Resources for You

Each month, Family Voices Indiana provides the families we serve with a summary of the month’s hottest items. If you missed us on Facebook in October, here is the latest!

October Awareness:

October 9: Unity Day

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. The theme for 2013 was "Because We Are EQUAL to the Task."
Learn more about the benefits of hiring workers with disabilities here: http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com/learning-tools/businesscase.aspx.

SIDS, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Learn what you can do to support families and increase awareness at First Candle: http://www.firstcandle.org/grieving-families/.

Family Voices:

Check out our Family Voices Staff Spotlights! This month’s page featured specialists Jan Labas, and Brenda Darrol and her daughter, this year’s Valpraiso High School’s Homecoming Queen, Angela.

Facebook fans liked our many inspirational quotes. Be sure to check out our page for a pick-me-up. Also, we encourage you to share our page with friends using the share or invite features!

"Taking care of your child with special needs is an important job. I have compiled 13 Key things a caregiver must do for a child with special needs. I call these my Baker’s Dozen – This is in no way a complete list, and each and every family’s situation will have nuances." Read the list here: www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2013/10/29/13-important-things-you-must-do-for-your-special-needs-family.

"Taking care of other people is just part of being a mom. For moms of kiddos with special needs, the amount of care your child needs can become overwhelming, all consuming and exhausting. Give yourself permission to do something kind for yourself every now and then. If not for your own sake, do it for your kid’s sake so that you can be at your best for them." Here's a list of suggestions: http://www.themobilityresource.com/100-ways-special-needs-moms-can-take-care-of-themselves.

Training and Learning Opportunities:

Family Voices works to fulfill our mission of empowering families by providing you with educational opportunities and resources. Check our website frequently for learning resources by visiting: http://www.fvindiana.org/training. This month, we shared the following on Facebook.

Federal law requires state Medicaid programs to offer Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment to all Medicaid-eligible children under age 21. Commonly referred to as “EPSDT,” these services are designed to foster childhood growth and development so that children receive the health check-ups and treatments they need. Learn more in this guide: http://healthlaw.org/images/stories/2013_10_Vol_18_Health_Advocate.pdf.

 

Newsworthy:

We've created a FB page for our Latino families who prefer information in Spanish and/or would like to connect with other families. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/VocesDeFamiliaDeIndiana.

Did you know we're on Pinterest, too? Check out our boards at http://pinterest.com/fvindiana/.

You have likely heard the media coverage of glitches with the Affordable Care Act Marketplace website. Families who are receiving health care under ICHIA and PCIP have also been expressing concerns about meeting the deadline (Dec 15) for finding new healthcare coverage. There are several ways to access the Marketplace:

Apply online. Visit HealthCare.gov to get started.

Apply by phone. Call 1-800-318-2596 to apply for a health insurance plan and enroll over the phone (TTY: 1-855-889-4325).

Apply in person. Visit a trained counselor in your community to get information and apply in person. Find help in your area at https://localhelp.healthcare.gov/.

Apply by mail. Complete a paper application and mail it in. You can download the paper application form and instructions at http://hlthc.re/PaperApp.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following in regard to purchasing plans under the ACA. Families, especially those who have children with special health care needs, need to make sure the plan they purchase includes:
Access to pediatric specialists and pediatric surgical specialists.
Preventive care, such as well-child check-ups and immunizations.
Habilitative services to help a child keep, learn, or improve functioning.
Rehabilitative services such as physical or speech therapy.
Vision and dental care (dental plans may be sold separately).
Find their entire guide, The Affordable Care Act: What Your Family Needs to Know, here: http://bit.ly/17e4Pgb.