
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/dcl-ebook-faq-201105.html

Report: Many Uninsured Young Adults Delaying Care

In 2010, nearly 58% of uninsured young adults between the ages of 19 and 29 delayed care because of costs, compared with 34% of insured young adults in that age group, according to a study by the Commonwealth Fund. The report notes that provisions of the federal health reform law are expected to increase coverage among this age group in the coming years.

There is ONLY 2 Weeks until Early Bird Registration closes for this year's PeaceJam Slam and spots are filling up quickly! Have you registered to guarantee your spot?

The SoCal PeaceJam Slam is an opportunity for youth ages 13-18 in Southern California to participate in an inspiring day-long conference. The goal is for youth to leave inspired to develop service-learning projects that will make an impact on their local and/or global communities. This year's SoCal Slam will focus on the Power of Youth Voice and the different mediums by which youth can have their voices heard. Students will be introduced to the Global Call to Action, a campaign designed by Nobel Peace Laureates through the PeaceJam program. The goal of the campaign is for youth around the world to complete 1 billion service projects
by 2025.

Space is limited, so it is strongly recommended that groups sign-up fast! Student and adult costs are $25.00 if registered by Friday, June 3rd by 11:59pm PST. Youth are required to attend in groups of a minimum of three (3) with at least one (1) adult chaperon/sponsor. Larger groups are encouraged to have more adult chaperons with a suggested ratio of 5:1.

Click on the link below to register TODAY! For large group registration, feel free to contact Bryan Banville directly on how to help make the process easier for your group.

Bryan Banville, Excel Youth Zone
bbanville@excelyouthzone.org
619-599-8205 xt 3

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Service announces the National Transition Conference, “College and Careers for Youth with Disabilities,” that will take place in Washington, D.C. November 7 – 9, 2011. This conference will bring together stakeholders to discuss and exchange innovative ideas, transition practices and research discoveries. Attendees will include young adults, family members, advocates, educators, vocational rehabilitation programs, employment and training professionals, researchers and state and federal officials. For more information, visit: http://www.transition2011.org/

Molina Healthcare to honor six community leaders for their dedication to the community

SACRAMENTO, CA - (May 20, 2011) - Katie Laackmann will be honored as one of the unsung heroes who work behind the scenes to make the Sacramento a better place. The Fifth Annual Molina Healthcare of California Community Champions Awards dinner will be take place on Thursday, June 23, 2011.

In addition to Laackmann, five other everyday heroes will be honored for their extraordinary service and civic contributions. Laackmann was nominated by California Foundation for Independent Living Centers and will receive a grant to be given to an organization of their choosing and a Molina Healthcare of California Community Champions Award trophy, named in honor of Molina Healthcare’s physician founder, Dr. C. David Molina.

"Molina Healthcare is proud to honor Katie Laackmann as the Volunteer Community Champion," said Lisa Rubino, president of Molina Healthcare of California. "This event is unique in that community members selected Katie as their champion. The grant the winners receive enables them to "pay it forward” to another deserving community organization."

Katie is the youngest member of the Youth Organizing! Disabled & Proud Volunteer Corps and is committed to changing the lives of young people with disabilities. She volunteers two to three days a week where she supports activities related to California’s Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities, attends YO! events, and participates in the Disability History Week campaign. Katie isn’t volunteering because of a high school graduation requirement; she volunteers because she is passionate about disability issues and wants to educate others about getting involved in their community.

About Molina Healthcare
Molina Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: MOH) provides quality and cost-effective Medicaid-related solutions to meet the health care needs of low-income families and individuals and to assist state agencies in their administration of the Medicaid program. Our licensed health plans in California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin currently serve approximately 1.6 million members, and our subsidiary, Molina Medicaid Solutions, provides business processing and information technology administrative services to Medicaid agencies in Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, New Jersey, and West Virginia, and drug rebate administration services in Florida. More information about Molina Healthcare is available at www.molinahealthcare.com

About 30,000 of the nation’s foster children age out of the system each year, most often at age 18. They are expected to become independent, self-sufficient and contributing members of society with little or no assistance from others. According to this report, the foster care system creates huge problems that make the expectations unrealistic. Only about 3 percent of children in foster care ever earn four-year degrees, and by age 24, less than half of foster care "alumni" are employed.

Fact sheet: Youth with Disabilities

• Youth with disabilities are amongst the most marginalized and poorest of all the world’s youth.
• UNESCO estimates that 98% of children with disabilities in developing countries do not attend school and 99% of girls with disabilities are illiterate.
• Youth with disabilities face dual disadvantages as individuals with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty even in developed countries

Throughout the world, youth are dropping out of school and being excluded from the economy. However, young women and men with disabilities commonly face more discrimination and severe social, economic, and civic disparities as compared with those without disabilities, even in developed countries. For many young people with disabilities, exclusion, isolation, and abuse, as well as lack of educational and economic opportunities are daily experiences. Youth with disabilities are amongst the most marginalized and poorest of all the world's youth, whose basic rights are not well met and for whom full societal acceptance is often out of reach.

Disparities in education, employment, and relationships are more pronounced in youth with disabilities. Like adults with disabilities, youth with disabilities do not enjoy the same human rights or equal access to goods and services as peers without disabilities. The international community recognized this and after three years of negotiation, the General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in December 2006 to ensure that persons with disabilities, including the youngest ones, enjoy the same human rights as everyone else. Effective implementation of the Convention requires a focused effort by all sectors to guarantee that young people with disabilities participate in mainstreamed as well as in disability specific programs on an equal basis with others.

On May 13, 2011 join SparkAction, the Children's Leadership Council, the Coalition on Human Needs and Voices for America's Children for an important webinar - Media Strategies That Work: Making the Case for Children, Youth & Families in the Budget Debate.

Friday, May 13, 2011 at 3:30 pm EDT

In today’s combative media environment, stories regarding children, youth and families are often dismissed by reporters as merely “human interest”. As advocates, we know the long term success of these populations is critical to our nation’s future.

Join the communications firm of Slowey/McManus as they discuss tips and strategies to capture the attention of print and electronic journalists. They will also cover pitching stories so they’ll be picked up, best practices for moderating, posting and commenting on blogs, and using personal stories to explain complicated policy issues.

Check back soon for more information!

We will also discuss running an effective communications campaign in the absence of a communications staff position.

More than 50 years ago, Eddie Cochran captured the frustration of American teenagers with his hit single Ain't No Cure for the Summer Time Blues. He sang about a young man lamenting that he has to work all summer long, doesn't get time to spend with his girlfriend, and can't borrow the family car if he doesn't have money. Today's teens would sing a much different and far worse song. They can't get jobs in the first place.

For the last four summers, America's teens have been employed in record low numbers, and this summer is gearing up to be no different. The number of teens working has declined precipitously over the last decade, falling from 45 percent in 2000 to 26 percent in 2010, a major employment crisis for youth.

This summer, the Center for Labor Market Studies anticipates that only one in four teens between 16 and 19 will have employment. This means about 12 million of the nation's young people will be idle. Without work, many of these teens will waste three months being non-productive or, worse, involved in dangerous or criminal activities.

Low-income youth and minority youth of all income levels are far less likely to obtain employment than whites. In June 2010, black teens of all socioeconomic levels had an employment rate of only 15.2 percent, making them 53 percent less likely to work than white teens. Low-income black teens fared far worse, with only 9 percent of them employed. Although Hispanic youth were the most likely minority group to work, they still lagged behind whites. Black male teenagers living in urban communities are the least likely to obtain summer employment. They are also the ones most at risk for engaging in perilous activities due to lack of connection to positive summer opportunities. The teens who need employment and stand to gain the most from the experience are the least likely to get it.

Teens who cannot obtain employment are at a disadvantage. Summer employment is known to reap several benefits for youth, particularly low-income youth, including academic gains in mathematics and reading, greater attachment to the labor market, higher earnings in early adulthood, and decreased involvement in violent or criminal activities. Many low-income youth also use the earnings from summer jobs to supplement family income, to purchase necessary clothing and school supplies for the upcoming school year, and to support their recreational activities that parents could not otherwise afford.

In the last ten years, the nation has experienced two economic recessions. The recession of 2001 was marked by a significant decrease in teen employment. As the nation recovered and employment rolls began to increase, employment rates for the teen population did not bounce back. It appears that the same is true for this most recent recession. Despite increasing overall employment, the number of teens in jobs continues to fall.

There is a cure for teens' summer time employment woes, however. While there has been serious disinvestment in resources to support teen employment in the last decade, the federal funding of summer jobs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was a good sign and offered a glimmer of hope. Local communities, with relatively short lead time, put more than 312,000 youth to work during the summer of 2009. However, despite rising youth unemployment, little has been done since then.

Federal policymakers should focus on a more intentional, thoughtful, and sustained approach to youth employment that seriously weighs the value of investing in the future of America's workforce. They can put in place policies and resources to promote a comprehensive youth employment strategy that includes the reinstatement of federal funding for summer jobs and other paid work experience opportunities such as service and youth corps, transitional jobs, internships, and on-the-job-training. This critical first step will ensure greater labor market outcomes for youth. The federal government, states and communities also should invest in year-round employment opportunities for youth, particularly for older youth and those who are currently disconnected from the labor market and do not have a high school credential. Their future success depends on a strategy that reengages them in learning and training to put them on a pathway to successful and sustainable employment. Finally, resources must be targeted to low-income and minority communities where the need is greatest.

The number of young adults taking advantage of a provision in the federal health reform law that allows them to remain on their parents' health insurance plans until age 26 appears to be outpacing previous estimates. HHS estimated that about 1.2 million young adults would sign up by the end of 2011, but early numbers from insurers show that the number might be much higher.

Independent Living Resource Center, San Francisco is currently organizing a youth group.The group is called Youth with Disabilities (YWD), and will be having its first meeting on Wednesday, May 11, at 4pm here at ILRCSF. YWD is aimed at youth ages 14-23 that want to come together, learn, laugh, advocate and support one another. This is your chance to reconnect with your community, meet new people, learn about the disability movement, express yourself creatively, plan social events and more!!!
Snacks Will Be Provided.

DATE: Wednesday, May 11th
TIME: 4 – 5pm
PLACE: Independent Living Resource Center San Francisco (ILRCSF)
649 Mission Street, 3rd Floor
(on Mission St, between 3rd and New Montgomery)

Questions? Interested? Contact Derek.
RSVP BY MAY 6:
415-543-6222 OR Derek@ilrcsf.org

Official Message from the State Director of the Special Education Division

April is Autism Awareness month. In recognition of this growing developmental disability, Fred Balcom, Director of the Special Education Division, would like to share with you a few facts regarding autism.

Autism is one of five disorders which fall under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), a category of neurological disorders characterized by severe and pervasive impairment in several areas of development. According to the American Psychological Association, most signs or characteristics of autism are evident in the areas of speech or communication (verbal and non-verbal). Many of the signs or symptoms of autism begin presenting themselves between two and six years of age.

A 2006 research study from the Centers for Disease Control shows that approximately one in 110 children, within all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups, are diagnosed with autism. In addition, a diagnosis is on average four to five times more likely to occur in boys than in girls. At this time, there is no known cause with an estimated 1.5 million individuals in the United States and tens of millions worldwide affected by autism. In California, it is estimated that 8.8 percent of the 680,000 public school children have been diagnosed with autism—approximately 60,000 students. Most school districts have seen a doubling of the number of students with autism in just the past four years.

For additional information on the Senate Select Committee on Autism and Related Disorders, please visit its Web page at:
http://www3.senate.ca.gov/portal/site/senscoa?vgnextfmt=internaldefault. (Outside Source)

Additional information on autism can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information Web page at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/index.htm. (Outside Source)

For further information regarding autism-related issues, please contact Kathleen Halvorson, Consultant, Special Education Division, by phone at 916-319-0756 or by e-mail at Khalvorson@cde.ca.gov.

Union-Tribune, California – April 7, 2011: California legislators have introduced a bill to give former foster youth priority registration in the Cal State system, but Cal State San Marcos in North County has been ahead of the curve for several years now. The San Marcos university began giving priority registration and housing to former foster youth in 2008. It also helps those students through its ACE Scholar Services program, which stands for Achieving College Excellence, and with things like scholarships and time-management courses. http://youthintransitionnews.blogspot.com/

Engineering students at Brigham Young University have developed a computer setup that can be controlled with a person's eye movements. The system measures 2 inches thick, 10 inches long and 14 inches wide, runs the Windows 7 operating system, and costs under $1,500.

The product was a result of a collaboration with Mesa, Arizona based EyeTech Digital Systems, a company that develops eye-tracking hardware and software.

Because the cost of the BYU eye-tracking computer is low compared to commercial systems that can cost upwards of $14,000, the unit can be targeted to people with disabilities in parts of the world that can't afford more expensive eye-tracking systems.