BEINEINU NEWS & NOTES
May 31, 2013
INTERNATIONAL
Fundraiser—It has come to our attention that someone has been soliciting donations for Beineinu, claiming to be our fundraiser. Please be aware that all fundraising and donations to the Beineinu nonprofit organizations are handled exclusively by our respective offices in the USA and in Israel. We do not have an outside fundraiser working for us.
IPC Personnel Carrier—The Agilite IPC was originally created to carry injured Israeli soldiers to safety. The IPC has been found extremely useful as mobility equipment, a way to take the disabled children on hiking trips, to take disabled adults in and out of swimming pools and so many other applications. It is a wonderful tool for special needs camps, respite programs, families with disabled members, and others.
You can view IPC Pictures at:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6q8e6gla6b9coof/YPJoX0M8Fp
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ru5phaypksyw6vu/RqLw48DRH5
You can also view a video of the Israeli Injured Personnel Carrier at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbonwQ0YNBs.
Agilite is now offering a special 10% discount on the IPC for those who hear about it through Beineinu. To purchase an IPC with a Beineinu discount write to
USA
Total Teen Summer Experience—Rockland Jewish Family Service is sponsoring this 6-week summer program for teens with Aspergers or related social deficits. Activities include:
- Group Process, job training, and social skills
- Nutrition and exercise
- Work experience through internships
- Videography experience
For more information contact Michele Koenig, 845-354-2121 ext 141,
Baltimore Camp funding--Baltimore County has a $200.00 grant per child to attend camp this summer. (out of state sleep away camp is fine.) Baltimore County children with an IEP are eligible.
Call immediately if your child qualifies – funds are only available as long as they last. For more information or to apply, please call Nancy Thiess or Coleen Freeman at 410-887-3725.
LISS Applications—Menucha in Baltimore is sponsoring a LISS application celebration on June 11, 2013 from 8:15-9:15 pm, to assist families in applying for LISS funding of up to $3000.00. LISS will pay for:
- Sleepaway/day camp
- Respite Care
- Menucha’s evening program
- Home accessiblity modifications
- Theraputic equipment
Here’s what you need to bring - parent volunteers will help you do the rest!
- Copy or original of your child’s Social Security card
- Bill(s)/Invoice(s) for service(s)/items being requested
- First pages of your child’s IEP – the pages must include child’s diagnosed disability and address,
- Copy of Individual’s Medical Assistance card or proof of Medical Assistance Application (for children 18 and older)
- FOR RESPITE CARE ONLY – Bring all of the above plus your respite caregiver’s proof of age (must be over 18 and not living in your home) and address, W-9 form, and an Independent Contractor Agreement. Click here for an Independent Contractor Agreement.
- FOR HOME MODIFICATIONS- Bring the above four items plus an estimate for the modification on the contractor's letterhead and the contractor’s MHIC number. (LISS will not pay for work done by a contractor without an MHIC number) AND a letter from a physician or other professional detailing why this is necessary.
- FOR THERAPUTIC/ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT ONLY – Bring the above four items plus a letter from a physician or other professional detailing why this is necessary
Parents experienced with this process are asked to volunteer to help others with their applications. For more information contact
Legislative Action—Autism Network has sent out the following alert: Please take action today to stop two weird bills in Albany, Assembly Bill A7060 and Senate Bill S5557, which are identified as bills to recognize Earth Day, but also contain significant limits to current rights of special education students and their families under the guise of “mandate relief.”
The bills are sponsored by the respective Education Committee Chairs, Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan and Senator John Flanagan, but were requested by the Education Department, and as a courtesy the Chairs of the Education Committees always introduce the bills requested by the Department of Education. We do not know where Nolan or Flanagan stand on these bills.
Please call the offices of Senator Flanagan and Assemblymember Nolan and politely let them know you are opposed to the bills.
Senator John Flanagan, 518-455-2071, Assemblymember Catherine Nolan, 518-455-4851
Among other changes the bill would do the following:
Reduce the current statute of limitations from 2 years to 1 year, except in tuition reimbursement cases in which case it would be 6 months.
For preschool placement, a parent can no longer choose an independent evaluator. And all school districts are deemed to be approved evaluators.
Students receiving transportation under the 50-mile rule will not be eligible to receive special education services under 3602 C.
Weakens standards for declassifying and planning for student transition.
CSE Committee Members would no longer include a school physician, limits the school psychologist, parent member only upon request of the parent, and elimination of subcommittees.
For the full alert, see http://capwiz.com/a-champ/issues/alert/?alertid=62694301
ISRAEL
Summer Information From Kol Hazechuyot:
School Year is Ending:
In regular ed, including children mainstreamed in regular ed, the school year ends on June 30, 2013.
Children who are eligible for a longer schoolyear in the special ed (special ed preschools, special ed schools, special ed classes – Code 06 for complex disabilities in regular schools) – the school year will end on August 9, 2013.
Please note: During the time period between June 30-Aug 9, the activity in school takes place, for the large part, without the regular teachers and without the paramedical staff.
Saya'ot (aides) during the summer break:
Children who are mainstreamed in regular ed, who are eligible during the schoolyear for an aide, this eligibility continues throughout camp too, since the eligibility for an aide is for 12 months per year.
The eligibility is in accordance with the approved aide hours.
In order to be assisted by the aide during camp, the camp must be recognized and supervised by the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education recommends that the aide accompanying the child in camp, will be the same one accompanying him throughout the school year, whenever possible.
"Hasa'ot" (transportation) during the summer break:
In cases where a longer school year has been approved (in the special ed frameworks listed above), the Ministry of Education will continue to provide transportation automatically to those students who are eligible.
The Transportation division in the Ministry of Education does not fund transportation to camps at all. In a case of a longer school year in the special ed systems, this would be considered a longer school year, not a camp, and that is why transportation continues as usual.
Children who are mainstreamed in regular ed are not eligible for transportation to camps/school once the official school year is over, since the framework in which they are learning has ended in June.
Susidized camps for children diagnosed with Autism:
Starting July 2012, children with autism who are learning in regular ed within the educational system ("Integrated Education") will be able to enjoy a subsidizing of 500 nis per child in regular camps which the local government operate during the summer months. Until now, these children were only eligible for subsidization for special needs camps, even if during the year they would learn in regular ed.
As a result, parents who wished to continue mainstreaming their child in the regular ed with their friends from school, were required to pay for the "regular" camps out of pocket.
Special Camp Information From Kesher—Kesher has a list of summer camps on their website, www.horimbekesher.co.il. Some are listed below. Please note—all camps are secular unless noted:
Teenagers with epilepsy spend six days in Kfar Nahar HaYarden!
The annual resort of adolescents/teenagers ages 9-18 will take place between July 31-August 5, 2013, in the most magical place in the country – Kfar Nahar HaYarden.
Teenagers with controlled epilepsy who study in the regular ed are invited to register directly through Kfar Nahar HaYarden or (including any questions or comments) through the Center for Epilepsy Education in Soroka hospital – 08-6244481.
This is a lifetime experience which is entirely – transportation included – free of charge.
Misaviv LeKOL HaOlam
In August 2013, the MICHA Jerusalem Center will operate a camp for children with hearing impairments along with their hearing friends.
- An accessible and adapted environment
- Small group (up to fifteen children)
- Personal care
- Many enrichment activities
- Dates are Aug 8-15, Sundays through Thursdays, 7:30-16:00.
- COST: 1000 nis
Limited spaces
Registration and payment until May 15
For more info: MICHA – 02-6250034, Etty Cohen – 052-7714658.
Tzaharon HaKfar – The House That Loves Children
Sun-Thurs, 13
13:00-16:30, between July 1-Aug 31.
The Tzaharon (afternoon daycare) offers warmth, love, personal care and a homey environment for children in grades 1-3 in Kfar Shmuel.
Learning Center: Assistance with homework, tutoring and review before tests in a homey environment, one-on-one or in groups.
Varied enrichment activities: arts and crafts workshops, baking and social activities with an emphasis on various life skills.
Designated areas: Reading, board games, crafts and computer.
For more info: 052-8080850
Summer Camp: Israel-England 2013 – Zichron Menachem for Children With Cancer
(Zichron Menachem is a Haredi-run organization. Camp is geared for the general public. Call Zichron Menachem to find out more).
Zichron Menachem's summer camp will take place in England this year. The children will spend the first two days in Israel, getting to know each other, and on the third day they will fly as one group (about 220 ppl). They will visit tourist sites, amazing amusement parks and other sites.
The camp is geared for children with cancer ages 6-30 who are currently undergoing treatment.
Dates: June 30-July 10.
The camp is accompanied by a team of oncologists, nurses and a pharmacist, along with a mobile hospital which will prevent the need for hospital visits, psychologists, photographers, security guards and a trained and loving staff.
Registration through the site: www.zichron.org.
Or by phone: 02-6433001.
ILAN's Summer Camps 2013
Just like every year, ILAN is conducting summer camps for children and adolescents ages 7-21 who are physically disabled and who learn in regular ed or the special ed system.
In addition, ILAN conducts a summer camp for adults ages 21 and up.
The camps take place in kibbutzim, villages and settlements throughout the country. Every camper goes to a five-day sleepover camp, and each receives a volunteer from the kibbutz/village in which the camp is taking place.
The camps offer a variety of workshops and attractions adapted for the children of ILAN: amusement park, Superland, swimming pool, boating, cooking workshop, army day, activity day and many more special activities.
To register, fill out the forms – you can download them ILAN's website –and send them along with the payment to ILAN via fax: 03-5249828, email:
For more info: the national coordinators of the camps 2012: Orian: 050-7672728, Revital: 052-3084178.
The Community Centers' Camps for Children With Special Needs
Mainstreaming will be done in adapted groups and the coordinators' facilitation. Limited number of places. In order to find out more about the various activities geared for children with disabilities in the MATNASes (community centers), we suggest you contact your neighborhood MATNAS directly.
Summer Activities in Dvorat HaTavor
The Dvorat HaTavor vistitors' center in the Moshav Shadmot Dvorah will conduct special family summer tours.
The tours will include – a visit at the honey farm, bee observation in which you can see honey production from up close. A visit in the only silk room (?) in Israel where thousands of silk cocoons can be seen.
Many craft workshops for children – Indian honey chocolate, fragrant wax candle, bee cape, plaster decoration, a room sign.
A rich petting zoo with pygmy goats which can be fed by hand.
Open every day from 9:00-15:00
Cost: 35 nis per adult, 48 nis per child (age 2+)
For more information and to coordinate: 04-6769598, 050-5637645 www.dvorat-hatavor.co.il .
SHUTAF – A Mainstreaming Camp
Geared for: children and adolescents with special needs, and children with typical development – ages 6-21 (Total 72children and adolescents in the camp)
Dates: Aug 4-22, 2013
Activity Hours: 9:00-14:00 Sun-Thurs
Counselors: Each group of 12 campers has a staff head and three counselors, plus 2 assistants.
Program:
Ages 6-12 – a varied program which includes art, drama, sport, self defense, cooking, hip hop, Trip Day and Pool Day once a week.
Ages 13-21 – Researchers' Program: campers meet at camp for morning round then leave for activities outside which can include self defense, volunteering at a soup house, getting to know the community around, visiting businesses in the area to get to know potential workplaces, Pool Day and Trip Day every week with the entire camp.
Ages 17-21 – Assistants' Program: Working with the counselors as paid "young assistants".
Cost: 500 nis per week, plus 150 nis for transportation within Jersualem, 200 nis for transportation outside of Jerusalem – Maaleh Adumim, Mevaseret, etc.
Contact: Marci: 052-6948904
Email:
Website: www.campshutaf.org .