From the Executive Director’s Desk — Claire Mantonya June 2007 SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Empowered) REPORT By Bryon Murray, SABE Region 3 Representative I am writing to let you know about the SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Em- powered) meeting in Missouri in May. A lot of things happened at our meeting. • We talked about Congress voting on the DD Act (Developmental Dis- abilities Act). I will send more details on this in my full board report that you get by email. • CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership) did a presentation on why self-advocates should join in with them. SABE decided that CQL needs to change their policy on licensing institutions. This goes against SABE goals and missions. • Committee reports were done. • Discussions for new National Advisors. The next board meeting will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 19, 20, 21 and 22nd . Bryon Murray Summer is a time of planning and work for our Council committees as we prepare to consider what changes we may need to make for the 5-Year Plan. These changes are due to the Administration on Developmental Disability (ADD) by August 15th . Each of the five Council committees will meet this month and recommendation projects and grants for potential funding in the 2007-08 funding cycle to the full Council at the July 10th meeting. The July Council Meeting will focus on important potential work projects for the coming year. The Nominating Committee will also meet this month to start the work of selecting new Council members from the candidates who have applied to join the Council. In addition, we are still looking for nominations to celebrate and recognize outstanding people in the following categories: Self-advocate, Volunteer, Legislator, Parent, and Media Representative of the Year. You can access the form on the Council website at www.utahddc.org under the FORMS section – Nomination Form. Nominations are due July 6, 2007. This is an excellent opportunity for the Council to recognize community members for their contributions to the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Vicki Clayson, Mandee Buckley, and I will attend the annual technical training work- shop in Washington D.C. early in June. We will be eager to share the information we gain with Council members. From the Executive Director’s Desk — Claire Mantonya June 2007 SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Empowered) REPORT By Bryon Murray, SABE Region 3 Representative I am writing to let you know about the SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Em- powered) meeting in Missouri in May. A lot of things happened at our meeting. • We talked about Congress voting on the DD Act (Developmental Dis- abilities Act). I will send more details on this in my full board report that you get by email. • CQL (Council on Quality and Leadership) did a presentation on why self-advocates should join in with them. SABE decided that CQL needs to change their policy on licensing institutions. This goes against SABE goals and missions. • Committee reports were done. • Discussions for new National Advisors. The next board meeting will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 19, 20, 21 and 22nd . Bryon Murray Summer is a time of planning and work for our Council committees as we prepare to consider what changes we may need to make for the 5-Year Plan. These changes are due to the Administration on Developmental Disability (ADD) by August 15th . Each of the five Council committees will meet this month and recommendation projects and grants for potential funding in the 2007-08 funding cycle to the full Council at the July 10th meeting. The July Council Meeting will focus on important potential work projects for the coming year. The Nominating Committee will also meet this month to start the work of selecting new Council members from the candidates who have applied to join the Council. In addition, we are still looking for nominations to celebrate and recognize outstanding people in the following categories: Self-advocate, Volunteer, Legislator, Parent, and Media Representative of the Year. You can access the form on the Council website at www.utahddc.org under the FORMS section – Nomination Form. Nominations are due July 6, 2007. This is an excellent opportunity for the Council to recognize community members for their contributions to the lives of people with developmental disabilities. Vicki Clayson, Mandee Buckley, and I will attend the annual technical training work- shop in Washington D.C. early in June. We will be eager to share the information we gain with Council members. Utah DD Council North Educating Our Communities Utah DD Council North Educating Our Communities In May 2007, several self advocates spoke at Bountiful High School about the impact of “People First Language.” Tom Brownlee, Tamara Dalton, and Dawn Mclachlan presented their life stories as people with disabilities and expressed their concerns and feelings about their life experiences as students in public school. Vicki Clayson of the council staff also spoke about being a parent of children with disabilities. Dawn Mclachlan said that she was not used to speaking to groups and was nervous but after it was over felt good about being able to express her feelings and share with others what it is like to grow up with a disability and talked about how others can help by treating all people with respect. Dawn hopes to become more at ease with public speaking in the future. The Road to Freedom tour hit Salt Lake June 1st. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) image- covered bus parked in front of the Council office a little after 10:00 a.m. and the tour participants began setting their exhibit. The exhibit consists of nine, eight-foot high panels illustrating highlights in the his- tory of the American with Disabilities Act and they were displayed in the suite of offices directly across the hall from the Council office. At 1:00 p.m. a press conference “kicked off” the day’s events. Mark Smith from Access Utah Network moderated the panel of presenters: Stephen Mikita from the Utah Office of Attorney General, Barbara Toomer from Disability Rights Action Committee; Matt Knotts, Director of Disability Law Center; Jim Ward, President of ADA Watch and the National Coalition for Disability Rights; and Tom Olin, social documentarian. The Access Utah Network hosted the Road to Freedom tour with help from the Council, the Utah Inde- pendent Living Council, the Center for People With Disabilities, the Disability Rights Action Commit- tee, the Disability Law Center and the Attorney General’s office of the State of Utah. Approximately 100 people attended the press conference and exhibit. Utah DD Council North Star P PPPE EEEO OOOP PPPL LLLE EEE F FFFI IIIR RRRS SSST TTT N NNNE EEET TTTW WWWO OOOR RRRK KKK O OOOF FFF U UUUT TTTA AAAH HHH Members of People First Network of Utah are doing some really great things this spring! State People First News! The nominations are in for State People First Network Officers. You can see them on the Council website: www.utahddc.org. Check it out! The Utah Developmental Disabilities Council is proud to announce that the South Valley School will pilot a People First Network group in their school in the September. We will accept resumes and interview Co-advisors for their group this summer. Keep a watch out for more details in a future newsletter and on the Council website. NORAC (Northern Region Consumer Advisory Council) Members of the Davis, Ogden, Brigham City, Logan and Clearfield groups got together on May 8th for a joint meeting. The meeting took place at River Walkway Park in Ogden. The picnic meeting had the usual hotdog and hamburgers and an exciting meeting agenda. . The members educated attendees about Rights and Responsibilities using skits. These skits were well done. The actors had costumes and props and did an outstanding job. They showed us that everyone has the right to get what he or she needs. They also showed us if we want our rights we must also accept responsibility to get what we need. . The attendees wrote down planning ideas for the 3rd annual Northern Region Conference. Everyone was reminded that in order for the conference to happen they must raise the money needed to put it on. This exciting conference will take place in February 2008. Park City People First Park City People First hosted a picnic meeting in May. Many members attended. The Healing Hoops, a group of Hula Hooper’s stopped for a photo shoot. This group is a People First pilot program where the members hired their own Co-advisors. The Medicare alert about the possible scam involving fraud was discussed and everyone was reminded to be on the alert. Southern Region People First The Southern Region met to discuss their September 2007 Conference. The plans are coming along fine. Watch for the deadline for registration. Hats off to Advisors and Community Support Coordinators for their outstanding leadership and support of People First activities! Bill Garritson Kimberly LeRoux Sherry Smith James O’Neill Lauren Artesani Susan Wilson Jon Johnson Linda Sylvester Traci Lee Kim Saunders Terri Hawks Utah DD Council North Star THE COUNCIL CALENDAR June 1 - Deadline for Council Applications—Citizen and Liaison Members June 10-14 - NACDD Technical Institute Conference, Washington, D.C. June 19 - Book Club—Raymond’s Room—Noon—1:00 p.m.— Council Office June 26 - Executive Committee Meeting 11:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m.— Council Office July 10 - Council Meeting, 10:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. July 19-22 - SABE Board Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana August 3 - Utah State People First election results announced August 15 - Access Utah Advisory Board Meeting 9:30 a.m.—11:00 a.m. Council Office August 15 - Council 5-Year Plan Update due to the Administration on Developmental Disabilities in Washington, D.C. August 20-22 - SABE Region 3 and Neighbors meeting—National Ability Center, Park City, Utah Access Utah Network Call us with your disability questions! 800.333.8824 www.accessut.org www.utahddc.org Fax: 801.533-3965 Toll Free: 800.333.8824