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Articles include: HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM SPIN! SPIN is co-sponsored by the Disability & Communication Access Board and the Special Education Section of the Department of Education. Services include a phone line for information referral and support, a quarterly newsletter, an annual conference and community workshops. Guiding SPIN is our Advisory Committee: Ruth Akiona, Maggie Baxter, Mike Fahey, Amy Hogan, Laura Kealaiki, Steve Laracuente, Thalia Lehano, Donna McLanahan, Scott O'Brien, Christina Pilkington, Millie Rogers, Gurbachan Singh, Richele Thornburg & Lori Tokuhama. SPIN PHONE FAX E-MAIL WEB
The Department of Education (DOE) and the Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii (LDAH) try to help parents resolve conflicts over their child's identification, evaluation, program and placement before a due process hearing is necessary. But for those instances where conflicts are not resolved through good faith efforts and mediation, it is important for parents to understand their due process rights to a fair hearing. That's why DOE and LDAH are co-sponsoring a workshop January 17th with nationally respected attorney Art Cernosia who specializes in special education issues. The workshop entitled "How to Prepare for Due Process" will be held from 6:30 8:30 p.m. on Oahu (the exact location is not yet available). To reserve a seat, call LDAH at 536-9684, ext. 21. For your free copy of this
useful IEP guide, write to: ALSO OUT... The monitoring team from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, D.C., came to Hawaii in mid October to carry out Step Two-Validation Planning-in the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process*. Their visit included a series of public meetings in every district to get input from parents, teachers and other key stakeholders. The OSEP Team also met with the Department of Education and the CIMP Steering Board to give feedback on Hawaii's Self-Assessment of problem areas and promising practices. The team was originally scheduled
to return in December for Validation Data Collection, but they
have postponed their visit until mid-February, 2001. When they
return, they will be visiting selected schools, looking at IEPs,
and interviewing key personnel to see if the information gathered
by the Self-Assessment and the public meetings is confirmed at
the school level. *The Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) is the name given to the new way that OSEP is partnering with Hawaii and other states. The goal of this partnership is to help Hawaii comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and improve educational results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.CIMP is a seven step process that includes self-assessment, validation planning, validation data collection, reporting to the public, improvement planning, implementation of improvement strategies and verification and consequences. Once the last step is completed, the process starts up all over again. Public Meetings Part B ® Move to school-based
mental health services Part B ® Not enough training for
teachers and parents * Only a partial listing of comments made at the hearings TOTAL ATTENDANCE Part B Part C MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AFFECT 1 IN 5 STUDENTS For all of you involved in the planning and delivery of school based mental health services in Hawaii's schools, here are some sobering statistics from the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health. Approximately one in five children and adolescents will experience the signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder during the course of a year. Of those 21%, one-half experience significant functional impairments, and one-fourth have extreme functional impairments. Surprisingly the #1 category of disorders in children and teens is not disruptive disorders, of which attention deficit disorder is the most common. Rather it is anxiety. All of the mental health disorders occur in families of all social classes and backgrounds. No one is immune. Yet there are a number of known risk factors that can lead to mental health problems, such as prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol, low birth weight, abuse and neglect, poverty, unsatisfactory relationships, a parent with a mental health disorder or exposure to traumatic events. With so many of our students affected or at risk for mental health problems, we all must work together to put together systems of care that address prevention and early intervention, as well as intensive interventions. We may not be able to eliminate mental health disorders in Hawaii's keiki, but we can provide fast and effective treatment and supports to maximize their healthy development. (For a copy of the Surgeon
General's report, go online to: www.mentalhealth.org/specials/surgeongeneralreport/chapter3/sec1.html The Arc in Hawaii has teamed
up with Dr. Rhonda Black and her students in the UH Department
of Special Educaton to offer a 2000 Transition Planning Conference
on December 16th. It is scheduled from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm at
the Kapiolani Community College Cafeteria (Ohia Buiding). By July, 2001, all public schools
are expected to have approved and in place a School-Based Services:
Mental Health Plan. Effective July 1, 2000, DOE will resume responsibility
for the following outpatient services provided to Felix eligible
youth: THE LEARNING DISABILITIES ASSOCIATION OF HAWAII. . . . . . is pleased to announce the continuation of two statewide projects to support families of children with special needs. AWARE AWARE activities include: PARENT SUPPORT PROJECT Americorps "Class of 2000" John Duffy Molokai 553-3959
Diane Huelskamp East Hawaii 936-8890 Embark on the journey 2001: A SPIN ODYSSEY Saturday, April 21, 2001 UH Campus Center $18 (includes Continental Keynote Speaker Airfare Scholarships are available on a limited basis For more information call 586-8126 Every year SPIN singles out some key parents and professionals whose efforts make a positive difference in the lives of children and young adults with disabilities and their families in Hawaii. These outstanding individuals will be honored at our SPIN Conference on April 21, 2001. We are asking for your help
in identifying candidates for SPIN's major awards: To request a nomination form, please call SPIN at 586-8126 (Enterprise 5270 from a Neighbor Island) or e-mail us at accesshi@aloha.net. We want to hear about your "heros and heroines" by March 9, 2001. PARKS LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN (& WOMEN) The City and County of Honolulu's
Parks & Recreation Department is hiring Inclusion Aides to
support the inclusion of children and adults with disabilities
into all of their programs and services. These recreation aides
will be helping to plan and provide reasonable modifications
at various locations around Oahu. Job requirements are two years
experience working with people with disabilities, and the ability
to travel and work independently. The position is ON-CALL, with
the possibility of working up to 19 hours per week. The pay rate
is $10.44 per hour. Na
Po'e Kokua No Na Keiki YOUTH AND ADULT DIAPERS Kokua Keiki, a non-profit organization,
is dedicated to helping families and caregivers of individuals
with special needs obtain optimal discounts for quality products
mentioned above through volume purchasing. HAWAII FAMILIES AS ALLIES YOUTH COUNCIL Hawaii Families as Allies is beginning the exciting process of developing a Youth Council made up of young people with special needs who have received or are still receiving mental health services. These young people will provide the youth's perspective in program development and evaluation. The application and interview process will begin in December. Please contact Yvonne Abang at 239-5150 if you know a youth or young adult (age 14 to 25) who has the interest and potential to participate on the Council. 12/16 2000 Transition Planning
Conference, 1/9 & 1/10/01 Best Practice
for Children Conference 1/17 How to Prepare for
Due Process, 6:30 - 8:30 pm 2/9 & 2/10 2001 Learning Disabilities Conference, Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Tower, call 536-9684 or 538-7007 3/3 & 3/4 Symposium
on Diversity & Disability, location to be announced,
call Valerie (956-2673) or Martha (956-3242) 3/5 & 3/6 PAC RIM 2001, Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, call Valerie (956-2673) or Martha (956-3242), or go to www.cds.hawaii.edu 3/7 & 3/8 Autism Spectrum Disorders, location to be announced, call Valerie (956-2673) or Martha (956-3242) 4/21 2001: A SPIN Odessey, 8:30 am -3:30 pm, UH Campus Center, call 586-8126 ("0", Enterprise 5270) calendar.htmlor e-mail to: accesshi@aloha.net 6/16 HFAA Statewide Family
Conference, Ilikai Waikiki Hotel, call 487-8785 for more
information No moving parts, no batteries, It can't be stolen, won't pollute, Relieves your tension and your
stress, Your circulation it corrects
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