The needs of consumers and families can be complex and at times seem never ending. Therapists, social workers and caregivers naturally find themselves in the role of helper. Although we strive to do the best for those we support, it is unrealistic that this care will remain in place through the entirety of a person’s journey. People must learn to access resources naturally occurring in their community in order successfully navigate life. Within our newsletter series, we hope to share with you relevant community resources – everything from housing to transportation to make these challenges a little bit easier for you or someone you know.
If you have a resource you’d like featured in an upcoming newsletter, please email us details at [email protected].
SERVICE AREA EXPANSION
Here We Grow Again!
We are looking for great therapists STATEWIDE in Kansas. That’s right, we are expanding. In addition to Overland Park, Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka, we are soon to add Wichita and other areas. This is very exciting! If you know anyone who you think would be a great therapist, email Linda Brown, Vice President of Human Resources, at [email protected].
Current positions we are currently hiring for include: Regional Rehabilitation Director | Wichita Administrative Coordinator | Overland Park Life Skills Coach | statewide need Cognitive Therapist | statewide need Physical Therapist | Lawrence, Topeka, Overland Park, Kansas City, Wichita Occupational Therapist | Lawrence, Topeka, Overland Park, Kansas City, Wichita Speech Therapist | Lawrence, Topeka, Overland Park, Kansas City, Wichita
GET INVOLVED
Volunteers Needed: Are You Caring For a Child with a Brain Injury?
The HCBS-BI (Home and Community Based Services-Brain Injury) waiver in Kansas is being expanded to include youth with a brain injury. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) and University of Kansas (KU) are looking for youth with a brain injury to help test a new assessment instrument that will be used to determine functional eligibility for the HCBS-BI waiver in Kansas.
Click here to read the full flyer, detailing specific requirements to participate.
If you are interested, please contact the KU Center for Research on Aging and Disability Options at [email protected] or 785-864-3797.
If you have questions, please contact Carrie Wendel-Hummell, KU MFEI Principal Investigator, at [email protected] or 785-864-3797 or Brutus Segun, KDADS Policy and Program Oversight Manager, at [email protected] or 785-296-7706.
Family and Survivor Seminar: Life After Concussion and Brain Injury
The Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City is hosting a workshop in Parsons, KS on Friday, October 11, 2019! The event runs 8:30 am – 2:00 pm (lunch provided) at Labette County DCF Office – 300 N. 17th St. Parsons, KS 67357
Minds Matter LLC and communityworks inc’s founder, Dr. Janet Williams, will be presenting!
You should attend if YOU…
Have had a concussion/ brain injury
Are a family member/caregiver of someone who’s had a brain injury
Are a professional working in the field of brain injury
Topics Addressed
Brain injury’s impact on individuals, families, and communities
Rehabilitation and strategies to address the effects of brain injury
Advocacy training and resources available for people affected by brain injury
To make reservations or for more information, contact Amy Gaier at 913-754-8883 x1 or [email protected]
EMPLOYMENT
EDK Spotlight: Makayla
Makayla is one of the communityworks, inc. End Dependence Kansas (EDK) clients who has recently found employment! She is working at as a Day Care Assistant in Gardner, KS. Her duties include helping students in the Toddler Classroom, cleaning the facility and completing student take-home paperwork.
She also assists with other various clerical tasks. When asked about her job, she said, “The best thing I like about my job is that I get to hang out with the kids while I’m working!”
KDHE Employment Supports Pilot
The Kansas Department of Health & Environment is currently working on launching an initiative included in the State’s 1115 demonstration waiver, designed to help KanCare members with behavioral health conditions or disabilities gain employment. The initiative is an employment support pilot designed to provide services to people to assist them to obtain and keep employment.
The pilot will eventually serve 500 KanCare members and is designed to test whether a small set of services can help people work and use fewer supports. There is no targeted implementation date yet for the voluntary program.
Please watch for updates in future newsletters regarding the status of this employment pilot.
KCDD Looking for Employment Stories
Competitive, integrated employment for people of all abilities is a priority in Kansas. The Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) has a goal in their current 5-Year plan to provide Kansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), their families, employers, providers and employment support staff with meaningful information about competitive integrated employment.
One way they are doing this is by creating awareness about the gifts and talents of people with I/DD during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October. The purpose of NDEAM is to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities.
The Real Employment Stories of Kansas videos they released last year for NDEAM went over so well last year that we’d love to do some more. You can check them out at http://bit.ly/realemploymentKS.
They are currently looking for stories of Kansans of all ages who are working in competitive, integrated employment.
KCDD believes that, by telling the stories of people who are working in real life jobs and careers, we change expectations around employment for people with disabilities. They hope to encourage youth and adults with I/DD, as well as their family members and key supporters, that anything is possible with the right effort and proper supports. At the same time, they aim to educate employers and the community about the strengths and skills that people with disabilities bring to the workforce every single day.
To participate, all they need is a couple hours of your time to come and shoot an interview and some B-roll footage with the star employee (live on the job), as well as supervisors and co-workers who would like to contribute to the story.
Are you in? Know somebody with a great story?
To get started and discuss the details, please contact [email protected] or call (816) 935-1018.
GIVE BACK
Johnson County Christmas Bureau
It’s that time of year again to start thinking about Holiday Assistance. Your help is needed more than ever in reaching low-income families in Johnson County who are in need of food and gifts and would like to apply to shop at the JCCB.
HOLIDAY SHOP DATES – December 4th- – December 11th
Location – TBD
Requirements – Each individual or household must be a resident of Johnson County, meet income requirements, fill out an application and be given an appointment.
CLIENT ELIGIBILITY
Total household income (of all working) no higher than 150% of federal poverty level
Persons listed on the application must live year-round in the home
Applicant must not be asking for holiday help from another agency or group.
CASE WORKER DIRECTIONS FOR ENROLLMENT- New Information for 2019
Application must be completely filled out on-line this year. You will receive a letter with instructions on how to do this to give out to your clients. Each letter will have the individual code needed to sign up on-line. We will not be giving out hard copies this year. If your clients don’t have access to a computer, have them call us, and we’ll help them enroll. English 913-229-5885, Spanish 913-229-5785
Please fill out the Spanish side of the application if that is the preferred language.
Families receiving aid from the DCF might receive an application mailed on October 8th. Please ask if they have filled out our application already, so we will not receive duplicates. Only one application needs to be sent per family.
Thank you for your help in enrolling our clients.
FIRST DAY OF ENROLLMENT – OCTOBER 8TH
The deadline to be assured of an appointment is November 22nd. Agency applications may be taken after that date until we are full. Appointments will be a first come, first served basis, so please return as soon as possible. The link for on-line applications is: www.jccb.org/apply2019
Survey opportunity! Spasticity – Patients’ Experience with Botulinum Toxin type A Injections
You are invited to participate in an international survey conducted by a leading global biopharmaceutical company Ipsen and Carenity, an online patient community dedicated to people living with chronic conditions, to better understand the experiences of patients (and caregivers) receiving botulinum toxin type A injections.
If you or a family member/loved one has spasticity and is currently being treated with botulinum toxin type A, click here to participate in the survey.
The survey should take no more than 20 minutes. Answers may allow Ipsen and Carenity to better understand patient experiences and identify treatment improvements.
Thank you in advance for your participation!
Participation in this survey is unpaid. To find out more about how your data will be processed and how to exercise your rights, read the survey information page.
http://www.helpersinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/helpersinclogo-340x100.png00Meghan or Rebeccahttp://www.helpersinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/helpersinclogo-340x100.pngMeghan or Rebecca2019-09-25 10:00:492019-10-15 09:17:52Minds Matter
Makayla is one of the communityworks, inc. End Dependence Kansas (EDK) clients who has recently found employment! She is working at as a Day Care Assistant in Gardner, KS. Her duties include helping students in the Toddler Classroom, cleaning the facility and completing student take-home paperwork.
