Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living

Connecting people to the power of independence

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BVCIL hosts the 24TH CELEBRATION OF THE ADA

dreamstime_xl_34905213BRYAN, TEXAS – The Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living will host a party in the park to recognize the 24th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (BVCIL) will host its first annual ADA Celebration event on Monday, July 28th, 2014 at Tiffany Park in Bryan to celebrate …

The 24th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

So what is the Americans with Disabilities Act? . . . . . . . . The ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.

BVCIL would like to celebrate this momentous occasion with our community by throwing a ‘party in the park’ with FREE food, games, crafts, fun, and Beep Baseball. We will also be unveiling our new ADA accessible bus!!! The event will be held at Tiffany Park, 3890 Copperfield Drive, Bryan on Monday, July 28th, 2014 from 4pm-7pm. There is sure to be lots of fun had by all and the park also has a splash pad for the kids to cool down in. Please join us!!!

Please RSVP here.

For more information, call BVCIL at 979-776-5505 or via email at info@bvcil.org.

Child with CP? Share Your Opinion? Get $100.

Do you have an opinion about orthopedic surgery for children with cerebral palsy who walk?

 

The University of Hartford and the Shriners Hospital for Children are interested in your opinion if you are a parent or caregiver of a child who has cerebral palsy for whom surgery has been recommended to improve walking.

 

WE WOULD LIKE TO INTERVIEW YOU!

 

Our goal is to help families make informed decisions about surgery.  We need to know what information people need in order to make decisions about whether or not to have surgery to improve walking abilities of children with cerebral palsy.

 

Please contact Mary Gannotti, PT, PhD, at Gannotti@hartford.edu or call 860-768-5945 for more information or to sign up.

 

Participants will receive a $100 honorarium

Promoting Independence Advisory Committee

DADS Recruiting PIAC Members

Do you want to help people with disabilities live as independently as possible? If so, you may want to apply to be a member of the Promoting Independence Advisory Committee (PIAC). The deadline is May 1.

The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) are accepting applications for PIAC members from:

  • Advocates for individuals with disabilities, regardless of type of disability or their age
  • Advocates for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) or their family members.
  • Home health care providers
  • IDD service providers
  • Nursing home providers

DADS and HHSC are looking for representatives from across the state.The committee meets at 9 a.m. on the third Thursday of January, April, July and October in Austin. All terms expire on August 31, 2017.

How can I become a member?

To apply, you must submit  a detailed resume and cover letter that indicates which category you wish to represent and your reasons for submitting the request. The deadline is  close of business May 1, 2014. Resumes and cover letters should be sent to:

Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Mail Code W650C
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, Texas 78714-9030
Attention: Bill Macdonald

If you prefer to email your application, it must be in PDF format. It should be sent to bill.macdonald@dads.state.tx.us.

What is PIAC?

The committee was established by Senate Bill 367, 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to assist the state in meeting its obligations under the United States Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision (June 1999) to ensure that all people have the right to live in the most integrated community setting of their choice.

The committee has nine members, including advocates, providers and recipients of long-term services and supports. They represent people of all ages who have physical, intellectual and behavior disabilities. Click here to learn more about the Promoting Independence Initiative and the PIAC.

The committee produces an annual status report on the state’s efforts to comply with the Olmstead decision and the state’s Promoting Independence Plan. In every even-numbered year, the committee offers recommendations to HHSC to consider for inclusion in the revised plan, which is submitted to the governor and the legislative leadership before the beginning of a new legislative session.

This information was retrieved from the DADS website at http://www.dads.state.tx.us/homepage/index.cfm?storyid=361 on 4/10/2014.

If you would like BVCIL assistance in completing your application materials – Give us a call at 979-776-5505 x107 or by email to advocacy@bvcil.org

 

Living Without Limits Panel Discussion This Tuesday, February 4

February is Low Vision Awareness Month!

Come join Insightful Connections, the organization of Texas A&M students who are blind or visually impaired, to learn more about the challenges and triumphs of those who have low or no vision. Topics will be Braille, independent travel, assistive technology, and life experiences, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Logistical details are:

When: Tuesday, February 4th
Location: Koldus 111
Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm

National Disability Employment Awareness Mnth (NDEAM) Poster Art Contest 2014

Even though we just finished National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, it’s already time to start thinking about this year’s initiative and the poster art. The deadline to enter this year’s contest is March 15, Here’s the heads-up on a little healthy competition from the official announcement:

“Each year in October, the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities produces a Texas poster for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which is distributed free of charge to businesses all across the State.

The art featured on the poster each year is an original piece created by a Texas artist with a disability. The winning artwork is incorporated into the national theme announced each year by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The design of our Texas posters has become so popular that, in addition to our statewide distribution, we frequently have requests from other states. In 2013, we distributed more than 2,500 posters.

Submissions from Texas artists with disabilities can be sent to us as a photo of the original work in a digital format, ideally a JPEG or PDF, attached to an email (this is the preferred method), OR as a color photocopy OR with the image on a CD sent by postal mail. The original artwork does not need to be submitted with the entry. There is NO FEE for entries. All entries must be accompanied by a signed Entry Form, which is available on our website along with the Submission Guidelines. Entries must be received by email or postmarked by March 15; the winner will be announced by April 15. Artwork in any media is accepted; there is no specific theme required.

Once the panel of judges has determined the winner, we will make arrangements to receive the original artwork, which will be designed into the 2014 Texas NDEAM poster. The original art and the poster will be on permanent display in the Office of the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, and will be featured in offsite exhibits from time to time. The winning artist is also invited to be a featured guest at the annual Lex Frieden Employment Awards ceremony in October.

For Submission Guidelines, Entry Form, a view of the past NDEAM posters, and more information, please visit our NDEAM page on our website or contact us directly. Contact information is listed on the website.”

Wow! What a great opportunity for a new or developing artist who has a disability to get discovered! Take a look at the great winners from the past two years.

Here’s 2012’s poster:

Texas NDEAM Poster 2012And this one is from last year. Inspiration, anyone?

Texas NDEAM poster 2013

Position Available with Disability Services at Texas A&M

Accommodations Counselor (Student Development Specialist II)
Disability Services, Texas A&M University
 
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY AND DEPARTMENT
Texas A&M University is a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant institution located in College Station, Texas. The university is centrally located, approximately equidistant from three of the ten largest cities in the United States (Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio) and the state capital (Austin). The university’s enrollment is more than 50,000 students studying for degrees in twelve academic colleges including the Health Science Center and School of Law.
 
The Department of Disability Services is one of seventeen departments in the Division of Student Affairs.  Disability Services promotes an inclusive environment at Texas A&M University by facilitating appropriate accommodations, empowering students to be self-advocates, and educating the campus community.  Disability Services offers accommodations counseling, evaluation referral, disability-related information, adaptive technology services, sign language interpreting and transcription services for academically related purposes. 
 
BRIEF POSITION OVERVIEW
Serves as one of eight professional staff members who work with a variety of students with disabilities to provide and facilitate academic accommodations.  General office conditions with the majority of time spent in contact with students. Attends meetings and conferences concerning students and with student groups at times beyond usual working hours. Requires ability to multi task and work cooperatively with others.
 
RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Provide on-going service and case management to a caseload of students with disabilities.
  • Identify students with disabilities who are eligible for services (review documentation, conduct initial interviews).
  • Assist as needed with exam accommodations and other assigned projects.
  • Consult with campus units and departments regarding accessibility issues and laws.
  • Serve on University, Division and Departmental committees and task forces.
  • Keep updated on research and issues related to students with disabilities in higher education.
  • Evening work and/or travel may be required.
  • Other duties as assigned.
 
QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in student affairs, counseling or related field preferred.
 
Experience:  One or more years of full-time experience in student affairs work or related specialty with a Bachelor’s degree. No full-time experience required with a Master’s degree.
 
Special Knowledge: Preferred knowledge of disability law as it applies to higher education, knowledge of educational technology. A working knowledge and/or experience of students with psychiatric and mental health concerns and/or of students with Asperger’s Syndrome/Autism Spectrum Disorders.
 
Salary:  $33,000-38,000
Application Deadline: Review of applications will begin January 27, 2014 and will continue until position is filled.
 
TO APPLY
All applicants must complete the official university online application at http://jobpath.tamu.edu. 
  • See posting number #: S00375FY14
  • It is also strongly recommended that all applicants attach/upload a current resume and cover letter as part of the online application.
 
All correspondence and questions related to the positions and search should be directed to:
 
Tracey Forman, Assistant Director and Search Committee Chair
Department of Disability Services
Cain Hall B118, 1224 TAMU
College Station, Texas  77843-1224
 
Telephone:  (979) 845-1637
Fax:             (979) 458-1214
Email:          traceyf@disability.tamu.edu
Website:      http://disability.tamu.edu