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Mitch Leff
Schroder Public Relations
(404) 861-4769
mitch@schroderpr.com

October 29 Forum in DeKalb to Help Plan for School-To-Work
Transition for Young Adults with a Disability

Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities and Unlock the Waiting Lists Campaign Partner for Series of Forums Statewide

ATLANTA, October 24, 2007 - DeKalb County will be the site of the first in a series of statewide forums for parents and Georgia leaders discussing critical issues and supports needed to plan for life after high school for young adults with developmental disabilities.   The DeKalb forum, hosted by the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD) and presented by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities, will take place on Monday, October 29 from 7 - 9 p.m. at Shamrock Middle School, 3100 Mount Olive Dr., Decatur 30033.   Admission is free.

"Conversations that Matter: Town Hall Meetings on School-to-Work Transition Planning for Young Adults with a Disability " is a series of six forums presented statewide in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Education, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Georgia Department of Labor and the Unlock the Waiting Lists Campaign.

Featured speakers at the October 29 event include:

• Dr. Steve Hall, director for the Office of Developmental Disabilities, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Disease
• Nancy E. O'Hara director, Division for Special Education Services, Georgia Department of Education
• Susan Sherman, Director, Vocational Rehabilitation, Georgia Department of Labor
• Dave Blanchard, director of Public Policy, AADD
• Local legislators are also invited to attend and answer questions

Additional forums will be held from November through January in Savannah, Macon, and Athens, and in metro Atlanta in Lawrenceville and Fulton County.

Road to Independence is Filled with Obstacles

"These meetings are an opportunity to deliver important information on three important areas: education, work, and the types of supports youth with disabilities need to be successful in the community, " says Dave Blanchard, director of public policy for AADD.   "If Georgia is going to be prepared for 700 plus students with developmental disabilities who will transition from our high schools to the community each year, we need to begin today."

The road to increased independence, productivity and a meaningful life, including possible employment, can be filled with obstacles. The parents of these young adults often don't have enough information about services and supports available for their children to help navigate the system and plan for their future.

• This lack of information contributes to a nationwide unemployment rate for people with developmental disabilities of 75%.
• With sufficient supports and opportunities, many of these individuals could realize their dreams to secure employment and live with more independence and dignity.  
• At the Forum, parents and their children will learn about available supports and Georgia's vision for the future.
• Attendees will have the opportunity to share their concerns with state officials to ensure they make informed decisions related to public policy and resource allocations.

The Story of Edlena Renee Foster

Belinda and Arnold Little of Stone Mountain began their journey into the world of disability 21 years ago when their daughter Edlena Renee Foster was born at 26 weeks -- weighing 1 pound 13 oz.   The first six and half months of her life were spent in the hospital where she underwent eight surgeries.   When she finally came home nearly seven months later, she still weighed under eight and half pounds.

Renee has been in the DeKalb County School system until this past year.   Despite the fact that she has vision problems, fine motor difficulties, language and comprehension issues, and an intellectual disab ility , Renee has been successful in making the transition from school to work.

• By the time Renee started high school, she was part of the Community Based Vocational Training program through the school system. In ninth grade, the class had outings in the community. They learned how to cross the street, where the police and fire station were, how to make a grocery list and how to catch MARTA. By 10th grade, she was learning living skills such as counting money, washing dishes, and taking care of herself, but she was also ready to learn job skills.
• As Renee grew older she was no longer eligible for programs through the school system. Aware that jobs for people with disabilities are often limited, Belinda had been planning for this transition. By the time Renee graduated with her special education diploma, she had three years of work experience and she had a flavor for the kind of work that she enjoyed.
• Renee knew she was interested in healthcare and through a program with Emory Hospital and DeKalb County she graduated from the Crawford Long Project Search, a healthcare job training program for people with disabilities. She is now a nursing assistant at Emory University Hospital.  

How was Belinda able to be so successful in planning for Renee's transition? "A parent has to be involved in every aspect of their child's life, she says.   "I read the fine print.   I asked a lot of questions and sought the help because there is no manual.   As a parent, you need to accept where your child is and what they are capable of, and then nudge them along the way to be and do a little more."

For more information visit www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/ConversationsthatMatter.html or contact event coordinators Emily Severtson at Emily@aadd.org or 404-881-9777 x 205 or Cindy Bertram at Cindy_s_bertram@fc.DeKalb.k12.ga.us.

About the Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities

Founded in 1956, AADD (www.aadd.org) has grown from a local, grass-roots not-for-profit organization founded by a group of concerned parents to become Georgia's premiere provider of family support, advocacy, and education for children, adults, and families living with developmental disabilities. In its 51-year history, AADD has been at the forefront of building strong collaborative partnerships. The result of these partnerships is increased public awareness of the benefits to our culture when we are inclusive of persons with developmental disabilities, and the promotion of needed policy change to ensure that people living with developmental disabilities are heard and respected at every level of society.