LINKAGES Newsletter, Summer 2014

Summer 2014

Update on Illinois Policy Changes

Rosann Corcoran speaks at the recent Policy and Advocacy Program .

Thank you to all the speakers, attendees and volunteers who attended our program Policy, Advocacy and You: An Update on Disability and Aging Services in February. It highlighted a number of the national and local legislative changes affecting longterm supports for older adults and people with disabilities.

Allen Bergman of High Impact Mission-based Consulting & Training, Elizabeth Lough of AgeOptions, and Cathy Ficker Terrill of the Council on Quality and Leadership were the program speakers and all addressed the importance of advocating for higher quality services during this time of change.

Those who were unable to attend this February event can find copies of the speaker’s presentations on the Linkages website at http://cje.net/linkages/policy-advocacy-you.

To help families navigate changes in long term supports and services, the Federal Government and State of Illinois has created a network of referral agencies, the Aging and Disability Resource Network (A.D.R.N.). Individuals and families can meet with a Resource Specialist to learn more about government and community resources as well as long term supports and services for seniors and adults with disabilities. CJE is participating in this referral network as the A.D.R.N. site for the Niles Township area.

To learn more about these services call Elisa Todd, Aging and Disability Resource Specialist at 847.656.6338.

Thresholds

Linkages Support Group June 3 and 17 July 1 and 15 August 5 and 19 11am—12:15pm 3003 W. Touhy

Nicole Richardson, L.C.S.W., Associate Director of Clinical Services at Thresholds spoke in April about some of the programs Thresholds offers individuals with mental illness. One service Nicole highlighted is the Peer Success Program in which consumers of mental health services can receive guidance from their peers in areas such as choosing a mental health provider or building self-advocacy skills. Threshold’s services are provided based on the specific needs of an individual. Staff are available to meet wherever an individual feels most comfortable whether that be in their own home or somewhere in the community. The first step for individuals to connect to Thresholds services is to call 773.572.5500. There may be a delay in obtaining an intake appointment due to the current overwhelming volume of calls, but please be persistent and patient. Thresholds is currently expanding to respond to the increased need for community services. Information is also available at www.Thresholds.org.

Good News A five-year, $4.4 million federal grant has been awarded to The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Developmental Disabilities and Health (R.R.T.C.D.D). at the University of Illinois at Chicago . The grant is designated for conducting research, providing training and education, and health promotion projects to better serve the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The grant was awarded by the National Institute on Rehabilitation Research. UIC’s R.R.T.C.D.D. is committed to creating and improving preventive services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through research. This program has been supportive and involved with Linkages for many years through membership on the Linkages Workgroup.

Social Events Linkages and Yad B’Yad of J.C.F.S. hosted a wonderful social event in March that, despite the cold weather, drew a crowd of 100 people. The event had a Purim theme and the room was filled with energy as guests played a game of human bingo, vied for raffle prizes, and danced the night away. Adding to the festivities were masks that guests adorned with feathers and jewels as well as pizza and Hamantaschen. The DJ kept the party going to the final moments of the night when there were many happy faces and many tired feet. Mark you calendar for the next social event on September 9.

Summer 2014

Housing for Seniors and People With Disabilities Join us on Thursday, June 19th from 10:30am-12:00pm for an informative meeting focused on local housing resources for seniors and people with disabilities. Olga Voldarskaya, Housing Specialist at CJE SeniorLife, will discuss common challenges that are faced when searching for reasonably priced housing, the difference between “affordable” and “subsidized” housing and the types of housing the Chicago Housing Authority (C.H.A.) provides. Faye Walker and Andre Petty from Northside Community Resources will also talk about support services that their program can offer during a move. The event will take place at the Bernard Horwich Building, 3003 West Touhy Avenue in Chicago. Register for this program at 773.508.1694.

Benefits and Options Counseling On July 10 from 10:30am to noon, staff from CJE SeniorLife ‘s Consumer Assistance Program will share information on the new Aging and Disability Resource Network (A.D.R.N.) and how staff from this program can assist with navigating the long-term supports and services that are available for seniors and adults with disabilities including Social Security, S.S.D.I. and S.S.I.; Medicare, Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace; Veterans Benefits; Real Estate Tax Exemptions; Options Counseling; Housing and the RTA Reduced and Ride Free Programs and A.D.A. Para transit.

Register at 773.508.1694.

Access Chicago Navy Pier Access Chicago is hosting a free event for individuals with disabilities on July 17 from 10am to 5pm. This event is open to all ages and there will be a variety of activities to enjoy as well as information about services and adaptive technology. Find out more information by calling the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities at 312.744.4441.

Conquer Your Clutter Are you interested in understanding how and why people accumulate clutter? This program is designed for individuals who clutter, their family, and other supports. The program will meet once a week for four weeks and will cover cluttering basics including how people accumulate possessions and when it becomes “clutter”. The program will also help individuals develop a personalized plan for de-cluttering their space. To register, please contact Barb Sarasin, M.S.W., at 773.508.4920

Housing for Seniors and People with Disabilities June 19

Benefits and Options Counseling July 10

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What is Linkages?

Linkages is a program created by the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago to identify and address the issues, needs, concerns and challenges faced by older adults and their family members with a disability. The program helps families to explore resource options and provides information about advocacy and future planning.

Participating organizations include CJE SeniorLife, The

ARK, Center for Independent Futures. Jewish Child & Family Services, Jewish Vocational Service, Keshet, and the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Aging with Developmental Disabilities at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

For more information about Linkages or the content of this newsletter, contact Rosann Corcoran, Linkages Coordinator, at 773.508.1694 or Rosann.Corcoran@CJE.net.

3003 West Touhy Ave., Chicago, IL 60645 www.cje.net l 773.508.1000 A partner with CJE SeniorLife in serving our community, supported by the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation