Jamie explained she is attending the meeting on behalf of several parents who could not get respite services to attend on their own. Respite services are difficult to arrange because of the limited number of providers. The state requires specific training to offer these services. The closest place to get the training is in Spokane and it is a lot of hours. She also wonders how to support these families and connect them together? Brian Holloway with the ARC of Spokane shared that the ARC recently received funding to provide a Parent to Parent program in Whitman County. Parent to Parent provides support and encouragement to parents supporting a child with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). Parent to Parent strongly believes talking to someone who has faced similar challenges can be tremendously helpful. ARC gets calls from across the state hearing the same issues shared tonight. Life in rural communities is different and government agencies seem to design programs for people who live in urban areas. The ARC is considering recommending a state plan be developed that addresses the needs of families in rural communities and how they are different from families who live in urban settings. Debbie explained she served on a DDA committee four years ago. They discussed the differences between urban and rural service delivery. The group agreed that if changes were being proposed to the DDA program, they must be equally workable in the urban area as in the rural communities. According to the Office of Financial Management, there are 16 counties in the state that have a population density of less than 25 people per mile. Changes to programs and services need to work for everyone. Connecting People Resources – ARC of Spokane works to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and the people who care for them, enjoy the highest quality of life possible. They offer a variety of support services and educational workshops. ARC of Spokane 320 E. 2nd Avenue Spokane, WA 99202-1402 509.328.6342 Full URL:http://www.arc-spokane.org www.CommunityAc􀆟 onSkagit.org Education Participant Comments Bob Maxwell, Superintendent of Pullman Public Schools talked about school funding for special education and the need for additional money. State funding for special education was
Jamie explained she is attending the meeting on behalf of several parents who could not get respite services to attend on their own. Respite services are difficult to arrange because of the limited number of providers. The state requires specific training to offer these services. The closest place to get the training is in Spokane and it is a lot of hours. She also wonders how to support these families and connect them together? Brian Holloway with the ARC of Spokane shared that the ARC recently received funding to provide a Parent to Parent program in Whitman County. Parent to Parent provides support and encouragement to parents supporting a child with an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). Parent to Parent strongly believes talking to someone who has faced similar challenges can be tremendously helpful. ARC gets calls from across the state hearing the same issues shared tonight. Life in rural communities is different and government agencies seem to design programs for people who live in urban areas. The ARC is considering recommending a state plan be developed that addresses the needs of families in rural communities and how they are different from families who live in urban settings. Debbie explained she served on a DDA committee four years ago. They discussed the differences between urban and rural service delivery. The group agreed that if changes were being proposed to the DDA program, they must be equally workable in the urban area as in the rural communities. According to the Office of Financial Management, there are 16 counties in the state that have a population density of less than 25 people per mile. Changes to programs and services need to work for everyone. Connecting People – Resources ARC of Spokane works to ensure that people with developmental disabilities and the people who care for them, enjoy the highest quality of life possible. They offer a variety of support services and educational workshops. ARC of Spokane 320 E. 2nd Avenue Spokane, WA 99202-1402 509.328.6342 Full URL:http://www.arc-spokane.org www.CommunityAc􀆟 onSkagit.org Education Participant Comments Bob Maxwell, Superintendent of Pullman Public Schools talked about school funding for special education and the need for additional money. State funding for special education was
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