Our summer hours will be Monday - Thursday, 8:00am to 4:00pm.
If you would like to stop by the office, please call 617-989-3929 to make an appointment or confirm that a staff member will be present when you come.

The Urban PRIDE office will be closed from Friday, August 1st through Friday, August 15th. All staff will be at our annual Urban Advocates Parent and Youth Leadership Retreats. The office will reopen on Monday, August 18th.

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY HAS 10 FULL RIDES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN!

Syracuse University has 10 Full Rides for African American Men and Women interested in studying Architecture. Mark Robbins, Dean of Syracuse University’s School of Architecture is desperately seeking young men and women of color interested in pursuing a five year professional degree in Architecture. He says he’s deeply committed to bringing diversity to his field and has scholarship money set aside to fully cover education costs for 10 students. He says that Hispanic enrollment in the school has increased substantially, but it’s been harder to attract Blacks. Syracuse University ’s School of Architecture has a great reputation and this seems like a terrific opportunity, so please pass this on to everyone you know.

Contact: Mark Robbins, Dean, School of Architecture

315 443- 2255, robbinsm@syr.edu

Boston Public Schools’ new kindergartners are invited to attend with their parents or providers a Kindergarten Days party near you:

BPS kindergarten children need to wear their yellow “I’m Going to Kindergarten” t-shirt and be accompanied by an adult. Kindergartners in their yellow shirts will receive a free literacy gift! To get your free t-shirt: visit any Boston Public Library Branch and show proof of BPS kindergarten registration.

Countdown is sponsored by Mayor Thomas M. Menino, School Superintendent Carol R. Johnson, the Boston School Committee and more than 30 community partners.

For more information: www.countdowntokindergarten.org or 617-635-6816

Saturday, August 30, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Boston City Hall Plaza

MBTA: Government Center

Free backpacks with school supplies for the first 1,000 students!

Get the new school year off to a great start!

Join new and returning Boston Public Schools families and staff for a fun afternoon featuring:

*live performances

*prizes

*free ice cream

*health screenings

*community resources

*refreshments for sale

*and more!

Questions? Call 617-635-9661 or 617-635-7750.

Click here for the flyer.

Advantage Riding Academy specializes in family programming and in meeting
the specific needs of individual riders-from typically developing riders
to individualized instruction of students with emotional, physical and
mental challenges. 
The academy’s talented staff, special horses and unique philosophy allow ALL riders
to progress to their full potential-as equestrians and as individuals! 
Advantage Riding Academy will help you reach your full potential as a
rider while incorporating your life goals and dreams!
The academy is currently booking our Fall Session (September 8th-January 1), if
you are interested, or know of a rider that may benefit from our program,
please feel free to contact them for further information at  508-843-2291 or email shoomis@advantageridingacademy.com.

www.advantageridingacademy.com

This message is for children and young adults under the age of 21. It is about well-child care, including behavioral-health care for children and young adults. It is important for children and young adults under the age of 21 to see a primary-care doctor or nurse on a regular basis to stay healthy. These visits are called well-child visits.

Well-child visits

MassHealth pays for members who are under age 21 (except those with MassHealth Limited) to see their primary-care doctor or nurse for well-child visits at least once every year, and more often if the child or young adult is under age two. At these visits, the  primary-care doctor or nurse checks the child or young adult’s physical health, dental health, behavioral health, development, and need for immunizations. MassHealth members under age 21 can also visit their primary-care doctor or nurse any time there is a health need.

If either you or your child are under the age of 21, you should be seen by a primary-care doctor or nurse for a checkup even when you are well. By regularly having well-care visits, your or your children’s doctor or nurse can find and treat small problems before they become big ones.

Here are the ages to take yourself or your child for a well-child visit.

• 1 to 2 weeks   
• 1 month
• 2 months
• 4 months
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 12 months
• 15 months
• 18 months
• ages 2 through 20 — once a year

MassHealth members under age 21 who are enrolled in a MassHealth managed-care plan get these visits from their primary-care doctor or nurse in that health plan. MassHealth members under age 21 who are not enrolled in a managed-care plan can get these services from any MassHealth primary-care doctor or nurse.

How to find a primary-care doctor or nurse to do well-child visits if you or your child are enrolled in MassHealth

Most MassHealth-enrolled members under the age of 21 already will have a primary-care doctor or nurse. However, if you or your child are a MassHealth member under 21 and you do not know who your/your children’s primary-care doctor or nurse is, or if you need help finding a primary-care doctor or nurse, you can call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900. If you or your children enrolled in a MassHealth managed-care plan, you can contact the health plan for help, too. The phone numbers are listed at the end of this notice.

Standardized behavioral-health (mental health and substance abuse) screens at well-child visits

Starting in December 2007, MassHealth requires primary-care doctors and nurses to offer to use a standardized behavioral-health (mental health and substance abuse) screening tool at every well-child visit for MassHealth members who are under the age of 21 to help detect issues with behavioral health, social-emotional well-being, or mental health. This screening tool helps to identify behavioral-health concerns early and will give you an opportunity to discuss your (if you are under 21 years or age) or your child’s behavioral-health needs with your or your child’s primary-care doctor or nurse or specialist.

A behavioral-health screening tool is a short list of questions or a checklist that the parent, guardian, or child (depending on the child’s age) fills out and then talks about with the doctor or nurse. The primary-care doctor or nurse might use:

·        the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC);

·        the Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS); or

·        some other tool. 

You can ask the primary-care doctor or nurse which tool he or she uses.

After you and/or your child complete the behavioral-health screening tool, you will talk about the answers with the doctor or nurse. Talking about the completed tool will help you and the doctor or nurse decide if follow-up care or further assessment is needed.  If you decide that you (if you are under 21 years of age) or your child need to see a behavioral-health provider, the primary-care doctor or nurse will tell you how to get needed services. If you need additional assistance, call your or your child’s health plan or call MassHealth Customer Service. These phone numbers are at the end of this notice.

Follow-up for behavioral-health issues after well-child visits

Standardized needs assessments conducted by behavioral-health (mental health and substance abuse) providers

Starting in late 2008, behavioral-health providers will assess MassHealth members under age 21 who seek care from them using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) tool. The CANS tool will help the behavioral-health provider collect information and make recommendations about behavioral-health needs. The behavioral-health provider will work with you to decide if you (if you are under 21) or your children should be referred for treatment. If you or your children need further treatment, the behavioral-health provider will work with you to create a treatment plan.

Behavioral-health (mental health and substance abuse) services available now

Children and young adults under the age of 21 can get office visits with a behavioral-health provider. If you (if you are under 21) or your children need more services, MassHealth currently covers other services, such as Family Stabilization Team (FST) services. These services are available now for any child or young adult under age 21 enrolled in MassHealth who needs them. Services must be determined to be medically necessary for you or your children before MassHealth will pay for them.

Talk to the  primary-care doctor or nurse, the behavioral-health provider, the health plan, or MassHealth Customer Service for information about these services and how to get them.

Behavioral-health (mental health and substance abuse) services for MassHealth Standard and CommonHealth members under the age of 21 available in the future

 MassHealth will soon cover several new behavioral-health services for MassHealth Standard and CommonHealth members under the age of 21. These new services will be for children and young adults with a serious emotional disturbance. This also includes children and young adults who have both a serious emotional disturbance and another condition such as autism spectrum disorder. Once MassHealth gets approval from the federal government for these services, we will give you more information about them.

What do I do if my children are not on MassHealth?

In addition to MassHealth, Massachusetts offers several other health-insurance and health-assistance programs at no cost or low cost. To find out if you or your children qualify for MassHealth or any other Massachusetts health-insurance or health-assistance program, call MassHealth Customer Service at the number listed below.

Important phone numbers

MassHealth Customer Service

1-800-841-2900

TTY: 1-800-497-4648 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan

1-888-217-3501

TTY: 1-800-421-1220 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Fallon Community Health Plan

1-800-868-5200

TTY: 1-877-608-7677 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Neighborhood Health Plan

1-800-462-5449

TTY: 1-800-655-1761 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Network Health

1-888-257-1985

TTY: 617-806-8196 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Primary Care Clinician (PCC) Plan

1-800-841-2900

TTY: 1-800-497-4648 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership

1-800-495-0086

TTY: 617-790-4130 (for people with partial or total hearing loss)

To download this fact sheet in Spanish, click here.

The Northeast Assets Leadership Project is sponsoring a conference.

Building and Sustaining Strong Communities that Include People with Disabilities and all Those who Support Them Through ABCD

September 25 & 26, 2008
Highland Inn Conference Center Manchester, New Hampshire

The Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) leadership has inspired thousands of citizens in America and the world to improve their neighborhoods, region and state by "building from within." People have identified and utilized community assets to address many issues, including poverty, public health, human services, education and criminal justice challenges. In recent years progress has been made nationally and in the Northeast in applying ABCD strategies to ensure that people with developmental disabilities or mental illness be full members in community life. Our Thursday September 25 public forum and Friday optional labs on September 26 will highlight this progress and address future goals for this community aspiration.

We will focus on the nexus of "person centered" planning for the person with a disability to "community centered" planning in New England and New York. The program will enhance understanding of the potential of our communities to be fully inclusive - how we improve the sharing dynamic between the gifts of an individual with disabilities and the gifts of the community.

Optional Full Day Intensive Workshops:

*ABCD and Inclusion Leadership Challenges

*Public Engagement to Promote Inclusion

*Creating a Welcoming Community

The registration fee is $95.
Team and two day discounts will be available.

For further information please contact Sam Townsend, NE Assets Project Associate at towsam@aol.com, (207) 767-5283 or John Walker, Director, (207) 799-2580, jwalker3@maine.rr.com

Click here for the registration packet.

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is hosting a fall Accessible Recreation Fair:

September 27, 2008, 10AM-3PM at Artesani Park in Brighton

The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Universal Access Program (UAP) will offer a free fun-filled day of celebrating Accessible Outdoor Recreation available for individuals, families and friends of people with disabilities. Activities will include a cycling fair with an assortment of accessible cycles available for use, recreation activity demonstrations, stretching for health, face painting, interpretive programs, a D.J., snacks and more! Join us rain or shine and enjoy the accessible recreation fair and playground. Enjoy the camaraderie while learning about DCR’s inclusive, accessible programs and resources available to people of all abilities around the state.

This is THE PLACE to come FIND OUT ABOUT accessible recreation programs offered by multiple organizations in the Boston area and beyond.

The UAP provides recreational accessibility to Massachusetts’ park facilities for individuals with disabilities, their families and friends. For persons with disabilities, free use of accessible equipment and staff assistance are available. The UAP strives to increase the participation in indoor and outdoor recreational activities in integrated settings.

The program offers accessible cycling, boating, hiking, birdwatching, letterboxing, fishing and horseback riding programs in the summer and fall, as well as adaptive winter activities in January through March at various state and urban park facilities.

Pre-registration is highly recommended, especially for use of equipment. Call Gigi at 617 626-1294 or Marcy at 413 545-5758. Call about volunteer opportunities!

Please RSVP to request an ASL interpreter.

Directions:

FROM POINTS WEST (Massachusetts Turnpike, US 90)

Take exit 18 Allston/Brighton.  Remain on the right hand side of the off-ramp split until you come to a traffic intersection (Doubletree Suites on the right).  Take a left turn onto the access road for Storrow Drive/Soldier’s Field Road Westbound (Do NOT cross the river). Once on Soldier’s Field Road remain in the middle lane as the road curves around Harvard Athletic Fields.  The parking lot entrance will be 500 yards on the right after the athletic fields.

FROM BOSTON (CENTRAL ARTERY).  Take Storrow Drive Westbound.  Storrow Drive becomes Soldier’s Field Road.  Follow remainder of above directions.

FROM CAMBRIDGE (US Route 2).  Follow signs toward Boston, Soldier’s Field Road and Storrow Drive until you cross the Elliot Bridge over the Charles River.  Follow signs for Newton and Points west.  The entrance to the park will be 500 yards on your right.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Take the #86 out of Harvard Square (towards Cleveland Circle) which runs along Western Avenue in Brighton. Get off at the Everett street stop and walk one block towards the river and Soldiers Field Road. Carefully cross at the light or over the pedestrian overpass. The park is located at the far right hand side of the parking lot just past the Herter Community Gardens.

Also available on The RIDE. (1175A Soldiers Field Road in Brighton)

For more information on DCR’s Universal Access Program and a schedule of activities, and to confirm program status, call (617) 626-1294 (voice) or 413-577-2200 (TTY) or visit http://www.mass.gov/dcr/universal_access.