Forum to Highlight Disability Month Activities
The Washington County Disability Advisory Committee in cooperation with Deafnet will host a regional disability forum on Monday October 15th from 1-4 p.m. at Robinwood Medical Center.
Prospective DAC members can go on-line to register, at www.washco-md.net. On the main page choose the link to eGeorge, the County's guide to on-line services. On that page there is a link titled "Volunteer for a County Board". If the internet is not available, persons could call the Office on Disability Issues at 240-313-2077, and an application will be provided. Persons needing special accommodations with such an application should call the Disabilities office.
The event, designed to assess emerging or ongoing needs of people who have disabilities in the Western Maryland region, will feature Cathy Raggio, Secretary of the Maryland Department of Disabilities, and will be held in room 122 of the Robinwood Medical Center, at 1110 Medical Campus Drive in Hagerstown. Participants are urged to use the Green or Orange entrances to the facility.
The Forum will allow people who have disabilities to ask questions about disability policy in the state, to present their successes in life and to voice concerns about problems in the Western Maryland area. The meeting is free and open to everyone. Pre-registration is needed to gauge the number of potential participants and to allow for accommodations to be met. Registrations may be made by email to pmartin@myactv.net or by calling 301-223-1316.
Deafnet will provide interpreters for deaf people at the event.
In Washington County, the Disability Advisory Committee (DAC) to the Board of County Commissioners, composed of people with disabilities, family members and professionals in the field, works to keep the Board aware of issues facing people with disabilities that need county support, and both physical and attitudinal barriers that can be eliminated by working together.
During October, NBC 25, WHAG TV will run a series of programs featuring disability-related themes on its daily "Today in the Valley" series. DAC Chair Peggy Martin will present one of the programs, and will talk about an upcoming public meeting to assess needs of people with disabilities in Washington County. Other programs in that series will feature services to people with disabilities provided by the Washington County Health Department, the Community Action Council and United Cerebral Palsy.
DAC conducted a county-wide formal needs survey in 2004 and as one result, Washington County's Transportation Consolidation Committee, a sub-committee of the DAC, was established to study and implement coordinated cost-effective transportation services for clients of service agencies in the County. A grant was secured from the Maryland Transportation Administration and a draft implementation plan is scheduled to be presented to the County Commissioners on October 16th.
The Washington County Office on Disability Issues acts as liaison between the Commission and the DAC. Recently the office, in cooperation with the County Emergency Management Agency, facilitated dissemination of an instructional DVD produced by the Maryland Department of Disabilities and the Baltimore County Fire Department titled "Working with People with Disabilities". All Fire and Emergency Service companies in Washington County received copies of the DVD, which provides best practices for interaction with people who have a variety of disabilities, in emergency situations.
The Disabilities Advisory Committee is looking for new members. Although more than 50% of the committee members have disabilities or have family members with a disability, anyone may apply for membership. The only criteria are that the individual live in Washington County, and be available to meet on the second Wednesday of each month, from 2-3:30 p.m. Meetings are currently being held in the Commission on Aging offices in the Aspire to Serve Building 140 West Franklin Street in Hagerstown.
Top of Page
Washington County Home Page
Document Modified:
10/8/07 8:20 AM