CFPB debuts Spanish language website (consumerfinance.gov)

Step By Step and Bully-Free West Virginia having their West Virginia Anti-Bullying Summit at the Chapmanville Middle school in Logan County, on Tuesday June 25th 2013 from 9:30 A.M. until 4:45 P.M. The cost is $65 per person, which will include lunch and materials.

West Virginia Anti-Bullying Summit Letter
West Virginia Anti-Bullying Summit Agenda

If you have any further questions, please contact Bully Free West Virginia at bullyfreewv@stepbystepwv.org.

Hospice Care Corporation is preparing their annual Camp Nabe program which will be held July 12 - 14, 2013 this year in Bruceton at Camp Roy Weller. Camp Nabe is designed to help children (ages 7-17) by providing activities and discussions designed to find helpful ways to cope with grief. This program is free to all families and open to any child in West Virginia. The deadline to register is May 24th.

• Camp Nabe Brohcure (PDF)
• Camp Nabe Application (PDF)

DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) is the largest peer to peer, volunteer organization in WV helping those with mood disorders and their families.  Meetings are free and confidential.
 
DBSA WV is pleased to announce the opening of several new chapters in WV.
 
DBSA Morgantown meets on the 4th Monday of each month at the Presbyterian Church on  Spruce Street.  For info call Roberta at (304) 292-0525
 
DBSA Marion County meets the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at the First Baptist Church at 7pm. For more information call Janette at (304) 694-5054
 
DBSA Logan/Chapmanville meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Chapmanville City Hall Building.  For more information call Betty at (304) 310-4320
 
St. Albans: First meeting will be on June 17th at 6pm at St. Marks Episcopal Church.  For more information call Brandy at (304) 415-7251
 
To Start a DBSA chapter in your area please contact: Diana Thompson, DBSA WV, (304) 472-1947

The Kanawha County Family Resource Network (FRN) meeting scheduled for May 9, 2013.  The next meeting is scheduled for June 13, 2013 at noon at the Schoendaum Center.

The Kanawha Communities that Care Partnership meeting is on May 22, 2013 at 2 P.M. at the South Charleston Library.

For more information call 304.414.4470.

From the Arc of WV:

What Does Your Family Need?

Families which include members with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have a variety of needs from obtaining healthcare to navigating social service systems to emotional support. And, these needs can be substantially different from the needs of families who do not have a member with I/DD. That is why organizations such as The Arc exist: to help families meet those unique needs.

Now, an international team of researchers is working to identify and prioritize these needs and compile the data into a report that will help organizations such as The Arc, early intervention programs, family-related and human service organizations better understand what needs are the most critical to families and seek funding to provide for those needs.

Can you help? If you are the parent of a child with I/DD from birth to age 21, you can take this online survey, called the Family Needs Assessment (FNA) and help us understand exactly what your family needs to thrive. Click Here for more information or go to: http://goo.gl/w9BNI

http://www.dailymail.com/News/201305020040

More information from an e-mail from DHHR:

WV Department of Health and Human Resources

Medicaid Expansion

Consumer Questions

 

Q. When will Medicaid Expansion begin?

A. Individuals may apply starting Oct. 1, 2013 for a Jan. 1, 2014 start date.

Q. What are the income guidelines for Medicaid Expansion eligibility?

A. The expansion of coverage will benefit people who make up to 138% of the FPL. Currently, 138% FPL is $15,856 for an individual or $26,951 for a family of three. The chart below provides additional income guidelines:

Family Size	2013 FPL	138% FPL
1	$11,490	$15,856
2	$15,510	$21,403
3	$19,530	$26,951
4	$23,550	$32,499
5	$27,570	$38,046
6	$31,590	$43,594
7	$35,610	$49,141
8	$39,630	$54,689

Q. How will individuals apply/enroll?

A. On or after October 1, 2013, individuals may apply online through the Federal Marketplace website, the WVDHHR website or federal call centers. Individuals may also apply in person at the local DHHR office.

Q. How will low-income individuals and families benefit from Medicaid expansion?

A. The expansion of coverage will benefit many people who were not previously eligible, including low income, non-disabled adults without children. CCRC estimates that more than 90,000 West Virginia residents will be enrolled in Medicaid and WVCHIP by 2018.

Q. As a Medicaid Member, will my services change with Medicaid Expansion?

A. If you are currently enrolled in Managed Care, your services will change. Managed Care will cover behavioral health, personal care, non-emergency medical transport, children’s dental and pharmacy services.

Q. What if I am eligible for Medicaid, but don’t want to enroll?

A. Individuals have the option whether to enroll. However, any tax incentives will be forfeited if private sector health care insurance is purchased instead.

For any media inquiries you receive, please refer to the Office of Communications at 304-558-7899.

West Virginia Advocates is asking for comments from the public on its Fiscal Year 2014 (October 2013 thru September 2014) Priorities and Objectives from May 6, 2013 through June 21, 2013. You may find our current (Fiscal Year 2013) Priorities and Objectives on our website wvadvocates.org.

You may submit comments by:

• Phone: (800) 950–5250
• Fax: (304) 346–0867
• E-mail: contact@wvadvocates.org with a subject line of “FY 2014 P&O Comments”
• Mail: WV Advocates 1207 Quarrier St Ste 400 Charleston, WV 25301
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/wvadvocates
• Public Meeting: See below

Public Meeting

You are invited to attend a meeting for the purpose of providing comments on West Virginia Advocates’ Fiscal Year 2014 Priorities and Objectives.

When: May 23, 2013 from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
Where: Best Western, 100 Lodgeville Rd, Bridgeport, WV 26330, (304) 842–5411
Directions: Take Interstate 79 to Exit 119. Turn on Route 50 East toward Bridgeport. Turn left at the second traffic light onto Lodgeville Road. Best Western is located on the right beside Walgreens.

Public meetings in Morgantown, Charleston to assess planned policy revisions (wvdrs.org)

A student at WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Science is conducting a study and is seeking participants who are "adults with intellectual disabilities and their primary caregiver." If you are interested, more information is available in their recruitment letter (RTF).

My Child Needs a One to One Aide

The National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia offers free Braille training through their Braille Peer Tutoring Program (RTF).

Due to expected cuts in our federal funding as a result of Congress implementing Sequestration, we are unable at this time to start any new services for consumers under our Protection and Advocacy for Developmental Disabilities (PADD) program. This program funds services for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We are placing callers on a waiting list to be called back when funding is available. At this time we are still accepting requests for new services for our other programs.

If you would like to express your complaints and concerns about this, we suggest you contact the White House, your senators and members of the House of Representatives/or your local Congress person.

Senator Rockefeller
Beckley – 304–253–9704
Charleston – 304–347–5372
Fairmont – 304–367–0122
Martinsburg – 304–262–9285
Washington, DC – 202–224–6472

Senator Manchin
Charleston – 304–342–5855
toll free in WV – 855–275–5737
Morgantown – 304–284–8663
Martinsburg – 304–264–4626
Washington, DC – 202–224–3954

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
202–456–1111
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

House of Representatives Members:

• David McKinley - 202–225–4172
• Shelly Moore Capito - 202–225–2711
• Nick Rahall - 202–225–3452

Save the Date!

The Third Annual Partners in Early Intervention Conference

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Wheeling Jesuit University
316 Washington Ave
Wheeling, WV 26003

By: West Virginia Birth to Three and Catholic Charities West Virginia