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Author: Paulette Southerly

January 13, 2020
Paulette Southerly
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SILC is Recruiting!

Posted in Advocacy, Disability, and Public Awareness

From the WV Statewide Independent Living Council:

Interested Persons,

Are you a person with a disability who wants to get involved and make a difference? Do you have a family member with a disability or do you work to improve life for people with disabilities? The West Virginia Statewide Independent Living Council (the Council) is recruiting new members to fill vacancies for terms beginning July 1, 2020 and you should apply!

This federally mandated Council works closely with the Centers for Independent Living and monitors, reviews, and evaluates the implementation of the State Plan for Independent Living.

The Council seeks to maintain diversity of representation including disability, age, ethnicity, and life experiences. If you or someone you know would like to apply for membership on the Council, please return a completed application form by February 14, 2020.

Please feel free to duplicate this notice and the application form and share them with as many individuals as you wish. This information is also available on the SILC Web site and you may complete and submit your application at: www.wvsilc.org/wvsilcapp.htm

Please review the responsibilities carefully and apply only if you are willing to fulfill them.

All applications will be reviewed and considered. Nominations selected by the Council will be nominated for appointment by Governor Jim Justice. This process can be lengthy and new members are not always appointed before the terms begin in July. We appreciate your patience. If you have questions or need further information or assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,
Ann Watts McDaniel
Executive Director

January 10, 2020
Paulette Southerly
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National Survey on Health and Disability

Posted in Advocacy, Public Awareness, and Research

The NIDILRR-funded Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living (CHRIL) is looking for adults with disabilities to complete an online survey about health insurance and health care services. Whether you have private insurance, insurance from an employer, TRICARE, Medicaid, Medicare, or no insurance right now please complete the survey.

Adults, 18 and over, with any type of disability, mental or physical health condition are encouraged to participate.

The survey should take about 20 minutes to complete.
Responses are anonymous.

To complete the survey copy and paste into your browser: http://tinyurl.com/NSHD2019

The survey closes on January 30, 2020.

Whether or not you complete the survey, you can choose to enter a drawing to win one of ten $100 gift cards. If you prefer to take the survey over the phone or have any questions about participating, please call toll-free 1.855.556.6328 (Voice/TTY) or email healthsurvey@ku.edu.

November 20, 2019
Paulette Southerly
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WV YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM 2020

Posted in Advocacy, Disability, Public Awareness, and Training

The WV Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is a statewide training and leadership development event for students (Delegates) with all types of disabilities, high school juniors & seniors and college freshmen, who are transitioning to adulthood. The YLF will be held on the campus of West Virginia State University in Institute, WV on June 22-25, 2020.

The YLF will provide a variety of activities, learning opportunities, and a chance to make new friends.

Learn about the history of disability and the disability rights movement in America, national leaders, and your place in the movement and disability culture. Be a part of something much bigger than yourself!

Twenty-five youth (Delegates) will be selected to attend the YLF – at no cost – make sure you are one of them!

For more information call 304-766-4624 or toll free at 855-855-9743. You may also visit our website at www.wvsilc.org.

November 4, 2019
Paulette Southerly
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Marshall U. Grant

Posted in Disability, Public Awareness, and Uncategorized

HUNTINGTON — Marshall University has received a five-year grant totaling more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs for a program that will develop qualified special educators and mental health providers to assist students with disabilities that may have been caused by prenatal substance exposure, complex traumatic stress, adverse childhood experiences and/or adverse community environments.

Dr. Lanai Jennings, assistant professor and director of the school psychology program at Marshall, said the program, called “PREPaRED to CARE,” will give evidence-based training to graduate students who will receive a master’s or specialist degree in special education, school counseling or school psychology. She is leading a team of interdisciplinary faculty from the school psychology, psychology, special education and counseling areas. Included are Drs. Debra Lockwood, Carol Smith, Conrae-Lucas Adkins, Jennifer McFarland-Whisman, Sandra Stroebel, Jonathan Lent, Jennifer Tiano and Marianna Footo-Linz. Amy Saunders represents the Marshall University Center of Excellence for Recovery.

Read the entire article at: https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/marshall-receives-grant-to-assist-students-with-disabilities/article_b0d67da1-14ab-511d-a96e-8989b148f341.html

October 29, 2019
Paulette Southerly
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Public Hearings for 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and FY2020 Annual Action Plan

Posted in Advocacy, Outreach, and Public Awareness

From Community Advancement and Development; A Division of the West Virginia Development Office:

We would like to remind you of upcoming public hearings that will be conducted in November for the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and FY2020 Annual Action Plan. The public hearings will be held at five locations throughout the state to gather public input for the assessment phase of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan process. Information on public hearing notices, updates, and specific locations can be found below:

Notice_of_Public_Hearings-2020-2024_Consolidated_Plan_and_FY_2020-Annual_Action_Plan_Fall_2019

These meetings are an opportunity to gain highly valued input from the public as part of the State’s housing and community development needs.

Every five years the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO), an agency of the West Virginia Department of Commerce, along with the West Virginia Housing Development Fund (WVHDF) develops a 5-year plan Consolidated Plan to guide the use of federal funds received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The 2020-2024 plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) within 60 days after the date 2020 allocations are announced, but no later than August 16, 2020 and will guide the expenditure of funds for housing and community development in non-entitlement areas for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the entire state for Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA), the HOME Investment Partnership and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) programs. The 2020 Annual Action Plan which is the first year of the 2020-2024 5-year Consolidated Plan will also be submitted.

The Community Needs Assessment Survey is available at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WVCAD until close of business, Monday March 23, 2020.

The 2015-2019 5-Year Consolidated Plan, 2019 Annual Action Plan (AAP), 2018 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) and the Citizen Participation Plan are available on the West Virginia Community Advancement and Development webpage at https://wvcad.org/resources.

Any questions regarding the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan can be directed to Sherry Risk. Please feel free to share this information or if you know of someone to add to the stakeholder email or mailing list in order to receive updates, public notices and the survey, please email:

Sherry Risk, CDBG Project Manager
West Virginia Development Office
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, Suite 700
Charleston, WV 25301
Sherry.L.Risk@wv.gov
(304)957-2068

September 30, 2019
Paulette Southerly
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Autumn P-ART-y

Posted in Group, Outreach, and Public Awareness

Join us on Saturday, October 12th from 3:00 - 5:00 PM at NWVCIL for our annual Halloween Party! This year Christine Wilcox will be showing party-goers how to make their own spider painting. Supplies will be provided! Individuals must RSVP to Paulette or Christine at (304) 296-6091 by October 5th. Spots are limited and will be assigned on a first come, first claimed basis. Please inform us of any accommodation requests when you RSVP. Refreshments will be provided!
Join us on Saturday, October 12th from 3:00 – 5:00 PM at NWVCIL for our annual Halloween Party! This year Christine Wilcox will be showing party-goers how to make their own spider painting. Supplies will be provided!
Individuals must RSVP to Paulette or Christine at (304) 296-6091 by October 5th. Spots are limited and will be assigned on a first come, first claimed basis. Please inform us of any accommodation requests when you RSVP. Refreshments will be provided!
September 13, 2019
Paulette Southerly
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AAPD/NCIL Presidential Candidate Questionnaire

Posted in Advocacy, Disability, and Public Awareness

In 2020, approximately 23% of the American electorate — over 35 million individuals — will be people with disabilities. As people with disabilities, we want to live independent lives and contribute our talent and energy to the future success of our great nation. There are over 60 million Americans with disabilities who make remarkable and valuable contributions to our communities.

In an effort to inform the disability community of the presidential candidate’s disability policy positions, initiatives, and priorities, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), and the REV UP Campaign have developed a presidential candidate questionnaire. Click here to download a copy of the questionnaire (plain text version). So far, the following candidates have completed the questionnaire: Steve Bullock, Pete Buttigieg, Tim Ryan, Bernie Sanders, Joe Sestak, and Marianne Williamson.

Please visit aapd.com for full responses.