Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities

What does Disability Pride mean to you? ⭐

We want to hear from you! Share your own perspective with us here: https://tinyurl.com/GCPDPride24

Take part in our upcoming Disability Pride Month Snack Chats, where people with developmental disabilities are invited to chat about finding a sense of pride in their disability experiences and communities. Register below!

Monday, July 15: tinyurl.com/GCPD071524

If you are a Hoosier with a disability - especially an intellectual or developmental disability - we are inviting you to reflect on what disability pride means to you and share your perspective with the community.

Do you think having pride in your disability is possible? Is your disability an important part of your identity? Are there barriers to feeling positively about your disability? We want to know! Check out our writing prompts in the form below. We will be publishing responses on our website, newsletter, and social media pages.

There are no right or wrong answers. Your voice matters, and we hope you will consider this an opportunity to contribute to a larger conversation about disability identity, affirmation, acceptance, and solidarity.

Submit here: https://tinyurl.com/GCPDPride24

It's Disability Pride Month!

Created in 2019 by Ann Magill, the Disability Pride Flag's multi-colored stripes represent various forms of disability.

🟢 Green: deafness, blindness, and other sensory disabilities.
🔵 Blue: psychiatric disabilities and mental illness.
⚪️ White: non-apparent, invisible, and undiagnosed disabilities.
🟡 Gold: neurodivergence and cognitive and intellectual disabilities.
🔴 Red: physical disabilities.

These color categories are not conclusive nor mutually exclusive. They serve as a starting point, acknowledging that disability exists on a spectrum of both distinct and interconnected experiences. The Disability Pride Flag is a tribute to the diversity across the disability community and a reminder of what unites us.

PLEASE SHARE: Stay cool, stay safe. Call 2-1-1 to find cooling centers open in your community. Indiana 211 community navigators are available 24/7 and can provide you with updated locations and hours of cooling centers in your area or visit IN211.org.



Image Description: The image is an informational poster with a blue background. At the top, there is a speech bubble in light purple with bold white text that reads, "NEED COOLING CENTERS?" Below it is another speech bubble in orange with bold white text that reads, "DIAL 2-1-1." Underneath, the logo of the Indiana Family & Social Services Administration (FSSA) is on the left. The right side has the text "Indiana" and a logo with "2-1-1" inside a speech bubble. At the bottom, there is small white text reading "Indiana 211 is a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration."

Clinical Standards For Autism Treatment See Major Update For the first time in a decade, there are new guidelines for the most widely-used autism treatment.

2025–2030 Strategic Plan Survey - Special Olympics Indiana Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round training and competition in more than 20 sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

is dedicated to Judy Heumann, our late friend and mentor featured in the film. We’re looking forward to honoring Judy by sharing the film with her community in Washington, DC, and by bringing together a panel filled with people who were all closely connected to her - Samuel Habib, Dan Habib, Bob Williams, Elijah Armstrong, Anna Landre, and Day Al-Mohamed.

We hope you join us at DC DOX Festival on June 15th at 3:15pm: https://dcdoxfest.com/films/the-ride-ahead/

Image Description: An animated still from the film of Judy Heumann smiling wearing a blazer and pearl necklace. Beaming around her are yellow, orange, and blue toned rays of light.

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate love, diversity, and the LGBTQIA+ community. The National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) proudly joins this celebration, emphasizing the importance of inclusion and acceptance for all.

Pride Month highlights the ongoing fight for equality and the right to live authentically. We at NACDD are committed to fostering an environment where everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or disabilities, can live their best lives. We emphasize that the voices and experiences of individuals with developmental disabilities are crucial within the LGBTQIA+ community, and celebrate these individuals and their contributions, recognizing their strength and resilience.

As we commemorate Pride Month, let us reaffirm our commitment to equity and respect for all. Together, we can create a future that embraces diversity and ensures that everyone has the opportunity to live a life of dignity and opportunity.

Happy Pride Month from the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities!

Doctors Get Guidance On Supporting Teens With IDD The nation's pediatricians are getting new guidance on how to help teenagers with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families navigate the transition to adulthood.

Come visit our table at the ISHN Conference tomorrow and Wednesday!

Indiana School Health Network Conference - Covering Kids & Families of Indiana

Inside Spirituality: ‘Ask The Experts’ with AAIDD’s Religion and Spirituality Interest Network - The Council on Quality and Leadership A Q&A style webinar featuring experts in understanding and supporting spirituality, from AAIDD’s Religion and Spirituality Interest Network.

https://acl.gov/news-and-events/acl-blog/policy-round-voting-rights-overtime-rule-hcbs-quality-resources-and-more

Policy Round-Up: Voting Rights, Overtime Rule, HCBS Quality Resources, and More | ACL Administration for Community Living Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Advocacy Groups Aim To Tackle Mental Health, Heart Issues Among Those With IDD National developmental disability advocacy groups are inking multimillion-dollar partnerships with some big players in health care in a push to better address co-occurring conditions.

Prison Is Even Worse When You Have a Disability Like Autism State officials often fail to identify prisoners with developmental disorders, a group that faces overwhelming challenges behind bars, from bright lights to noises to social dynamics.

A major win for disability rights! We're celebrating! 🌟

Making Disability Rights History: HHS Announces Powerful Anti-Discrimination Protections | ACL Administration for Community Living Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Exciting news! The LifeCourse Nexus is partnering with national organizations to create Health Care Transition Kits for youth and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). These kits are designed to empower youth and young adults to take charge of their health care journey as they transition into adulthood.

We are seeking youth between the ages of 12-26 years old with I/DD, as well as family members of someone between the ages of 12-26 years old with I/DD to help us review and finalize these kits (see flyer below for details). We would appreciate you sharing this information with those who are in these categories. Here is the direct link for you and families to apply:
https://umkcihd.tfaforms.net/f/HCTKitApp
For questions, reach out to [email protected]

Early Childhood Relational Health in Indiana Webinar Series

Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, the Early Childhood Center (ECC) team is excited to share information about an upcoming webinar series. This series, coming to you in May and June of 2024, focuses on early childhood relational health in Indiana.

Funded by the CDC Children’s Mental Health Champion grant, ECC is grateful to partner with this exciting group of speakers and offer this series free of charge to all early childhood professionals in Indiana. ASL interpretation will be provided.

View a brief trailer and series schedule by going to https://go.iu.edu/8lrb

Next Tuesday (April 30, 1-2 pm ET), the Office of Minority Health, US Department of Health and Human Services is hosting a virtual roundtable discussion to close out National Minority Health Month. The session is called: "Social Determinants of Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities, and Connections." The discussion will include "the ways in which the conditions of the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age (known as social determinants of health, or SDOH) affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks."

Register:
https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_wBkAPuyFTi-G5nB6O_sU2w #/

Join us tomorrow for a lunchtime webinar about understanding and supporting autism and neurodiversity in the developmental disability community.

ASL and live captions will be provided.

Register here: https://tinyurl.com/GCPD4192024

Viewing Safety Viewing Safety Total Solar Eclipse 2024 Current: Viewing Safety A total solar eclipse is a rare and grand spectacle of nature. By following simple precautions, you can experience it safely. Do's and Don'ts Eye SafetyEye SafetyDo's and Don'tsDOUse eclipse glasses or solar viewers that meet the ISO 12...

April is . Autism is a developmental disability that affects how autistic people experience the world around them. Some autistic people do not speak, but all autistic people have something important to say!

In our posts, we will follow the lead of The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and say "autistic person" (identity-first language) instead of "person with autism" (person-first language). Some autistic people may prefer to call themselves a person with autism, and that's okay too! You should always use the language of the person you are talking about or with.

To learn more about Identity-First and Person-First language, check out this great video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddcl-yA88MU

"In a recent study completed by DSRP, young adults with Down syndrome told us that they liked being their own person, had high aspirations and a zest for life; they disliked being treated differently from others in the general community and were aware of their limitations. Young adults are indeed living lives of meaning and purpose, though in very different ways, with varying forms of support to enable them to flourish."

World Down Syndrome Day: A Chance to End the Stereotypes | United Nations The international community, led by the United Nations, can continue to improve the lives of people with Down syndrome by addressing stereotypes and misconceptions.

We're looking for interns! If you have a passion for disability advocacy and public health work, we hope you'll apply!

Five-by-Five Public Health Intern Five-by-Five Public Health Intern

A world of opportunity opens when we challenge assumptions.

ASSUME THAT I CAN | World Down Syndrome Day 2024 Our negative assumptions about people with Down syndrome can lead us to treat them in such a way that these assumptions become reality. In sociology, this is...

Disability Advisory Committee The Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) is a federal advisory committee that provides advice and recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission on a wide array of disability issues .

Feelings of loneliness and isolation are common during the holidays. When those feelings become overwhelming, or turn to intrusive thoughts of self-injury, it's ok to ask for help.
If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of su***de, mental health or substance use crisis, dial 9-8-8 to call or text the su***de and crisis lifeline and connect with a trained crisis specialist, 24/7. Nonjudgemental help and hope is on the line.

Visit the Indiana 9-8-8 https://988indiana.org/ for more information.

988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline | Free Help 24/7 If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of su***de or a mental health crisis, call 988 now. Trained crisis specialists available 24/7.

Are you celebrating any special holiday this season? Indiana's diverse community members celebrate many different holidays, both faith-based and cultural, throughout November and December; and no matter what our friends, family, and neighbors celebrate, this time of year includes time for reflection, food, drinks, music, and fellowship- having a sense of and celebrating community inclusion and belonging.

So...
Happy Diwali! (Celebrated November 12, 2023)
Happy Hanukkah! (Celebrated December 7-15, 2023)
Merry Christmas! (Celebrated December 25, 2023)
Happy Kwanzaa! (Celebrated December 26, 2023-January 1, 2024)
Happy New Year! (Celebrated January 1, 2024)
Happy Chinese New Year! (Celebrated February 10, 2024)

How do you celebrate the holidays? What are you looking forward to in 2024? Share with GCPD and the Council in the comment section!

The Indiana Governor's Council for People with Disabilities office will be closed on Monday, December 25, 2023, and Tuesday, December 26, 2023. We will reopen with regular business hours on Wednesday, December 27th through Friday, December 29th. The office will be closed in observance of New Year's on Monday, January 1, 2024, and will reopen on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, with regular business hours.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact 2-1-1 by phone by dialing 2-1-1 or 866-211-9966, visit https://in211.communityos.org/ for more information.

To find disability resources in Indiana, visit "Indiana Disability Resource FINDER" https://www.indianadisabilityresourcefinder.org/.

Image Description: A digital postcard with winter theme featuring snowy evergreen trees as a background with the text "Happy Holidays from all of us at the GCPD" in golden, script-stylized text, followed by "May your new year be full of peace & joy" in white text, outlined in green, in the same script-stylized text. A large folk-art style snowflake divides main text from the secondary message.

People with developmental disabilities: tell us what YOUR thoughts are; what do you think about and prepare for during the holiday season?
Tell us in the comments!