IN THIS ISSUE:

1. Holiday Case Tip: Help a Non-Profit with a Tax Deductible Contribution
2. IDEA Reauthorized
3. Epilepsy Foundation Offers Parents Group in Madison
4. Data as an Advocacy Tool
5. Final Report from the Governor’s Task Force on Autism Available
6. It Takes More than Ramps
7. HealthWatch Updates and Contacts
8. Suggestions for the Update? Contact Us!

1. HOLIDAY CASE TIP: HELP A NON-PROFIT WITH A TAX DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION

Did you know that it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to keep a non profit public interest law firm running? Did you know that the staff at ABC for Health must raise this money every year? Yes, it is true. Over the last ten years we have served more than 13,000 requests for assistance and trained over 3,000 service providers. The services provided by ABC for Health including this Update, our health benefits counseling and legal services and training programs all require significant resources. How do we keep the place running? With your help!!

Please consider providing ABC for Health with a tax deductible donation over the holiday. Contributing is simple -- just go to www.safetyweb.org and click on the donate button on our home page in the lower left hand side. The process is fast and easy, and you will be supporting a worthwhile cause!

Happy Holidays from the staff at ABC for Health!!

2. IDEA REAUTHORIZED

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which affects all children receiving special education services, has been re-authorized. The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, University of Minnesota has identified the major changes between IDEA 1997 and H.R. 1350 (IDEA 2004) concerning transition services. This document is available on their Web site at: http://ncset.org/publications/related/ideatransition.asp

3. EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OFFERS PARENTS GROUP IN MADISON

The Epilepsy Foundation of South Central Wisconsin is reviving its Parent to Parent group. This group has a long history of success and they want to continue to support their families by offering a “coffee break” from life. Child care is provided. For more information, contact Araceli Esparza at 608-442-5555.

4. DATA AS AN ADVOCACY TOOL

Info for parents mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act is useless if parents don’t know where to get it or how to use it. This guide from KSA-Plus Communications looks at how parent leaders can get smart about their school’s data -- identifying which students are and are not being well-served and asking the kinds of questions that lead to school improvement. The site’s Parent Leadership Starter Kit also has lots of useful advice about the No Child Left Behind law. Visit: http://www.parents.ksaplus.com

5. FINAL REPORT ON THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON AUTISM AVAILABLE

The final report, including the summary of public comments as an appendix, is now available on the Department of Health and Human Services website. For copies, please visit: http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/bdds/autism/index.htm?ref=hp

6. IT TAKES MORE THAN RAMPS

It Takes More than Ramps to Solve the Crisis of Healthcare for People with Disabilities is a report that explores the extent to which people with disabilities experience problems and barriers receiving healthcare services and analyzes their root causes. The report makes extensive recommendations for key stakeholder groups in order to spark reforms in the current inadequate approach to healthcare delivery for people with disabilities.

To download this whitepaper (in Adobe Acrobat pdf format), go to http://www.ric.org/community/RIC_whitepaperfinal82704.pdf

7. HEALTHWATCH CONTACTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

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

The next meeting will be on Monday, January 10 from 11 am until 1 pm at the South Madison Community Health Center, 2202 South Park Street. The speaker will be Kristina Stuart, from DHFS, giving an update on any changes pending for the Children’s Waiver, including services to children with autism. Lunch will be served. To attend, please contact Maureen Fitzgerald at maureenf@safetyweb.org

Southeastern Region:  Brad Holman, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, 414.266.3189, bholman@chw.org

Northern Region:  Deb Blackstone, Family Resource Connection, 715.361.2890, 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

8. 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.

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