Come one, come all– The Arc of Union County will be hosting an housewarming party to celebrate our new digs!

Thursday, August 14th– 7-8:30pm

We are in a brand-new building and want to show it off.  Pizza and drinks will be provided, along with tours of the new space.  Donations and contributions are welcome and appreciated.

Please call our offices at 704.261.1550 to RSVP by August 8th, so that we might have a headcount for food.

After much anticipation, the offices of The Arc of Union County have moved.  We are now located at 1653-C Campus Park Drive (across the street from Hilltop) in Monroe.  Our new number is:  704.261.1550 (main) and 704.261.1554 (fax).

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Community Connections project is targeted for adults with developmental disabilities, ages 40 and older, and their families.  For many adults with developmental disabilities, being included in local community programs provides the first opportunity to join with non-disabled peers.  Benefits of participation in local aging programs include:

• a link to the community which should be a part of the adult’s lifestyle;
• a break from routine;
• an entry into a community group;
• a daily opportunity to provide stimulation, create positive feelings, and reduce behaviors;
• a method to slow down the process of mental and physical deterioration.

Community Connections and others have joined efforts with community programs in Union County to give older adults with developmental disabilities opportunities to be a part of being connected to their communities, quality of life, and inclusion.  The program is partially funded by a grant from the United Way of Central Carolinas’ Older Adult Health and Wellness Focus Area and community contributions.

The Community Connections project is a collaborative effort of The Arc of Union County, Union County Health Department, The City of Monroe, Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center and Monroe Aquatics and Fitness Center, The Council on Aging of Union County, Union County DSS, Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare, Union Diversified Industries, Skyway Lanes, and United Way of the Central Carolinas.

For more information, please call Brenda High at 704.226.5122.

Come to Smart Start at Play’s FAIR Play– an inclusive play program where children, ages birth to five, and their families have fun playing and learning together!

All young children learn through play!  Smart Start at Play’s FAIR Play brings children and their families together for creative learning opportunities where children’s skills increase in communicating, thinking, adapting, moving, and socializing with others.

Smart Start at Play’s FAIR Play promotes:

Friendship through play

Awareness about child development

Includes ALL children

Resources for families

Play sessions are held from 9:30am to 12pmWednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in Monroe at Lee Park Baptist Church located at 1407 Lockhart Street.

Families arrive when their morning schedules permit, and families register at their first play session.  Schedule does vary with holidays, field trips, and availability of facilities.

For additional information, call Susan Smith at 704.517.1255 or 704.226.5128 at The Arc of Union County.

Employer of Record Services:

The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services is an initiative of The Arc of North Carolina. It is a self-determination resource network which includes The Arc of NC and many of its affiliate chapters.

The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services was created in response to individuals and families who were asking for a better way to receive supports and services for themselves or their family member with a disability.

We offer an innovative approach, rooted in the principles of self-determination, that supports individuals and families to control their services to the extent they desire by participating in such things as: developing unique job descriptions for their support staff, participating in the development of a personal budget, recruiting and screening potential support staff, managing and training staff.

The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services shares with participants what anticipated costs will be, through the development of a personal budget, and tracks actual revenues and expenses, producing monthly reports to keep participants aware of their budget status.

The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services is currently offering this approach to individuals who have the following funding sources:

• CAP/MR-DD
• MEDICAID
• MR/MI
• WAITING LIST
• PRIVATE PAY
• LOCAL SCHOOL FUNDS

Essentially, you would choose The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services much like you would choose any “traditional” provider. We would need an idea of what funding is available for your supports. Typically, this would be a copy of your cost summary, which you may have or may be provided by a case manager. Then, we sit down with you and discuss how you want these funds to be used. We may discuss things such as: how often and when staff will work; what you wish to pay staff; what training is necessary; how involved you want us to be in recruiting and hiring, etc.

Next, we would ask you to develop a job description or descriptions for your support staff utilizing an outline we provide. We will be as involved in supporting you through this process as you want us to be. Once job descriptions are developed, the recruiting process begins! Again, we can assist and support you at the level you choose. You may choose to place an ad in the newspaper yourself or create and distribute flyers at a local college or university. You may also choose to handle distribution of application packets and initial screening interviews. Everything you choose to do frees up administrative dollars within your personal budget to be used elsewhere. Once staff are identified, we complete all necessary background checks and work with you to determine training needs and complete all required training. Staff are given a copy of your unique job description and sign a “support agreement” that outlines specifics of the job.

After hiring, the day to day management of staff can be challenging. We offer training and support to assist you in handling this responsibility.

In summary, we are committed to assisting you with achieving your desired quality of life through regaining control of the supports and services you receive.

If you are interested in learning more about the Employer-of-Record/Staff Leasing services offered by The Arc of North Carolina’s Employer of Record Services please visit or call The Arc of Union County.

The Arc of Union County is the housing agent for a project called First in Families of the Southern Piedmont.  This state-funded grant allows us the opportunity to help families who qualify (by their own or a family member’s developmental disability, plus an income requirement) to receive assistance or resources to make their dreams come true.  First in Families is an exciting approach to supporting people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Our mission is to leverage and utilize community resources to meet the needs and dreams of individuals with disabilities.  We build community partnerships that are diverse, informal, and not bureaucratic.  We believe that the driving force is the individual and/or family whose ultimate goal will be empowerment and self-advocacy.

Who qualifies for First in Families support?  To be eligble, applicants must:  (1) live in Union, Cabarrus, Davidson, Rowan, or Stanly County; (2) meet the income requirement– total income not to exceed $65,000 after taxes; and (3) be a person with (or have a family member LIVING WITH THEM who has) a developmental disability or traumatic brain injury.

Once elibility is determined, the FIF Project Coordinator will work with the applicant to clearly identify the need and find the sources for assistance.  The FIF team helps find the need within the community and links the applicant/family member to those resources.  This creates a partnership involving the applicant, FIF, and community agencies and individuals who all work together to meet the requested need.  Keep in mind that FIF is not a charity program.  The goal is linking the applicant to community resources and helping to find long-term solutions so that the family or individual will realize dreams for the future.  In turn, many applicants have goods and services that they can contribute.  This is strongly encouraged, because in the end, everyone is pitching in to help and the entire community is stronger.

Applications are reviewed and decisions are made by a Management Team.  This team is made up of a minimum of twelve local individuals, many of whom have a family member with a developmental disability.  We are currently seeking more Management Team members who’d like to help us in our quest to make dreams happen for local citizens with developmental disabilities. 

In addition, the FIF team is seeking people who can share their talent (or money!!  always money!!) with us:  are you a person who can install a fence for a family with an autistic child so that they are not prisoners in their own home?  … would your business be willing to make a contribution towards a fund that helps these people pay large power bills in the winter?…. any talent or monetary contribution is appreciated.

 For more information, please call Melinda Plue, FIF Project Coordinator, at 704.226.5112 or email at arc-melinda@carolina.rr.com . 

The Arc of Union County’s Fifth Annual Golf Tournament

at the exclusive FIRETHORNE COUNTRY CLUB

Monday, May 5, 2008

12:30 start

Captain’s Choice

*Come enjoy a day of golf at the area’s most exclusive golf course while also helping one of the oldest and most prestigious non-profit organizations in Union County.  Enjoy golf, range balls, goodies, prizes, lunch AND dinner, and a variety of beverages.

*We are still seeking hole sponsors at $200 a piece.  Please call our office for more information– 704.226.5110 or 704.226.5111.

Officers:

Pete Hovanec, President

Russell Wing, Vice-President

Kathy Wing, Secretary

Fred Baber, Treasurer

Directors:

Alvaro Alzate

Chris Causey

Brenda Crowder

Vann Dowless

Carroll Edwards

Benny Faulkner

Eddie Gale

Tripp Helms

Jim Keziah

Linda Little

Debra Pagano

Dr, Nancy Turner

Melody Tyson

Staff:

Sandy Nemer, Executive Director (704.226.5111)

Melinda Plue, Program Director  (704.226.5112)

• First in Families of the Southern Piedmont
• The Arc of NC’s Employer of Record
• UCPS Advocacy

Susan Smith, Program Director (704.226.5128)

• Smart Start at Play’s FAIR Play

Brenda High, Program Director (704.226.5122)

• Community Connections

Donna Vancil, Resource Coordinator (704.226.5110)

• Union County VIPs
• Aktion Club
• Operation Santa Claus

Brenda Grant, Bookkeeper (704.226.5123)

WHAT IS A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY?

A ‘developmental disability’ is a severe, chronic disability of a person that:

* is attributed to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of mental or physical impairments;

* is manifested before the person reaches the age of 22, unless the disability is caused by a traumatic head injury and is manifested after age 22;

* is likely to continue indefinitely;

* results in substantial functional limitations in three or more of the following areas of major life activity:  (1) self-care, (2) receptive and expressive language, (3) capacity for independent living, (4) learning, (5) mobility, (6) self-direction, or (7) economic self-sufficiency;

* reflects the person’s need for a combination and sequence of special interdisciplinary or generic care, treatment, or other services which are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated,

OR

* when applied to children from birth to 4 years of age, may be evidenced as a developmental delay.

SOME EXAMPLES OF A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY:  autism, cerebral palsy, Downs Syndrome, or individuals with differing degrees of mental retardation, just to name a few.

The Arc has been around for many years.  Many people know its old and outdated acronym –ARC– which once stood for the Association for Retarded Citizens.  As time has gone by and more awareness and up-to-date terminology is used, we no longer use this acronym.  Our Arc– no longer all in caps– stands for:

Advocacy, Resources, and Community for People with Developmental Disabilities. 

We are located at 102 E. Franklin Street in downtown Monroe, in the United Way building. 

The Arc of Union County is a community resource committed to improving the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families through advocacy, awareness, and supports. 

The staff at The Arc of Union County is the only agency in our county who serves this particular segment of our population.  We work tirelessly to provide the following programs and services to our consumers.  A description of individual programs is detailed in separate blog entries. 

Advocacy

·Meet with family or individual to determine needs and issues 

·Counsel family or individual as to relevant human/client rights, current laws regarding education, employment, policies, mandates

·Coordinate/schedule or attend meetings, annual reviews and collaborative meetings, when necessary, assist and participate in mediation

·Maintain individual advocacy until resolution achieved

·Assist individuals and families towards self-determination and empowerment through The Arc of NC Employer of Record program, offered to individuals who have specific funding sources.

Self-Advocacy

·Serve in support and advisory capacity to local Union County VIPs, 70+ members (group meets monthly)

·Provide financial and in-kind support for activities

·Coordinate, subsidize or provide transportation to local and state meetings of self-advocates

·Support for self-advocates to attend annual state-wide Conference

Systems Advocacy

·Collaborate with local, state, national organizations to identify service gaps, numbers of people on “waiting lists”

·Identify local issues as they relate to specific needs such as residential services, supported living or employment, changes in service delivery system

·Draft letters to policymakers and arrange meetings with them, when possible, to discuss needs/issues, funding & potential impact to people with developmental disabilities & their families

·Activate Action Alerts from State & National Arcs and forward, when necessary, to Board, Education/Legislation Committee, general membership

·Build & maintain effective coalitions with other advocates for people with disabilities, serve on Union County Preschool Interagency Council, Regional Advisory Committee – Piedmont Behavioral Healthcare; Union Co. Council for Citizens with Disabilities

·Support & advocate for expansion priorities identified through the Coalition

Public Awareness

·Provide information & referral

·Act as a clearinghouse on gathering & dispensing information about developmental disabilities, current laws, etc.

·Speakers’ Bureau for United Way campaign & as requested

·Co-sponsor workshops for parents & professionals on relevant topics of interests, such as guardianship, estate planning, client rights in community, community inclusion

·Host annual meeting to recognize volunteers, supporters

Supports

·Housing Agent for the First in Families of the Southern Piedmont project serving Union, Cabarrus, Stanly, Rowan, and Davidson Counties

·Specific assistance to individuals, families (fund respite care, therapies, scholarships/stipends to conferences for parents, purchase diapers, assistive technology, etc.) as determined by the FIF Management Team

·Coordinate & subsidize transportation for adults to & from work, community access

·Co-sponsor Operation Santa Claus with The Enquirer-Journal, individuals, businesses and corporations, churches, school groups, civic organizations and community sponsors purchase gifts for underprivileged children and adults living in community, group homes, state centers

·Assist families/individuals who live on their own or with minimal supports to access community, including health care, shopping, appointments, etc. and to be someone they can count on when times are tough

·Sponsor/co-sponsor programs of interests to individuals, families, helping them to cope, share information, network

·Smart Start at Play’s FAIR Play – inclusive, preschool play group to promote Friendship through play, create Awareness about child development, Include all children, provide Resources for parents, primary caregivers; held three times weekly; collaborators – Union County Partnership for Children; Preschool Interagency Coordinating Council; Monroe Parks & Rec.; Lee Park Baptist Church; United Way

·Community Connections program - to link older adults to services & supports, leisure activities in the community, co-sponsors Union Co. Health Dept, Council on Aging, Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center, Monroe Parks & Rec.; provide respite care subsidies for aging caregivers with aging sons or daughters through the Caregiver Support Program

·Collaborate with United Way, its member agencies, other service providers to meet health/human service needs

·Provide staff support in organizing activities of  self-advocates involved with Monroe Kiwanis’ Aktion Club and Union County VIPs

·Help preschool-age children with autism or autism spectrum disorder reduce impact of disability by providing assistance with nutritional supplements, diet following DAN protocol and instruction from nutritionist/nurse certified in the protocol through Project Hope