October 2, 2024 | Issue 150 (View newsletter as webpage) Para leer este boletín en Español, haga clic aquí

Important News

New Resources from the U.S. Department of Education Will Help School Communities Address the Needs of Students with Mental Health Disabilities

On September 24, the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, issued four new resources for schools, stakeholders, students with disabilities, and their families. These documents outline the rights of students with mental health disabilities and the responsibilities of elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and specifically address students with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, or bipolar disorder.

The resources are a series of fact sheets that remind schools of the obligation to treat a student with a mental health disability as they must treat any other student with a disability: free from discrimination, and the obligation to provide students with mental health disabilities with the modifications, supports, and services the students need to have equal access to their education.

To read the Department's press release about the fact sheets and access them for download, click here.

Critical Guidance Released on Health Coverage Requirements for Children and Youth Enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) released important guidance regarding the coverage requirements for eligible children and youth who are enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The guidance, Best Practices for Adhering to Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements, is in the form of a State Health Official letter.

This guidance is designed to help states strengthen their implementation of EPSDT requirements to improve health outcomes.

Key Issues to Note:

There is a section on Expanding and Using the Children-Focused (EPSDT) Workforce and Improving Care for Children with Specialized Needs to specifically address the needs of the children and youth we serve.
There is an overview of EPSDT requirements and how states can fulfill them. It discusses policies, strategies, and best practices to maximize health care access and use.

For more on the guidance, you can access the CMS press release by clicking here.

Resources

Disability Rights NJ Launches ASPYIR, an Interactive Self-Assessment Tool to Empower Youth with Disabilities

Disability Rights New Jersey, the state’s designated Protection and Advocacy system (P&A) for people with disabilities, launches “ASPYIR Transition Planning Tool,” a no-cost, self-assessment resource for students with disabilities, ages 13 to 21. ASPYIR empowers youth to take the lead in planning their futures by defining their interests, needs, and goals in preparation for adulthood.

ASPYIR stands for: Accessing Strategies to Prepare Youth for Independence and Responsibility. Once students complete the self-assessment, ASPYIR generates a document identifying the student’s goals related to education, employment, and independent living that can be used to chart their pathway to accomplishing those goals.

By utilizing ASPYIR, students gain a resource essential to becoming an active participant at their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, job interviews, and more. ASPYIR puts the power in their hands to be able to talk about the important aspects related to life as young adults.

To lean more, click here.

Have You Seen the Meet Little Monster Coloring and Activity Book from NAMI?

The Meet Little Monster Coloring and Activity Book was developed by NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) Washington as a tool for young people to express and explore their feelings in a fun, creative, and empowering way, and to foster dialogue between children and the safe adults in their lives.

To access the book in English, click here.

To access the book in Spanish, click here.

Upcoming Events

SPAN offers a variety of learning opportunities for families and the professionals who work with them.

Highlighted Event This Week

Literacy and Family Engagement

October 8th, 2024

11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT

Online

With special guest, Dr. Jamie Zibulsky, author of BookSmart

This event is designed for families, educators, community-based organizations, and students

It aims to empower families with the tools and strategies to boost their children's reading skills and foster successful outcomes.

Let's work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to become a confident and skilled reader!

To register, click here.

See all of SPAN's upcoming events with details and registration links here

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Disability In Media

Check out our latest youth blog post, "Disability in Media," which explores both the positive and negative portrayals of disabilities in today's media.

To access the post, click here.

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