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Ocean
State Center for Independent Living
" People Helping
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Signs of Independence
MARCH 2010
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to view previous months of the Signs of Independence Newsletter
Mention of any product, service, or event in this newsletter does
not
constitute any endorsement or recommendation by OSCIL.
OSCIL wishes
to thank Lydia Lefebvre for her generous support of our programs.
Signs of
Independence is made possible by the generosity of our advertisers.
OSCIL thanks Michael J. Warner, Architect, for sponsoring this
edition of our newsletter.
If you wish to advertise in the OSCIL newsletter, please contact
Susan Eleoff at 738-1013 ext. 13.
New
OSCIL E-Mail:
Please note our new e-mail address:
info@oscil.org.
OSCIL’s FYI Email List: If you wish to add your
email address to OSCIL’s FYI email list for timely information on
upcoming events and programs, please send your email to
email.list@oscil.org . Please include your first and last name
and email address. This list will be sent as an undisclosed
recipient list to protect consumer confidentiality.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Volunteerism through AmeriCorps and Serve Rhode Island
ATEL Advisory Committee
ABLE Discussion Group
Talking Books Plus
DHS Changes
Leaving the Nursing Home
Homeless Prevention
Program
Community Computer
Program
Securing Affordable
Housing
FYI
Tri-vision Newsletter
OpenDoors Supports Individuals Formerly Incarcerated
Looking Ahead
Volunteerism through AmeriCorps and Serve Rhode Island
AmeriCorps is known as the domestic Peace
Corps, a federally funded program which engages full and
part-time volunteers in intensive, community service. AmeriCorps
members serve all over the country.
In exchange for a year of service, members
receive a modest living allowance (approximately $11,400) and an
education award of $4,725 upon completion. Benefits include
extensive training, individual health insurance, childcare
reimbursement, and school loan deferment and interest repayment.
Serve Rhode Island is our state commission
for national and community service and our state’s center for
volunteerism. Rhode Island AmeriCorps members serve at a variety
of organizations, including City Year Rhode Island, Ready to
Learn Providence, The Providence Children’s Museum, East Bay
Community Action, Ocean State Environmental Education
Collaborative and more. The Senior Corps Program in Rhode Island
is under the AmeriCorps umbrella and includes the Foster
Grandparents and RSVP programs.
People with disabilities are encouraged to
explore national and local opportunities.
- To learn more about Rhode Island
AmeriCorps initiatives, go to
www.serverhodeisland.org or call 331-2298. The
office is located at 655 Broad Street in Providence.
- To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit
the national AmeriCorps website
www.americorps.gov
or call 800-942-2677 or 800-833-3733 TTY.
For 40 years, The Volunteer Center of
Rhode Island (VCRI) has been connecting people with local
opportunities for community service. On January 1, 2009, the
VCRI merged into Serve Rhode Island to become the Volunteer
Center at Serve Rhode Island. This merger creates one statewide
organization dedicated to meeting the volunteer service needs of
the Rhode Island community. (Note: This program is separate from
the intensive AmeriCorps initiatives described above.)
Finding the right service position can be
confusing or overwhelming. VCRI acts as a clearinghouse for
volunteer opportunities in our state. A comprehensive online
database lists hundreds of volunteer opportunities at agencies
and organizations throughout Rhode Island. The online search
enables you to match your skills, interests and locations at
agencies that match your needs. Go to www.vcri.org. You can send
email to
volunteer@serverhodeisland.org .
If someone does not have computer access,
he or she may call the office at 331-2298 for assistance in
finding a volunteer position or visit the Providence office at
655 Broad Street.
Back to Top
ATEL
Advisory Committee
The Rhode Island Adaptive Telephone
Equipment Loan (ATEL) Program provides demonstrations, training,
and long-term loan and device reutilization of specialized
telephone equipment to qualified individuals in Rhode Island who
are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability or
neuromuscular impairment that prevents them from using a
standard telephone.
The advisory committee to the ATEL Program
is a group of caring people with the above-mentioned
disabilities or who are individuals from the general public who
want to be actively involved in initiatives to increase access
to assistive technology for Rhode Islanders.
This committee meets on a quarterly basis
on a Thursday morning at the Public Utilities Commission on
Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. The meeting site is accessible.
Individuals with speech and neuromuscular disabilities are
strongly encouraged to apply, since they are currently
under-represented populations on the advisory committee.
If you are interested in participating or
wish to learn more, please call Denise Corson at 421-7005 ext.
357 or 222-1620 TTY or send email to
dcorson@ors.ri.gov
Back to Top
ABLE
Discussion Group
Participants Wanted
- Do you smoke cigarettes or did you
recently quit?
- Do you use a cane, wheelchair,
scooter, brace, walker, etc. to get around?
The ABLE (Active Behaviors for Living
Empowered) Program is designing a new video program for smokers
who use assistance walking or getting around. If you can answer
yes to the above questions, you may qualify for a discussion
group to help design and improve this program. Please note that
you do not have to want to quit smoking to participate.
Participants will receive cash
reimbursement for their time. This program is affiliated with
Brown Medical School and The Miriam Hospital, a Lifespan
Partner. For further information, please call Drew at 793-8189
or toll-free at 866-401-7277 or email
ABLE@lifespan.org .
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to Top
Talking Books
Plus
- Are you unable to read standard
print?
- Do you have difficulty holding a book
because of arthritis or another physical limitation?
Talking Books Plus, the RI Regional
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, provides a
free library service to anyone in Rhode Island who is unable to
read standard print because of a visual or physical disability.
For nearly thirty years, the primary
format for Talking Books Plus has been cassettes. Rhode Island
Talking Books Plus is in a five-year transition period, moving
from cassette recorders and cassettes to digital recorders and
digital cartridges. Digital recorders are now available in Rhode
Island for registered and qualified members of Talking Books
Plus. There is no cost for this recorder or the books on
cartridges.
Although the idea of new technology can be
intimidating, the new digital format is easier to use and has
many advantages.
The digital recorder weighs two pounds and
has a better sound quality than the cassette recorder. One book
fits on one cartridge; before multiple cassettes were needed for
one book. You will not need to turn over cassettes or change
side-selector switches. The digital recorder remembers where you
left off listening. There are other useful features as well,
including a sleep feature and a longer battery life.
During this transition period users may
need to use both the old and new formats, because the number of
digital cartridges is limited. Talking Books Plus encourages you
to hold on to your cassette machine for the next few years and
will notify you when these should be returned.
The digital recorder is specifically
designed to work with National Library Service cartridges and
will not play regular CD’s. To request your digital recorder or
to learn more about Talking Books Plus, please call 574-9310 or
go to the Web site
www.olis.ri.gov/tbp .
Additionally, you may contact OSCIL’s
Assistive Technology Independent Living Specialist, Melissa
Rosenberg, for assistance in registering for this service and
training on the new digital recorder.
OSCIL’s Executive Director, who has
macular degeneration, gives this new system Two Thumbs Up!
Back to
Top
DHS Changes
The telephone numbers for many of the RI
Department of Human Services offices have changed. The new
numbers are:
Middletown 851-2100
Pawtucket 721-6600
Providence 222-7000
Wakefield 782-4300
Warwick 736-1400
Woonsocket 235-6200
The DHS information number remains the
same: 462-5300.
Back to
Top
Leaving
the Nursing Home
- Do you have a relative or friend in a
nursing home who no longer requires a nursing home level of
care and who is motivated to get back into the community?
- Do you know someone in a nursing
facility who is capable of living a more independent life
but who needs help such as equipment or support services to
reach this goal?
- Do you know someone who is “stuck” in
a long-term care facility because of the lack of affordable
and/or accessible housing?
- Do you know about OSCIL’s Community
Living Option? Please call OSCIL at 738-1013 ext. 13 to
learn more about this program.
Back to
Top
Homeless Prevention Program
The Homeless Prevention and Rapid
Re-Housing Program, created by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009, is a resource of last resort for
families and persons facing imminent homelessness.
The program will provide financial
assistance and services to prevent homelessness and help those
who are experiencing homelessness to be quickly re-housed and
stabilized. Examples of assistance include: short-term rental
assistance and housing relocation and stabilization services,
including such activities as mediation, credit counseling,
security or utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost
assistance, and case management.
Because this program is temporary,
households must have some income in order to maintain/sustain
their housing after this assistance ends. Program participants
must be homeless or imminently homeless within several weeks.
For further information, call the United
Way helpline at 2-1-1 or log on to the Web site
www.hrc.ri.gov and
click on the link RI Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing
Website, or contact the nearest community action agency.
Back to
Top
Community Computer Program
Are you looking for a low-cost computer
system or do you need to have your computer repaired for a
reasonable cost? VetTech, a community computer store, is a new
social venture program of Federal Hill House that may meet your
needs. The grand opening is scheduled for April 5th.
More than just a computer repair store,
VetTech trains and connects veterans with opportunities in the
field of computer technology. Refurbished desktop computer
systems start at $100 and laptops at $125. Donations of
computers that are in working order are accepted as well.
Computer repairs include diagnostics, virus removal, memory
upgrade, hard drive replacement, data transfer, and more.
The VetTech store is located at 679
Broadway in the heart of Olneyville. The hours of operation will
be open Monday to Friday from 9 to 5. Parking is available in
the back of the building. For additional information, call
421-1095.
Back to
Top
Securing Affordable Housing
Due to the current economic climate and
increasing numbers of seniors in Rhode Island, the long waiting
lists for affordable apartments are even longer than in years
past. Whenever possible, planning ahead to relocate to a
subsidized apartment is essential, because demand for these
units is increasing. Depending on location and number of
bedrooms needed, some apartment sites estimate waiting lists are
over five years long.
The February 5, 2010, Rhode Island Senior
Beat notes that according to AARP, one in six Rhode Island
residents receives Social Security benefits. For 50% of seniors,
Social Security is their only source of income. In addition to
qualified seniors seeking affordable apartments, many Rhode
Island residents with disabilities who receive Social Security
benefits meet eligibility requirements for subsidized
apartments.
Depending on how urgent the need is for an
affordable apartment, there are several factors to consider.
OSCIL’s Housing Advocate, Hal Fayerweather, points out that
waiting lists for studio (efficiency) apartments may be shorter
than waiting lists for one or two-bedroom units. If one does not
require additional space and a studio is available, this may be
an option for some individuals. (Not all sites have studio or
efficiency units.)
Hal also recommends submitting multiple
applications because your first choice may have the longest
waiting list. (Waiting list times are best estimates and are
subject to many variables.) Also, consider applying in several
locations. For example, if your preference is to live in
Warwick, you might also apply to other Kent County cities and
towns.
If you are planning to sell a home because
you wish to downsize to an affordable apartment, do research
well in advance of selling your residence. Do not wait until you
have a closing date to search for an apartment. Determine
whether you will meet eligibility criteria, and if you do,
submit your applications before your home is sold. In some
instances, if your name comes up for an affordable apartment
before you are ready to move, you may be able to turn down an
apartment and remain on the waiting list.
(Check with each apartment site about its
policy on this.)
If you have a criminal background record,
no matter how minor, be proactive and check it out in advance
with the RI Attorney General’s office. For a small fee, you may
obtain a criminal record check from the RI Bureau of Criminal
Identification, located at the RI Attorney General’s Office on
150 South Main Street in Providence. You may do an internet
search and look up your record at
http://www.courts.state.ri.us .
If there is an issue, check with your
attorney or request assistance from RI Legal Services. In
certain instances, a first offender may be able to have a record
of a conviction expunged. You cannot expunge your record if you
were convicted of a crime of violence.
If you have a disability and need
assistance with applying for affordable housing, please call the
OSCIL office.
Back to
Top
FYI
Accessible Fishing: An accessible fishing
deck in the Leo Bouchard Conservation Center off Waterview Drive
(behind the police station) in Smithfield has been completed.
The area features a 16 by 16 foot fishing deck that overhangs
the water and is safe for wheelchairs.
Home Access Website: If you are looking
for products or ideas to make your home more accessible, visit
www.adaptmy.com . ADA
compliant products for kitchen, bathroom, entryway, bedroom, and
office are featured.
Accessible Dental Office: OSCIL salutes
the accessible dental office of Dr. Anna Pavlotsky on 1025
Warwick Avenue in Warwick. The telephone number is 785-0202.
Cochlear Implant Support: The Cochlear
Implant Group of Narragansett meets four times a year in
January, April, July, and October from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Maury
Loontjens Memorial Library, 35 Kingstown Road in Narragansett.
Meetings feature guest speakers and time for information sharing
about hearing issues. The next meeting is scheduled on April 21.
Contact Peggy at 788-3593.
Sign Language Classes: The next eight week
Bridgemark Sign Language course begins on March 23rd at Spring
Green Memorial Church, 1350 Warwick Ave. in Warwick. Class time
is 6 to 7:15 p.m. for beginners and 7 to 8:15 p.m. for
continuing students. The $100 fee is fully tax deductible. Call
781-2700 to register.
Back to
Top
Tri-vision
Newsletter
The RI Commission on the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing (RICDHH) is publishing a quarterly electronic
newsletter, Tri-Vision, to raise awareness about issues facing
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Rhode Islanders. Each issue is based on
a specific theme, such as accessibility, arts, technology,
education, or mental health and contains articles by
contributors about their professional or personal experiences
relating to the newsletter’s theme. If you wish to subscribe to
this informative newsletter’s distribution list, send your name
or organization’s name by email to
cdhh@cdhh.ri.gov .
Back
to Top
OpenDoors Supports Individuals Formerly Incarcerated
On January 1, 2010, The RI Family Life
Center changed its name to OpenDoors in order to more
effectively communicate its mission to strengthen communities by
supporting the formerly incarcerated. OpenDoors is a non-profit
organization that utilizes a holistic approach to support
offenders as they prepare to leave prison, return home and
stabilize in the community. The Resource Center, located at 841
Broad Street in Providence, accepts drop-in visits from any
formerly incarcerated person and tries to connect them to
programs and services. In addition, a number of regularly
scheduled groups and educational activities are held at this
location.
OpenDoors recognizes that finding
affordable housing can be one of the biggest obstacles faced by
formerly incarcerated individuals. The housing program is
designed to complement other services provided through the
Resource Center, including financial literacy, employment,
computer classes, and support groups. A permanent supportive
housing program is currently being developed in the Silver Lake
neighborhood of Providence. Employment services include case
management and group readiness classes, both inside and outside
the prison. Additionally, Access to Recovery provides six months
of treatment and recovery support services for people with
alcohol or drug addictions. The goal of the Second Chance
Mentoring program is to reduce the rate of recidivism in our
state. For more detailed information, visit the Website at
www.opendoorsri.org
or call 781-5808.
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to Top
LOOKING AHEAD
OSCIL’S 22ND ANNUAL MEETING
All are invited to attend OSCIL’s annual
meeting on Wednesday, April 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Warwick
Public Library on 600 Sandy Lane in the first floor conference
room. The invited guest speaker is Dan Pieroni, a former Youth
Leadership Forum participant who will speak on Overcoming
Adversity. A reception/buffet will precede the meeting and there
will be a 50/50 raffle. Seating is limited. Please RSVP to OSCIL
by April 16th if you plan to attend.
OSCIL 2010
MEMBERSHIP DRIVE IS UNDERWAY
The OSCIL membership year begins May 1,
2010. Please consider renewing your membership or becoming a new
member. All members receive our newsletter, an invitation to our
annual meeting, and occasional mailings about upcoming events.
The suggested tax-deductible donations are as follows: $5 for
persons who are unemployed and $25 for others. A business or
organizational membership is $100. Membership is not necessary
to participate in OSCIL’s services. If you are not a member and
wish to receive a membership form, please call Carol McKenna at
ext. 10 or email cmckenna@oscil.org.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM 2010 August 9 – 12
High school juniors and seniors with
disabilities who have demonstrated leadership capabilities in
their communities and schools are invited to apply for the 2010
Youth Leadership Forum. The forum will be held at Camp Conanicus
in Exeter and will include activities to help participants
develop leadership potential and identify future goals.
Overnight lodging, food, accommodations, and transportation
during the forum will be provided. There is no cost to students
or their families. The application deadline is March 31. Please
contact Carol McKenna at ext. 10 or visit www.oscil.org or check
out the new Youth Leadership Website at www.riylf.org.
INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY WORK INCENTIVES
If you are receiving SSI or SSDI benefits
and want to work, the Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA)
Program offers informational sessions at various NetWork RI
offices around our state. You are welcome to come and learn
about Social Security’s work incentives that may help you in
your attempt to work and become self-sufficient. Please RSVP by
calling Jeanne Fay at 421-7005 ext. 405 if you plan to attend.
If you require special accommodations, please call two weeks in
advance.
April 14
10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
NetWork RI
219 Pond St., Woonsocket
May 12
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
NetWork RI
1330 Main St., West Warwick
June 15
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
NetWork RI
175 Main St., Pawtucket
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