U.S. Department of Education Awards More Than $9.8 Million to Fund Centers for Parents of Students with Disabilities

U.S. Department of Education Awards More Than $9.8 Million to Fund Centers for Parents of Students with Disabilities
September 11, 2012

Contact:   Press Office, (202) 401-1576,  press@ed.gov



The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of more than $9.8 million in grants to 16 states to operate 25 Parent Training and Information (PTI) Centers for parents of students with disabilities. The Department also awarded $1.1 million to provide funding for 11 Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in nine states and Puerto Rico.

With the new grants, the Department now funds 101 information centers for parents of children and youth with disabilities. Every state has at least one PTI that assists parents as they work to ensure their children receive a free, appropriate public education as guaranteed by federal law. In addition, CPRCs provide services to underserved parents of children with disabilities in targeted communities throughout the country.

"Parent Centers are critical in helping to empower parents and families who have children with disabilities," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. "These centers help parents understand the services to which their children are entitled and deserve under the law. They also are powerful resources in communities across the country."

The centers provide parents with the training and information they need to work with professionals in meeting the early intervention and special needs of children with disabilities. Many parent information centers work closely with state and local school systems to engage parents in working collaboratively to improve outcomes for their children. The network also includes CPRCs, which receive grants to assist underserved populations such as minority parents in the Denver and New Haven, Conn., metro areas. For a list of U.S. Department of Education-funded parent training and information centers, visit www.parentcenternetwork.org.

The following is a list of the grants the Department announced for Parent Training and Information Centers, and Community Parent Resource Centers. The award amounts and contact information for local project directors are included.

Parent Training and Information Centers
AR — Arkansas Disability Coalition, Wanda Horton, wanda.horton@adcpti.org, $258,634
CA — Team of Advocates for Special Kids, Inc.—Region 1, Brenda Smith, brendas@taskca.org, $791,336
CA — Team of Advocates for Special Kids, Inc.—Region 2, Marta Anchondo, martaa@taskca.org, $648,741
CA — Exceptional Parents Unlimited, Inc.—Region 3, Bobbie Coulbourne, bcoulbourne@exceptionalparents.org, $220,881
CA — Parents Helping Parents, Inc.—Region 4, Jane Floethe-Ford, jane@php.com, $577,426
CA — Rowell Family Empowerment of Northern California, Inc.—Region 5, Kathleen Lowrance, sklowrance@aol.com, $220,881
CT — Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc., Nancy Prescott, nprescott@cpacinc.org, $276,016
GA — Parent to Parent of Georgia, Inc., Robin Blount, robin@p2pga.org, $664,791
IL — Family Resource Center on Disabilities—Region 1, Michelle Phillips, michelle.phillips@frcd.org $548,612
IL — Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center—Region 2, Debbie Einhorn, deinhorn@fmptic.org, $281,878
KS — Families Together, Inc., Lesli Girard, lesli@familiestogetherinc.org, $292,033
MI — Michigan Alliance—PTI Region 1, Caryn Ivey, caryn@michiganallianceforfamilies.org, $239,170
MI — Michigan Alliance—PTI Region 2, Michelle Miller, michelle@michiganallianceforfamilies.org, $403,970
MT — Parents, Let's Unite for Kids, Roger Holt, rholt@pluk.org, $227,965
NE — PTI Nebraska, Bridget Cannon-Hale, bcannon-hale@pti-nebraska.org, $224,894
NJ — Statewide Parent Advocacy Network of NJ, Diana Autin, diana.autin@spannj.org, $496,829
NM — Parents Reaching Out to Help, Inc., Kendra Morrison, kmorrison@parentsreachingout.org, $277,918
OH — Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities—Region 1, Lee Ann Derugen, leeannd@ocecd.org, $241,824
OH — Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children Disabilities—Region 2, Margaret Burley, margarettb@oceod.org, $468,392
OR — Family and Community Together, Roberta Dunn, roberta@factoregon.org, $283,543
SC — Parents Reaching Out to Parents of South Carolina, Mary Eaddy, meaddy@proparents.org, $289,373
TX — Partners Resource Network, Inc—Region 1 PATH, Alexis Smith, asmith_prnpath@sbcglobal.net, $667,779
TX — Partners Resource Network, Inc—Region 2 TEAM, Julissa Porro, jporroprnteam@sbcglobal.net, $667,779
TX — Partners Resource Network, Inc—Region 3 PEN, Teresa Lytle Howell, penproject@sbcglobal.net, $377,223
UT — Utah Parent Center, Helen Post, helenp@utahparentcenter.org, $246,148

Community Parent Resource Centers, each funded at $100,000
AR — Arkansas Support Network, Inc., Candia Nicholas, cnicholas@supports.org
CA — Napa Valley Child Advocacy Network, Inc.—Parents CAN, Marlena Garcia, marlenag@parentscan.org
CO — Denver Metro Community Parent Resource Center, Yvette Plummer, yvettep@denvermetrocprc.org
CT — African Caribbean American Parents of Children with Disabilities, Ann Smith, asmith@afcamp.org
NJ — Association for Special Children & Families, Angela Abdul and Julie Rikon, ascfamily@hotmail.com
NC — FIRST, Janet Price-Farrell, janet@firstwnc.org
NC — Family Support Network HOPE, Vickie Dieter, vbdieter@fsnhope.org
OR — Oregon FIRST, Gabriella Bolivar, orfirst.gmbolivar@gmail.com
PA — Mission Empower, Jill Hrinda-Patten, advocate@missionempower.org
PR — Centro Margarita, Gladys Marrero, centromargarita@yahoo.com
VA — Formed Families Forward, Kelly Henderson, formedfamiliesforward@verizon.net

Source: http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-awards-more-98-million-fund-centers-parents-students-dis

In the Shadow of Greatness – Honoring Those Who Have Sacrificed

In the Shadow of Greatness – Honoring Those Who Have SacrificedIn the Shadow of Greatness – Honoring Those Who Have Sacrificed
Categories: Veterans & Military

By Guest Blogger Major Elizabeth Kreft, Military Legislative Fellow, Co-Author, In the Shadows of Greatness


Like thousands of Americans, September 11 will always be a day when I pause to remember the brave men and women who served and gave all for our country. And just as important, it’s a day to remember those who never intended to sacrifice so much, but their stories still remind us of the courage and honor it takes to wake up every morning and be an American.

It seems so simple some days, doesn’t it? We wake up, get dressed and either go to work or take care of our families and pursue life without much turmoil. But every day we breathe is a day that we bravely and purposefully embody the traits of a free nation. And today deserves an extra dose of inspiration, so I hope to share that with you – our calling for Veteran Awareness and Resource support through In the Shadow of Greatness.

On that Tuesday morning, 11 years ago, my classmates and I were seniors at the United States Naval Academy, walking to class and preparing for another day of leadership training and military mentorship.

When the first plane struck, we paused in curiosity and watched, wondering how something like that could have happened on a clear, blue-sky day.

When the second plane hit the towers, we knew we were at war.

As we hunkered down in our company areas waiting for instructions and watching the news unfold, we slowly began to realize this moment would completely change the path of our military service.

And throughout the next decade, as we commissioned into the Navy and Marine Corps (and yes – two of us went into the Air Force) we immediately began to employ our lessons of leadership in more ways than we could have ever known. Flying sorties over Iraq, providing relief to Katrina victims, surviving IEDs attacks in Afghanistan and more, my classmates and I went farther, served more and experienced leadership challenges we never could have predicted on that fateful September morning.

When we were able to pause and reflect on just how much we had seen and accomplished in a matter of ten years, several classmates wanted to document our experiences to share them with as many people as possible, in the hopes that our narrative would inspire others to serve, to lead and to embrace the post-9/11 generation of military members.

More than one hundred USNA grads contributed to the book “In the Shadow of Greatness” and 33 of those stories are captured in the hardcover edition. More stories are shared online at http://shadowofgreatness.com/.


Serving our country as a uniformed military member has been an amazing opportunity. Much like the rest of life, it has been a balance of joys and struggles. Having the chance to deploy to Afghanistan and bring my experience to the front lines was an honor I’ll never forget, but you only gain that chance by sacrificing other important things, like family time and the safety and security of home.

Disabilities impact more than 46,000 veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq – emotional and physical, some debilitating. Our nation is doing more now than ever to support these Veterans, and our book is dedicated to helping the organizations that support Veterans with disabilities as they transition back to civilian work.  We are grateful to share our voices with those who also understand sacrifice.

Life is about finding that proper balance. Finding the balance between sacrifice and service, between accepting risk and taking on a new experience, between struggling with a disability and overcoming the day-to-day challenges. In our book, we tried to find the balance between humbly sharing our stories and proudly explaining why we think the post-9/11 generation is ready to lead the nation into its next great era.

We hope you enjoy reading it, and we join with you today in honoring all those who have sacrificed in the name of freedom and liberty.

Get a sneak peek inside the book.

Source:http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/09/11/in-the-shadow-of-greatness-honoring-those-who-have-sacrificed/

Higher Smoking Rates among People with Disabilities Lead to Major Health Risks

September 10, 2012

Higher Smoking Rates among People with Disabilities Lead to Major Health RisksHigher Smoking Rates among People with Disabilities Lead to Major Health Risks

Categories: Health

By Guest Blogger Janet Porter, MPH, Program Director, Break Free Alliance, Health Education Council


Smoking prevalence among people with disabilities is nearly 50 percent higher than among people without disabilities (29.9 percent versus 19.8 percent) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of death in the United States.

Disparities in smoking prevalence, in addition to barriers to the use of preventive services (such as traveling to a doctor′s appointment) put people with disabilities at risk for declining health. It is not clear as to why the smoking prevalence is higher among people with disabilities, but it should definitely be an area for further examination.

Research confirms that people with disabilities are less likely than people without disabilities to receive preventive health care; and therefore, they have a higher risk of illness and disease. The 2005 Surgeon General′s Call to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities indicated that the resulting higher health care expenditure costs and productivity losses for people with disabilities, which exceed $300 billion, can be understood as a result of too little attention to the other health needs of these individuals by health providers.

Quitting smoking is the most important step smokers can take to improve their overall health and reduce their risk for disease. Approximately 10 percent of smokers have a smoking-related chronic disease, primarily heart disease or emphysema. Smokers who quit will, on average, live longer and have fewer years living with a disability. It is vital that health care providers ask patients about their smoking behavior and advise them to quit!

It is also important to note that the tobacco industry spends millions of dollars each year marketing their deadly products to vulnerable populations. The industry has recently produced a number of new smokeless tobacco products that are designed to be used in locations where smoking is not allowed. These products keep people addicted and can also pose additional health risks. Don’t be fooled by the tobacco industry’s tactics – be aware of these products and their health risks. It is critical to educate children and young adults about their dangers! Also, support the adoption of tobacco-free policies in your community, workplace and schools.

Break Free Alliance, a national network funded by the Centers for Disease Control, Office on Smoking and Heath, has been working to educate policy makers, health care providers, social service workers and others about the burden of tobacco use in vulnerable and medically underserved populations. If you have an interest in helping with this important mission, please visit the Alliance at www.breakfreesupport.org.

Remember, quitting smoking is the best thing someone can do for their health! People with and without disabilities who smoke can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) (TTY 1-800-332-8615) or visit www.smokefree.gov for quitting assistance.



Janet Porter Bio

Janet Porter has worked in tobacco prevention and education for the past 20 years and currently serves as the Program Director of Break Free Alliance, a national network that works to reduce tobacco use in populations of low socioeconomic status. She has authored numerous abstracts and publications related to tobacco policy and prevention approaches in the community-based setting and serves on numerous committees and workgroups to address tobacco use in specific populations. She completed her undergraduate degree in Health Science from California State University, Sacramento and obtained her Master’s Degree in Public Health from Loma Linda University, School of Public Health.  She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Source: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/09/10/higher-smoking-rates-among-people-with-disabilities-lead-to-major-health-risks/

Justice Department Seeks to Intervene in Lawsuit Against Law School Admission Council (LSAC)

The Justice Department announced yesterday that it seeks to intervene in a class action lawsuit against the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) in federal court in San Francisco to remedy violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The department’s proposed complaint in intervention in the lawsuit, The Department of Fair Employment and Housing v. LSAC, Inc., et al., alleges LSAC’s practices of routinely denying needed testing accommodations and flagging test scores achieved with certain testing accommodations violates the ADA.

People interested in finding out more about the ADA and the Department’s recent motion to intervene and proposed complaint in the LSAC lawsuit can access the ADA website at http://www.ADA.gov or call the toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY). 

Access Board Advisory Committee on Medical Diagnostic Equipment to Hold First Meeting

Access Board Advisory Committee on Medical Diagnostic Equipment to Hold First Meeting

The Access Board’s Medical Diagnostic Equipment Accessibility Standards Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting September 27 and 28 in Washington, D.C. The Board chartered this committee to advance its development of new accessibility standards for medical diagnostic equipment which it proposed for public comment earlier this year. The committee will advise the Board on matters associated with public comments the Board received.

For further information, visit the Board's website or contact Rex Pace at pace@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0023 (v), or (202) 272-0052 (TTY). Committee meetings are open to the public.

MDE Accessibility Standards Advisory Committee Meeting

September 27 and 28

Access Board Conference Center

1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800

Washington, D.C.

Note: For the comfort of all participants and to promote a fragrance-free environment, attendees are requested not to use perfume, cologne, or other fragrances. 

HUD ORDERS WEST VIRGINIA LANDLORD TO PAY $34,000 FOR DISCRIMINATING AGAINST MAN WITH AUTISM AND HIS SISTER

 Shantae Goodloe
 (202) 708-0685 FOR RELEASE
 Friday
 August 24, 2012

HUD ORDERS WEST VIRGINIA LANDLORD TO PAY $34,000

FOR DISCRIMINATING AGAINST MAN WITH AUTISM AND HIS SISTER 

HUD Secretary found that landlord discriminated based on disability

WASHINGTON – A West Virginia woman caring for her brother who has autism knew something was wrong when she tried to rent an apartment in Charleston from landlord Michael Corey in 2009.  The landlord demanded that before he would sign a lease agreement, the woman must purchase a $1 million insurance policy to cover any damages or injuries caused by her brother and sign an agreement assuming all legal liability for her brother’s actions.  In addition, the landlord required the woman to obtain a doctor’s note regarding her brother’s condition.  The woman, believing she was being discriminated against, filed a fair housing complaint with HUD.

Following two initial decisions by HUD Administrative Law Judges, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan found that the landlord violated the Fair Housing Act and ordered him to pay $34,000, which includes $18,000 in damages to the woman and $16,000 in civil penalties to the government.

The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to deny housing or impose different rental terms and conditions based on disability, race, national origin, color, religion, sex, or familial status.

“The order reaffirms HUD’s commitment to protecting the rights of persons with disabilities,” stated John Trasviña, HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “No one trying to find a place to call home should be held to a different standard or required to meet additional obligations because they have a disability.”

HUD found that in April 2009, the woman responded to an advertisement in the Charleston Ad Bulletin for a house for rent.  After the woman informed the landlord that her brother had been diagnosed with autism, the landlord required her to purchase the $1 million insurance policy, sign a document assuming all legal liability, and obtain a doctor’s note before he would consider renting to her.  The landlord admitted at trial that he does not require non-disabled applicants to meet the same requirements and acknowledged that it was his belief that “persons diagnosed with autism and mental retardation pose a greater risk in terms of liability.”  HUD determined that although the landlord had never met the woman’s brother, he worried that the brother, because he has autism, would start a fire or attack neighbors.

The woman, who is the legal guardian and primary caretaker of her brother, stated, “My brother’s one of the most loving persons you’ll ever meet.  He’s a human being and the idea he would harm anyone else brings me to tears.”

HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, with its partners in the Fair Housing Assistance Program, investigates approximately 10,000 housing discrimination complaints annually. People who believe they have experienced or witnessed unlawful housing discrimination should contact HUD at 1-800-669-9777 (voice), or 1-800-927-9275 (TTY).  More information about fair housing rights is available at HUD’s website, www.hud.gov/fairhousing.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the
need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build
inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business.
More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and
http://espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on twitter @HUDnews, on facebook at
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DOL and Developers at Work—Innovating for Tomorrow’s Workforce

August 31, 2012

DOL and Developers at Work—Innovating for Tomorrow’s WorkforceDOL and Developers at Work—Innovating for Tomorrow’s Workforce
Categories: Employment, Technology


By Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy (Reposted from DOL’s (Work in Progress) Blog)

Citizen engagement is at the heart of our democracy. It’s one of the many things that make me proud to be an American. In fact, since its earliest days, America has been well known the world over for its involved and energetic electorate.

But of course, citizen engagement extends beyond the polling booth. It means government and the public working together — on an ongoing basis — for the betterment of our nation. Reflecting this, federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), have been seeking new and innovative ways to partner with the private sector to advance opportunities for all citizens, in particular through the development of innovative technology tools.

In this spirit, DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) recently sponsored a Disability Employment App Challenge that sought innovative technology tools to improve employment opportunities and outcomes for people with disabilities. In a nutshell, the charge was to use publicly available information, resources and data to build an application that promotes the employment of people with disabilities. How entrants interpreted this was wide open, and I couldn’t wait to see what innovative ideas people came up with.

I’m pleased to say that they did not disappoint! We received some amazingly innovative and creative entries. In fact, selecting the winners turned out to be a challenge itself. But, in the end, there were some that stood out.

Innovation Award = Access Jobs
Above and Beyond Accessibility Award = AccDC: Accelerated Dynamic Content
Public Choice Award = VoisPal – Speak as You Think!

In addition to generating new tools for citizen use, this challenge helped illustrate the importance of technology – specifically, accessible technology – in advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. In fact, almost 2,500 people followed the contest online, and we received an influx of comments on the various entries. It was a great catalyst for advancing and important dialogue.

As a long-time user of accessible technology, this dialogue is near and dear to me. When it comes to disability employment, technology is a game changer – if it’s accessible, that is. But when it’s not, it excludes. That is the premise behind ODEP’s AT Works educational series. The fourth and final event of this series is a podcast audio discussion on encouraging innovation in the development of accessible technology. This discussion will take place Tuesday, September 5 at 2:00pm, and everyone is encouraged to tune in.

Of course, we at ODEP are not the only ones addressing this issue. In fact, we are partnering with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) on next week’s Developing with Accessibility (DevAcc) event, where Xavier Hughes, DOL’s Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of Labor, will join our App Challenge winners in a demonstration of their creations. Events like DevAcc are truly what it’s all about -raising awareness about accessible technology and government, industry and citizens working together to advance the aims of all. It’s citizen engagement in action.

Kathy Martinez is Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy.

Source: http://usodep.blogs.govdelivery.com/2012/08/31/dol-and-developers-at-work-innovating-for-tomorrows-workforce/