By Mary Ellen Bogucki As July came to a close, I witnessed the launch of the “Inclusion Revolution” with the Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration. I wondered that with the celebration behind us, would the momentum continue and would society step up to the challenge? The challenge is defined in the “Inclusion Revolution” pledge. The pledge states: I pledge to look for the lonely, the isolated, the left out, the challenged and the bullied. I […]
Who knew that a simple tweet from Amy Belles to Quicken Loans Area would result in two parents from Akron, Ohio, assisting the NBA in developing state-of-the-art sensory programs for their venues. After a disappointing experience involving her son and an arena employee, Amy Belles contacted the Q as locals call it to suggest that their staff be trained to better accommodate individuals with autism like her son. Before she knew it, Amy and her […]
By Mary Ellen Bogucki Recently, my daughter Bree competed in the Special Olympics Illinois Summer State Games. Bree has been a Special Olympics athlete for 12 years. This year’s Summer Games were bittersweet for us, because Bree will be attending college in another state in the fall and will be unable to complete in Special Olympics Illinois Summer Games for a few years. The decision to have her go to Tennessee Wesleyan University was not […]
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Attention: CMS–2404–NC P.O. Box 8013 Baltimore, MD 21244–8013 Delivered Electronically Ref: 42 CFR Part 440: [CMS–2404–NC] RIN 0938–ZB33. RFI: Federal Government Interventions to Ensure the Provision of Timely and Quality Home and Community Based Services. The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) appreciates the opportunity to respond to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information (RFI) on federal government […]
BY JENNIFER WOODWORTH, PSY.D. Often, inclusion is a word used in education when a child with special needs is included in a typical classroom, with or without an aide. What about outside of school? How does inclusion work when coaches or other group leaders are not informed, do not understand the challenges that your child faces, or how to handle them? It is possible and beneficial to include children of all abilities in recreational activities […]
