FW: [Autism_NY_News] The ph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Parent/Family Public Policy Fellowship Program 2009

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Subject: [Autism_NY_News] The

ph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Parent/Family Public Policy Fellowship

Program 2009

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The ph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation

Parent/Family Public Policy Fellowship Program 2009

The ph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation is seeking outstanding leaders who are

parents or

family members of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

and who are working

towards the enhancement of inclusive services and supports for people with

intellectual and

developmental disabilities for an intensive one-year Public Policy

Fellowship in Washington,

D.C. During this one year Fellowship, the successful applicant will learn

how legislation is

initiated, developed, and passed by the Congress, or how programs are

administered and

regulations promulgated by federal agencies. The purpose of the Fellowship

is to prepare

emerging leaders or experienced family advocates to assume leadership in the

public policy

arena, in their home state and or nationally. The coming year promises to be

an exceptional

opportunity to participate in the policy development process as we go

through both the

Presidential and congressional election processes and begin the 111th

Congress.

Each year the Foundation brings talented and accomplished people to

Washington

for a full

year, where they actively participate in public policy development in the

offices of Members of

Congress, congressional committees, or federal agencies. Former Public

Policy Fellows

describe the Fellowship as a major turning point in their lives. The coming

year offers exciting

opportunities to be involved in policy and legislative development in key

areas such as The

Developmental Disabilities Act, special education, health and mental health

care for persons

with disabilities, disability civil rights, child care, housing, justice,

child welfare and other areas

related to improving the quality of life for individuals with intellectual

disabilities and

developmental disabilities.

Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has supported the creation of

practical programs to

benefit persons with intellectual disabilities, their families and their

communities. The

Foundation has always worked with national leaders who understand the

realities of

government. The need for skilled leadership has never been greater. In

response to this need,

the Foundation initiated the Public Policy Fellowship Program in 1980.

Fellows receive firsthand

knowledge and experience in the development of public policy and the

opportunity to

participate in an advocacy training workshop, national disability policy

seminars and the

intensive week-long Bioethics course at town University’s

Kennedy

Institute

of Ethics.

We seek people with outstanding experience in:

1. State or national level advocacy for persons with intellectual and

developmental

disabilities and their families;

2. Vocational rehabilitation, education, child care, child welfare, law,

employment,

community organizing, housing or development of inclusive community supports

and

services;

3. Health or mental health care for people with mental retardation; or

4. Development of family training or family support services.

2

The successful applicant’s background will include distinguished

involvement

in efforts to

improve the lives of persons with intellectual and other developmental

disabilities at the

regional, state or national level. The expectation is that fellows will

become future leaders in

the field of inclusive community supports for people with intellectual and

developmental

disabilities, and after their year in Washington will make significant

contributions to policy and

program development in their home state or continue to advance their work on

the national

level.

The program provides a one-year full-time exposure to the federal public

policy making

process, and includes a stipend and modest relocation expenses. Selected

fellows must be

prepared to live in the Washington,

DC area during

their fellowship year and

to devote

themselves full-time to the fellowship. In addition, applicants have the

opportunity to

participate in the Intensive Bioethics Course offered at the ph P. and

Rose F. Kennedy

Institute of Bioethics at town University.

For more information on

this course go to

http://kennedyinstitute.georgetown.edu/

Application process and guidelines:

Applicants should submit a letter of application between 2 and no more than

4 pages in length

stating their interest and accomplishments at the local, state or national

levels to date, as well as

what they hope to do with the knowledge and experience gained from the

fellowship. They

should also attach either a résumé or a summary of their involvement in the

field, along with

three letters of support from people familiar with their work. Applications

should clearly show

the candidate's name, address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address on the

first page. The

preferred method of application, letters and résumé submission is via e-mail

attachment (i.e.

not in the body of the e-mail) to eidelmanjpkf (DOT) org.

PDF attachments are

strongly encouraged

but not required. Applicants may follow up with hard copies via regular mail

if they wish.

Letters of support are also encouraged via e-mail but a hard copy on

letterhead with the

supporter's signature must follow in the mail.

The application deadline for 2009 is August 15, 2008. The Fellowship

starting date will be

negotiated with the successful applicant. The Foundation anticipates one

Fellowship beginning

in February, 2009 and running through July, 2010. Two other fellowships will

be available for

the period September 2009-August, 2010. As early 2009 will be the beginning

of a new

administration and Congress, the Foundation may delay the starting date

until congressional

committees have been reconstituted. Finalists will be invited to Washington

in the fall of 2008

to be interviewed by a distinguished panel of Public Policy experts.

Address letters of application to:

Mrs. Eunice Kennedy Shriver

The ph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation

1133 19th Street NW, 12th Floor

Washington, DC 20036

Attention: Parent/Family Public Policy Fellowship Program

Janice Fitzgerald

Parent to Parent of NYS

www.parenttoparentnys.org

, fax

As parents of children with exceptional needs, we have to understand early

on that our sons and daughters are human beings with potential and that we

are the ones best positioned to unlock that potential. Part of the work at

Parent to Parent of NYS is to empower parents to face the challenges and

believe in their child and advocate so they can reach their potential.