Friday, October 10, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008

To RSVP or for more information please call:
713-957-1600 ext. 11 and ask to speak with Judy Kantorczyk

For more information about the Candy Cane Ball:
(Candy Cane Ball Information).

November 13 - 14, 2008

Program and Registration Information

November 27 - 28, 2008

December 25 - 26, 2008

February 18, 2009

Are you someone who or do you know someone who:

• Has an intellectual disability (formerly known as mental retardation)?
  
• Evacuated after Katrina?
  
• Would be willing to share their story about their lives before, during, and after the storm?
  
• Would like to receive up to $50 for participating?
  

Dr. Heather Wilmore will provide all dental services, including exams, cleanings, tooth colored filling, amalgam fillings, root canal treatments, crowns, veneers, bruxism appliances, partial, dentures and any other dental services needed. In some cases a referral out to another doctor for specialized treatment may be needed but, we are able to refer those patients to doctors in our same building or close proximity.

Please visit Dr. Wilmore's website: www.drwilmore.com or e-mail: drwilmore@gmail.com. The office phone number is 713-266-4222. Please see attached fee schedule.

In the past 11 years, Dionysus Theatre has been the only inclusive theatre in the state of Texas. Bringing together actors with disabilities along with those who are able-bodied, Dionysus has entertained, empowered, enlightened and educated people across the state. (more)

Founded in 1960, the Leopold L. Meyer Center for Developmental Pediatrics at Texas Children's Hospital provides a variety of medically directed diagnostic services for infants, children and adolescents referred for suspected developmental and/or learning problems including children at risk because of problems associated with birth.

The Meyer Center offers an interdisciplinary, family-centered approach to diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment. The team includes developmental and behavioral pediatricians, psychologist, a neuropsychologist, and social workers. Speech/language therapist, occupational and physical therapists, and other medical specialists at Texas Children's Hospital are consulted as needed.

Texas Children's Hospital
6621 Fannin Street, CC 1530
Houston, Texas 77030
(832) 822-3400

Monday - Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Long-term follow-up of premature infants is provided through the Desmond Clinic.

Thursdays, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

In collaboration with the Down Syndrome Association of Houston, the Down Syndrome Clinic of Houston was launched to provide services to ensure the healthy development of children with Down syndrome.

Please contact the nurse coordinator at (832) 822-3478 for additional information.

Mondays, 8:00 AM - 12:00 Noon

ESCAPE Family Resource Center is offering "Home Improvement Classes for the Entire Family." ESCAPE has a variety of parenting skill enhancement programs. Each program can be facilitated with the entire family or with parents only to accommodate the need. Some program fees do apply; please call (713) 942-9500 for further information. Se habla espanol.

Click here to view a flyer of available classes.

http://www.escapefrc.org

Darla's School was founded in 2001 as a private, 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and life enrichment school for adults with mental retardation.

The program at Darla’s School has been developed to be age appropriate, functional, and to foster independence while enabling each student to work at their capabilities.

• Continuing education: reading, math, writing, and language with an emphasis on functional content at each individual's level
• Vocational Training: Entry level administrative assistant training to include filing, copying, faxing, document assembly, grooming and social skills appropriate for workplace, phone etiquette and general receptionist duties.
• Computer Skills: keyboarding, word processing, email, software programs, accessing the internet, digital photography/editing
• Recreation/Leisure Activities: gardening, games, crafts, movies
• Arts: painting and music
• Cooking: planning menus, nutrition, developing shopping lists, shopping for food and preparing lunch/snacks
• Exercise Program: geared to each student's level of fitness and abilities
• Field trips: museums, concerts, festivals, movies, Houston landmarks, and special events with lunch at a restaurant or a picnic
  

http://www.darlas.org/index.htm

This program allows families, friends and the general public, those who most likely would never attend a traditional CPR course, to learn the core skills of CPR in just 22 minutes using their own personal kit.

The kit contains everything needed to learn basic CPR, and skills can be learned anywhere.

• A personal, inflatable CPR Manikin
• CPR Anytime Skills Practice DVD
• An American Heart Association CPR for Family and Friends booklet
• Accessories for the program

Parents who have children with mentally handicapping conditions can have difficulty finding time away.  Between the struggle of the child's needs and the difficulty of finding people who are capable of caring for those needs, getting away even for a few hours can become a near impossibility. This is where HARC comes in. On Friday evenings from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., HARC provides “Parents Night Out” programs where the children can have an entertaining evening and the parents can enjoy up to four hours away.

HARC's “Parents Night Out” program gives an enjoyable evening for children.

A typical evening will include games, crafts, music, movies and loads of fun events.  The programs are created to offer the participants a great time in a nonsectarian environment. While HARC plans for inclusion programs with a large variety of group activities, HARC also has 1:1 activities for children who are not ready for group events.

A $25 fee is requested per child.  Partial scholarships are available, and second child discounts apply.  Since children with handicapping conditions also often relate well with their “typical learning” siblings, special invitation rates are  offered for these siblings. Parents Night Out is restricted to children ages 4-18 years of age. All allergies, diet restrictions, and other special needs are to be made known in advance.

For more information about HARC's Parents Night Out program, see
www.harc-hou.org or call 713-271-6001 for more details.

To visit the HARC brochure online click here.

3rd Friday of each month

PM Pals provides a Friday night "off" for parents with special needs children. Children receive one-on-one attention and structured play events and the parents receive 4 hours all to themselves. Here are some details about the program:

• Children ages 1 - 12 years old with any type of special needs are invited
• Their siblings (aged 1 - 12 years) are encouraged to also attend
• Provides a safe and fun environment with a mature and trained volunteer, including medical specialist
• All children receive a one-on-one "Pal" for the evening, who guides them to various activities (games, crafts, creative play, etc.)
• There is a "special event/guest" each PM Pal night
• Drop off time is 6:00PM - 6:30PM. Pick up time is 9:30PM - 10:00PM
• This is a free service, open to the public

The program is located at St. Luke's United Methodist Church
3471 Westheimer Road
Houston, Texas 77027
Westheimer Rd. at Edloe/west of Buffalo Speedway

Please contact Julie Miller at (713) 402-5044 to sign up or for more details.

The TEAM Project began in October 2003 with a grant from the US Department of Education to Partners Resource Network, a nonprofit agency that has served parents of children with disabilities throughout Texas since 1986. The TEAM Project is part of a statewide network of services to parents of infants, toddlers, children and youth with all types of disabilities.

There is no charge to parents for the services of the TEAM Project. Services are available in English and Spanish.

The TEAM Project provides training, information, and support to parents of children with all types of disabilities.

The TEAM Project helps parents to:

• learn more about their children's disabilities
• better understand their children's rights
• improve their skills in communication, evaluation, and decision making
• gain inner strength to deal with the "job" of advocating for their children
• know that they are not powerless and they are not alone

Workshops on:

• Educating parents with special needs children
• Educational rights, ARDs, IEPs, IFSPs
• Positive Behavioral Supports
• Transition Planning
• Parent/Professional Partnerships
• Assertiveness and communication

Information and Referral about:

• Disabilities and challenging needs
• Educational rights
• Special education services
• Local, regional, state and national resources
• Statewide membership organizations

Assistance in:

• Preparing for an ARD/IEP meeting
• Understanding a child's records
• Linking with another parent
• Organizing a parent support group
• Record keeping and letter writing
• Communicating with school personnel
• Preparing for mediation

Resources:

• Quarterly newsletter
• Publications
• Bilingual staff (Spanish/English)
• Website
• Annual parent leadership institute

Coordinating Office
3311 Richmond, Suite 334
Houston, Texas 77098
office: (713) 524-2147
toll free (877) 832-8945

email: prnteam@sbcglobal.net

website: www.partnersTX.org

IntraCare North Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of our new

Special Needs Adaptive Program (SNAP)

We have identified a need in our community to serve patients with both behavioral or psychiatric conditions that meet the criteria for inpatient hospitalization and special needs related to developmental issues such as mental retardation/autism and co-occurring..

Our program addresses both of these areas by stabilizing the behavioral/psychiatric condition while providing programming in a manner that is appropriate for patients with special needs related to their developmental issues.

Our staff are trained and experienced in working with this patient population. We are proud to have Dr. Javier Ruiz and Dr. Victor Oderinde as Medical Directors for this program.

• Patients 8 to 14 years of age
• Patients must have a behavioral or mental illness diagnosable under DSM
• Patients must have a special developmental need such as mental retardation or autism within the mild to moderate range. IQ scores of 50 and above would be appropriate.
• Patients must not have additional medical needs beyond those currently accepted for treatment in our facility. The exclusionary criteria for medical stability will be applied to these patients just as it is for all patients seeking admission.
• We will consider all admissions and inquiries on a case by case basis.

Please call (281) 893-7200

The last Tuesday of each month

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• "El Grupo" is a support group that was developed in 1990 to assist Spanish speaking families that have the responsibility of caring for a family member that has a mental or physical disability.
• The group format helps to establish a safe, trusting environment which encourages members to address issues that are particular to their situation.
• Group facilitators are culturally sensitive and conduct the sessions in Spanish and English

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Jewish Family Service
4131 S. Braeswood
Houston, Texas 77025
(713) 667-9336

This group is open to anyone who has someone in their life with special needs. Please join us for lively discussions and a chance to connect with other Jewish parents and caregivers.

There is no fee for this service and this group is being facilitated by Jody Mizrachi, MA LPC-1 and Jamie Paul Weiner, MSW

For more information, please call Jody Mizrachi at (713) 667-9336 ext. 207

The second Monday of each month

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

The second Tuesday of each month

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

The second Saturday of each month

• Familias Hispanas is a Spanish speaking support group.

10:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Weekly - Mondays and Saturdays

Mondays: 7:30 PM - 9:30PM
Saturdays: 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Mondays:
Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, Room 205
11612 Memorial Drive
Houston, Texas 77024

Saturdays:
West University Church of Christ
3407 Bissonnet, Westchester Street entrance (between Buffalo Speedway and Edloe)
Houston, Texas 77008

Recovery, Inc. is a self-help mental health organization founded in 1937 by the late Dr. Abraham A. Low, a Chicago psychiatrist. The Recovery method is a system or cognitive/behavioral techniques to help manage and control nervous symptoms and fears. Weekly meetings are open to anyone 18 years or older.

Recovery, Inc. has helped people struggling with: stress and tension, depression and fatigue, anger and fears, anxiety and panic, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, sleep problems and worry, and other emotional problems.

Call (713) 466-3387 or email 171@recovery-inc.org, or visit the website, www. recovery-inc.org

2nd Saturday of each month

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Tzu Chi Foundation, USA, Southern Region
6200 Corporate Drive
Houston, Texas 77036

We are a support group for Chinese families with special needs, through regular monthly meetings, we offer:

• Special topic seminars by professionals
• Experience, ideas and information exchange among parents
• Linkage to community resources

Fun activities are provided by volunteers for your special ones while parents attend the monthly meetings. Special Olympics and other family gatherings are held periodically as well.

Call Lily Pan at (713) 970-8385 - email lily.pan@mhmraharris.org
or Ken Wang at (713) 981-8966 - email kuenswang@aol.com

Click here to view the support group flyer