CKSN UPDATE for July 1, 2004			ABC for Health, Inc.



IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Case Tip:  Plan for Achieving Self- Support (PASS)
2. Children Come First Conference
3. CHHCS  Announces New Fact Sheet on Children, Youth and Psychotropic Drugs
4. Family Guide to Child Welfare System Available
5. Circle of Parents
6. HealthWatch Updates and Contacts
7. Contact Us!
8. Where Will You Be on October 14?


1. CASE TIP:  PLAN FOR ACHIEVING SELF SUPPOR (PASS)

A question that young people with disabilities often ask is:  “Can I work and save money for a large purchase which still receiving Social Security benefits?”

The answer is yes, if that purchase is work related.  When saving money for a specific work related goal, one can do so by setting up a PASS, or a Plan for Achieving Self-Support.  A PASS lets an individual with disabilities set aside money and/or things he or she owns to pay for items or services needed to achieve a specific work goal.  These “set-aside” assets are not included in calculating SSI eligibility and payment amount. An important point overlooked by many is that parents who are still supporting their children who are on SSI may also set aside resources used for a PASS for their child.  These resources can be deducted from income to help your child remain eligible for SSI.

A PASS can be set up to save and pay for such things by first defining a specific, achievable work goal, such as becoming a carpenter or a computer programmer.  The work goal must have a reasonable time frame and contain expenses outside of everyday living expenses that are necessary to achieve the work goal.  To apply for a PASS, the SSA-545-BK form needs to be completed and approved by the Social Security Administration.  For further information, contact your local Social Security office or visit:  www.ssa.gov/work/ResourcesToolkit/generalinfo.html

2. CHILDREN COME FIRST CONFERENCE

Children Come First Conference
July 28th & 29th, 2004, Waukesha WI.

Children Come First is a conference about collaborative, community-based, recovery-oriented services for families with children who have serious emotional and behavioral disorders.  For more information on the following program, contact Mark Wehrly at 608-284-0580, est. 308 or by email at mwehrly@wccf.org.  You can also find the brochure on-line at: http://www.wccf.org/CCF/

3. CHHCS ANNOUNCES NEW FACT SHEET ON CHILDREN, YOUTH AND PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS

Recent increases in the use of psychotropic medications by children and adolescents, limited information on the benefits of these therapies for children, and concerns about the adverse consequences of certain drugs have prompted a growing disquiet. The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools has developed a fact sheet summarizing recent research and suggesting implications for school-based health care. A PDF version is
now posted on the web site; an html version will follow shortly.
http://www.healthinschools.org/sh/psychotropic.asp


4. FAMILY GUIDE TO CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM AVAILABLE

The National TA Center for Children's Mental Health, along with four other partnering organizations, has recently published A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System. It is a comprehensive resource that answers many of the questions families face when they become involved with the child welfare system. A description of a Family's Guide and ordering information is available on the Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development website at http://gucchd.georgetown.edu. A Spanish translation of A Family's Guide will be available in the near future.

5. CIRCLE OF PARENTS

Are you looking for a way to support parents in your community?  You may want to consider starting a parent support group. Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin provides training and technical assistance, as well as a variety of materials to those who are interested in starting a parent support group based on the national Circle of Parents  model.  Circle of Parents groups generally meet weekly, are open to anyone in a parenting capacity and are always free to participants. Child care or a children's program accompanies each group as appropriate.  A trained group facilitator and parent leader facilitate the support groups and are available to each other and to the other group members between group meetings.  To learn more about how you can bring this valuable program to your community, contact Hayley Williamson at 608-256-3374 or hwilliamson@preventchildabusewi.org.


6. HEALTHWATCH UPDATES AND CONTACTS

The next meeting of the WESTERN REGION HEALTHWATCH group will be held on July 13, 2004 from 10:45 until 12:30 pm at the Chippewa County Courthouse in Room 121.

If you are interested in joining your regional HealthWatch committee, or want more information about their work, please contact the following people:

Southern Region:  Barbara Katz, ABC for Health, Inc., 608.261.6939 ext 207, barbk@safetyweb.org 

Southeastern Region:  Brad Holman, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, 414.266.3189,
bholman@chw.org or Brad Montgomery, 414.449.4777, opwindows@aol.com

Northern Region:  Deb Blackstone, Family Resource Connection, 715.365.8030,
dblacks@shsmh.org

Northeastern Region:  Steve Gerczak, St. Vincent Hospital, 920.433.8154,
sgerczak@stvgb.org

Western Region:  Rose Marsh, Chippewa County Dept of Public Health, 1-800-400-3678, rmarsh@co.chippewa.wi.us


7. SUGGESTIONS OR TIPS FOR THE UPDATE?  CONTACT US!

We need your help to develop content and tips for our CKSN Update. Please let us know about your ideas or success stories.  Email your suggestions to barbk@safetyweb.org 

The CKSN Update is a bi-weekly electronic newsletter of the Covering Kids with Special Needs project that ABC for Health, Inc. is implementing with its partners, the Title V Children with Special Needs Regional Centers and Family Voices – Wisconsin.  If you would like to submit news and information in future CKSN Updates, please send it to the attention of Barbara Katz.  All submissions should be limited to 150 words.

8. WHERE WILL YOU BE ON OCTOBER 14?

Save the date!  ABC for Health will celebrate 10 years of advocacy and legal services on Thursday evening October 14, at the Great Hall of the Memorial Union in Madison   Please join us to celebrate our 10th anniversary as Wisconsin’s premier public interest law firm dedicated to helping families secure adequate health care coverage and services!  Watch for more information on this event in the near future.  

ABC for Health is a Wisconsin-based, nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to linking children and families, particularly those with special health care needs, to health care benefits and services.  ABC for Health’s mission is to provide information, advocacy tools, legal services and expert support needed to obtain, maintain and finance health care coverage and services. 


Barbara Katz, moderator
Parent Consultant
ABC for Health, Inc.
608.261.6939 ext. 207
barbk@safetyweb.org