The Oklahoma Family Network newsletter, back to school 2011

              2011 OFN Back to School Newsletter
file:///Y|/Newsletters/OK%20Family%20Network%20newsletter/2011%20OFN%20Back%20to%20School%20Newsletter.htm[7/18/2013 11:51:19 AM]
2011 OFN Back to
 
Newsletter
The Back-to-School list for
Parents of Kids with Special Needs:
http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/the-back-to-school-
assignment-for-parents-of-special-needs-kids/
Check Out Oklahoma Sibshops
http://www.oumedicine.com/body.cfm?id=5036
Do you pack your kids lunch?
If so, check out this link
on packing a safe school lunch.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/packing-a-safe-school-
lunch/?ref=health
LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!!!
Each month, White House staff who work on disability-related policies
host a public, live-captioned conference call to keep the public better
informed about important developments on many different disability
issues. These calls also connect you to leaders in the federal
government who work on these issues. Over the past several months,
monthly conference calls have featured discussions on accessibility,
employment, education, technology, emergency preparedness,
transportation, healthcare and the federal budget.
The White House is now offering the opportunity for you to suggest
topics you'd like discussed during these calls. Send in your ideas
about subjects for discussion, as well as the federal officials
you'd like to hear from on these subjects, by visiting
https://www.disability.gov/WHQuestion.
Looking for organizations, programs or services near you?
Visit Disability.gov's
Center for Learning and Leadership/UCEDD
has produced a wonderful tool
Find services and resources available
Guide to Community Services
http://www.ouhsc.edu/thecenter/products/products.html
Beads of Courage
OFN NICU Coordinator, Kim Beeler is the Ambassador for Beads
of Courage at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa. The program is a
great Family Centered Care Program. It gives the parents a way of
journaling their babies care with a bead journal. The beads are
given for any procedure or milestone the baby has. For example,
being put on the ventilator and then coming off the ventilator is a
bead. As well as the first time the parents get to hold, feed and
bathe their baby. Parents are excited to have the beads to show
their babies journey of growth, strength and courage as well as the
families. When the children get older they use their beads to
explain to other children about the scars they have from surgeries
or why they wear glasses, etc. For those families whose babies die
during their NICU stay, it is a beautiful, tangible item chronicling
their baby’s life. We are very proud of Kim for bringing this program
to the Saint Francis Children's Hospital NICU.
It is the 3rd out of only 5 NICU's in the country to pilot the program.
If you would like to add info on Beads of Courage their website is
www.beadsofcourage.org