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 Diana says "It's All About Relationships"
February 02, 2012
Advocacy Leadership Network Co-Chair Diana Mairose has been on a mission since the "R" word was erased in 2009 to do the same with the word "handicapped." Her advocacy has been successful with the Hamilton County Commissioners, the City of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Progress in this mission is scheduled to be shared in the next edition of DD Advocate, the new statewide magazine produced by the Ohio Association of County Boards.
 Choking Hazard Awareness
January 03, 2012
The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities and the agency's Major Unusual Incidents (MUI) Units frequently analyze health and safety data. One of the most serious health and safety statistics in regards to individuals with developmental disabilities is the frequency, severity, and risk of choking. An analysis of the 2010 year's statistics for emergency medical MUIs, which are incidents where a life-saving technique was performed, show the following: - 596 medical emergencies were filed on behalf of individuals with DD in 2010 for the State of Ohio
- 358 (60%) of these involved the Heimlich Maneuver
- Six died due to choking
The medical duress and other long term effects of the individuals who survived are often severe in terms of suffering and other medical complications. There are more incidents of near or partial choking. In Hamilton County, 12 of 14 medical emergencies filed for the first half of 2011 were choking incidents. It is encouraging that so many were able to perform the Heimlich Maneuver or other emergency techniques successfully. Through awareness and partnership, individuals, families, providers, and other supporters have an opportunity to reduce the number and severity of choking incidents and save lives. To learn more about chocking hazards, please go to http://dodd.ohio.gov/healthandsafety/Pages/Health-and-Safety-Alerts.aspx and look for the choking alert.
 What does advocacy mean to me?
January 03, 2012
By Kira Kayes What advocacy means to me is that people with and without disabilities can speak up for themselves and advocate for others. Second, advocacy means freedom of speech. Lastly, it means that we can accomplish many things if we put our mind to it. An example of people with and without disabilities speaking up for themselves and advocating for others are when we can fight for what we believe in. I was at DD Services when they took the MR off the building. Another example is when we are able to express our views and speak our mind freely without intimidation. I tell people what I want to happen in my life every year at my plan meeting. Many accomplishments are successful when we advocate for distinctive causes. There are many more examples of what advocacy means to me. These are only a few. I hope you will ponder the idea of "What Advocacy Means To You?" after you read this article.
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