URGENT: Beckett Waiver Legal Training Announcement NEXT WEEK and Other info.

[Guest guest]

Dearest Advocates:

Urgent News: Please see below a wonderful training opportunity next week, Tuesday, October 7th, 2008 for those families that need help understanding the Medicaid hearing process for the Beckett Waiver. A few weeks ago, many families responding that they have been contacted by an attorney representing Medicaid regarding their fair hearing requests for Beckett Waiver eligibility from years ago. There are a ton of questions out there regarding this process and this is a way to get them answered!

If you plan on attending the below meeting, please send me a quick e-mail back so they know how many people will be attending. I don’t have any other information at this time but please try to attend if you have questions and need additional information regarding this process and YOUR rights for your child. The only way YOU will be able to advocate for your child is to properly educate yourself!

In addition, I have including other various items in this newsletter including an announcement regarding and Beckett speaking at the CDC, voting information, and a new special needs ministry.

In addition, Monkey Joes is sponsoring it’s second annual FREE special night for special kids on October 28th in Roswell. Hope to see you there. For additional information, see below!

United…We Will Make A Difference!

Sincerely,

Heidi

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Beckett Waiver Hearing- Legal Training

Georgia Advocacy Office and Atlanta Legal Aid and Georgia Legal Services are offering to do a training for parents who are faced with Beckett hearings. The draft agenda is below. We can do the training on Tuesday, October 7th, from 1 pm to 4 pm at the State Bar Headquarters at 101 Marietta Street, 3rd Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303. It is between the 5 Points and Omni MARTA Stations, and there is some parking in the building for $6.00. The training is free. We know this is short notice, but it’s been hard to find a time to do it, given the short time some pa

rents have before their hearings.

AGENDA

1:00 - 1:15 What happened to raise this issue at this time?

Harkins v. Medows -

1:15 - 1:30 What happens from here?

OSAH hearings have been scheduled

Motions for Summary Determination

1:30 - 2:00 OSAH Rules and Procedures

Website

Time lines

Responding to a MSD

Evidentiary issues

Remainder of Administrative Process

Final decision, DCH final administrative appeal, judicial review

Vicky Kimbrell or CB/JN/LL

2:00- 2:45 Substance of Beckett Administrative Case

Care Plans - Physicians

Parental plans -

DCH website forms

Regulations

2:45 - 3:15 Other Medicaid Programs - Eligibility and Services

3:15 - 3:45 Questions and Answers - We cannot answer questions specific to your case.

If you have questions about procedures, administrative law, or general Medicaid law

we are glad to try and respond.

Questions: Contact:

Lowe

Public Policy Advocate

1137 Moreland Place, SE

Atlanta, GA 30316

(fax)

smithlowe@...

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and Beckett Speak at the CDC:

A Focus On Disabilities, Announcement, NCBDDD, CDC….Please try and attend ORregister to participate in the 'Audio' Conference. Beckett is an inspiring mom and advocate and ' Beckett' is prettymuch a household name for families having children with disabilities.There is no fee, but registration is required.http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0cK0EPlqYg_2f73x_2f3_2b_2fcDpw_3d_3dJoin CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilitiesin welcoming a presentation from and Beckett. Beckettcurrently serves as Director

of National Policy for Family Voices. Herdaughter is Beckett, in whose name a Medicaid home and community-basedwaiver program was developed—often called the Beckett Waiver program(read more about and Beckett below). The Becketts will sharedetails on bringing families and communities together to obtain services forchildren with special needs/disabilities. This event will mark thetwentieth anniversary of the Disability and Health Program at CDC.The Becketts will share details on bringing families and communitiestogether to obtain services for children with special needs/disabilities.This event will also mark the twentieth anniversary of the Disability andHealth Program at CDC.Please let me know if you have any questions.Thanks,MarciaMarcia , MPHHealth Education SpecialistCenters for Disease Control and PreventionNational Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disa

bilities,Division of Human Development and Disability1600 Clifton Road, MS E-88, Atlanta, GA 30333 and (fax)mfv9@...Guest Speakers Beckett and BeckettFrom Family VoicesTuesday, October 213 p.m. (EST)CDC, Roybal CampusTom Harkin Global Communications CenterBuilding 19, Auditorium B 31600 Clifton Road, NEAtlanta, GA 30333Join CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and DevelopmentalDisabilities in welcoming a presentation from and Beckett. Beckett currently serves as Director of National Policy for Family Voices.Her daughter is Beckett, in whose name a Medicaid home andcommunity-based waiver program was developed—often called the BeckettWaiver program (read more about and Beckett below). The Beckettswill share details on bringing families and com

munities together to obtainservices for children with special needs/disabilities. This event will markthe twentieth anniversary of the Disability and Health Program at CDC.There is no fee, but registration is required.For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/ncbddd or contact Marcia at mfv9@... or Angie Colson at ftt7@....More about and Beckett contracted viral encephalitis when she was 6 months old.The virus caused severe damage to her body, including her ability tobreathe. She was placed on a ventilator and spent three years at a pediatricintensive care unit. Created in 1982, the home and community-based waiverprogram often called the Beckett Waiver program, allows children whowould otherwise be hospitalized or institutionalized to get treated at homeand continue to maintain Medicaid

eligibility. was the first recipientof this waiver. Her mother, Beckett, worked with Congress to obtainthis waiver.About Family VoicesFamily Voices, a national grassroots network of families andfriends, believes that people with special health needs face common problemscaused by fundamental inadequacies in our health care system. Family Voicesdoes not support any specific health care reform plan. Instead, FamilyVoices advocates for the inclusion of a set of basic principles in everyhealth care reform proposal.Audio conferencing is available. Please click on theregistration link for more information.Presented in partnership with Association of University Centerson Disabilities.

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NEW Special Needs Ministry:

Green Light Ministry

Children with special needs and their family members face more than their share of red lights as they travel through life. Unfortunately, for many of these families, the church has been just another one of these red lights along the road, but at Ferry Baptist Church, we think it is time to flip the switch with our new Green Light Ministry designed especially for children, grades K-5, who have special needs.

This fall, the Children’s Ministry at JFBC is excited to announce 2 new options for Sunday Bible Study – an inclusion program with one-on-one buddies as well as a special 10:00am Green Light Sunday Bible Study class designed for children who have special needs, taught by teachers with special education training, and assisted by nursing staff who will be on-call during the Bible study hour. In the spring, we will also be kicking off a new respite event called Refuel. Exciting things are happening at JFBC!

IMPORTANT: You must be pre-registered in order to attend a Green Light event. Visit us online at www.johnsonferry.org/children/greenlight to download our registration forms or contact Eden Hutchins at eden.hutchins@... or to find out how you can get plugged in!

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From AADD: Early Voting in Georgia Information:

Is your schedule hectic? Not sure if you’ll be in town on Election Day? Want to avoid Election Day crowds? Then take advantage of one of the numerous voting options offered here in Georgia. Go to

http://www.sos.georgia.gov/elections/advanced_voting.htm

Fill in this PDF application online, or print the application and then write in the information. Verify all information on your application. Sign your application. Mail the completed, signed application. No postage necessary if mailed in the United States. Go to

http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/voter_registration/voter_reg_app.htm

Are you registered to vote in Georgia? If so, you can use the Secretary of State Poll Locator to get maps and directions to your polling place, find your elected officials, and check your voter registration information. Go to

http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/PollLocator.aspx

Blanchard - Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities

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Monkey Joes Presents:

2nd Annual Special Night for Special Kids!

On Tuesday, October 28th

Monkey Joes of Roswell will be opening its doors to all families of children with special needs.

FOR A NIGHT OF FREE PLAY!

6:00pm- 8:30pm

In addition food and drink has been donated by Pizza Hut on Holcomb Bridge Road, Mama Fu's on Mansell and Alpharetta Highway, and Moe's on Crossville Highway...all in Roswell

http://www.monkeyjoes.com/contactus30076.aspx

--Heidi J. (Proud Mother to - 8 years old with Down syndrome & - 7 years old) For more information about how Heidi can help you maximize your child's potential, please go to www.heidijmoore.com "Help The Children Now, So They Can Help Themselves Later!" The material contained in this e-mail is for general information only. It is not intended in any way to provide or offer legal advice. To obtain legal advice, please consult with your attorney or a qualified legal representative.