Utah Disability Today

Full interviews from Meet the Candidates Event

Thanks to all those who participated in the Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice’s Meet the Candidates event! We invited both Democrats and Republicans running for Utah's national offices and the office of Utah governor to field questions regarding disability in education, employment, accessibility, mental health and disability rights. Access the full interviews of those who responded here:

New Home Visiting Program Offers Help to Parents of Young Children

The new Cache County Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visit program is currently enrolling families for a free service that promotes family resilience and healthy child development.

The Cache County MEICHV (pronounced Cache County MicVee) Program offers friendly home visits, family connection groups, and access to helpful resources throughout the community. It is for families with children from pregnancy up to age six, or entry into kindergarten. Find out more on the Cache County MEICHV website.

Guest Post: Adaptations Create Possibilities

"The most general advice for everyone is to move our body more. When you have a physical disability or impairment, that can be a challenge," writes guest blogger Kirsten Barraclough. "This is where adaptive sports can help. Along with the physical health benefits, they can provide friendship and support and the knowledge that you’re not the only one living with a disability."

Pictured: participants of IDRPP's Top Sports Activities program.

DDNJ Author Insights: Addressing Ableism in Mental Health Care for Patients with IDD

“I can't remember ever being asked or being directly engaged in my own mental health services until things really reached a fever pitch ... when I experienced crisis after transitioning to college,” says Micah Peace Urquilla. Urquilla is an autistic, multiply-disabled educator, community organizer and researcher from Louisville, Kentucky, and the most recent guest on the DDNJ Author Insights podcast.

“My first time being independent, my first time being a few hours away from home. And you know, crisis is never a good thing, or a thing that anybody wants to go through. But in some ways, for as traumatic as it was, it was also a bit of a liberatory experience for me ... [A] psychiatrist had to engage with me one-on-one and meet me where I was at. Because there was not a parent or a caregiver or someone else there to speak for and frankly, to speak over me.” 

Read the summary or hear the entire conversation on our blog.

The National Center on Accessible Digital Educational Materials and Instruction is officially launched, and offering the first of many free resources to local and state educational agencies. Sign up now to receive notifications!

Utah's Multicultural Disability Network presents: Engaging Diverse Communities to Support Families Experiencing Developmental & Intellectual Disabilities. Presented by Libby Oseguera, Executive Director of the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council.

Register on the MULDINET website.

Curious about Your Voting Rights?

If you have questions about your voting rights or how to navigate the voting process, the Disability Law Center is here to help. They provide essential resources on voter registration, accessibility accommodations, and early voting options.

Whether you’re voting for the first time, or just need to know your rights, their website has detailed guidance for people with disabilities.

Take the time to review their comprehensive guide to make sure your voice is heard and your rights are protected.

Learn more on the Disability Law Center Website.

Utah Assistive Technology Program Game Day!

Try out our assistive technology for gaming! Please RSVP to kenner.mecham@usu.edu with the number in your party, so we are ready when you come! Please include the ages of the participants.

November 4th, 2024.

6pm - 8pm

Located at the Esports Arena on the East side of Utah State University's Maverick Stadium.

These 10-minute guided meditations are offered freely and those interested can sign up here. The dates and times can be found through the sign up link.

News From Around IDRPP

In October, IDRPP celebrated National Disability Employment Awareness Month--and our growing number of interns!

Our Employability Clinic has partnered with Workforce Services to offer 10-week internships to Logan-area students, ages 16-22, who are Workforce Services clients. The next cohort starts in January. Contact Workforce Services for more information at: 435-787-3480 or email Erica Lundahl.

We appreciate Drake Becker of Salt Lake County, who did some social media work for us courtesy of an internship with our Center for Employment and Inclusion. Watch his introduction and his interview with Nora, a fellow high school student, about working with a disability. Drake also interviewed Nathan Crippes of the Disability Law Center about the segregation of people with disabilities in Utah.

Pictured: Intern Drake Becker and Kelie Hess, a program coordinator with IDRPP's Center for Employment and Inclusion in Salt Lake City. In addition to his social media work, Drake co-facilitated a class focused on employment for people with disabilities,