Office of Disability Concerns - State of Oklahoma
Public
Information
Listed below are some of the areas we can be of help to those looking for information and referral on disability issues.
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External links for additional information.
Current Events
Post:11/4/2009
Achieving Wellness Through Community
Mark your calendars for an upcoming conference for advocates for people with mental health disabilities. The conference will be March 4-5, 2010 at the National Center for Employee Development, 2801 E. Hwy. 9 in Norman, Oklahoma. Call Nami Oklahoma at 405-230-1900 for cost and more information.
Post:11/4/2009
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
The application for financial assistance in home heating will be available beginning December 1, 2009 through your local Oklahoma Department of Human Services. Eligibility for help through LIHEAP is based on household income and assets. Have your latest heating bill and income verification when you apply.
Post:10/28/2009
Heating Aid Released
The U.S. Health and Human Services Department is sending $32.7 million to Oklahoma to help low-income residents pay their heating bills. The money is the state’s quarterly allocation under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (Liheap). The federal government released more than $2.6 billion to all the states, territories and Indian tribes in this allocation. Check with your local Oklahoma Department of Human Services for when this money will be available to meet individual needs.
Post:10/28/2009
Dental Care to Be Offered
The Oklahoma Dental Association and the Delta Dental of Oklahoma Charitable Foundation will sponsor the first annual Oklahoma Dental Mission of Mercy February 5-6, 2010 at the Tulsa Convention Center. The event offers free dental care to anyone who attends, and there is no income requirement. Organizers need 600 volunteers to assist with a variety of duties. For more information, go to www.okmom.org or call the Oklahoma Dental Association at 405-848-8873.
Post:10/28/2009
Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma
DSACO offers regular parent to parent meetings to provide education and support for parents and families of children with Down Syndrome. The informal meetings offer parents a chance to meet other parents and share experiences while creating new relationships. The South Meeting meets the third Tuesday of the month from 7 p.m.- 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Moore just east of I-35 & N.E. 27th Street. Childcare is provided by RSVP only. Contact Melissa Smith at p2psouth@dsaco.org or 405-378-2577. The North Meeting meets the second Saturday of the month between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. at Quail Springs Church of Christ, 14401 North May. Childcare is provided by RSVP only. Contact Cindy Gould at 405-620-7501 or p2north@dsaco.org for more information. An Hispanic group meets the third Tuesday of the month at Holy Angels Catholic Church, 317 N. Blackwelder in Oklahoma City. Call Cathy Cardenas at 405-635-1557 or Olga Deloera at 405-692-6156 for more information. You may also email p2phispanic@dsaco.org. Outside the Oklahoma City metro, the Stillwater group meets between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 504 S. Knoblock. That meeting takes place the third Thursday of the month. Contact Jeanita Kearns-Shook at 405-372-5680 or Shelly Sitton at 405-641-0302.
Post:10/22/2009
H1N1 in Oklahoma
Get the latest on H1N1 virus in Oklahoma. You may view a video from the O.U. College of Health Grand Rounds at http://www.coph.ouhsc.edu/coph/grandrounds.asp. Click on “Pandemic Influenza Update and OUHSC Planning for H1N1 virus.”
Post:10/22/2009
2010 Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities
The 2010 Governor’s Conference on Developmental Disabilities will be held March 8-9 at the Norman Embassy Suites Hotel in Norman, Oklahoma. For more information contact Sheree Powell at 405-521-4972.
Post:10/22/2009
Career Day 2009 at Oklahoma School for the Blind
The Oklahoma School for the Blind Parent Teacher Organization will host the third annual Career Day from 9 a.m until 3:10 p.m. on the campus of the Oklahoma School for the Blind in Muskogee. Career Day will be on Thursday, November 5. For more information contact Linda Graber at 918-781-8200 or lgraber@osb.k12.ok.us You may also contact Jeanne Meyer at 918-781-8200 or jmiher@yahoo.com.
Post:10/22/2009
Oklahoma Department of Transportation Seeks Public Input
ODOT has scheduled public meetings in six locations throughout Oklahoma to get feedback on the process to solicit applications for their Job Access Reverse Commute Program and their New Freedom Program. Providers of transportation services may find these meetings of special interest, but the public is invited. These public meetings to determine a process will be followed by another series of public meetings to actually solicit applications for real transportation projects.
On November 17 there will be a public meeting in Ponca City at the City Hall—Barnes Room on the 2nd floor. The meeting will take place between 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. At 10-11:30 a.m. on November 18 there will be a meeting at the Charles Page Library in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. McAlester S.E. EXPO Center, room 209 will host a public meeting from 2:30-4 p.m. Woodward, Oklahoma will hold a public meeting on the same day (Nov. 18) between 2 and 3:30 p.m. at the Woodward Public Library. On November 19, 2009 there will be a public meeting between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. in Lawton at the Museum of the Great Plains LDM Hall. Norman City Library will host a meeting in the Lowry Room between 2 and 3:30 p.m. For more information contact Roger Eaton at 405-521-2584 or reaton@odot.org. Roger is the Transit Programs Manager at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
Post:10/22/2009
Robotics Surgical Training Center
The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City has opened the region’s first advanced robotics surgical training center. O.U. is one of two academic medical centers in the nation chosen as a training site for surgeons. Robotics allows patients less invasive surgeries and allows surgeons more precision in their work. This new training center will draw surgeons to Oklahoma City to learn about the use of robotics in surgery. For more information, contact Diane Clay who is in the Office of Public Affairs at the O.U. Health Science Center, diane-clay@ouhsc.edu.
Post:10/16/2009
Halloween Party
The Downtown Lions Club in Oklahoma City is sponsoring a Halloween party for teens and young adults with any disability and their friends on Saturday, October 24 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be refreshments, entertainment and dancing as well as prizes for the best boy and best girl costume. The party will be downtown Oklahoma City at 520 W. Main Street. For additional information, call the Lions office at 405-232-7948.
Post:10/16/2009
Deaf Town Hall Meetings
The Department of Rehabilitation Services in conjunction with the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse is sponsoring a series of town hall meetings for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. The meetings will be held in four different locations across Oklahoma and will last from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Audience will have the opportunity to share their ideas about what needs to be done in providing services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. The first meeting will be held in Oklahoma City on October 24, 2009 at the Shepherd Mall activity room, 2401 N.W. 23rd Street, Suite 40B. The second meeting will be on November 14, 2009 in Lawton at the Executive Inn, 3134 N.W. Cache Road. There will be a meeting in Sulphur March 6, 2010 at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf small gym, 1100 E. Oklahoma Street. The meeting in Tulsa will be March 27, 2010 at the Radisson Hotel, 10918 E. 41st Street. For more information call Hope Crumley at 405-522-7930 or email hcrumley@okdrs.gov.
Post:10/16/2009
Symposium on the Effects on Children of a Parent with PTSD
The Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City is sponsoring a symposium on the effects on children of a parent with post traumatic stress syndrome. The event will be on Friday, November 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There is a charge for the event. For more information write Sheila Cahlik, Life Care Ministries, Crossings Community Church, 14600 N. Portland, Oklahoma City, 73134.
Post:10/16/2009
Funding for Diabetes Research
The American Diabetes Association reports on October 13, 2009 that two weeks ago a bipartisan bill was introduced into the U.S. Congress (HR 3668) to continue funding for type I diabetes research and a special diabetes program for native Americans. The bill would continue the programs through 2016 and increase funding significantly. The American Diabetes Association will be following the progress of this bill on their website.
Post:10/13/2009
Art Exhibit for People with Visual Impairment
The Independent Artists of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma League for the Blind are sponsoring an art exhibit for people with visual impairment October 17-November 6, 2009 at the IAO Gallery, 607 W. Sheridan Avenue in Oklahoma City. Artists will have works available which can be “seen” through touching the exhibits. For more information call 405-232-6060 or visit online at www.iaogallery.org.
Post:10/13/2009
White Cane Safety Day
White Cane Safety Day is celebrated all over the United States on October 15. White Cane Safety Day was first established by presidential proclamation in 1964 to increase public awareness about the meaning of the white cane with red tip and safety needs of citizens who use them. Under Oklahoma law only blind people may carry white canes or white canes tipped with red. If you are driving and see someone with a white cane, show special caution that the person may be blind and unable to see you. Approximately 18,000 Oklahomans are blind.
Post:10/9/2009
Be a Santa to a Senior
The Areawide Aging Agency of Oklahoma and Canadian Counties is one agency partnering to provide Christmas gifts to senior citizens who would not otherwise receive gifts during the holidays. If you are interested in purchasing a gift or volunteering to wrap gifts, call 405-521-2281.
Post:10/9/2009
October National Breast Cancer Awareness
President Obama has issued a proclamation recognizing October as “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2009”. Breast cancer affects millions of women. The risk increases with age. All women over 40 should get screened. Early detection is important in treatment. For more information about Medicare coverage for breast cancer screening, visit http://www.medicare.gov/Health/Mamography.asp.
Post:10/9/2009
Social Security Agreement
The Social Security Administration has agreed to change its policy suspending or denying benefits due to the mere existence of a warrant—unless the warrant is issued in a criminal proceeding on a charge such as flight or escape. Retroactive benefits will be paid to individuals who had benefits suspended or denied on or after January 1, 2007. The Social Security agreement will not take full effect until November 30, 2009. For more information, google Martinez v. Astrue Settlement Agreement. Contact your local Social Security office if you think you may be an affected party.
Post:10/5/2009
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
Post:9/29/2009
Open Enrollment Period for Medicare
The open enrollment period to change providers for Medicare Prescription Drug Part D or Medicare Part C is from November 15, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Check the various plans offered to see which best meets your needs. For more information call the Senior Health Insurance Program of the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 800-763-2828 or 405-521-6628 in central Oklahoma.
Post:9/22/2009
Neuro Night
The Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience presents monthly public information events about subjects regarding the brain and neurology. For information on Neuro Night which is generally the third Tuesday of the month, contact the Oklahoma Center for Neuroscience at 405-271-6267 or 405-456-3547. Visit their website at www.okneuroscience.com. Upcoming topics will be “The Injured Brain” on October 20, 2009 and “Brain Infections” November 17, 2009. Both these seminars will provide snacks at 5:45 p.m. followed by an hour-long panel discussion by experts. The location for both these Neuro Nights will be the Westminster Presbyterian Church at 4400 N. Shartel in Oklahoma City. Neuro Night is free and open to the public.
Post:9/11/2009
Telephone Information Line for the Visually Impaired
Call 918-743-3332 in Tulsa or 800-829-3255 toll free throughout Oklahoma to access daily newspaper articles from the Tulsa World and the Daily Oklahoman. You can also access TV guide listings and some grocery store ads as well as other retail ads. The telephone line includes information on what is happening in the Visual Services division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. Tips are available on the information line on adjusting to visual impairment. This service requires no application and is available 24/7. Just dial the number to access the service.
Post:6/16/2009
Legislative Bills Touching the Disability Community
(First Session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature)
Final legislative update for the First Session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature.
Of the 116 bills which we were tracking this legislative session, 16 House bills and 5 Senate bills were signed by the Governor. None of the three House Joint Resolutions passed through deadline.
Post:4/21/2009
Online Autism Videos
An updated service from the Oklahoma Autism Network at the O.U. Health sciences Center allows parents and professionals across Oklahoma to view videos on autism. Video topics include social models for developing peer relationships, picky eating and positive reinforcement. View videos at www.okautism.org.
Post:4/21/2009
Oklahoma Equipment Exchange
The Oklahoma Equipment Exchange is a free program to help Oklahomans with disabilities acquire affordable, used equipment. Log on to the Equipment Exchange website or call ABLE-Tech at 888-885-5588. The Oklahoma Equipment Exchange website is http://oec.okstate.edu.
Post:12/19/2008
New Rating System for Nursing Homes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has rolled out a new five-star rating system of nursing homes across the United States on December 18, 2008. Nursing homes are rated with five stars being the highest and one star being the lowest. This rating is based on a three-year history of health inspection results, quality measures and staffing levels. Ratings will be updated monthly. Go to http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare and you will receive instructions on how to get the information you want. Dorya Huser who is the Long-Term Care Division Chief at the Oklahoma Department of Health says that this is one tool to use in making a decision about appropriate care for a family member or friend. An on-site visit is still recommended to the nursing home you may be considering.
Legislative Bills Touching the Disability Community
(First Session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature)
The following bills have been introduced into the first session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature which have the potential to impact the community of people with disabilities.
OK-Warn Available for Emergency Notification
OK-Warn is the Oklahoma Weather Alert Remote Notification program via alpha numerical pages and/or email addresses. It allows deaf and hard of hearing persons to have better access to important Oklahoma severe weather information to those who sign up for the service. There is no cost for the service to those who have alphanumeric pagers and pager service. Any form of wireless communication device with a valid email address is also compatible with the program. Vincent Wood and Jim Purpura of the National Weather Service in Norman developed the system. Download the application form by going to
Department of Emergency Management - OK-WARN
OKlahoma Weather Alert Remote Notification
http://www.ok.gov/OEM/OK-WARN/
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Disability
The office oversees the implementation and coordination of disability programs, policies and special initiatives pertaining to the over 54 million persons with disabilities in the United States. The New Freedom Initiative established seven distinct domains in the area of disability: community integration, education, employment, health, housing, technology, and transportation. The Office on Disability focuses its efforts on these seven domains.
Pharmacy Connection Council
Do you know that several thousand low income Oklahomans are receiving free or deeply discounted prescription drugs? They are provided through pharmaceutical manufacturers to qualifying low-income individuals.
Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Emergency Evacuation Planning Guide for People with Disabilities was developed with input from the disability community to provide general information on this important topic.
It provides information on the five general categories of disabilities: mobility impairments, visual impairments, hearing impairments, speech impairments, and cognitive impairments. It also outlines the four elements of evacuation information that occupants need: notification, way finding, use of the way, and assistance.
The Guide features a checklist that building services managers and people with disabilities can use to design a personalized evacuation plan. The annexes give government resources and text based on the relevant code requirements and ADA criteria.
Common Stroke Symptoms
Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg—especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
If you experience these symptoms, call 911. Quick medical response can make a difference.
A stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. If you suspect someone has had a stroke:
think F.A.S.T.
FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Do the words sound slurred?
TIME: If the person shows any of these symptoms it’s time to call 9-1-1 and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
For more information go to the National Stroke Association website at www.stroke.org.
The
Little Book of Advocacy
Many people have qualified for some type of program
serving people with disabilities, but they have little
understanding of how that program works. Lack of
understanding of the program limits their utilization of
that program causing frustration.
The purpose of this book is to assist people with
disabilities to get their needs met.
Welcome
to Will's Corner, Oklahoma
The Agency newsletter ( Will's Corner, Oklahoma) is produced quarterly and provides information on all disability issues including legislative updates. To be placed on the mailing list to receive this newsletter, contact the Office of Disability Concerns by the most convenient means available.
Most recent issues are available here in .pdf and text formats.
