|
||||||||||||||||||||
HRTW – ME Maine Works for Youth! [Project Overview] [Contacts] [Abstract] PROJECT OVERVIEW: The purpose of the Maine Works for Youth Project is to enhance the successful transition of all children, adolescents and young adults with special health care needs through the development and implementation of a statewide support and service network that is understandable, easily accessible, financially feasible, culturally competent, continuous and coordinated and in which all children with special health care needs are identified and receive the necessary supports to transition. AWARDS CONTACTS: Toni Wall has been is the Director of the Maine Children with Special Health Needs Program for the past 5 years, prior to that she was the Assistant Director for 4 years. Toni has a BS in Biology and will acquire her Masters in Public Administration in the spring of 2004. A primary goal and passion of Toni's is to actively promote the inclusion of families and youth in all aspects of policy development not only in CSHN but also within the other Maternal and Child Health Programs. Toni actively participates on both the CSHN Family and Youth Advisory Councils. Members from each council have commented "it's a true sense of commitment to have the Director present." Toni has lived in Maine for 25 years, she is a wife, mother and active PTA member. EXPERTISE: Family and youth participation, transition, collaboration and partnership development, systems change and policy. Debbie Gilmer, Co-Project Director, Maine Works for Youth! Debbie Gilmer is the Coordinator of Community Services at the University of Maine’s Center for Community Inclusion, Maine’s UCEDD (formerly UAP) and the Co-Project Director with Toni Wall of the Maine Works for Youth! Project, Maine’s HRTW Phase II project. She also co-directed Maine’s HRTW Phase I project, the Maine Adolescent Transition Partnership and the HRTW needs assessment, the Maine Adolescent Transition project. Debbie holds an M.Ed in Severe Disabilities and a B.A. in Sociology/B.S.W. In addition to this project, she is currently directing an OSERS funded model demonstration high school renewal project; a quality perspectives research project as a component of Maine’s Real Choices initiative and a statewide community education project training employment specialists and job coaches. Debbie is a former high school special educator, regional transition coordinator, statewide inclusive education project director, DD Council member, foster and surrogate parent. Debbie is a native New Yorker and has lived in Maine for more than 25 years; she travels to the coast of Oregon at every opportunity. EXPERTISE: Participatory action research, inclusive co-instruction, inclusive education, leadership education, transition, student and person centered planning, long term care systems change, partnership development and collaboration, employment supports ADDITIONAL STAFF Brian is a Project Specialist at the Center for Community Inclusion (CCI) at the University of Maine. Brian began working at the CCI in October 2001. Brian' s work involves development of web sites for the project, presentations and the development of youth oriented educational materials Brian is a member of Maine's Children With Special Health Needs Program Youth Advisory Board, the Youth Educators & Advocators of Maine (YEA ME). In his spare time, Brian enjoys learning more about computers & technology, as well as occasionally getting involved in Wheelchair sports, such as Basketball & Tennis. Janet May, Project Coordinator, Maine Works for Youth! Janet is the Project Coordinator for the Maine Works for Youth project at the Center for Community Inclusion (CCI) at the University of Maine. Janet was project coordinator of Maine's Healthy & Ready to Work Phase I project, the Maine Adolescent Transition Partnership (MATP) and she performs a similar function on the new project, Maine Works for Youth. Prior to coming to CCI, Janet worked as a regional transition coordinator for nine years in Maine's transition network. Janet has a BS in Physical Education and a Masters of Education in the area of Special Education from the University of Maine. For fun Janet likes to go to the ocean, bike, read and spend time with her family. .. Bonnie Robinson, Research Associate, Maine Works for Youth! Bonnie is the parent of a 24 year old young man with developmental disabilities. Due to her experiences with her son and her desire to help other children with special needs and their families she returned to school and earned a B.S. in Child Development/Family Relations, with a concentration in Disability Studies in 1999. She continued on to receive a M.Ed., Individualized Program focusing on Special Education, in 2001. She worked as a graduate assistant on Maine’s Phase I Healthy and Ready to Work project, the Maine Adolescent Transition Partnership (MATP) and is currently a research associate working on the Maine Works for Youth! (MWFY) project. She continues to advocate for her son in the adult service arena, is investigating home ownership for people with disabilities, and is taking a course on Assistive Technology. For fun Bonnie enjoys camping with her husband and children in her home state of Maine. Elijah Steward, Student Project Assistant, Maine Works for Youth! Elijah is a fourth year student majoring in Health/Fitness and Outdoor Education at the University of Maine. Elijah began his involvement with Maine's Healthy & Ready to Work Phase I project, the Maine Adolescent Transition Partnership (MATP) as a high school junior. He was chosen by his high school principal to participate in a Youth Leadership Initiative sponsored by the MATP project in December of 1998. Since then Elijah has presented at a number of conferences both in Maine and throughout the United States. Elijah has also participated as a trainer at subsequent Youth Leadership Initiatives, and is currently a Student Project Assistant for the Healthy and Ready to Work’s (HRTW) Phase II, Maine Works for Youth! project. Elijah is also a member of the Children with Special Healthcare Need’s youth advisory board YEA ME (Youth Educators and Advocators of Maine). In addition to his studies Elijah actively participates in several campus organizations and represents youth in numerous, on and off campus, committees. He is also a Big Brother to a 14-year-old youth. Elijah is interested in paleontology, theoretical quantum physics, and is also a fan of motion pictures. He is also a state record holder in the sport of power lifting. Youth Advisory Members (YEA ME):
Purpose: The Children with Special Health Needs (CSHN) Program, Division of Family Health, Bureau of Health, Maine Department of Human Services, and the University of Maine's Center for Community Inclusion, Maine's Center for Excellence in the Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service propose the Maine Works for Youth Project. Building on the successes and lessons learned from the Maine Adolescent Transition Partnership (MATP) the Maine Works for Youth Project in collaboration with University of Maine's Center for Community Inclusion, Eastern Maine Medical Center and parent advocacy and state and private agencies; and overseen by the CSHN Family Advisory Council (FAC) and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), will work towards achievement of the six core outcome indicators of Achieving and Measuring Success for Children with Special Health Care Needs by 2010 advanced by MCHB through continuing and enhancing the statewide activities of the collaborative partnership developed in the MATP. Challenges: Youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities continue to exit public schools poorly prepared for life as adults; age out of pediatric health care systems without adequate transition to medical homes; face lives of poverty on SSI; and, services to address these needs remain fragmented and scarce. Just as critically, youth and their families are not typically engaged in affecting and influencing systems change and reform efforts related to issues directly impacting their lives. Goals and Objectives: Consistent with the six core
outcome indicators of Achieving and Measuring Success for Children with
Special Health Care
Needs by 2010, the project proposes the following goals and objectives:
Goal 2 - All families with special health care needs will have adequate private and/or public insurance to pay for the services they need.
Goal 3 - All youth will be screened early and continuously for special health care needs.
Goal 4 - Services for youth with special health care needs and their families will be organized in ways that families can use them easily.
Goal 5 – Families of youth with special health care needs will partner in decision making at all levels and will be satisfied with the services they receive.
Goal 6 – All youth with special health care needs will receive the services necessary to make appropriate transitions to all aspects of adult life, including adult health care, work and independence.
Methodology:
Youth Health, Development and Leadership will include the following activities:
Within Model Community Development, the following activities will occur:
Strengthening Infrastructure will include the following activities:
Evaluation: Rigorous formative and summative evaluation, with a feedback
loop for immediate use of formative findings will be conducted throughout
the entire project. [Articles] [Products] [Interagency]
[Sponsored Meetings] [Presentations] PRODUCTS ME Works! On the Web Youth Educators and Advocators of Maine - YEA ME www.umaine.edu/cci/service/maineworks/yeame/ Maine Works for Youth! On-Line Discussion Board MeWorks! Pages for Youth and Young Adults www.umaine.edu/cci/service/maineworks/youth/index.htm MeWorks! Adolescent and Transition Links www.umaine.edu/cci/service/maineworks/meworkslinks.htm HRTW-ME -Service Tapestry HRTW-ME - Summary, Outcomes & Impact The Maine CARE notebook Roadmap to Success: A Path to Fulfilling Your Goals YouthSpeak CD - 2nd edition MeWorks! Valuable promotional items developed and produced this year include: Informational bookmark, pens, pencils, totebags, and t-shirts. INTERAGENCY PARTNERSHIPS & AGREEMENTS The Maine Works! Initiative enjoys collaborative partnerships with numerous state agencies and organizations including:
HRTW-ME SPONSORED MEETINGS
PRESENTATIONS NATIONAL YouthSpeak: What we want caregivers and policymakers to know! Ken Crest Services 2003 National Conference, Building Relationships, Respecting Diversity: Children Who Are Medically Fragile or Technology Dependent, Philadelphia, PA, 3/2003. [HRTW-ME, CYR, CYR & MAY] Partnering with families and youth, Annual meeting of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Arlington, VA, 03/2003. [HRTW-ME, GILMER & WALL] Youth Voices on Inclusive Education in Maine, presentation to US Virgin Island UCEDD colleagues by YEA ME members, Orono, ME, 02/2003. [HRTW-ME, NOYES, HARNISH & STEWARD YouthSpeak: What We Want Our Policy Makers to Know! Invited presentation to the Region I Administration on Children and Families Promoting Positive Youth Involvement conference, Springfield, MA, 09/2002. [HRTW-ME, GILMER, MAY, BELL & NOYES] Transition from Pediatric to Adult Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Perspectives from Maine, Georgetown University Training Institutes 2002, Developing Local Systems of Care for Children and Adolescents with Emotional Disturbances and Their Families, Washington, DC, 07/2002. . [HRTW-ME, WALL, GILMER & HARNISH] Daughters and sons of the heart: Navigating the multigenerational impact of mental illness, Annual Conference of the Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, Portland, OR, 05/2002. . [HRTW-ME, GILMER] STATE YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities (SED 402), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 06/2003. [HRTW-ME, Steward & MAY] YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities (SED 402), University of Southern Maine, Gorham, ME 06/2003 [HRTW-ME, Son, Charronsmith & MAY] YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities (SED 402), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 05/2003. [HRTW-ME, Son & MAY] Parents’ Experience with Special Education in Maine, Adapting Instruction for Students in Disabilities (SED 402), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 02/2003. [HRTW-ME, LUCAS & ROBINSON] Exploring the Ocean of Health Care and Insurance, Come With Me Beneath the Sea: Exploring the Depths of Educating All Children, Rockport, ME. 02/2003. [HRTW-ME, LUCAS, MAY & ROBINSON] Raising Our Voices for Opportunity, Equality and Justice, The Annual International TASH conference, Boston, MA, 12/2002. [HRTW-ME, WALL, HARNISH, BELL, NOYES & SON] www.umaine.edu/cci Youth Influencing Change In Maine, “Celebrating Excellence In Transition,” So. Portland, ME, 12/2002. [HRTW-ME, SON, HARNISH & MAY] Parents’ Experience with Special Education in Maine, Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities (SED 402), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 12/2002. [HRTW-ME, LUCAS & ROBINSON] YouthSpeak: What We Want Our Peers to Know, Maine Youth Action Network Peer Leadership Conference, Bangor, ME. 11/2002. [HRTW-ME, NOYES, CHARRON-SMITH, MAY] Transition & youth with special health care needs, Introduction to Interdisciplinary Disability Studies (DIS 400), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 11/2002. [HRTW-ME, MAY] YouthSpeak: What We Want Our Parents to Know, Family Advisory Council, Augusta, ME, 11/2002. [HRTW-ME, NOYES & ROBINSON] Medical Issues: How to Deal with Them, 3rd Annual Teen Conference “Preparing for the Future: Roadmap to Success,” Augusta, ME. 10/2002. [HRTW-ME, HARNISH & SON] After High School: Learning Opportunities, 3rd Annual Teen Conference “Preparing for the Future: Roadmap to Success,” Augusta, ME 10/2002. [HRTW-ME, STEWARD & CYR] Real Life Skills: From Laundry to Finances…, 3rd Annual Teen Conference “Preparing for the Future: Roadmap to Success,” Augusta, ME 10/2002.. [HRTW-ME, Bell & Noyes] Focus on the Positives, Eliminate the Negatives: Living Day-to-Day With A Chronic Illness, 3rd Annual Teen Conference “Preparing for the Future: Roadmap to Success”, Augusta, ME 10/2002 [HRTW-ME, GREEN] YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Adapting Instruction for Students with Disabilities (SED 402), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 09/2002. [HRTW-ME, HARNISH & MAY] Youth Leadership Basics, Learning to Speak the Language, Committee on Transition Youth Leadership Training Retreat, China, ME, 09/2002. [HRTW-ME, MAY] YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Math Methods in Special Education (EDU 590), University of Maine, Orono, ME, 07/2002. 09/2002. [HRTW-ME, ROBINSON & STEWARD] YouthSpeak: What we want our teachers to know! Educational Needs of
Students with Physical/Medical Disabilities (SED 572), University of
Maine, Orono, ME, 07/2002. 09/2002. [HRTW-ME, HARNISH & MAY] |
||||||||||||||||||||