Join us for a free health and wellness course!🍎

 

Are you interested in learning how to be healthy and take care of your physical and mental wellness? 

Join us for our "Steps To Your Health" course! 

This is an 8-week course that covers basic information about healthy eating and exercising, designed specifically for people with disabilities and health conditions! 

You'll set your health goals in the beginning of the course, and in each session you'll learn about different topics like: 

• Healthy eating habits, 
• Advocating for your health with a healthcare provider, 
• Adaptive exercise, 
• And stress management! 

Each class is tailored to your needs and abilities. 

WHEN: Every Wednesday, from 1:00-2:00 PM starting June 23 (the first class can be made up) 

WHERE: Online, through Google Meet 

This course is free, but registration is required. 

Register for Steps to Your Health!

Donate an iPad or other electronics

We have been contacted by several individuals over the past few months in need of iPads and communication devices. Some of the individuals who are in need have ALS, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, and muscular dystrophy. 

If you have a used iPad or communication device, please consider donating it to us to help individuals in our communities.  Donations allow SCATP to provide iPads to individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford them, which in turn helps these individuals to keep their jobs, succeed in school, and improve their overall quality of life. 

If you have questions or want to donate, please email Carol Page at carol.page@uscmed.sc.edu or call 803-935-5301. 

Q and A Session--Join Us!

Join us for a Q and A Session

SC Assistive Technology Program’s Open Forum is a great way to discuss using products, learn about new products, and ask questions in an informal atmosphere. We look forward to talking with you! 

Date: Tuesday, June 29th, 2021

Time: 3:30 PM ET

Cost: Free

Zoom Link for Q and A Session 

Meeting ID: 921 0327 6080

Passcode: 360121

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,92103276080#,,,,*360121# US (Chicago)

+16465588656,,92103276080#,,,,*360121# US (New York)

Dial by your location

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ajx2mzpnm

TWO DATES-Learn the myths about working and disability benefits!

Has someone ever told you that because you have a disability and receive benefits, you cannot work? 

Have you ever been told that if you do work, you will automatically lose your benefits? These are just two of the many myths we hear about how employment may affect a person's benefits and we want to set the record straight! 

Register for our free virtual workshop on 

Tuesday, June 29, from 1:30-3:30 PM 

OR 

Wednesday, July 21 from 10 AM to 12 PM 

where you can expect to: 

• Learn the myths about working while receiving SSI/SSDI, 
• Hear all about local organizations' employment supports, and 
• "Meet" benefits counselors who can give you free one-on-one help 

Funding for these events is ending in August, so we are not sure when we will schedule another workshop. If you've been wanting to come and haven't yet been able, make sure you register for one of these dates! 

Register for June here

Registration closes on Monday, June 28 

Register for July here

Registration closes on Tuesday, July 20 

*This workshop will be most helpful to people who are already receiving SSI/SSDI.* 

Registering helps us make sure that you get the Zoom link

and all the materials you need for the workshop. 

Thanks to all the agencies that make these workshops possible: 

2021 Life with Brain Injury Conference Early Registration is now OPEN!

2021 Life with Brain Injury 

"Virtual" Conference 

Early Registration is Open!!  

Conference will be held 

Thursday, July 29 and Friday, July 30, 2021

Via Zoom Webinar

Purchase your tickets here:

https://bit.ly/LWBIConf2021

Early registration ends July 6th 

Brain Injury Survivors and Caregivers who are SC residents and unable to pay for registration, can apply for a scholarship beginning June 23, 2021, at www.biaofsc.com.

Hosted By:

Exhibits, Sponsorships, and Advertisers 

are still available!

For more information, click here.

Exhibitor and sponsorship deadline is July 15, 2021

Free equipment available

Free adult and pediatric wheelchairs available!

Contact Alli Upchurch at alli.upchurch@uscmed.sc.edu 

or (803) 935-5273 to schedule a pick up time. 

Manual adult wheelchair

Foldable, 17 inches wide, 16 inches deep

Pediatric wheelchair-pink

12 inches wide, 14 inches deep

Pediatric wheelchair-blue

13 inches wide, 12 inches deep

Pediatric wheelchair-orange

10 inches wide, 11 inches deep

Pediatric wheelchair-red

10 inches wide, 11 inches deep

Manual adult wheelchair

18 inches wide, 18 inches deep

Hurricane season preparation tips

It’s hurricane season! Are you prepared? 

SCATP is here when you need durable medical equipment and assistive technology after a disaster. We also want to help you be prepared for a disaster before it happens. 

Here are some quick tips to prepare for an emergency:

• Make sure all assistive technology, including cell phones, communication devices, and wheelchairs, are fully charged. Have extra batteries ready.
• Identify accessible transportation in the event of an evacuation.
• Create an emergency kit that includes assistive technology devices or medical equipment that you may need.

For a complete guide on how to prepare for an emergency, visit: https://www.ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs

Download the SC Emergency Manager, the official app of South Carolina Emergency Management Division, to help prepare for emergencies:

Apple App Store

Google Play

If you need durable medical equipment, please contact 

Alli Upchurch at SCATP at 

803-935-5273 or alli.upchurch@uscmed.sc.edu. 

Exciting Events Update!

We are excited to update you about our upcoming events! We have missed everyone--and we can't wait to see you in person soon! 

LOOK! Art Walk 

If you haven't heard already, we have created the LOOK! Art Walk--a unique, self-guided tour of restaurants and business destinations in the greater downtown area who are hosting photos of from our existing LOOK! collection. 

Put your your business on the LOOK! Art Walk Map and join this exciting event, taking place from July - December. Find out more!

 *****

MARKET DAY 

Visit us--along with B106.7FM--at our booth at Soda City Market on Saturday, July 10th from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. We will officially launch the LOOK! Art Walk with an exciting scavenger hunt, prizes and more!

***** 

LOOK! 2021 

Thank you to all of the families and photographers who are making LOOK! possible this year. We are delighted to be partnering with the Koger Center for the Arts to present the 2021 LOOK! exhibit for the first time on August 22nd! More details, and invitations coming soon! 

Thank you to our sponsors: Healthy Blue, BlueChoice HealthPlan, HealthLinks magazine, B106.7 FM, and Apex Graphics. 

LOOK! sponsorship opportunities are still available! 

*****

Buddy Walk 2021! 

Get ready Buddy Walkers--we will be celebrating in person at Saluda Shoals Park on Sunday, October 24th! We will open registration in September and see you in October for a wonderful day of fun! 

Thank you to our media sponsors HealthLinks Magazine and B106.7 FM, Buddy Walk sponsorship opportunities are available NOW! 

*****

Family Connection of SC

803-252-0914

info@familyconnectionsc.org 

The Wheelchair User with an HBO Show

June 3, 2021

NEW ISSUE

Building a Better Rehab

Not too long ago, rehab hospitals were dark, uninviting facilities that looked and felt stuck in the ’70s — but times are finally changing. Aaron Broverman reports on a promising new trend of rehabs that incorporate wheelchair users’ input to build a better brand of facilities where accessibility is a feature and not an afterthought. 

NEWS

An Airline Damaged Her Wheelchair So Social Media Took Care of It

After flying from New York to Phoenix to visit some friends, Gabrielle deFiebre got off the plane to find that the airline had destroyed her power assist wheels. What could have been a trip-ruining fiasco took a turn for the better when a friend shot a video of the situation and posted it to TikTok. The disability community’s response helped shine a light on this all-too-common problem for wheelchair users, as well as social media’s power to put pressure on multibillion-dollar businesses. 

NM LIVE

Actor Lauren 'Lolo' Spencer on Her New HBO Show 

Meet Lolo Spencer, an actor, model and entrepreneur who has a recurring role on the much-anticipated new HBO series “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” Teal Sherer talks with Spencer about her role and authentic disability representation, and she even gets some modeling tips on how to “work your wheelchair.” 

Click here to read more of the June issue of New Mobility!

DDSN Listening Sessions announcement

Important News from: 

SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs

Please see the following memo regarding SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs Listening Sessions which will be held over the next 2 weeks.  Their commission members are hosting these meetings to get input from their consumers and providers on how to best use future funding coming from the American Rescue Act of 2021.  These funds are to address immediate needs due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as pursue longer-term Home and Community Based Services delivery system improvements.  This is your chance to talk with DDSN commissioners in your area and voice your ideas and needs. Please read the memo in its entirety.  

Rethink what you know about the Direct Support Professional field

Rethink what you know about the direct support professional field, and reimagine the possibilities. 

People with disabilities are often excluded from their communities, employment, and recreational activities. As a direct support professional, YOU can empower people with disabilities to live their most fulfilling lives.  

There are opportunities in South Carolina for direct support professional jobs with various positions available. Is the job for you? 

As a direct support professional, your day may look like this: 

• Providing direct care to those with disabilities  
• Assisting with personal care tasks 
• Encouraging and advocating for independence  
• Accompanying those with disabilities to appointments, errands, and community events 

Plus, it has its perks. 

• Benefits and paid leave for full-time work, which includes the SC state retirement plan 
• Providing support to individuals or small groups of individuals in their homes and communities 
• No high school diploma required 
• No previous work experience is needed  
• A chance to make a difference in someone’s life 

Let's grow, together. 

Learn more and find job openings with Thrive Upstate or with Laurens County Disabilities & Special Needs Board. 

I'm Interested in Thrive Upstate!

I'm Interested in Laurens County!

The Beaufort County disAbilities Resource Guide is now available!

The Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition is pleased to announce the recent publish and launch of a 50-page resource guide full of helpful information for anyone of any age looking for disability resources in Beaufort County.

The Beaufort County disAbilities Resource Guide was made possible by grant funding from the Beaufort County Human Services  Alliances to The Beaufort County disAbilities Coalition. 

In conjunction with publisher, John Basile, volunteers and advertisers , we are excited to share this guide with you and hope you can share it even further within your network.

Please let everybody know about this community resource. Share the link on your website or in organizational communications, post on your social media, and post the attached flyer with a QR code, which allows easily access the guide. 

If you wish to have a few printed copies, please reach out to Kimberly Thorn via this email: bcdisabilitiescoalition@gmail.com

Other service providers have made the change, will you?

 

“People with disabilities have a desire and right to be contributing members of their communities. They have the skills, competencies, and passion to work in the same career fields as their peers without disabilities when given the chance. Securing competitive gainful employment allows the achievement of this significant goal. As providers and stakeholders, we have a responsibility to ensure employment opportunities for people with disabilities are never seen as a privilege, but rather acknowledged as an equal right.” 

Transform your services, today. 

Service providers are responsible for recognizing that people with disabilities, like those without, have individual interests and talents, and a person-centered approach should always be taken when providing services. The benefits of integrating people with disabilities into the workforce, where they can work alongside other persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities, are vast. Service providers should consider their needs, talents, and interests when assisting them in finding job opportunities or preparing them for a transition. 

The current model that places employees with disabilities into sheltered workshops rather than community settings is outdated and does not reflect the true composition of our community, where 1 in 5 Americans have a disability. Service providers should prepare and assist individuals with disabilities for life in competitive, integrated settings where they are able to work in and with their communities. 

The choices you make can have an everlasting impact on the lives of people with disabilities seeking employment statewide. 

Start your transformation today.  

• Service Provider Transformation: From Policy to Opportunity 
• Provider Transformation Manual – Pilot Version and Webinar Series 1.0 
• A Roadmap to Competitive Integrated Employment: Strategies for Provider Transformation  

Service Provider Resources

About Hire Me SC: People with disabilities can work, want to work, and should be afforded every opportunity to work. Powered by Able South Carolina and SCDEC, Hire Me SC is a campaign that promotes a culture of inclusion across the state of South Carolina, one in which employment for every individual, disability or not, is the norm rather than the exception. Learn more at https://www.hiremesc.org/. 

Don't miss this leadership opportunity for youth with disabilities

 

Are you a young person with a disability 

living in South Carolina? 

Do you want to spend the summer building your leadership and advocacy skills, meeting new people, and having lots of fun? If the answer is yes, then the South Carolina Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is the perfect event for you! 

The 2021 YLF event will take place online from July 25-30, 2021. Accepted delegates for the event will spend their time hearing from local and nationally recognized disability rights advocates, engage in fun, skill-building activities that focus on leadership, advocacy, and disability pride, and have opportunities to interact with and build friendships with young people from across the entire state. 

Apply here!

Due to COVID-19, the 2021 YLF will be held fully online. If you have concerns about technology, YLF staff can provide support by giving you a technology tutorial or loaning equipment so you can participate in the event. 

What are the requirements to attend YLF? 

To attend the Youth Leadership Forum, applicants must: 

• Have a disability 
• Live in South Carolina 
• Fall within the 15 to 23-year-old range. High school juniors, seniors, and recent high school graduates accepted. 
• Show leadership potential at school or in the community 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the application process will close on June 25. We encourage you to apply sooner rather than later to give staff time to process your application.

Contact us at ylf@able-sc.org with any questions. 

Learn how to manage your money: FREE online consumer training!

Do you know how to manage your money? 

Is there anything you're saving up for or debts you need to pay off? 

We can help you learn how! 

Join us online on Monday, June 14, 2021, from 3-4 PM to learn: 

• how money impacts the way we live our lives, 
• the steps to take to reach your financial goals, and 
• budgeting tools to keep you on track! 

Register here!

Registration will close on Sunday, June 13.

We will email you the Zoom link and materials on the morning of June 14. 

Join Us for Q and A on Zoom via Video or Phone

SC Assistive Technology Program’s Open Forum is a great way to discuss using products, learn about new products, and ask questions in an informal atmosphere. We look forward to talking with you! 

Date: Tuesday, June 8th, 2021

Time: 3:00-4:00 PM ET

Cost: Free!

Zoom Link:   

https://zoom.us/j/92103276080?pwd=ZHJ1bi80c0hyUkw3a3hDTkd0WGlOZz09 

Meeting ID: 921 0327 6080

Passcode: 360121

One tap mobile

+16465588656,,92103276080#,,,,*360121# US (New York)

Dial by your location:

        +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

        +1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

        +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

        +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

        +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

        +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ajx2mzpnm

NADD Newsletter - June 2nd

 Vol. 21-9 

June 2, 2021

News from NADD

This research study will be led by our staff 

and an impressive research team

Principal Investigator: Jeanne Farr, MA NADD CEO

Project Manager: Chandler Demming, NADD Staff

Project Support: Carly Winnie and Jeffrey Schmunk, NADD Staff

Research Team:

• Dr. Kristin McGill, Oregon
• Dr. Rick Blumberg, California
• Dr. Celeste Harvey, Florida

Former NASDDDS Executive Director, Mary Lee Fay, will provide consultation to these teams in writing the state plan.

Thank you to Florida Developmental Disabilities Council 

for your generous support of this work!

*****

More NADD Updates:

• After a COVID hiatus, we are re-launching the NADD Bulletin with the leadership of our Bulletin Editor Elliot Greene - stay tuned!
• NADD recently transitioned into a new and more responsive membership database and a new and improved e-commerce platform (Big Commerce)
• We have converted all of our audio and video from discs to digital downloads

*****

Deadline Extended to 

Submit a Presentation Proposal 

NADD is seeking proposals for 60-Minute Skill Building Workshops, 60-Minute Research Symposia, and Posters that focus on this year's theme of "A Changing World: Leading, Learning, & Adapting."

Carefully review the Call for Presentations Guide before starting the abstract submission process. Requirements have changed, and these guidelines will help you prepare all the information you need to gather before submitting.

New Deadline to Submit: 

Monday, June 7 at 7:00 AM (Eastern Time)

Click here to begin the submission process.

*****

Register Today for 

NADD's Annual Ohio Conference!

Registration Pricing

NADD Member - $140.00

Non-Member - $175.00

Group or Family of 3 - $400.00

Register Here! 

Keynote Presentations:

Monday, July 12

The Four Keys to Success in Dual Diagnosis 

Julie P. Gentile, M.D., Wright State University 

Tuesday, July 13

The Honor of Your Presence Requested

Lara Palay, Aldridge Palay Group

Wednesday, July 14

Extending the Biopsychosocial Model 

by Integrating Theory of Mind -The I-M Approach

Joseph Shrand, M.D. Harvard Medical School 

View the Registration Brochure Here 

Click Here for Our Full List of Sponsors

Click here to join the NADD Newsletter! 

New tools to help adults with disabilities make supported decisions!

The SC Supported Decision Making Project is thrilled to announce a brand new tool series for navigating adult decision making support options… 

Stop, Look, and Listen 

The Stop, Look, and Listen series is a set of tools dedicated to supporting young adults with disabilities to thrive and grow as they transition into the rights and responsibilities that come with adulthood. Two important “transitions” occur in a young adult’s life that these tools address: the transition to legal adulthood and the transition from pediatric health care to adult healthcare.  

 Stop, Look, and Listen: Planning for Independence and Adult Decision-Making Support 

A guide to leveraging the IEP process to support young adults 

taking on the rights and responsibilities of adulthood

Stop, Look, and Listen: A Guide to Age of Majority 

for Students with IEPs in South Carolina 

An overview of the major implications of turning 18 

as a young adult with a disability 

 

Stop, Look, and Listen: Transition to Adult Health Care Tool 

A guide to successfully transitioning from pediatric to adult healthcare 

Find all three tools in the Stop, Look, and Listen series at 

https://scsupporteddecisionmaking.org/ 

View the Stop, Look, and Listen Tools

Be on the lookout for more projects from the SC Supported Decision Making Project that are in the works: 

• Stop, Look, and Listen: Age Of Majority in Plain Language: A straightforward explanation of age of majority and adult decision-making support designed by young adults with disabilities for young adults with disabilities 
• Stop, Look, and Listen: A Policy Framework and Guide for Navigating Age Of Majority for High School Students with IEPs
• A tool to support school districts in South Carolina to assess current age of majority policy and ensure the presence of policy and procedure that supports students and families as they navigate related topics 

The SC Supported Decision Making Project 

is made possible through support from: