In Thanksgivings past, Detroit opened its heart to its special children

When I was a child attending an orthopedic school for children with disabilities in downtown Detroit, my mother would wake me and my younger sisters, Rene and Nancy, before dawn and get us dressed up to go watch the then Hudson’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

For myself and the 180 or so other kids with disabilities at Leland School for Crippled Children, it was a really special and unforgettable day.

We’d dress up warm in snowsuits and wait anxiously for the yellow bus that said “Leland” on the side to turn down our street of Pinewood off of Gratiot and Seven Mile on Detroit’s northeast side. We’d climb on the bus with the other children with disabilities and their parents and the bus would take us down to Woodward near the former J.L. Hudson’s building. The building had the world’s largest flag on its side. It was several stories high and looked especially immense to a young child who was all excited about seeing Santa.

We’d stay in the bus once we got to the end of the parade route and we had a spectacularly close view of the floats.

They would start coming our way as we heard bands playing Christmas music. The floats were gigantic. They were colorful. The people on them were dressed in fancy outfits, clowns, elves and the floats would come one after the other for what seemed like forever. We didn’t mind because we all knew that sooner or later Santa Claus would come.

The clowns would carry giant balloons or cartoon characters. I would always wait for my Uncle Tom Opatich who worked as Hudson’s during the year as a driver who delivered furniture. But at Thanksgiving he would turn into a clown and volunteer to be part of the parade. He would get all of the other clowns to come on our special bus and give us big hugs because we were the special children with disabilities who were receiving loving treatment from great souls on a wonderful day.

My sisters always thought it was cool that their big brother went to an orthopedic school because they got to go with him and our mother, Carol and now 98, to the Thanksgiving Day parade for a special treat.

When we started hearing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” we on the bus would really get excited because Santa would jump off of his red sleigh and leave all the reindeer, including Rudolph and Dancer and Prancer behind and hop up the three steps of our bus and go down the aisle and ask: “Have every one of you children been good boys and girls this year?” And we’d scream back in unison: “We sure have Santa.”

And then Santa would ask what did we want for Christmas. Most of the time I wanted a real cowboy suit or a chess set. My sisters told Santa they wanted dolls or clothes and mother would say she didn’t need anything as long as her children were happy and had enough good food to eat for the holiday with our dad, Vincent, a Detroit policeman.

And after a few minutes, even though it might have been 15 minutes, Santa would climb off the bus and go back and hop on his sleigh and welcome all the thousands who had come to downtown Detroit in the 1950s to watch the Thanksgiving Day parade.

Our bus would wait a while until traffic of maybe a million people would clear out and then the bus would make its way back to drop each of us off at our homes.

There never was one tear about not being able to walk or talk or having to wear braces because we, the students, had a disability. We were special and we knew it. We had just received the hearts of many generous clowns and a special hug from Santa, that upon looking back now at age 67, lasted a lifetime.

 

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence and Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

Relentless effort pays off in integrating people with disabilities into society

Even by advocates who are well-known, Liz Bauer is admired and respected for her decades of helping to lead the way so that people with disabilities can live in communities with proper help and not waste their lives in state-run institutions.
Bauer, a former member of the Michigan Board of Education and Executive Director of Michigan Protection and Advocacy, spoke Tuesday night (11.12) at a meeting of advocates, executives and directors of nonprofits from Macomb and Oakland counties at the Auburn Hills' location of the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, Inc. Since its inception in the early 1970s, MORC has been instrumental in closing the 12 state institutions for people with disabilities and mental illness in Michigan and moving some 13,000 people in to homes, apartments and into mainstream society.
Bauer, who has a 41-year-old daughter with development disabilities, emphasized how important it was to know and keep in contact with local as well as federal political leaders.
"When I say to them (lawmaker) it takes two hours to feed a child, they have no idea of what I am talking about," she said.
That's because the average lawmaker really doesn't see in his or her mind what occurs when a child with severe disabilities and fragile health needs to be fed through feeding tubes and a vigilant parent has to make sure the child doesn't choke or have other problems.
"When visiting a lawmaker to press a civil rights issue, bring your child with a disability with you," she said, noting it really makes a difference when a state representative or state senator sees the extent of the child's disability and the types of supports he or she will need. "They realize that child is a person.
"We need to teach (society) that everyone is valued, everyone is worth it," Bauer said.
She also said, "We need new energy and younger parents" who have children with disabilities to re-energize the movement for civil rights and equal access to things needed to live a full life.
The problem might be that there was such success since the early 1970s in getting people out of institutions and into their own groups homes and apartments with 24-hour care that many forget the lonely mother who stayed at home to take care of a child with a disability. Some mothers, such as one in Royal Oak, had three children with severe developmental disabilities who needed constant care. The mother's life was liberated too when she received help from MORC.
Bauer, who started advocating for educational rights of people with disabilities before her daughter was born, said when it comes to budget cuts for those with disabilities this is the "chapter nobody reads."
She said advocates must continually remember the "5 w's + h = plan. The five w's are who, what, when, where, and why and the h is how.
Objectives should be clear and precise so lawmakers can quickly understand the message.
"You don't need to spend an hour trying to decide what to write a lawmaker, just send them a postcard and write 'We need more money allocated' to help those with disabilities."
"There always are forces for an against an objective," she said. "The best way to succeed or develop a lawmaker at the local or national level is to be honest, just give them the facts."
She also said advocacy can lead to burnout or discouragement so "You have to celebrate your small wins."
So parents of children with disabilities need to step up and keep civil rights in the minds of our political, economic and social leaders or some of the major gains made in decades after a century of suffering by those with disabilities will be lost. Remember if you are of child-bearing age, you just might have a child with a disability and then you will wish you had listened to these words.
We can see by Bauer's example that such small victories add up over time and with great persistence and intelligence to a much larger and better world for those of us with disabilities. For that, we owe her a great deal.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence and Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.
www.voicesofdisabilities.blogspot.com

Special needs apps help those with disabilities adapt to life

Hundreds of special needs apps now are available to help make life better for the millions of people, especially children, who have disabilities.

The first app was released on April 3, 2010 and the field has grown rapidly since, said Tzvi Schectman, a family coordinator at the Friendship Circle of West Bloomfield. Many of the apps are free with the most expensive, “Lamp Words for Life,” costing $299.99, according to the Website, www.friendshipcircle.org/apps/browse. “Lamp,” for example,” addresses the language development and communication needs of children with autism.”

Categories of apps include those for speech and language, communication, social skills, life skills, behavior, educational, scheduling and games.

Those developing apps fill out a form on the above Website to get approval and distribution of the app on either the Apple or android platform.

“This is absolutely a growing field,” said Schectman. One of the first apps was “Proloquo2go,” an assistive communication app. It helps with children who have autism or are nonverbal. “They choose pictures of items to communicate” and “it works with most anyone with impaired speech.”

The scheduling app helps someone with a cognitive disability structure the events in their days.

It’s a visual schedule that might show a picture of a breakfast table, then a school bus. Some of the apps also help “parents monitor their child’s behavior,” said Schectman.

One app, “The Birdhouse for Autism,” allows parents to keep track of what their child does during the day. “Every day they write what the child ate, how medications affected the child, and then Birdhouse finds correlation and patterns in that child’s everyday life to see what meds or activities are working and what areas need more work or modification.” The app is free and parents need only create an iPhone account and enter information about their special needs child.

Other apps help develop social skills, teach proper etiquette, encourage children with developmental disabilities to make eye contact with others and even how to say hello to someone.

The 59 apps in the social skills category on the Friendship Circle website include “Stepping Stones,” a personal visual organizer for prompting daily routines and schedules. Its cost is 99 cents. It was designed for users with developmental disabilities and the app assists in building independence. A simple interface allows a caregiver to create a routine, or ‘Path’, for the user to follow. The Path then works as reminder with visual and audio guides to act as prompts.

 Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence/advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

 

Nearly 250,000 to lose some food stamps in Macomb, Oakland counties

Some 247,354 Macomb and Oakland county residents will see their food stamp allotment fall today (11.1) when a temporary federal government program expires.

In Oakland County, the cuts in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program affect 122,381 recipients who receive $12,779,358 in food assistance. In Macomb County, the $13,050,022 in cuts hit 124,973 people.

Nationwide, about 47 million food stamp recipients will see their benefits significantly reduced, according to MoneyWatch, a financial newsgathering entity.

Most of the cuts will affect households with seniors, people with disabilities and children.

Barring congressional intervention, the maximum payment for a family of four will shrink from $668 a month to $632, or $432 over the course of a year.

That amounts to 21 meals per month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The cuts will leave participants in the program with an average of $1.40 to spend on each meal. The amount people get could sink even more if Congress makes deeper cuts later this year when House and Senate lawmakers try to hammer out a farm bill.

The cuts "will be close to catastrophic for many people," said Ross Fraser, a spokesman for Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief charity, which estimates that this week’s SNAP reduction will result in a loss of nearly 2 billion meals for poor families next year.

Food stamps are the government's biggest nutrition-assistance program for low-income people and, along with federal unemployment benefits, a key support system for the most vulnerable Americans. More than three-quarters of households getting food stamps include a child, elderly person or someone with a disability. Some 83 percent of families are at or below the official poverty line Along with children, seniors and people with disabilities, some 900,000 former U.S. veterans received food stamps and face cuts.

Another group with lots of members in SNAP: Veterans. U.S. Census Bureau data show that, in 2011, some 900,000 former U.S. military personnel lived in households that used food stamps.

The average SNAP recipient receives about $133 a month in benefits, while the typical family gets $278.

Experts say the food stamp cuts will spread hunger in the nation, undermine public health, and tax food banks around the country struggling to cope with the upsurge in poverty.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence/Advocate at Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

Internationally known advocate to speak on issues facing those with disabilities

Elizabeth Bauer, who was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame and a former member of the state Board of Education, will speak on issues facing people with disabilities at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center office at 1270 Doris Road in Auburn Hills.

Bauer, of Ferndale, is a parent of a daughter with a developmental disability. She served as executive director of Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc., for 20 years. Bauer also is the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Bauer also is on the outreach committee for the Michigan Department of Community Health and is a current member of the Board of Directors for both MORC and its independent fundraising entity, The Futures Foundation.

The event is sponsored by the Association for the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, a nonprofit started more than three decades ago by parents of children with disabilities to help get them services they need.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence/Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

We are equal to the tasks involved in the workplace

Sometimes, others look at some of the estimated 54 million Americans with disabilities and notice what they can’t do. Those of us with disabilities see ourselves in a more positive light. Why waste time griping about what you can’t do?

The government is trying to drive this point home this month. October is the National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It has two purposes: To remind those of us with disabilities we can acquire the skills to be employed and we are valuable employees. The theme for this year was “Because We are EQUAL to the Task.”

Those words are more than just a slogan. We of differing abilities are gaining equal rights in many areas, far more than imagined by this writer who was born with cerebral palsy right after World War II. There are laws to battle discrimination in nearly every area of life.

We are in public doing the same things as others so it’s not unusual to see our accomplishments. Because of this, attitudes toward the disabled have changed since so many thousands spent their lives in institutions.

The jobless rate among the disabled is around three times the rate of the able-bodied and as high as 70 percent for those who are blind. That’s a waste. We belong in the workplace and most I know would rather work than receive an entitlement.

There’s dignity in work. It gives one a sense of purpose and accomplishment and allows us to be economically independent. My money is just as good in a store as anyone else’s and I’ve been blessed to be able to earn it. Someday sooner than later employers will realize those of us with disabilities can improve the corporate bottom line.

And, some people I know who have a disability inspire others because they’ve almost died and returned. When you see the being in white light, you know there is a God and you have innate value. You also learn fast that beauty is in one’s character not the body.

My brush with death came in August of 1956 when I fell into a coma after being overdosed with ether before double knee surgery. When I woke up four days later, the cleaning lady ran out of the room as though she saw a ghost.

I always asked God to take away my braces by age 10. Those surgeries allowed me to throw them out. But the extra gift I received was to learn to see what I could do instead of what I could not do.

As years went by, I was blessed with everything one could want in life and I realized God had been guiding my life since birth toward documenting the progress of those with disabilities in America. I am sure God is touching the lives of others with disabilities so they know for sure they are equal to holding down a job and living life each day with joy.

Jerry Wolffe is the writer-in-residence/advocate at large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

Service animal teams should have photo ID to prove legitimacy

People who pretend their dog is a service dog deserve to be bitten in the butt.
They are as despicable as able-bodied people who park in places reserved for those with disabilities.
On these two issues, Mr. Norton, my service animal who was trained to never bark or bite, and I agree. He keeps saying with his big brown eyes: “Let me at ‘em Jer, let me at ‘em.”
Mr. Norton, my beautiful brown-eyed Golden Retriever-Labrador mix, became my constant companion and helpmate more than seven years ago when my wife, JoAnn, and I picked him up at Paws with a Cause in Wayland near Grand Rapids.
It would have cost $18,000 to buy Mr. Norton but he was given to me by the nonprofit. Mr. Norton (I call him Mr. out of respect) underwent two years of training before we worked together for 10 months with trainers to become a certified team so he could pull me as I sit in my wheelchair.
He can also pick up anything I drop from the size of a credit card to a TV remote. He can bring me the phone, take off my shoes, pants, and cover my feet up with blankets in bed. He opens doors and keeps an eye on me whether he is in his “service dog” uniform or not. One time, in fact, he scared off a guy who was going to rob me in a parking lot by just staring the fellow down.
We’ve only been questioned once about being together in public.
To prove Mr. Norton and I are a certified service team, I pulled out my photo identification given to me by the organization that trained us. It shows a picture of Mr. Norton sitting next to me in my wheelchair. It says “Norton Trained for Jerry Wolffe.” On the back of the license, it says: “United States Federal Law” and quotes the ADA saying Mr. Norton and I have “access to all public places and commercial centers under Federal Law.” If we are denied admittance to any public place, I can call the Justice Department at (800) 514-0301 and file a complaint or sue the entity that denied us service for discrimination in federal court.
To stop bogus service teams, my opinion is any dog/human service team should have photo ID just like Mr. Norton and I have had since we got my pal from Mike Sapp Sr., the executive director of Paws. Dogs that are not as well trained as Mr. Norton hurt my rights if that animal urinates or causes a commotion in a place of public accommodation.
And having a well-trained dog such as Mr. Norton at my side makes me safer and more capaable, thanks to his muscles. And when I die I expect to see Mr. Norton at St. Peter’s gate wagging his tail as I walk into Heaven to be with my silent four-legged angel.

Jerry Wolffe is the Advocate-at-Large/Writer-in-Residence at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

 

Community Network Services announces fundraiser to help those with mental illness

People with mental illness die, on average, 25 years earlier than the general population, according to a study by the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.
It is partially because they have poor access to established monitoring and treatment guidelines for physical health conditions, the association said.
Another factor in premature death is that 42 percent of those with mental illness disorders are obese and fewer than 20 percent of people with schizophrenia engage in regular moderate exercise, said the Center for Integrated Health Solutions.
In addition, one-third to one-half of people with serious mental illness live at or near the federal poverty level and unemployment for those with the most serious illnesses is 90 percent.
The Community Network Services, a nonprofit which has offices in Waterford Township and Farmington Hills, is trying to change that by raising funds at a "Journey to Wellness" fundraising breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Auburn Hills Marriott Pontiac Centerpoint in Pontiac.
With the theme, “Connecting Mind and Body,” CNS aims to raise $50,000 to endow a CNS Wellness Program fund that will bring chronic disease management, fitness, nutrition, and smoking cessation resources to benefit the adults with severe mental illness who receive behavioral health services at CNS. 
CNS has been drawn to the wellness mission based, first of all, on the data that reflect that people with severe mental illness die 25 years younger than their peers without mental illness. Secondly, the creation of an integrated behavioral health/ primary care clinic in partnership with the Oakland Integrated Healthcare Network in Waterford in March has generated the synergy to optimize resources to better manage chronic diseases and offer preventative solutions. 
The fundraiser is free, with no obligation to donate.
The Journey to Wellness breakfast takes place on the 50th anniversary of the initial legislation signed by President John F. Kennedy creating the community mental health structure.
While the community mental health movement has come a long way in 50 years, much remains to be done.
"We believe our wellness initiative and the associated fundraising breakfast represents a significant step forward in funding solutions that address the total health of those with severe and persistent mental illness," said Mary Madigan, manager of development and community relations at CNS, which provides services to 5,000 adults annual at the two clinics in Oakland County.
For more information on the fundraiser, call 248 871-1488.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence & Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

Too many will be hurt if government defaults

In the spirit of “Profiles in Courage” by the late President John F. Kennedy, someone of political and moral courage must step forward and break the deadlock over the shutdown and impending insolvency of the federal government.
The stakes are too high for the American people if the government defaults on Oct. 17 on paying its debts.
The person apparently in the driver’s seat days after the shutdown began is House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio. He has admitted there’s enough Democratic and Republican votes in the Lower Chamber to pass a “clean” bill to fund spending for several weeks, avoiding an impending financial disaster.
But sources indicate he fears losing his leadership role if he cobbles together a measure and sends it to the Democratic-controlled Senate where it will be passed and we temporarily will have dodged a bullet.
In the long run, most Americans will see Boehner as a hero whether they are Democratic, Republican or independents. We also need the example of someone with courage who is willing to sacrifice short-term political gain and stop the foolishness.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in a letter to congressional leaders after 800,000 federal workers were told not to report to work Monday that his department is quickly exhausting measures to keep the federal government from breaching the debt limit in less than two weeks.
“There are no other legal and prudent options to extend the nation’s borrowing authority,” beyond Congress raising the borrowing cap, Lew said.
It would only be a short time before liquidity in banks, businesses, the mortgage industry and stock market would dry up, causing havoc no economist can accurately forecast. But worse, many millions of Americans, especially those who are disabled, who depend on federal government programs to survive will be out of cash to buy essentials such as food, keep caregivers or even pay rent.
It just seems nearly insane to put Americans through this type of agony. Even though it is not in our U.S. Constitution, we should have the right to have a “vote of confidence” of our political leaders so that we can replace those who cannot hear our voice of reason. Right now, latest polls show only 10 percent of Americans give House and Senate members a favorable rating.
We should also note there is a viral message in social media about a “proposed 28^th Amendment” to the U.S. Constitution. Rather than see lawmakers tear the nation apart over The Affordable Care Act, to which they are not even covered but retain their platinum-for-life medical coverage, such an amendment as the following should be considered by lawmakers in the states. It simply says:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and Representatives; and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply to the citizens of the United States.”
It’s more than time for the 535 members in the House and Senate to quit acting like spoiled brats.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence/Advocate-at-Large at The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

 

 

Michigan sends furlough notices to some Michigan employee unions

Michigan Budget Director John Nixon said today (10.2) the state has begun to take steps to address the partial shutdown of the federal government, including the issuance of furlough notices to employee unions with workers partially or fully funded through federal money, Gongwer News Service reported. 

Nixon said the notices do not peg a specific number of workers who could be subject to furlough or indefinite layoff if Congress remains stymied on authorizing federal spending. Majority Republicans in the U.S. House are pushing for some type of delay or defunding of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as part of authorizing spending for the federal government.

“We hope not to have to trigger the actual furloughs or the indefinite layoffs,” he said.

Nixon said he is asking state departments and agencies to limit discretionary spending in federal programs to preserve cash flow. And he has ordered a hiring freeze on any state programs that receive federal money. He did not have a number on how many open positions would be frozen.

Nixon said state government receives about $55 million a day from the federal government with 65 percent of that for mandated spending on programs like Medicaid and unemployment. But the rest is non-mandatory spending.

One major concern is that authorization for the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and food assistance programs also expired at midnight today, Nixon said. Usually, those programs would fall under the area of mandatory federal spending and be unaffected by the shutdown, but without authorization, those programs will get hit, he said.

Federal food assistance benefits have been provided to recipients through October. TANF money, or cash assistance, will begin to run out in two weeks, Nixon said.

“In two weeks, we really start to feel the pain. In a month, we’ve got a lot of problems,” he said.

Other programs with immediate funding concerns are the Women, Infants and Children program, which has enough money for about 10 days, the child nutrition and school lunch programs (with enough funding for about two weeks), low-income energy assistance (if a cold snap hits sooner than expected), the labor market division and the social services block grant, Nixon said.

If Congress and President Barack Obama reach an agreement to reauthorize federal spending before the end of the week, the impact to state government operations will be minimal, Nixon told reporters. But if the shutdown stretches longer, especially more than two weeks, serious problems will begin to unfold, he said.

“Right now we’re in a very difficult situation,” he said. “I don’t care what it looks like, just get it done.”

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence and Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8950.

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Northville couple win hero award

A Northville couple was presented with the prestigious September Hero Award by Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority for advocating for people with mental illness during the past 20 years.

In honor of its 50^th Anniversary, OCCMHA is presenting monthly Hero Awards throughout 2013 to individuals who champion for change, inspire and support others, lead anti-stigma efforts, advocate for equality and independence, and give back to their community.

 Leon and Mary Ellen Judds are two of the original founders of National Alliance on Mental Illness Metro, a grassroots, all volunteer, non-profit organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with serious mental illness and their families through advocacy, support, and education.

 Leon currently serves as NAMI Metro’s president and Mary Ellen is the treasurer and education chair responsible for the Families in Action and In Our Own Voice programs. They lead one of the largest Annual NAMI Walk teams, known for their bright, yellow T-shirts that read: “Stigma Stinks!”

The Judds are also well-regarded for their warmth and consideration toward parents who are struggling with a loved one’s illness, said Christine Burk, a spokeswoman for OCCMHA.

Nominations for the hero award are due the first of every month and are available online at www.occmha.org. Email completed forms to registerme@occmha.org or send completed forms to Debbie Wisser at 2011 Executive Hills Blvd. in Auburn Hills.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence and Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.

MORC to host Resource Fair

The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center will host an open house and resource fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at the Auburn Hills office at 1270 Doris Road.

Individuals will have the opportunitiy to learn more about MORC's services and have their questions answered by individual department representatives.

Departments represented include Supports Coordination, Intake/Respite, Clinical Services, Recreational Services, Children and Family Services, Autism Waiver Program, Consumer Financial Affairs, Peer Support Services, Family Support Subsidy, Independent Facilitation, Supports Intensity Scale, Training, AMORC Parent Group and Friendship Circle.

In addition, microbusinesses run by individuals MORC serves will be on hand to sell a variety of products and refreshments will be served throughout the day.

For more information, call (586) 263-8701.

Transition Network sponsors series on Building Bridge to Future

Three organizations are hosting a three-part series on subjects ranging from transition services to person-centered planning.

Sponsors for the initial training session, which runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Oakland Public School System headquarters at 2111 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford, include the Regional Inclusive Community Coalition, Oakland Schools, and the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority.

At the first session, Annie Lubliner-Lehmann, will speak about what she has learned in raising a son with autism.

Lubliner-Lehmann, who published “The Accidental Teacher: Life Lessons from My Silent Son?” will speak about her personal experiences with transition and person centered planning.

She has been a freelance writer for more than 25 years, has published articles in many newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times and Detroit Free Press.

The second session will be held Nov. 5 at the same location and is entitled: “Community Mental Health: Eligibility to Services” while the final session on Dec. 3 is on “Person Centered Planning: The Plan for Adult Life.”

The Oakland County Transition Network, a collaboration of committee members from OCCHMA, Oakland Schools, and the Oakland County Regional Interagency Consumer Committee, put together the series. To register, visit www.oakland.k12.mi.us or call (248) 209-2500 or (888) 263-3867.

If you have questions about the presentation content, call Cathy Schmidt at (248) 209-2504 or Lynda at (248) 975-9835. There is no cost to attend the training which is aimed at parents, young adults and those who support transition, said Lynn Maginity, executive director of Imaginity@newgateways.org.

The series will take a closer look at transition for students with an Individual Education Plan as they move from school to adult community agency supports. Learn planning tools, the process, and resources at the training sessions. Each session will feature a parent and/or a young adult sharing their tips and lessons learned.

Lubliner-Lehmann lives in Michigan with her husband and two of her three children. Her eldest son, 24, has severe autism. All proceeds from the book will be donated to the research arm of Autism Speaks. Lubliner-Lehmann says she lives by John Ruskin’s words: “The primary reward for human toil is not what you get for it, but what you become by it?”

Ilitch Charities donates $50,000 to MORC

In front of 41,000 fans in Comerica Park, the Ilitch Charities gave $50,000 to the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center that will go to the Futures Foundations to provide money for items and services that government funding does not cover for those with disabilities that MORC serves in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

“It was a spectacular evening,” said Gerald Provencal, the executive director of MORC. “It was the greatest rainy night in my life,” he said. “Holding a check for $50,000 from the Ilitch family was an exciting, gratifying, and humbling experience.”

In addition to the donation, MORC received “tremendous recognition for the work we have been doing for the last 41 years and it will pay dividends to us well into the future,” said Provencal. “It’s a testament to the integrity and the passion of MORC and all of us who contribute to its success.”

Another exciting moment Friday Sept. 20 was when Mark Stillwell, who formerly lived in the state institution in Lapeer, rolled out onto the field in his wheelchair and watched the check-presentation ceremony. Tiger Manager Jim Leyland walked over and shook Mark’s hand and wished him all the best.

“The Ilitch companies are proud to be part of the fabric of our community, and giving back to the communities where we do business is very important to us,” said Christopher Ilitch. The $150,000 that went to MORC and two other nonprofits was raised in late August at the Sixth Annual Ilitch Charities Celebrity Golf Classic, the organization’s annual signature fundraising event.

“Among many other initiatives, our annual Ilitch Charities Celebrity Golf Classic is a great way for us to raise funds each and every year that go directly back into making our community a better place for all,” Ilitch said.

MORC was nominated for the award by Executive Programs Director Larry Hudas of Aon Risk Solutions of Southfield, who has been a long-time supporter and admirer of MORC’s humanitarian work.

Ilitch, the son of Tiger owners Mike and Marian Ilitch, presided over the event and presented MORC the check.

A picture of the check presentations was posted on the Tigers’ Facebook page after the Tiger-Chicago White Sox game which Detroit won 12-5.

Each of us walked out separately to receive the check and had our picture taken, Provencal said. Other recipients of $50,000 each were the Michigan Humane Society and Detroit Historical Society.

“It was a wonderful, wonderful night for MORC staff and consumers at the game. It will be long remembered by those who love MORC and love baseball.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence/Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

Those receiving food show gentle kindness to one another

In a parking lot surrounded by buildings on the property of Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, those in need came to pick a basket full of fresh vegetables and fruit collected by Forgotten Harvest.

It’s a ritual on the third Thursday of the month that goes on rain or shine, winter or fall.

About 60 people this time took turns using a rolling grocery cart which was filled up with zucchini, small potatoes, squash, fresh peaches, coffee in one-pound sacks, corn-off-the-cob, pizza, beef jerky, cranberry juice and fresh apples.

“How many can I have, two or three?” one woman said when she got near the table where the zucchini was stacked. “Take 10, take as many as you want,” said volunteer Sharon who spent four hours stacking the zucchini on the table and pulling potatoes out of 50-pound sacks.

Peter LeClerc of MORC’s accounting department volunteered. He pushed the carts for those who had a disability and needed a helping hand.

“We’ve done this in the middle of winter,” he said.

Hunger often is a constant companion of too many in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties where one-in-six people live in a perpetual state of not having enough food to sustain a healthy body.

The 50 or 60 people who came to get the free food were patient. Nobody took cuts. They looked at the amount of food in giant boxes to make sure there was enough for those who were in line behind them.

“I have five children to feed,” one woman said. “Can I have this larger bag of potatoes?”

“Of course,” said a volunteer, Theo.

When the food is gone, it is gone. At 10 a.m. when people started pulling into the lot in vans, pickups and cars, an observer thought there wouldn’t be enough food to go around. But the stores went quickly and were gone with two hours.

Volunteer Barb Breen of Waterford thought “it was wonderful” to see so many receiving food so they can get through the week.

“A lot of people don’t know about this,” she said of the food donations or the collection of excess food from grocery stores and the efforts of Forgotten Harvest of Oak Park whose mission is “to relieve hunger.”

“We can never do enough,” said Breen.

Drexel Lane of MORC would help control the flow of people picking out food.

“We got two bags of taters over here,” he said. “Please give me a case of peaches for this lady. We can’t give out one of anything, take more.”

And as quietly and orderly as they came, those who received food dispersed. Many had smiles and were speaking of how they were going to bake the zucchini or make a peach pie.

They had reason to be joyful. They succeeded in beating hunger from their door for another day or so.

Jerry Wolffe is the Writer-in-Residence/Advocate-at-Large at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

 

More than 1.6 million lose medical coverage in Michigan in decade

Michigan led the nation in the number of workers who lost medical coverage from their jobs between 1999 and last year, a study released Tuesday (9.17) found.
In 1999-2000, 76 percent of Michigan’s under-65 population was covered by employer-sponsored insurance. However, that number fell to 62.5 percent of the workforce as 1.6 million state workers lost employee-sponsored coverage.
“Fewer and fewer employers offer insurance,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, president & CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy, a research and advocacy entity.
“Right now, when hardworking people lose their job-based coverage, most have nowhere else to turn,” Jacobs said. “The good news is that the Affordable Care Act will make a difference, offering lower cost medical care to folks who otherwise would have to seek expensive emergency room care and making affordable health insurance available to those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.’’
Michigan became the 25^th state to expand eligibility for Medicaid on Monday when Gov. Rick Snyder signed HB 4714.
Two major provisions of the Affordable Care Act will dramatically reduce the number of uninsured Michigan residents, starting in 2014.
First, an estimated 470,000 uninsured people in Michigan are expected to gain health insurance coverage through the state’s acceptance of federal funds to expand Medicaid.
And, starting on Oct. 1, 2013, those in Michigan who can’t get affordable health insurance through their jobs but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid can sign up for coverage for 2014 through the state’s new Health insurance Marketplace.
Many people will be eligible for new federal subsidies to help them pay their premiums and reduce their out-of-pocket health costs. More than 1 million Michigan residents are expected to gain coverage through the Marketplace, Jacobs said.
“Health reform means that all Michigan families will have the security and peace of mind that comes with quality, affordable health insurance,” Jacobs said. “That’s good for our state’s families, businesses, communities, and economy.”

Jerry Wolffe is the advocate-at-large/writer-in-residence at The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586 263-8950.

 

MORC to host exhibition pairing poets with artists with disabilities

The Macomb-Oakland Regional Center (MORC) is pleased to present “My Vision, Your Voice:  An Artistic Duet” from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Scarab Club at 217 Farnsworth St. in  Detroit.
With a theme of “Portals,” the artistic event features an interdisciplinary collaboration between photographers with a developmental disability and 10 nationally acclaimed Michigan poets.  Through this project, renowned poets chose a photo taken by a MORC artist that inspired him or her and wrote a poem based on the photo, in effect giving a voice to the work. The resulting exhibition consists of 30 combined pieces featuring a photograph alongside the poem it inspired, creating an innovative artistic experience.
“The combined works are amazing,” says Patty Sunisloe, Project Development Director at MORC. “To be able to collaborate with professional poets and have the general public be able to see and appreciate this work on a large scale is a dream come true for many of the individuals in our program.”
“My experience was extremely positive,” says S. Kay Young, a local photographer MORC hired to teach the photography classes. “We need to find ways to continue to not only support artists with disabilities, but to integrate their work into the formal art world. This first of its kind exhibition is a great step towards that goal.”
Suzanne Scarfone,  a well published, local poet who serves as a creative writing professor with the Afghan Women’s Writing Project as well as a writer-in-residence with InsideOut Literary Arts Project in Detroit, coordinated the poetry aspect of the project.
“As Poetry Editor, I chose poets who were keenly attuned to the nuances of sensory images," she says. "Each poet worked to give exquisite voice to the beauties of the MORC photographers’ visions and to do justice to their artistic sensibilities. This experience has deepened the creative perspectives of all involved,” said Scarfone.
Other Michigan poets participating include: Alise Alousi, Scott Beal, Norene Cashen, Robert Fanning, Rachel Harkai, Zilka Joseph, Peter Markus, John Rybicki, Kristine Uyeda and Anca Vlasopolos. 
The event is open to the public. Cost is $10 per person, payable at the door. Proceeds will benefit art programs for individuals with developmental disabilities. For more information, call 586-265-4627.

 

New Gateways to hold three fundraisers, including one for hockey players

WEST BLOOMFIELD -- New Gateways, Inc., has announced three fundraisers to be held during the next few weeks.
The first is Friday, Sept. 20, and is the Drakeshire Lanes Bowling Fundraiser at Drakeshire Lanes at 35000 Grand River in Farmington. The event begins at 6 p.m. and includes bowling, raffle items, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. For more information donate or call New Gateways at 248 538-7830.
The Fowler Center for Outdoor Living in Mayville is having its annual fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Stahl's Automotive Foundation. There will be a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, antique auto showroom, hors d'oeuvres and more, says client services coordinator Zach Cardinell. For more information, call 248 249-2938 or the Fowler Center at 989 673-2050.
The Special Needs Street Hockey League is back by popular demand for a second season. The season starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 5 at Borden Park in Farmington Hills. Hockey will be held on Saturdays. At the opener, players will run drills and play games. For information, call 248 249-2938.
All the public support is greatly appreciated.

School aid spending cuts will harm state’s recovery

Extensive cuts by the state to fund schools has deepened the recession, slowed the recovery and will make Michigan less prosperous in the future, a study said Thursday (9.12).

Michigan has cut investment in K-12 schools by 9 percent since 2008, a deeper cut than 33 other states, according to a report released by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan policy research organization based in Washington, D.C.

“It’s very clear that states that have good schools and educated workforces reap the benefits through stronger economic growth,” said Gilda Z. Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “We are moving in the wrong direction by reducing our investment in our schools and students. These cuts have weakened our ability to educate our state’s kids. There will be consequences for Michigan’s economy,”

State revenue declined sharply during the recession. But instead of addressing budget shortfalls by taking a balanced approach that includes new revenues, Michigan relied very heavily on cuts to state services, including education, the study said.

Even as revenues have begun to recover, Michigan has continued to cut education funding leaving spending per student $572 below pre-recession levels, taking inflation into account.

Michigan’s K-12 education cuts hurt the state’s economy in the short- and long-term. The cuts slowed the economic recovery by causing both public- and private-sector job loss as school districts throughout Michigan laid off teachers and support staff, reduced pay for the remaining staff, and canceled contracts with private businesses.

“At a time when the nation is trying to produce workers with the skills to master new technologies and adapt to the complexities of a global economy, states should be investing more — not less — to ensure our kids get a strong education,” said Michael Leachman, director of state fiscal research at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and co-author of the report.

Jerry Wolffe is the advocate-at-large and writer-in-residence at the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center. He can be reached at 586-263-8700.

Suicide information offered by Common Ground at Open House

Common Ground, 1410 S. Telegraph Road in Bloomfield Hills, is opening its doors to the community to share information about its suicide prevention efforts from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday.
Guests will get the chance to meet staff and volunteers, learn about programs and services and trainings, and walk away with a suicide prevention packet with helpful information for suicide prevention efforts and tips for supporting survivors of suicide loss.
Light refreshments will be served.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Amelia Lehto, crisis line and suicide prevention specialist, at 248-541-2613.