Happy Holidays from the Disabilities Network of Eastern Connecticut. Just a reminder: the office will close early on the 21st of December so that we may have our annual holiday lunch. The office will reopen on Monday the 24th for a half day, close for the 25th, and reopen for regular hours on the 26th.
This time of year, we ask you to please call before you come to make sure that the office is open, and that there is someone here to assist you. This is especially true on days when the weather is bad, or is expected to be bad. We will close the office for the safety of our staff and consumers in case of poor weather.
Our annual food drive has concluded, and though we are exhausted from the work, we are thrilled that we were able to hand out 53 food baskets which will provide holiday meals to families with disabilities who are in need this season. We thank everyone for their assistance in this project, especially the Wal-mart Super Center in Waterford, which was instrumental in helping us pull off our plan. The day we did our shopping, they provided us with people to assist us, they opened a register for us, and helped us load the groceries into the cars. We had five baskets, and could not have done it ourselves! They also supplied us with fifty dollars worth of free groceries! Thanks guys! We appreciate all of your hardwork, and your dedication to the community!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Point in Time Count
On December 30th, Brynn Hickey and her husband, as well as many other volunteers and board members, will be taking part in the annual Point in Time Count of Homeless individuals in New London County. This is a very important fact finding event which will provide much needed data to organizations, state officials, and lawmakers about people who are homeless in our area. This is also a very important outreach activity which we take part in annually. If you would like to volunteer your time for this event, please call Brynn or Jodi at 860-823-1898!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Open House
The DNEC open house was very nice, and we are all very grateful to the legislators who dropped in to see us.Edith Prague, Kevin Ryan, and Tom Reynolds came by to wish us well. Their commitment to their community and their constituents is laudable. We were so glad to see them.
Coming up in the next couple of weeks: Holiday food baskets are going to be put together for pick up beginning next week (12/17). Also, the office will be closing early on December 21st for the holiday. We work half the day on the 24th and 31st, and are closed on the 25th and the 1st of January.
Coming up in the next couple of weeks: Holiday food baskets are going to be put together for pick up beginning next week (12/17). Also, the office will be closing early on December 21st for the holiday. We work half the day on the 24th and 31st, and are closed on the 25th and the 1st of January.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Upcoming Events
This Friday, come to our 4th annual open house held at our office from 12-3. This year is the first year we are partnering with American School for the Deaf and CRIS Radio to hold a joint event. ASD will be offering free hearing tests, and refreshments will be served. If you stop by, you may also want to bring a non-perishable food item for our food drive.
We are still taking applications for holiday food baskets! Call today-- 860-823-1898!
On January 7th, DNEC is hosting Norwich Nights at the Otis Library from 6-7:30. This month we will be discussing the powerful book "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kessey. Call for more information!
We are still taking applications for holiday food baskets! Call today-- 860-823-1898!
On January 7th, DNEC is hosting Norwich Nights at the Otis Library from 6-7:30. This month we will be discussing the powerful book "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kessey. Call for more information!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Money Follows the Person
This past year, 31 grants were awarded 31 states, including Connecticut, that submitted proposals for federal grant money for deinstitutionalization. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), of the Department of Health & Human Services, awarded $1,435,709,479 in Money Follows the Person (MFP) Rebalancing Demonstration grants to states proposing to transition 37,731 individuals out of institutional settings over the five-year demonstration period.
The Centers for Independent Living, of which DNEC is one, will partner with the Area Agencies on Aging, including Senior Resources in Norwich, to move people from nursing homes and certain other institutions into community settings. This demonstration grant was enacted by the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, in recognition of the fact that, in addition to being a much better way of life for persons with disabilities, community services and supports are in fact a less expensive way to serve people than nursing homes and other institutions.
States must also guarantee "maintenance of effort", which means that after the five-year period is over, states must continue to spend at least as much as they spent in 2005. When the grant begins (delays on the federal level have made the starting date uncertain), much of the money will be used to create the necessary changes in the community so that maintenance of community services can continue beyond the grant period. Much of this change has already occurred as a result of the Nursing Facilities Transition Project, which will be rolled over into the MFP grant.
As you know, lack of availability of homes in the community is a huge barrier to getting people out of institutions. In October of 2006, Secretary Alphonso Jackson of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sent a letter to Public Housing Authorities and State Housing Finance Agencies informing them that the MFP initiative provides an opportunity for them to collaborate with CMS and local disability organizations to expand accessible, affordable, and integrated housing options (by the use of public housing and housing vouchers) for persons with disabilities and seniors. Jackson added, "Such promotion would allow both the Department and PHAs [Public Housing Authorities], as recipients of federal financial assistance, to meet, in part, our obligations under the Supreme Court Olmstead decision, to allow services to be provided in the most integrated settings".
DNEC eagerly awaits the commencement of this program. We'll keep you posted!
The Centers for Independent Living, of which DNEC is one, will partner with the Area Agencies on Aging, including Senior Resources in Norwich, to move people from nursing homes and certain other institutions into community settings. This demonstration grant was enacted by the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, in recognition of the fact that, in addition to being a much better way of life for persons with disabilities, community services and supports are in fact a less expensive way to serve people than nursing homes and other institutions.
States must also guarantee "maintenance of effort", which means that after the five-year period is over, states must continue to spend at least as much as they spent in 2005. When the grant begins (delays on the federal level have made the starting date uncertain), much of the money will be used to create the necessary changes in the community so that maintenance of community services can continue beyond the grant period. Much of this change has already occurred as a result of the Nursing Facilities Transition Project, which will be rolled over into the MFP grant.
As you know, lack of availability of homes in the community is a huge barrier to getting people out of institutions. In October of 2006, Secretary Alphonso Jackson of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sent a letter to Public Housing Authorities and State Housing Finance Agencies informing them that the MFP initiative provides an opportunity for them to collaborate with CMS and local disability organizations to expand accessible, affordable, and integrated housing options (by the use of public housing and housing vouchers) for persons with disabilities and seniors. Jackson added, "Such promotion would allow both the Department and PHAs [Public Housing Authorities], as recipients of federal financial assistance, to meet, in part, our obligations under the Supreme Court Olmstead decision, to allow services to be provided in the most integrated settings".
DNEC eagerly awaits the commencement of this program. We'll keep you posted!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Food Drive
DNEC is holding our annual food drive to create holiday baskets for individuals with disabilities and their families! You can help. We are accepting donations of gift cards, non-perishable food items, and cash to assist us in getting 50 holiday food baskets out to individuals and families who are in need this holiday season. If you want to know other ways you can help, please call us at 860-823-1898!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
CRIS
DNEC is thrilled to announce our new partnership with CRIS Radio! They will be using some space in our facility as a broadcasting studio to broadcast the news to individuals who are blind in our area. Twice a day, the volunteers for CRIS read the local newspaper over the radio including advertisements and public service announcements! This is a wonderful addition to our office and makes a great partnership.
The DNEC Flea Market
The Flea Market is coming up very soon, and we have LOTS of vendors signed up. September 16th is the big day, starting at 10 am. At the DNEC 4th annual Flea Market and Community Awareness Fair you will find:
Food, Clowns, Tarot Readings, antiques, collectibles, the D.A.R.E. car, hearing tests, housewares, candles, balloons and candy for the kids, Silent Auctions, Raffles, FREE DRAWINGS and much, much more....
Here is a list of some of our vendors that you might recognize:
Tastefully Simple, American Dolls, PartyLite Candles, Kettle Corn, Sky Wolf Images, Naughty Nighties, ASD, Senior Resources, TVCCA, Norwich Police Department, Access to Health, CCCI, and many more!
We hope to see you there! Remember, September 16th at 238 West Town St. Norwich with a rain date of September 23rd!
Food, Clowns, Tarot Readings, antiques, collectibles, the D.A.R.E. car, hearing tests, housewares, candles, balloons and candy for the kids, Silent Auctions, Raffles, FREE DRAWINGS and much, much more....
Here is a list of some of our vendors that you might recognize:
Tastefully Simple, American Dolls, PartyLite Candles, Kettle Corn, Sky Wolf Images, Naughty Nighties, ASD, Senior Resources, TVCCA, Norwich Police Department, Access to Health, CCCI, and many more!
We hope to see you there! Remember, September 16th at 238 West Town St. Norwich with a rain date of September 23rd!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Community Garden
The Community Garden is growing! This is the third year for the garden, and we are all very proud of it. The garden provides an opportunity to get your hands dirty in a fun social setting.
Sage says "This outdoor classroom will either reinforce your very own gardening skills or it'll teach you the skills you need to grow something mighty and solid from a small seed."
Upcoming gardening days are June 22, July 20, and August 24th from 11:30 to 3:30. Sage would appreciate a call to "reserve your garden tool". (860)823-1898
We hope to see you there!
Sage says "This outdoor classroom will either reinforce your very own gardening skills or it'll teach you the skills you need to grow something mighty and solid from a small seed."
Upcoming gardening days are June 22, July 20, and August 24th from 11:30 to 3:30. Sage would appreciate a call to "reserve your garden tool". (860)823-1898
We hope to see you there!
Week of July 1 through July 7
To keep all readers apprised of the current happenings here at DNEC, we want to let everyone know that DNEC staff will not be readily available to take phone calls or see consumers during the week of July 1st through the 7th. All staff will be checking voicemail in case of emergencies though so feel free to call.
Pillow Angel Treatment = Eugenics?
The following is being reprinted from our winter 2007 newsletter
Do “Pillow Angel Ethics” = Eugenics?
Over the past few weeks I have seen a growing number of stories on the “Pillow Angel”. The internet is full of blogs and websites arguing the ethics of a family’s moral dilemma. The basic story behind this ever-expanding controversy is a short one: Ashley, a nine-year-old girl, was born with “static encephalopathy of unknown etiology”. In English, Ashley has a disease of the brain which has no obvious cause. Because of the alterations the encephalopathy caused in Ashley’s brain, she has significant cognitive disabilities. Doctors say that, intellectually, she functions at the same level as a “typical” 3 month-old infant. Ashley’s family loves her very much, and includes her in family life in every way possible including family vacations.
The controversy itself is simply that Ashley’s parents have used medical science to ensure that Ashley will remain the size of a child. Ashley received high doses of estrogen to halt her growth. In addition, she was given a hysterectomy, an appendectomy, and her breast buds were removed so that she would not develop breasts. The storm rages on surrounding this choice, and the debate has become ugly. Websites call Ashley’s parents “Nazi's”, and accuse them of practicing Eugenics.
The question I am faced with is a difficult and confusing one to answer. At DNEC, we believe in consumer choice and consumer control. These two ideas are paramount to what we do and supersede any of our personal opinions. Ultimately, the question becomes: “at what point is it acceptable to make decisions for other people?” Ashley, according to everything medical science knows, will never be able to make any decision for herself. The high-dose estrogen therapy was used in the 60’s and 70’s for cosmetic purposes to keep “typically” developing young women from getting tall, is this so tremendously different?
Ashley’s parents give logical and true reasons for taking this action. They say that it will be easier to provide for her care at home where she is loved and appreciated, reducing the need for institutionalization. They say that having less body mass will decrease the chance of skin breakdown, improve her digestion and reduce the risk of infections such as pneumonia.
On the other hand, did she need to have her uterus and ovaries and breast buds removed? Her parents say “yes”. Disability rights advocates say “no”. I say “I don’t know”. Legally, Ashley cannot have children because sexual intercourse with Ashley is considered to be a crime. Ashley cannot legally consent, and so any pregnancy would be the result of rape. In this regard her reproductive rights were not taken away because she never had any to begin with. This just seems to be such a slippery slope! At what point can we draw that line between the right to personal choice, and acknowledging that some individuals, like Ashley, cannot make choices.
I don’t have the answers to these difficult questions. In fact, I can’t even find the first thread to pull to try to unravel the messy knot of ethical dilemmas involved. I would, however, like to hear what you, the readers of this newsletter think. Send your thoughts to me at carriednec@yahoo.com or post them in the comments section here on the blog.
written by Carrie Czerwinski
Do “Pillow Angel Ethics” = Eugenics?
Over the past few weeks I have seen a growing number of stories on the “Pillow Angel”. The internet is full of blogs and websites arguing the ethics of a family’s moral dilemma. The basic story behind this ever-expanding controversy is a short one: Ashley, a nine-year-old girl, was born with “static encephalopathy of unknown etiology”. In English, Ashley has a disease of the brain which has no obvious cause. Because of the alterations the encephalopathy caused in Ashley’s brain, she has significant cognitive disabilities. Doctors say that, intellectually, she functions at the same level as a “typical” 3 month-old infant. Ashley’s family loves her very much, and includes her in family life in every way possible including family vacations.
The controversy itself is simply that Ashley’s parents have used medical science to ensure that Ashley will remain the size of a child. Ashley received high doses of estrogen to halt her growth. In addition, she was given a hysterectomy, an appendectomy, and her breast buds were removed so that she would not develop breasts. The storm rages on surrounding this choice, and the debate has become ugly. Websites call Ashley’s parents “Nazi's”, and accuse them of practicing Eugenics.
The question I am faced with is a difficult and confusing one to answer. At DNEC, we believe in consumer choice and consumer control. These two ideas are paramount to what we do and supersede any of our personal opinions. Ultimately, the question becomes: “at what point is it acceptable to make decisions for other people?” Ashley, according to everything medical science knows, will never be able to make any decision for herself. The high-dose estrogen therapy was used in the 60’s and 70’s for cosmetic purposes to keep “typically” developing young women from getting tall, is this so tremendously different?
Ashley’s parents give logical and true reasons for taking this action. They say that it will be easier to provide for her care at home where she is loved and appreciated, reducing the need for institutionalization. They say that having less body mass will decrease the chance of skin breakdown, improve her digestion and reduce the risk of infections such as pneumonia.
On the other hand, did she need to have her uterus and ovaries and breast buds removed? Her parents say “yes”. Disability rights advocates say “no”. I say “I don’t know”. Legally, Ashley cannot have children because sexual intercourse with Ashley is considered to be a crime. Ashley cannot legally consent, and so any pregnancy would be the result of rape. In this regard her reproductive rights were not taken away because she never had any to begin with. This just seems to be such a slippery slope! At what point can we draw that line between the right to personal choice, and acknowledging that some individuals, like Ashley, cannot make choices.
I don’t have the answers to these difficult questions. In fact, I can’t even find the first thread to pull to try to unravel the messy knot of ethical dilemmas involved. I would, however, like to hear what you, the readers of this newsletter think. Send your thoughts to me at carriednec@yahoo.com or post them in the comments section here on the blog.
written by Carrie Czerwinski
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
This week at DNEC
Well, faithful readers, this week at DNEC has been very interesting and educational. DNEC had two days of training last week with a gentleman from the federal government who helped us to begin to redesign all of our forms to make them more user freindly, and to try to bring us somewhere close to the 21st century! As things stand, we are basically rubbing sticks together to make fire.
DNEC took part in the 2007 Senior Expo at Dayton Arena, and displayed a lot of material, and answered a number of questions. It was a great day, and many new aquantances came from it.
We are taking part in a site review tomorrow morning with the state to ensure that we are providing the best possible services to you, our consumers.
Just as an update, the garden looks great, and the Morning Glories from last year seeded themselves and are growing everywhere. Drop by and take a peek!
DNEC took part in the 2007 Senior Expo at Dayton Arena, and displayed a lot of material, and answered a number of questions. It was a great day, and many new aquantances came from it.
We are taking part in a site review tomorrow morning with the state to ensure that we are providing the best possible services to you, our consumers.
Just as an update, the garden looks great, and the Morning Glories from last year seeded themselves and are growing everywhere. Drop by and take a peek!
Friday, May 11, 2007
Welcome to the 21st Century
Here it is, our first official blog post. This is where you can find the latest news and info on upcoming events.
Today is Planting Day at DNEC. Sage and some DNEC members and staff got together to get the Community Garden going. We dug, raked, shoveled, watered, cleared brush, planted, hauled debris, and tossed garbage. We were assisted by our garden guru Pat, and thanks to a lot of hard work on the part of a number of people and a couple of generous donations we have a lovely garden. I can see it from my office window, and I can't wait until it is bigger and brighter.
Next week, on May 15th and 16th the office will be closed for training. If you need us, we will be checking our voicemail regularly and will return urgent calls.
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