Indiana Family to Family

On Oct. 17, 2020, the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020 was signed into law, to “transition the cumbersome, existing 10-digit National Suicide Hotline to a universal, easy-to-remember, 3-digit phone number and connect people in crisis with life-saving resources.” The Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction has been tasked with overseeing the planning and implementation of 9-8-8 hotline number in Indiana. As part of this charge, DMHA is also looking to increase the number of mobile crisis teams and crisis stabilization facilities across Indiana, with the goal of giving Hoosiers experiencing a mental or behavioral health, substance use or suicidal crisis more options and a better experience when they reach out for support and/or relevant resources. FSSA is inviting individuals with direct lived experience in crisis situations to complete a brief survey, linked below, about the new 9-8-8 hotline number and crisis response services i

Ask The Arc Webinar Restoring Dignity and Self-Determination by Charting the LifeCourse August 12, 2021 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. EST.   Please join in The Arc of Indiana’s next Ask The Arc Webinar,  Restoring Dignity and Self-Determination by Charting the LifeCourse.   People learn from mistakes, yet too often, individuals with disabilities are not given the opportunity to try new things, make mistakes, and try again. There is dignity in risk, and people learn from mistakes. In this session, we’ll talk about different types of harm and how to balance support and safety with dignity and respect.   Register Here   After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Have you ever had an insurance provider… - Insist that you use a specific test (e.g., ADOS) before they would accept your diagnosis?  - Insist that you repeat unnecessary assessments every 6/12 months for a patient to stay eligible for a medical, psychosocial or behavioral treatment?  - Deny clinically indicated medical, psychosocial or behavioral treatment because a patient has intellectual disability, Down syndrome, CP, etc. (and not autism)? - Deny coverage because the assessment or treatment is “psychoeducational,” for “social skills,” or “vocational” in nature?   Insurance-imposed barriers like these directly impact our care for patients with autism and other developmental disabilities... And all of this relates directly to broader mental health parity issues.    **  Services Parity for Autism and Neurodevelopment (SPAN) Survey  **   Please take a moment to complete this brief survey  on your personal experiences as a provider, and consider sharing the survey with other providers/

From  Social Security Administration If you received services from your state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agency to find work, you can receive ongoing services from an Employment Network (EN) after you are on the job. VR agencies often partner with ENs that offer job retention services and other forms of ongoing support. This arrangement, known as Partnership Plus, can be a significant part of your employment support, giving you continued access to individualized services and resources throughout your employment journey. Read today’s  blog post  to learn how you can access continuing support even after you begin working.  

The Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services and the Bureau of Quality Improvement Services are committed to working collaboratively with case managers and providers. In support of BDDS mission “To connect people with disabilities and their families to resources and supports to live their best life,” BQIS conducted a web-based training on June 30, 2021, on person-centered risk assessment and planning. The training included the roles and expectations of providers, case managers, individuals, and families in completing a comprehensive risk assessment and the development of risk mitigation plans as well as resources to support the process. The recorded training and resources are available on the  BQIS website . If you have questions or would like to share feedback on the tools, please contact us at  BQIS.Help@fssa.IN.gov . We look forward to continuing to empower individuals to live, love, learn, work, play and pursue their dreams!

 

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (DOE OCR) has issued a resource-- Long COVID under Section 504 and the IDEA: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers, and Families (PDF) --which clarifies that long COVID is a disability and that, for young children and students, long COVID can be a disability that gives rise to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) eligibility and may also be a disability under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  This blog post  by DOE OCR also includes information about the disparate impacts of the pandemic on students.

You are invited to complete a brief survey about the new 9-8-8 hotline number and crisis response services in Indiana   at this link:   9-8-8 Lived Experience Survey.   Your participation in this survey will help the Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) understand how they can build a crisis response system that Hoosiers can trust and depend on.  Feedback is especially needed from Indiana residents who have, will be using, or need  behavioral health crisis services. Information gathered in the survey will help determine how Indiana develops the approach to serving Hoosiers facing a mental health, substance use, and/or suicide-related emergency. It is important for the voice of people with developmental disabilities, their families and providers to be included in the survey.   Background - The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act was signed into law on October 17, 2020. This was done to “transition the cumbersome, existing 10-digit National Suicide Hotline to a universal,

Ecf Flyereng by Family Voices Indiana on Scribd The new school year is just around the corner, will students in your community have the broadband access and devices they need to succeed?   The Federal Communications Commission has a new program to help with unmet needs. The Emergency Connectivity Fund Program covers 100% of the reasonable costs of laptops, tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity purchases for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons.   Eligible schools and libraries  must apply by August 13 .   During the current application filing window, eligible schools and libraries, in addition to consortia of schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.   Interested schools and libraries can find more information and apply for support at  emergencyconnectivityfund.org .   The FCC will hold a  webinar on August 3 at 2 p.m. ET  to hig