Email
Print
August 2008, Vol.8, No.8
To read past issues, please consult archives of the newsletter on the left.
Subscribe at http://www.responsetrack.net/aaidd/sign_up.
The U.S. Senate designates the week of September 8th as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week. Click here to read more on S. Res. 613.
Dear AAIDD Friends and Colleagues:
- New research offers hope for increased life expectancy and successful aging of people with Down Syndrome.
- The Supports Intensity Scale assessment tool can be used to develop robust funding methods for developmental disability services, new research shows.
- The Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation announces one year public policy fellowship for parents and advocates of people with intellectual disabilities.
- U.S. federal agency seeks public feedback for a study of emerging issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities.
- New e-mentoring program allows students with intellectual disabilities transitioning from high school to college to connect with experienced colleagues in the field.
NEW RESEARCH OFFERS HOPE FOR INCREASED LIFE EXPECTANCY AND SUCCESSFUL AGING OF PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME
It is well-known that people with Down Syndrome often develop Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline almost twenty years earlier than the general population, and that the average life expectancy of a person with Down Syndrome is in the late fifties. That's why the case of "Mr. C" (a real person with Down Syndrome whose name is being withheld) is generating much interest in the scientific community. Not only is “Mr. C” seventy years old, but he does not exhibit decline in cognitive or functional capacities indicative of dementia, despite having complete and well-documented Trisomy 21 or Down Syndrome. The findings from this study are published in an article titled "Successful Aging in a 70-Year-Old Man With Down Syndrome: A Case Study" by Sharon J. Krinsky-McHale et al., in the June 2008 issue of the journal, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. To read the article, click here.
In other Down Syndrome news, a new website titled, Brighter Tomorrows, provides families with information about receiving a diagnosis of Down syndrome either during their pregnancy or at birth.
In other aging news, the National Institute on Aging aims at learning the secrets to a long healthy life, and investigators are seeking long-lived families to help study this important question. Read more at http://www.nia.nih.gov/NewsAndEvents/PressReleases/PR20080707longlife.htm.
THE SUPPORTS INTENSITY SCALE ASSESSMENT TOOL CAN BE USED TO DEVELOP ROBUST FUNDING METHODS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY SERVICES, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS
New research on the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) assessment tool designed to measure support needs of people with intellectual disabilities, reveals that SIS yields solid information about individuals with intellectual disabilities, and that the assessment information can be employed to build robust funding methods. The research, which is published in a White Paper titled "Resource Allocation and the Supports Intensity Scale: Four Papers and Approaches", highlights work done by the states of Washington, Louisiana, and the Netherlands boost the disability field's quest to tie in public funding and individual budgeting with assessment results. A PDF version of the White Paper is available for downloading and commenting at http://www.siswebsite.org/cs/SISwhitepaper/Resourceallocation. To read a news release on the White Paper, click here.
Over the past four years, the Supports Intensity Scale has arguably been the most used within U.S. states attempting to develop funding applications. To learn more about SIS, visit www.siswebsite.org. For questions, email books@aaidd.org
THE JOSEPH P. KENNEDY JR. FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES ONE YEAR PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP FOR PARENTS AND ADVOCATES OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation is seeking parents or family members of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities working towards the enhancement of inclusive services and supports, for a one-year Public Policy Fellowship in Washington, DC. The purpose of the Fellowship is to prepare emerging leaders or experienced family advocates to assume leadership in the public policy arena, in their home state and or nationally. Application deadline is August 15, 2008. To learn more, click here.
U.S. FEDERAL AGENCY SEEKS PUBLIC FEEDBACK FOR A STUDY OF EMERGING ISSUES AND TRENDS AFFECTING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The National Council on Disability (NCD), an independent U.S. federal agency, is gathering public feedback for a study of emerging issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Information gathered will be used in the development of NCD's next annual progress report to the President and the U.S. Congress, required by Section 401(b) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The NCD is seeking feedback in such areas such as, health, housing, employment, insurance, transportation, assistive technology, recreation, emergency preparedness, training, prevention, early intervention, and education. To learn more about how to participate and what information to submit, visit http://www.ncd.gov/newsroom/publications/2008/public_consultation.html.
NEW E-MENTORING PROGRAM ALLOWS STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TRANSITIONING FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE TO CONNECT WITH EXPERIENCED COLLEAGUES IN THE FIELD
An e-mentoring program developed by the Nisonger Center in Ohio connects students with disabilities with mentors who share their transition experiences. Students complete an online course that helps them prepare for the transition to employment or college while communicating weekly with their mentor. Find out more at http://nisonger.osu.edu/Transition/EMentoring.htm.
For advertising in AAIDD F.Y.I., please contact AAIDD at books@aaidd.org
Subscribe for free at http://www.responsetrack.net/aamr/sign_up.
Access past issues of AAIDD F.Y.I.
© Copyright 2008 American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
Publication of an advertisement by AAIDD is neither an endorsement of the advertiser nor of the advertised products or services.
AAIDD F.Y.I. may only be redistributed in its unedited form.