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"The VMRC Newsletter"
Friday, March 17, 2023
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Message from the Executive Director
Tony Anderson
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Special Announcement
Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC) is so excited to announce our partnership with our service provider community and Alta Regional Center (ACRC) and their provider community. We are calling our partnership the DSP (Direct Support Professional) Collaborative focused on attracting a workforce dedicated to supporting people with disabilities and their families. Our collaborative is organized into five separate workgroups who report their progress into the collaborative.
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Friday March 24th at VMRC, 702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton
Next week we will be hosting an event at ACRC on Wednesday from 1-3 pm and an event at VMRC on Friday from 12 pm to 2 pm. We’ll be revealing the exciting work of the DSP Collaborative so far and the big project outcomes in the making. We’ll start the event with free movie snacks as we watch the inspirational movie “Invaluable”.
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We’ll have an open mic forum for DSPs, people with disabilities, their families, and anyone else impacted by the good work of community Direct Support Professionals. We’ll have our film makers there to interview people willing to give us your views of the profession and why people would want to work in this field. | |
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It's Not too Late
You still have time to time us how we're doing. We have three surveys out there for our community to tell us about their experience to be used by us in directing our time as part of our strategic planning process.
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Upcoming VMRC Public Meetings
Purchase of Services (POS) Expenditures Community Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, March 29, 2023, 2:00 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
Executive Committee Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 6:30 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
Board of Directors Meeting (Hybrid)
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, 6:00 PM
702 N. Aurora Street, Stockton, CA 95202
Click Here for Zoom Information
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Case Management Update - Adults
Christine Couch
Director of Consumer Services - Adults
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Gilda Giron, Director of Outreach and Leadership Training with Disability Voices United is excited to share this Emerging Leaders Program with you. They are recipients of the DDS Service Access Equity Grant. They have opened up applications for the Emerging Leaders Program, applications will be accepted now through March 31.
The Emerging Leaders Program is a free five-part training with ongoing support that focuses on nurturing self-advocates with disabilities and family advocates to become leaders in their communities and the state. They are encouraging diverse and underserved future leaders, including people of color, people who speak languages other than English, self-advocates who are nonspeaking and use AAC, and those from rural areas to apply.
In previous rounds of the program, they have had over 100 participants in each cohort, consisting of people with disabilities and family members enrolled from all over California, most of whom were people of color.
At each training, they will begin the session with a leader who tells “My Leadership Story.” In past trainings, they have had Senator Melissa Hurtado, State Controller Betty Yee, disability advocates Rebecca Cokley, Elijah Armstrong, and Nikki Brown-Booker.
Leaders will begin the program by attending an orientation and a briefing on the history of disability rights in the United States. The following sessions will cover learning about the Lanterman Act, and other state disability laws, an overview of being a member of a board of directors and committee, and the role of media in advocacy and advocating for systems change. The sessions will be led by experts and exciting guest speakers from the disability community. In past trainings, they have had guest speakers Nancy Bargmann, Director of Developmental Disability, and Kim McCoy Wade-Senior Advisor on Aging, Disability, and Alzheimer’s lead the training on advocating for systems change.
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Stanislaus County Friends – check out Whole Latte Café in the lobby of the Modesto VMRC office. They are open on Wednesdays from 8:45am-1pm. Please stop by and purchase your morning cup of tea or coffee from the café!! | |
Meet Tyler Richard Donahue – enjoying his morning at the Whole Latte Café!! | |
Meet Nick, Lewis, Edgar, Lorena, Nicole aka Giggle Pants and Shaleena – they are visiting the Grand Opening of Whole Latte Café!! | |
Case Management Update - Children
Tara Sisemore-Hester
Director of Consumer Services - Children
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Young children are the future of our communities, and the Community Event & Activity Sponsorship Grant is one way First 5 San Joaquin is working with local partners to give children a promising start in life. Funds have been set aside for fiscal year 2022-2023 to sponsor events and activities taking place during the Spring/Summer event season that assist in achieving the priorities established in the Strategic Plan and help to expand the reach of the Talk. Read. Sing. Draw. Play. campaign.
Event sponsorship grants are provided in the amounts of $250, $500, $750 or $1,000 per event or activity, depending on size and type of event or activity. The following organizations are eligible to apply: community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, public agencies, and private agencies.
Application deadline is May 30, 2023 for events taking place during April 1 - June 30, 2023, or until funds are no longer available. Download application:
Event Sponsorship Grant Instructions
Event Sponsorship Grant Application Form
Sincerely,
First 5 San Joaquin
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Clinical Update
Dr. Claire Lazaro
Clinical Director
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Community Services Update
Brian Bennett
Community Services Director
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Valley Mountain Regional Center is Proud to Announce that our Vendor Community has met 100% Compliance with the HCBS Final Settings Rule!!!
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We would like to thank our incredible Vendor Community for their hard work and dedication to this process and the individuals we serve through Valley Mountain Regional Center! This was a long process many years in the undertaking. Our vendors and staff here at VMRC have learned many valuable lessons along the way. The most important of which is that individual choice and autonomy are necessary human rights that must be supported and upheld! Together we can create and maintain services that truly honor the wishes of our individuals served by VMRC! Thank you again!
Anna Sims
VMRC HCBS Program Evaluator
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The DEI Corner
Mark Crear, DEI Manger
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It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week (March 13-19) and here on the VMRC DE&I committee, we thought it was important to mark the occasion in all three of our office locations (Stockton, Modesto & San Andreas).
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing our community with the opportunity to recognize the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual.
Not every brain is the same. We think differently. We experience life differently. We interact with the world differently. This is called neurodiversity. Neurodiversity covers a wide spectrum of categories such as autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), social anxiety disorder, and other differences. Within each of these categories, there is a spectrum of affected behaviors.
At Valley Mountain Regional Center, we want to not just create space for neurodiversity acceptance, but rather, create space for neurodiversity CELEBRATION! Studies show that having a neurodiverse staff benefits the organization and staff. According to Harvard Health Publishing, we can define neurodiversity as "the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one 'right' way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits."
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Emergency Services Update
Aaron McDonald
Emergency Services and Safety Specialist
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Thankfully we are getting a break of additional wet weather anticipated next week. Even though it has stopped raining, it does not mean that there are still not hazardous we need to be aware of. | |
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Avoid contact with floodwater! Wear rubber gloves & rubber boots if you must touch floodwater. Prevent leaks with duct tape where tops of gloves & boots meet your clothes.
Tip: protect open cuts and wounds with waterproof bandages.
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North Valley Hills Update
Dena Hernandez, Regional Manager (209) 473-6930
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SCDD’s Supported Decision-Making Technical Assistance Program (SDM-TAP) is Hiring!
If you have experience in the intellectual and developmental disabilities arena and supported decision-making, and your communication, project management, and networking skills are second to none, we're looking for you!
Join a unique and specialized team in developing and implementing a statewide grant program that will shape the SDM-TAP across multiple systems and populations, including K-12, regional centers, healthcare, and the courts.
SDM-TAP elevates the voice of the self-advocate in important life choices. The program's resources will help people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities live life on their terms and explore alternatives to conservatorship.
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Family Resource Network (FRN) Update
Lisa Culley, Executive Director
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Sibshops...a group just for children and youth who have a sibling with a disability or special need. For children 7 to 14 years old, this free event provides a time to be away from their family, and to know that there are other unique kids just like them. The evening is an activity-filled time to discuss the fun (and not so fun) parts of having a sibling with disabilities, a time to celebrate, and have a great time! Our next San Joaquin group meets on Friday, March 31, 2023 (see flyer for details)
Pre-registration is required, and spaces are limited. Please contact the Family Resource Network office at 209-472-3674 or FRNfamilies@frcn.org to receive a registration packet.
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