Public Input
BVCIL hosts the 24TH CELEBRATION OF THE ADA
BRYAN, TEXAS – The Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living will host a party in the park to recognize the 24th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
The Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living (BVCIL) will host its first annual ADA Celebration event on Monday, July 28th, 2014 at Tiffany Park in Bryan to celebrate …
The 24th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
So what is the Americans with Disabilities Act? . . . . . . . . The ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
BVCIL would like to celebrate this momentous occasion with our community by throwing a ‘party in the park’ with FREE food, games, crafts, fun, and Beep Baseball. We will also be unveiling our new ADA accessible bus!!! The event will be held at Tiffany Park, 3890 Copperfield Drive, Bryan on Monday, July 28th, 2014 from 4pm-7pm. There is sure to be lots of fun had by all and the park also has a splash pad for the kids to cool down in. Please join us!!!
Please RSVP here.
For more information, call BVCIL at 979-776-5505 or via email at info@bvcil.org.
Promoting Independence Advisory Committee
DADS Recruiting PIAC Members
Do you want to help people with disabilities live as independently as possible? If so, you may want to apply to be a member of the Promoting Independence Advisory Committee (PIAC). The deadline is May 1.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) are accepting applications for PIAC members from:
- Advocates for individuals with disabilities, regardless of type of disability or their age
- Advocates for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) or their family members.
- Home health care providers
- IDD service providers
- Nursing home providers
DADS and HHSC are looking for representatives from across the state.The committee meets at 9 a.m. on the third Thursday of January, April, July and October in Austin. All terms expire on August 31, 2017.
How can I become a member?
To apply, you must submit a detailed resume and cover letter that indicates which category you wish to represent and your reasons for submitting the request. The deadline is close of business May 1, 2014. Resumes and cover letters should be sent to:
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Mail Code W650C
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, Texas 78714-9030
Attention: Bill Macdonald
If you prefer to email your application, it must be in PDF format. It should be sent to bill.macdonald@dads.state.tx.us.
What is PIAC?
The committee was established by Senate Bill 367, 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, to assist the state in meeting its obligations under the United States Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision (June 1999) to ensure that all people have the right to live in the most integrated community setting of their choice.
The committee has nine members, including advocates, providers and recipients of long-term services and supports. They represent people of all ages who have physical, intellectual and behavior disabilities. Click here to learn more about the Promoting Independence Initiative and the PIAC.
The committee produces an annual status report on the state’s efforts to comply with the Olmstead decision and the state’s Promoting Independence Plan. In every even-numbered year, the committee offers recommendations to HHSC to consider for inclusion in the revised plan, which is submitted to the governor and the legislative leadership before the beginning of a new legislative session.
This information was retrieved from the DADS website at http://www.dads.state.tx.us/homepage/index.cfm?storyid=361 on 4/10/2014.
If you would like BVCIL assistance in completing your application materials – Give us a call at 979-776-5505 x107 or by email to advocacy@bvcil.org
Living Without Limits Panel Discussion This Tuesday, February 4
February is Low Vision Awareness Month!
Come join Insightful Connections, the organization of Texas A&M students who are blind or visually impaired, to learn more about the challenges and triumphs of those who have low or no vision. Topics will be Braille, independent travel, assistive technology, and life experiences, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Logistical details are:
When: Tuesday, February 4th
Location: Koldus 111
Time: 5:30pm – 6:30pm
National Disability Employment Awareness Mnth (NDEAM) Poster Art Contest 2014
Even though we just finished National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) in October, it’s already time to start thinking about this year’s initiative and the poster art. The deadline to enter this year’s contest is March 15, Here’s the heads-up on a little healthy competition from the official announcement:
“Each year in October, the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities produces a Texas poster for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which is distributed free of charge to businesses all across the State.
The art featured on the poster each year is an original piece created by a Texas artist with a disability. The winning artwork is incorporated into the national theme announced each year by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The design of our Texas posters has become so popular that, in addition to our statewide distribution, we frequently have requests from other states. In 2013, we distributed more than 2,500 posters.
Submissions from Texas artists with disabilities can be sent to us as a photo of the original work in a digital format, ideally a JPEG or PDF, attached to an email (this is the preferred method), OR as a color photocopy OR with the image on a CD sent by postal mail. The original artwork does not need to be submitted with the entry. There is NO FEE for entries. All entries must be accompanied by a signed Entry Form, which is available on our website along with the Submission Guidelines. Entries must be received by email or postmarked by March 15; the winner will be announced by April 15. Artwork in any media is accepted; there is no specific theme required.
Once the panel of judges has determined the winner, we will make arrangements to receive the original artwork, which will be designed into the 2014 Texas NDEAM poster. The original art and the poster will be on permanent display in the Office of the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, and will be featured in offsite exhibits from time to time. The winning artist is also invited to be a featured guest at the annual Lex Frieden Employment Awards ceremony in October.
For Submission Guidelines, Entry Form, a view of the past NDEAM posters, and more information, please visit our NDEAM page on our website or contact us directly. Contact information is listed on the website.”
Wow! What a great opportunity for a new or developing artist who has a disability to get discovered! Take a look at the great winners from the past two years.
Here’s 2012’s poster:
And this one is from last year. Inspiration, anyone?
Insightful Connections Panel and Informational
Insightful Connections Panel and Informational
Where: Cain Hall, Room B-111, Texas A&M University
When: Tuesday, September 3rd, @ 6pm
Insightful Connections is a Texas A&M organization whose mission is to spread awareness and educate the Bryan/College Station community about blindness and visual impairments. IC is open to students and non-students, with or without a visual impairment. Come and attend a panel consisting of individuals with different visual impairments and hear about their unique experiences.
For more information, visit blind.tamu.edu