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BVCIL is seeking a PRN driver to join our team supporting persons with disabilities in the community. The vehicle operator is responsible for operating a lift-equipped 10-passenger bus and minivan with a rear-entry ramp to transport individuals with disabilities throughout our six-county coverage area. Operators conduct pre-trip inspections; observe safety regulations and policies, and log and track vehicle usage. An excellent part-time opportunity for someone who enjoys helping others.

The Vehicle Operator will be expected to:
· Provide courteous service to passengers and the community which includes being friendly, patient, and flexible with the ability to relate well to others under all circumstances;
· Maintain accurate, legible, and complete reports;
· Attend to the transport-related needs of passengers including operation of mobility device restraints and all types of mobility device lifts including hydraulic platforms, ramps, and restraints;
· Ensure vehicle cleanliness; and
· Other duties as assigned.

The requirements of the position are:
· Valid Texas Driver’s License;
· Minimum three years of verifiable driving experience with a good driving record;
· High School Diploma or GED preferred;
· Minimum one year of experience working with people with disabilities preferred;
· Have excellent interpersonal skills;
· Possess strong organizational skills;
· Willing to promote the Independent Living Philosophy;
· Willingness to travel;
· Ability to walk, stand, push, stoop, bend, stretch and lift 50 pounds routinely; and
· Personal experience with a disability preferred.

To apply for this position, contact Mack Marsh at the BVCIL office (979)776-5505.

 

Texas ABLE Program Launches in 2018 Start spreading the news — we are excited to announce that the Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (Texas ABLE℠) Program, is scheduled to launch in early 2018! Be on the lookout for all the details and enrollment information in January. Texas ABLE is a new tax-advantaged savings program that encourages and assists individuals with disabilities and their families to save and pay for disability-related expenses to maintain an eligible individual’s health, independence and quality of life. Texas residents who became disabled or blind before the age of 26 and meet program eligibility requirements may open a Texas ABLE account. Texas ABLE Program Highlights Save up to $15,000 per year beginning in 2018 without losing government benefits such as Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicaid. Withdrawals are tax-free if used to pay for qualified disability expenses, and any earnings on your investments grow tax-free. Maintain control of your account, and choose how you want your funds invested. Account funds can be accessed and monitored online. Our online gifting tool makes it easy for others to make contributions to your account including your friends and family, business entities or even trusts. For more information on Texas ABLE, contact us at TexasABLE@cpa.texas.gov or call 512-475-5331. For anyone wanting to open an ABLE account in 2017, there are a number of state plans open for enrollment to out-of-state residents. Should you open an account out of state and desire to move the funds to the Texas ABLE Program at a later date, you have the option to transfer funds from another ABLE program to the Texas program when it opens in 2018. The Texas ABLE Program is made possible through the federal ABLE Act, which was signed into law in December 2014. The Texas Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board, with assistance from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, will administer the Program.

The State Independent Living Council and the Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living are hosting a Town Hall to discuss important issues in independent living. All counties within Brazos Valley are encouraged to send in topics of their interest; majority topics will be discussed at two separate sessions for the hearing.

Topics can include:
• Independent Living Services
• Healthcare
• Transportation
• Emergency Planning
• Personal Care
Attendants
• Anything related you wish to discuss!

When:
Friday, August 11,
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and
4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Where:
Hilton College Station & Conference Center
801 University Dr. East College Station, TX 77840

“WHAT MATTERS TO YOU?”

Go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BVPublicHearing to fill out the online submission of subjects you would like discussed! All topics must be received by August 9!

During National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and all year round, employers should ensure their internship opportunities are open to all qualified candidates, including those with disabilities. For help in this area, check out (Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Inclusive Internship Programs: A How-to Guide for Employers (the link below). The free publication discusses the value of internships and effective practices for recruiting and retaining interns with disabilities.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/InclusiveInternshipPrograms.pdf

Marla R. Miller

Threats and harassment come to children via text message, social media and online exploitation.

Anti-bullying experts says it’s a pervasive problem among young people, resulting in an alarming number of suicides.

“Cyberbullying is huge because they get to hide behind their online device, whether it’s a cellphone, iPad, or social media and send hate messages, threats, impersonations, says Ross Ellis, a national bullying prevention expert and founder and CEO of STOMP Out Bullying.

Experts say parents need to be alert and assertive, but also rational when talking to their children or confronting a bully, his parents or the school.

“In general, most kids are not going to talk to their parents about this stuff, or they wait until things are really bad,” says Rosalind Wiseman, an author, educator and founder of Creating a Culture of Dignity. “If you’re prone to rushing in and fixing problems for them, involving parents makes things worse. The majority of kids will stop speaking to you and asking you for help because they will believe you are going to make things worse.”

Wiseman’s website culturesofdignity.com includes resources for parents and educators.

“You don’t have to wait for a problem,” she says. “You can say ‘hey, you’re going into fifth grade now, or ninth grade, things can get complicated, people have conflicts, let’s talk about it.’”

The most common signs to watch for include anxiety, depression and low self-esteem; unexplained bruises or injuries, ripped clothes or missing belongings; excessive crying or moodiness, becoming withdrawn, or a loss of interest in school; and headaches, stomachaches and other physical symptoms.

For those being bullied by peers or teachers, they may fake an illness, miss the bus or find reasons to stay home from school. They may be on and off with friends, avoid school functions or experience other forms of social exclusion.

“There’s always a good reason why kids do what they do,” Wiseman says. “If your kid is late to school or misses the bus, they’d rather be late or you be angry than deal with what they have to on the bus. Even the most perplexing behavior, once you figure it out, it’s quite reasonable.”

Although there are red flags parents should look for, each child deals with bullying in their own way.

“A parent knows their child better than anyone else, especially when they get closer to middle school,” says Lowell Levine, founder and president of the anti-bullying nonprofit Stop Bullying Now Foundation in Lake Worth, Fla. “If their grades are falling, they’re not in afterschool activities, not eating properly, not able to sleep, having bad dreams or they start to get abusive, or don’t want to go to school or come back home with some bruises, all of these are definite red flags that there is something going on.”

Thanks to new laws, bullying is viewed as a civil rights violation, which gives more teeth to civil lawsuits, Levine says.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide was the third leading cause of death among kids ages 10-14 in 2015.

Children who mention suicide should be taken to the emergency room.

“Even if they’re just saying it, it must be taken seriously.”

STOMP Out Bullying, a national bullying and cyberbullying prevention organization, offers an online HelpChat Line that’s free and confidential for young adults ages 13 to 24.

Dealing With an Cyberbully

“If your child is being cyberbullied, the first thing they should never do is respond,” Ellis advises. “The Internet is like the Wild West frontier. If you see a mean post, do not respond, delete it and block the person.”

Keep your child busy and build confidence, whether through sports, theater, music, academics or community service.

The worst thing a parent can do is rush into the school and start making threats or demands. It’s best to remain calm, make an appointment with the principal, and ask how the administration can help find a solution. One way might be talking to the alleged perpetrator or helping to facilitate a transfer to another school.

“If you pound your fist and say I want this child suspended or arrested, the school will shut down,” Ellis says. “Walk in with everything documented, dates, times, tell the principal like you’re telling a story, keep it short and concise and ask ‘how can you help me?’”

-CTW Features

 

Source: http://www.courant.com/brandpublishing/guide-to-education/hc-bullying-in-the-age-of-tech-savvy-children-20161010-story.html

Disability History: An Important Part of America’s Heritage

Click the link below to get an overview of major milestones in disability history and resources for educators to enhance awareness of it.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/Disability%20History_508%20compliant_links.pdf