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Community News
Family Support Newsletter
United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Diego
April, 2015
College Experience Week
June 21-26, 2015
University of San Diego Campus
Classes and Activities designed to inspire and prepare youth with
disabilities for a successful college experience: Managing academics,
navigating the campus, living independently, making friends, joining clubs,
managing stress, overcoming barriers, planning for the future and much more.
Designed for youth, ages 17-22, attending or planning to attend college in the
near future.
Program Emphasis:
 Academic Achievement: Project College participants learn valuable
information on how to achieve success in the college classroom and about
the system of supports available on and off campus for academic support.
 Campus Connections: Project College participants experience the many
ways that college can be the best years of their lives. Living on an actual
college campus, dining in the cafeteria, connecting with new friends, and
joining in on campus activities are cornerstones of the week.
 Healthy Lifestyles: Project College supports participants to develop a
foundation for taking care of their health needs. Participants explore ways to
manage stress and loneliness, discover relaxation techniques, and learn how
to incorporate healthy lifestyle choices into their daily lives.
 New Perspectives: Project College believes it is time to dispel the myth
that post-secondary education is out of reach. Because the biggest barriers
to success can sometimes be self-imposed, participants are guided to take on
new life perspectives.
$800 tuition covers housing, all meals, activities and program materials. Needsbased scholarships are available through the support of the Foundation for
Developmental Disabilities. Participants are responsible for transportation and
should bring their own spending money. For more information including Tailored
Day Services, application materials, schedule and more:
http://www.ucpsd.org/programs/project_college.html
You can also call David Drazenovich at (858)278-5420, x131 or email
[email protected]
Project College is a community project of UCP San Diego County, Area Board
XIII, San Diego Regional Center, Disability Rights California and the University of
San Diego.
Inside:
Page 2:
Wheelchair
Soccer
Page 2:
Family Day
Pages 3-4:
Upcoming
Events
Page 5:
Film Winner
Page 5:
Baseball
Page 5:
Health
Grants
Page 5:
Needed
Pages 6-7:
Local
Programs
Community
News is intended
information only.
No endorsement
of specific
programs,
treatments or
services by UCP
of San Diego
County is
intended or
implied.
Community
News is available
electronically. To
receive future issues electronically,
please send a
message to
dstorman@
yahoo.com
Community News
April, 2015
Page 2
WHEELCHAIR SOCCER
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: APRIL 20, 2015
WHAT: Participants will practice their ball handling skills, enhance their existing wheelchair
maneuvering skills, learn the basics of soccer, improve their physical fitness and HAVE FUN!
Athletes do NOT have to use a wheelchair on a daily basis to be eligible to play.
WHO: Youth, ages 5-12 years old with a permanent physical disability (i.e. spina bifida, cerebral
palsy, spinal cord injury, amputation, or other orthopedic impairment) Soccer is an extremely
inclusive sport so ALL abilities are encouraged to play, including athletes using power chairs. Able
bodied youth may play if space available.
WHEN: Saturdays, 10:30—12:00 p.m.
April 25, May 2, 9, 16, 30, June 6, 13, 20 (championship)
WHERE: Municipal Gym, 2111 Pan American Plaza, San Diego CA
COST: $75 for 8 week season, covers instruction and equipment maintenance.
To Register: Allison Marquette at [email protected], OR Call (619) 336-1806
OR register online at www.adaptivesportsandrec.org/register
Family Day: A Free Special Event for Families of Students with Disabilities
Saturday, Apr.11, 8 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) invites families in and around San Diego to Family Day at the
CEC 2015 Convention & Expo. Family Day is FREE programming especially for families of
students with disabilities, including dozens of educational sessions, learning experiences, sharing
opportunities, and special events, designed to promote the collaboration and teamwork between
families and educators that is so critical to our students' success.
Highlights include:
 Exceptional Lives, Exceptional Stories, a panel featuring students and their families
sharing insights on life with a disability.
 Latino Family Voices, a panel presented in Spanish on barriers families face in accessing
special education services.
 Closing General Session with keynote address, If Only You Would Listen to What I'm
Saying: Building Successful Partnerships by Joni Alberg, Oberkotter Foundation and CEC
past president.
Unlimited admission to and special giveaways and prizes in the CEC 2015 Expo Hall,
featuring 200+ companies with products created specifically for your students.
View the Family Day sessions: www.cecconvention.org, click on Special Events tab, Family Day.
Onsite registration begins at 7 am the day of event.
Community News
Page 3
April, 2015
Home of Guiding Hands Offers No Charge Support Groups, Counseling Services
Home of Guiding Hands will be offering free 6-week Parent Support Groups for parents of children
with developmental disabilities. The groups will take place on Fridays from 10-11:30am at their El
Cajon office, 1825 Gillespie Way, Suite 200. The current series started on March 27, so sign up
now! Free childcare is available. Please contact Lynn Scott at (619) 938-2887 or Liane Wilson
(619) 938-2889 to register. Space is limited to please contact us today!
Individual, couples, and family counseling services are also available at no charge. Please contact
(619) 938-2887 or (619) 938-2889 to schedule an appointment.
Opening Day! Saturday, April 11, 2015, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Twin Trails Neighborhood Park in Rancho Penasquitos
FREE Admission! All ages and abilities welcome! Join Include Autism for a day of family fun to celebrate autism inclusion in our community and kick off the spring season of Include Autism's Baseball
League! Lead by Eagle Scout candidate Sean Fuller, local youth groups will present inclusive games
and activities, food booths, and resource tables. Festivities will take place between 11:30am1:30pm. Come early at 10:30am to cheer on the Thunder Pandas and Lunging Lizards baseball
game. For more information contact (858)603-7344 or [email protected]
Arms Wide Open Presentation of Peter Pan
Arms Wide Open is a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of young people and
adults with special needs in the San Diego area by fostering caring social environments and
creating opportunities for recreation and participation in the arts. . In 2008, the owners of Rubio's
Performing Arts began offering a free class for children and adults with special needs to give them the
opportunity to participate in dance and the performing arts. The popularity of the class has been
overwhelming and in the Fall of 2010, Arms Wide Open became a non-profit organization with a mission to
provide educational and recreational programs in the performing arts for individuals with special needs.
Each year, members of Arms Wide Open have the opportunity to perform all around San Diego at events
such as the Del Mar Fair, the Mother Goose Parade and the Chargers Blood Drive. The Arms Wide Open
office is located at 237 East Main Street, Suite A, El Cajon.
In addition to adding new classes in music and fitness, Arms Wide Open has introduced a very successful
theater program., which will present Peter Pan from April 24—May 3 at the Lyceum Theater in
Horton Plaza. For information about the show, including cast, tickets, etc., please visit:
http://awosd.org/shows.html
Community News
April, 2015
Page 4
April 8: Ask an Expert Education Roundtable: IEP Workshop Series Session: Being a
Meaningful Participant in the IEP. Sponsored by San Diego Down Syndrome Association,
Exceptional Family Resource Center and the ARC San Diego, and held at ARC North County Rex
Industries, 1336 Rancheros Drive, Suite 100 in San Marcos from 6:30-8:30 pm. This workshop will
address key points to parent participation in the Individualized Education Plan such as Knowing
Your Child, Sharing Vital Information and Impacting Educational Outcomes. Presenter: Marta
Leyva, M.A., Educational Consultant. Seating is limited to 25 participants; RSVP required: 619594-7416 or 800-281-8252.
April 24: 11th Annual Developmental Disabilities Provider Network (DDPN) Legislative
Community Forum, Balboa Park Club, 2144 Pan American Rd. West, San Diego, 9-11:30 am.
No cost event for families and professionals. Your advocacy matters! DDPN is hosting its 11th
Annual Legislative Community Forum ! This year’s forum will include speakers Marty Omoto from
California Disability Community Action Network, Wil Sandford from California Disability Services
Association, Senator Shirley Weber, Senator Marty Block, Assembly Member Toni Atkins and
Assembly Member Brian Maienschein.
This event is an excellent opportunity to meet with elected officials and to advocate for people with
disabilities, their families and those that serve them on the issues that are most important to
ensuring they continue to receive good quality services. This event is meant to help educate
legislators on how important and critical ongoing services are for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities as well as to educate our community, people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families, on how they can advocate at both the local and state
legislative level. Tickets: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/ddpn-legislative-community-
forum-tickets-15981308524?aff=eventful/r/eventful
May 1: A Night to Remember Prom is a free event for individuals with special needs who are ages
15-22. These honored guests are teamed with host students from an area high school for an
unforgettable night of dancing, friendships and memories! Registration is now open for the 5th
annual event ! For more information, please visit http://anighttorememberprom.com/
San Diego People First Self Advocacy Conference:
Living Longer, Growing Stronger
May 15-17, 2015, San Diego Marriott, Mission Valley
The conference is an exciting event for adults with developmental disabilities. Through workshops,
exhibits, social time and networking, the conference introduces participants to the power and
importance of the People First movement.
 Inspiring keynote and breakout sessions focused on health and wellness.
 2nd Annual SDPF “Street Fair”, featuring self-advocate artisans and boutique
vendors, resources, refreshments, social activities and entertainment.
 Catch up with old friends and make new ones at the banquet and dance!
For more information, please contact Laura Krebs, 858-278-5420, ext. 132 or [email protected]
Community News
Page 5
April, 2015
Student Film Focusing on Disability Issue Wins Honor
A film about a high school student with a disability is one of 15 that is being honored by President
Barack Obama. The documentary about Archer Hadley, an 18-year-old with cerebral palsy, was
screened on Friday, March 27, at the second annual White House Student Film Festival. The threeminute short focuses on Hadley’s efforts to make his Austin, Texas high school more wheelchair accessible.
The White House worked with the American Film Institute to pick from over 1,500 entries, all focusing on service and giving back. Held in the East Room of the White House, the event is expected to
draw Hollywood notables including actress Hillary Swank and director Steve McQueen.
Health Care Grants
The United Healthcare Children's Foundation is seeking grant applications from families in need of
financial assistance for their child's health care treatments, services or equipment not covered, or
not fully covered, by their commercial health insurance plan. Qualifying families can receive up
to $5,000 per grant with a lifetime maximum of $10,000 per child. Children must be ages 16 or
younger, and families must meet economic and have a commercial health insurance plan. Parents
or legal guardians may apply for grants. There is no application deadline.
http://www.uhccf.org/apply/learn-more-about-medical-grants/grant-application
-criteria/
IHSS Stakeholder Advisory Committee Members Needed
The California In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Statewide Authority is seeking applicants
for a new state-level IHSS Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC will provide ongoing advice and recommendations regarding the IHSS Program to the IHSS Statewide Authority
and the state Departments of Social Services and Health Care Services. The 13 member SAC
must consist of at least 50% consumers of IHSS, a minimum of 2 current or past IHSS providers and a representative from each union. Advocates may also be appointed. Members must
attend at least one meeting per year and other full committee or subcommittee meetings as
necessary. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.
The IHSS Statewide Authority will announce the SAC appointments at its next public meeting
on August 6, 2015 and the first SAC meeting with new members will be held in Sacramento in
October, 2015.
Applications must be postmarked or electronically submitted by May 1, 2015.. An application
with additional information about membership can be downloaded at http://
www.ihssstatewideauthority.ca.gov/res/pdf/SAC_Application.pdf Contact information for
the IHSS Statewide Authority: 744 P Street, MS 8-17-14, Sacramento, CA 95814;
IHSS.Statewide.Authority.dss.ca.gov or 916-651-6764.
Community News
Page 6
Equipment
Recycling and
Funding
Assistance
UCP accepts and
recycles pediatric
and adult durable
medical equipment
to families at no cost,
and also can help
with the purchase of
durable medical
equipment if no
other funding is
available. Income
guidelines and other
eligibility criteria
apply for funding
assistance. Contact
Rhonda Van
Eklenberg at (858)
571-7803, ext.
115 or
[email protected] to
learn more about this
service, including
how to donate
equipment you no
longer need or how
to apply for funding
assistance for your
equipment needs.
You can view some
of the equipment
currently available by
visiting: www.
cecilyscloset.org
April, 2015
UCP Youth and Family Programs
Toy Library
Play is how a child learns. The UCP Toy Library offers
families the opportunity to have fun together while
building their children’s developmental skills.
Toys can be borrowed for 2 weeks and returned for new
ones to try out. The Toy Library visits community sites
throughout San Diego County. Along with the
opportunity for you and your child to check out a
variety of developmentally appropriate toys, you can
also find information and resources through the Toy
Library and meet and spend time with other families of
young children in your community.
In order to ensure a selection of toys is available for
your child’s developmental age and interests,
preregistration is required. A small annual fee will be
collected to offset the costs of batteries, replacement
parts, etc. For more information and a schedule of
where and when the Toy Library stops, please call
Maiko Yoshida at 858-278-5420.
UCP Website
United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego County has a
website offering information on local programs as well
as general information about Cerebral Palsy, news and
resources. Please visit at www.ucpsd.org
Teen and Young Adult Group
UCP San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital invite
career and college-bound teens, 14-21, to a newly
formed peer group that enjoys social and informational
activities. Meetings are held at Ronald McDonald
House and other community locations. For
information, or to RSVP, contact Carolina:
[email protected], 858-576-1700, ext. 5362 or
Rhonda: [email protected], 858-571-7803, ext. 115.
Community News
Page 7
April, 2015
San Diego Assistive Technology Center
6162 Mission Gorge Road, Suite F, 858-278-5420
San Diego Assistive Technology Center (SDATC) offers many opportunities for increasing your
knowledge about assistive technology solutions through the hands-on exploration of a wide array of
adapted computer hardware/software, environmental control access and Augmentative and
Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. SDATC is an Alliance for Technology Access Resource
Center. The San Diego Assistive Technology Center is available to individuals with disabilities, their
families, professionals and the community at large!
Open Labs allow individuals to explore a variety of augmentative communication devices
software and computer access equipment. Staff attention for individual support is limited
during lab hours due to number of participants. Open Labs are held in San Diego at 6162
Mission Gorge Road, Suite F and in Escondido at 205 W. Mission Ave., Suite G, Escondido.
Please note that you must call and make an appointment for the Escondido Open Lab at least
3 days prior to the scheduled date.. Open Lab assistance will be available in Spanish on the
dates marked with an asterisk. Upcoming San Diego Open Lab Dates: Apr. 3, 3:30-5:30,
Apr.9, 9:00-11:00*, Apr. 28, 9:00-11:00*. May 7, 3:30-5:30, May 8, 9:00-11:00*, May 20, 9:0011:00*. June 10, 3:30-5:30, June 11, 9:00-11:00*, June 23, 9:00-11:00. Upcoming Escondido
Open Lab Dates (all are scheduled from 9:00-11:00): Apr. 24 (call by Apr. 21), May 15 (call by
May 12), June 12 (call by June 9).
 What Is Assistive Technology? Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, or
product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is
used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.
 What Else Do We Offer? Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Addresses the
expressive communication needs of people with significant speech disabilities. Alternative
Computer Access and Software: Helps people with disabilities use a computer effectively. Toy
and Software Library: Mobile library to serve the community. Adaptive Computer Empowerment
Services (A.C.E.S.): Provides low cost computers to low income individuals with disabilities and
seniors.
 Loan Programs: Our AT Center offers loan programs for augmentative communication devices
and adaptive computer access equipment. You can learn about this program and view the
equipment available through the Ability Tools AT Exchange website: : http://abilitytools.org
Please contact our staff at 858 278-5420 , ext. 121 for more information. and to receive services
locally.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE AT http://ucpsdtechcenter.org
Or see us on Facebook at UCP Sdatc
Community News