Office of Disability Concerns
Current News
Visit our Calendar to see Current Events!
Free Dental Screenings 02/21/12
Neighborhood Services Organization at 431 S.W. 11th Street in Oklahoma City offers a free dental screening and cleaning on Friday, February 24, 2012 from 8 to 11 a.m.. Call 405-236-0413 to schedule an appointment to see if you qualify. Patients must be over 18.
Nami Walks 02/16/12
The National Alliance on Mental Illness sponsors their annual fundraiser/walk on Saturday, May 19, 2012. Nami is a 501(c)3 charity, and donations are tax deductible. For more information contact Billie Wallis at billie@namioklahoma.org. The walk is being hed at Stars and Stripes Park in Oklahoma City.
Clinical Trials 02/07/12
Many Americans (perhaps over half) do not have dental insurance. Because of the high cost of dentistry, some people do not have services available. Go to http://clinicaltrials.gov/ for a listing of dental clinical trials being conducted. This website is a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. If you qualify for a specific trial, you may be able to receive a dental service without charge.
Find Your Legislators 11/14/11
There is a website (http://www.oklegislature.gov/FindMyLegislators.aspx) which allows you quickly to locate contact information of your federal and state legislators. Find out your federal senators and your federal representative with their Washington, D.C. as well as Oklahoma contact information. Also see your state senator and representative contact information. You will be able to email any of these legislators with a click of your computer. Each legislator's website is readily available as well. Finding your legislators has never been easier.
Senior Day at the Capitol 01/20/12
Senior Day at the Capitol will take place Monday, February 27, 2012. This is a free event for older Oklahomans and professionals in the field of aging. This is an opportunity to learn about legislation affecting older citizens and share your concerns with lawmakers. You will also have the opportunity to visit non-profit agency booths to learn about their services. Parking is either south of the Capitol or east of Lincoln Boulevard. Pass through security to get into the building. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda on the second floor. A resource fair will take place in the Capitol Rotunda from 11:30 a.m. till 2 p.m. Online registration is available at http://events.oucpm.org/okseniorday/ until February 15, 2012. On-site registration is also available.
Medicaid Benefits State by State
Medicaid benefits vary from state to state in the United States. For people moving to Oklahoma from another state or for people leaving Oklahoma for another state, there is a way to compare the Medicaid programs posted on the website for the Kaiser Family Foundation. Go to the web address listed below, and you will see a map of the United States. Click on the state you are interested in and pull up information about the Medicaid program in that state. http://medicaidbenefits.kff.org/index.jsp?CFID=4127797
People With Disabilities Awareness Day 01/23/12
April 17, 2012 is the day for people with disabilities to visit the State Capitol. This annual event is an opportunity for people with disabilities to interact with their legislators on current bills before the Oklahoma Legislature or any subject they desire. It is also an opportunity to visit booths from social-service agencies across Oklahoma. Register for the noon to 4:30 event at http://www.okrehab.org/pwdad/guest.asp . (This is not the same event as similar events for older Oklahomans or citizens with developmental disabilities.)
Legislative Bills Touching the Disability Community (Of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature)
The following bills have been introduced into session of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature which have the potential to impact the community of people with disabilities.
Developmental Disability Day at the Capitol 01/12/12
April 11, 2012 will be celebrated as developmental disability day at the State Capitol. It is a wonderful opportunity for people with developmental disabilities, family and friends to visit with their legislators and to browse information available. (This is not the same event as Disability Day at the Capitol which is sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services.)
DDSD Waiting List Meeting 01/12/12
DDSD is the state agency that serves people with a cognitive disorder. There is a waiting list for services, and a group of people with disabilities, parents, agencies and legislators meets regularly to review the waiting list. The next DDSD Waiting List Meeting will be on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will be at the Sequoyah Office Building C-47. The Sequoyah Building is the state office building just northeast of the State Capitol. For more information contact Wanda Felty at wfelty@okphotopros.com.
Social Security, What Every Parent Should Know 02/16/12
Nami Oklahoma is sponsoring a day-long conference on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 with information on filing SSI for children with disabilities. Information will also be provided on how to file an appeal, being a representative payee, and what Vocational Rehabilitation services are available for individuals with disabilities. Registration is free to Nami members or $20.00 to all others. The conference will be held at St. Lukes United Methodist Church at 222 N.W. 15th Street in Oklahoma City. It will be from 8:30-4 p.m. For more information, call Nami at 405-230-1900 in central Oklahoma or 800-583-1264 statewide.
6th Annual Statewide Conference 12/19/11
The Oklahoma Parents Center will hold its sixth annual statewide conference at the Sheraton Hotel at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma. The conference will be from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012. A limited number of scholarships will be available for parents with children with disabilities in special education in the public schools. For more information call the Parents Center at 877-553-4332.
Federal Hiring of People With Disabilities 01/23/12
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has proposed new rules that would "obligate" federal contractors to ensure equal employment opportunities for qualified workers with disabilities. Under the proposed regulation, the OFCC) would require companies with federal contracts to set a goal of having people with disabilities make up seven percent of their workforce.
Senior Law Resource Center 01/23/12
The Senior Law Resource Center is a private, non-profit organization providing legal information on issues affecting senior citizens. They also provide affordable (non free) legal representation with basic estate and incapacity planning, probate, adult guardianship and other elder-law issues. Call 405-528-0858 in Oklahoma City or email info@senior-law.org for more information.
Your Rights as a Parent of a Child in Special Education 01/30/12
1. You have the right to full, free and individual testing of your child's educational needs.
2. You have the right to have your child re-evaluated at least every three years if necessary.
3. You have the right to request an IEP meeting at any time. (Common reasons are to address changed medical or behavioral needs.)
4. You have the right to written notification from your child's school in your native language of the school's intention to evaluate, place in Special Education, to hold an IEP meeting or to stop Special Education services.
5. You have the right to see your child's school records at any time and have copies made.
6. You have the right to request that a record be explained, changed or destroyed.
The Miracle of Your Feet 01/30/12
Your feet contain 52 bones, 66 joints and more than 200 muscles, tendons and ligaments. They are high-precision instruments that connect us to earth, support our skeleton and provide balance and mobility. Think about that the next time you go out for a walk.
Senior Companion 01/30/12
The Grand Gateway Area Agency on Aging in northeast Oklahoma offers volunteers 55 and older an opportunity to be a Senior Companion to a frail person. Senior Companions supplement the work of families and professionals 15-20 hours per week. Some volunteers may qualify to earn a tax-free, hourly stipend. You'll also receive mileage reimbursement, holiday and sick pay, training and supplemental accident and liability insurance while on duty. Call 1-918-256-7531 and ask how to become a Senior Companion.
Tips for Caregivers 01/30/12
It happens often that caregivers become so involved with the needs of the person they are caring for that they lose touch with their own needs. You will be a better caregiver if your own needs are met in the process of caring for another. Pay attention to your feelings and express them where appropriate. Join a local support group of caregivers when available.
Community Partners Program 01/30/12
The Oklahoma Parents Center is seeking volunteers in communities across Oklahoma to work with and support other parents with children in Special Education. Community Partners are available to attend a child's IEP, Medication or Transition meeting. Community Partners help parents prepare for a meeting, plan an agenda, identify issues and write out proposals. Training is available for volunteer Community Partners. For more information contact the Oklahoma Parents Center at 877-553-4332.
Screening Procedures at Airports for People With Disabilities 01/30/12
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has launched a new helpline number designed to assist travelers with disabilities and medical conditions. Call TSA Cares toll free at 1-855-787-2227 prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Travelers who are deaf or hard of hearing can email TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov.
Free Smoke Alarms 01/30/12
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided a grant to install free smoke alarms to Oklahomans who live in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metros who are deaf or hard of hearing. Persons living in Canadian, Kingfisher, Logan, Oklahoma, Lincoln, Cleveland, Pottawatomie, Payne, Creek, Okmulgee, Wagoner, Tulsa, Pawnee, Osage, Rogers and Washington Counties will be considered. For more information call 888-885-5588 (v/TDD).
Oklahoma City Career Fair 01/30/12
There will be a career fair in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 from 11 a.m. till 2 p.m. The career fair will be at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel, 10 N. Broadway Avenue in downtown OKC. For more information contact Thaddeus Babb at 918-581-2377 or tbabb@okdrs.gov.
Autism Workshops 01/30/12
The Oklahoma Autism Network is sponsoring various workshop dealing with autism at various locations throughout the year 2012. Challenging Behavior is a video conference available in Oklahoma City and Tulsa February 3, March 2 and April 6. that same conference will be in Clinton September 14, October 12 and November 9. (This is a three-part series.) We're All on the Same Team! conference is July 20 in Oklahoma City. Yukon will host No More Meltdowns February 7, March 13 and April 3. Applying Applied Behavioral Analysis in the Classroom will take place September 7 in Stillwater. Transition to Adulthood is in Oklahoma City on September 28. Promoting Social Skills is in a two-part series in El Reno November 2 and December 7. Training location will be confirmed once registration fees are received. For more information contact the Oklahoma Autism Network at okautism@ouhsc.edu or fax 405-271-2630.