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A beautiful day in the neighborhood:
Governor Hogan's Baltimore City Regional Cabinet Meeting
Department of Information Technology Secretary Michael Leahy and Secretary Carol Beatty present a Governor's Citation to
Anil Lewis, Executive Director, NFB Jernigan Institute and Mark Riccobono, President, National Federation of the Blind
Thursday, June 14, Governor Larry G. Hogan held a Regional Cabinet Meeting at the Shake & Bake Family Fun Center in Baltimore City. The Governor, Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford, cabinet secretaries and department heads representing agencies across the state, spent the day in the city. MDOD visited
St. Peter's Adult Learning Center
,
Mosaic
,
Brick and Board,
a social enterprise of
Humanim
, and
National Federation of the Blind.
At St. Peter's, Secretary Beatty and Department of Health Secretary Robert Neall presented a Governor's Citation to Chip Woods, Executive Director, for
preparing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to be contributing members of the workforce through an array of job readiness activities. The Lt. Governor joined Secretary Beatty for a tour and executive conversation at Mosaic Community Services, a provider of integrated services for mental illness and addictions. Deputy Secretary Bill Frank and Secretary Ken Holt visited Brick and Board, where bricks and beams are salvaged, creating green-collar jobs for Baltimoreans with barriers to employment. MDOD ended the day with the Department of Information Technology team at National Federation of the Blind.
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BRAVE in the Attempt: Talks that TRANSFORM
Featured are BRAVE speakers Billy Schmidt, Lorraine Savadge, Macena Mason, Alicia Gogue, Bobby Prado, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Woodrum, emcee Adam Hayes, Col. William Palozzi, Joe Ginter, First Lady Yumi Hogan, David Godoy, Elaina Camacho, Conor O'Shaughnessy, and Luke Hill.
On June 6, more than 200 guests gathered at Towson University for an inspiring evening featuring 11 speakers with intellectual and developmental disabilities sharing five-minute TED-style talks about bravely facing obstacles and transforming their lives. The second annual BRAVE in the Attempt was sponsored by the Maryland Department of Disabilities, Maryland Department of Health-the Developmental Disabilities Administration, Special Olympics Maryland and V-LINC. Guest speakers included First Lady Yumi Hogan, Secretary of State Police William Palozzi, and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Woodrum.
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Assistive Technology Kits Deployed during recent flooding
Pictured is a typical kit. Highlights of the devices include:
real time interactive communication device;
assisted listening device and loop;
noise cancelling headphones;
handheld video magnifier;
portable speech amplifier; and,
Alternative Augmentative Communication Device.
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Last fall, MDOD's Director of Emergency Preparedness, Cecilia Warren, collaborated with the
Technology Assistance Program to obtain a grant to assemble assistive technology kits to be used during emergencies. An evacuation shelter provides mass care to survivors in their community so they can begin recovery. To ensure that Maryland meets the needs of the whole community, survivors need equal access to care, disaster assistance, and other recovery services. This includes access to buildings, programs, communication, and information. Response and recovery services need to be compliant with the
ADA.
During the recent flash floods, the kits were deployed to shelters and disaster assistance centers in Howard and Baltimore Counties, and Baltimore City. MDOD works closely with Maryland Department of Human Services to ensure that the assistive technologies are available when mass care, repatriation, or recovery centers are open. These kits are strategically located throughout the state to ensure they are operationally ready to support a disaster at any time.
The devices in the assistive technology kits are intended for use while in the emergency shelter or service center. Constituents who need to borrow assistive technology for use in their home or workplace can contact MDTAP for information.
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June Declared Adaptive Boating Month
On June 9, Deputy Secretary Bill Frank attended the
Don Back Memorial Regatta.
Deputy Secretary Frank, presented
Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating
President, Brad LaTour with a proclamation from Governor Larry Hogan declaring June Adaptive Boating month. First-time competitor, Dani Izzie, captured the regatta after re-discovering sailing following a spinal cord injury.
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