People First Language

Like gender and ethnicity, disability is a natural  part of life.  One in five Americans is a person with a disability.  One of the five apples in the bowl is green.  The green apple is more like the red apples than different, and a person with a disability is more like people without disabilities than different.

Words matter!  For too long, hurtful words have been used about people who have disabilities.  We can change how we think and talk and use People First Language:

Replace Handicapped/disabled with Person with disabilities
Replace Mental retardation with Cognitive disability
Replace "Mike is autstic" with "Mike has autism"
Replace "Joann is wheelchair-bound" with "Joann uses a wheelchair"
Replace "Steve is crippled" with "Steve has a physical disability"
Replace "Maria is mentally ill" with "Maria has a mental health condition"
Replace "Tyrone is non-verbal" with "Tyrone communicates with..."
Replace Handicapped Parking with Accessible Parking
Replace Brain Damaged with Brain injury
Replace Normal or healthy people with People without disabilities

Do not use the R-word (retard) or terms like idiot, imbecile, moron, psycho, lame, sped kid, special needs, or other disability labels as insults. 

Visit www.disabilityisnatural.com for more People First Language articles.

Crunch Time For Annual Training Hours

Civitan Services extends a sincere and hearty THANK YOU to all the Waiver staff who attended the mandatory annual training this past Saturday, April 20th.  We appreciate your willingness to help us meet the  number of annual training hours we are required to maintain for each of you in order keep our license in good standing.

 

Every staff member--including part time Waiver staff--must produce a minimum of 12 hours of training per year.  This is non-negotiable and cannot be excused.  These hours are due by June 2013.

 

For those of you who did not attend training on April 20th, please understand that your absence puts our license renewal in jeopardy if those training hours are not produced for you.  In the coming weeks please be prepared make up the hours you missed by providing documentation from any outside professional training you may have had since last June or be prepared to work with our Human Resources department to put in the extra training hours you need to make up the difference.  You should also expect possible disciplinary action for not showing up as required (unless you were specifically excused).

Possible sources of training hours that may be included:

CPR training or renewal training
First Aid training
Safe Driver training
Conferences and/or seminars that included Continuing Education credits
Webinars that included Continuing Education credits
Any documented training related to nursing or special education
Any on-the-job training performed for another employer that would apply to patient/client care, time management, specialized problem-solving, or goal-oriented education

Please be aware that all training hours must be documented by a certificate or some other form of proof of training completed.  If you have questions regarding training hours and/or what kind of training will qualify, please contact Steve in Human Resources. 

Thanks again to everyone for your help in keeping us well-trained and well-prepared for all our many regulatory inspections.  Your cooperation helps us succeed!

Mark Your Calendars For Annual Training

The date for our annual staff training day is Saturday, April 20th from 8 am to 4 pm.  You will need to reserve this day on your calendars since this training is mandatory--all Civitan Services employees must attend this training in order to complete our annual licensure requirements.  All staff members must have a minimum number of training hours logged each year.  If you do not attend this training you will not meet your minimum. 

 

New this year:  the training will be held at Holland Chapel's Family Life Center, 15523 I-30 in Benton.

There is NO MAKE-UP DAY for this training.  There are no exceptions made for this training.  Everyone must attend--no excuses!  This is also an important day to learn about policy changes, administrative changes, benefits, and legislative requirements that will affect your employment for the coming year.  If you have questions about annual training hours and requirements, please see Steve in Human Resources.

Peace, Love & 5k This Weekend

There is still time to register for the 2013 Peace, Love & 5K Run/Walk and 1-Mile Family Fun Run this Saturday, April 13, 2013.  

 

Printed entry forms are in Leigha’s office (Rm 210) or you can register and pay online at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e6yqf9a38485ef18&llr=pemxuydab

Webinar Available This Friday

The Adult Services Department will be hosting a Webinar on Friday, April 12, 2013, from 11:00 – 1:00 pm in the Home Ec classroom at the Center. The subject will be: Effective Dialog Between Physicians and Primary Caregivers. This is of course dealing with adults with developmental disabilities that also have a mental health diagnosis. Please let Carrie know ASAP if you plan to attend.  CEUs will be issued for this webinar.

Positive Behavior Support Plans

Positive Behavior Support Plans (PBSP) are currently being written and implemented for some of our Waiver clients.  These are plans to help track and manage certain behavioral issues specific to each client's goals.  Not all clients will have a PBSP; only the clients who meet certain criteria.  We will discuss these plans in more detail at the annual retreat next week. 

 

For now, some Waiver employees have already received new Documentation Forms via email.  Others will notice new forms included with the next round of pay checks.  If you receive one of these new forms it means that a PBSP has been written for your client or is currently being written but may not be finished yet.  The new Documentation Form will work exactly like the old forms.  The only difference in the new form is a small area that will be used to document behaviors that are listed on the PBSP.  You may not encounter these behaviors every week.  If you don't notice the behaviors during the week, leave the new area blank.  You should only fill in the new area when the PBSP behaviors occur during the week you are documenting.

 

If you receive a new Documentation Form with your next pay check please begin using it immediately, even if you do not have a copy of the PBSP.  Please discard any old copies of the form.  If you need a copy of your client's PBSP please contact your client's Case Manager (Case Managers are Pat or Zack--not Darrell, Elaine, or Angela). 

 

If you have questions about the PBSP or need to discuss the behaviors in the plan, please contact your client's Case Manager.  Be advised that some plans are not ready yet but you should begin using the new forms so that you will be familiar with them once all plans have been distributed.

 

Again, if you do not receive a new form, it means that a PBSP does not apply to your client and you should continue on with your current forms.

 

Thanks again for everything you do to help us improve the way we serve our clients!

 

 

DDPA Spring Conference

Developmental Disabilities Provider Association’s (DDPA) 2013 Annual Spring Conference on April 23 & 24.

We are extending the REGISTRATION DEADLINE to APRIL 3, 2013 at NOON for any last-minute additions!

We will have a full house again this year, so please use this last opportunity to register if you have not yet done so. We have an incredible speaker line-up prepared for you, over 30 exhibitors for your review, and a special DDPA room block with fantastic hotel rates.

This is the PREMIER TRAINING EVENT for Arkansas community providers serving adults and children with developmental disabilities!

Also, come join us for the new “pre-conference” on Monday, April 22 – a Health & Wellness Seminar with cutting-edge information on the practical implications of health and disability policies with regards to the Medicaid program, the Affordable Care Act, and Community First Choice Act. We will also have timely information on healthy shopping and cooking on a Food Stamp budget, and a special presentation by Easter Seals on their interactive/adaptive curriculum for health, nutrition, and wellness.

 

The Spring Conference will follow with a stellar line-up of speakers targeting administrative, human resource, adult direct service and children’s direct service tracks in addition to the latest on Medicaid Reform, the Affordable Care Act, and DDPA’s legislative priorities.

 

All this and much, much more is waiting for you! And don’t forget – your registration includes entrance to DDPA’s Provider Party where you will have an additional opportunity to network with others in your field.

 

 

 

Beth Lain

Office Manager & Training Coordinator

Developmental Disabilities Provider Association (DDPA)

2020 West 3^rd Street, Suite 301

Little Rock, AR 72205-4464

(501) 907-5337 phone

(501) 907-5338 fax

ddpa@arkansasddpa.org

www.arkansasddpa.org