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Hattiesburg American - www.hattiesburgamerican.com - Hattiesburg, Miss.
The Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities is funding a three-year grant to the Mississippi DeafBlind Project, located at the University of Southern Mississippi, to help graduates use newly acquired skills in helping those with severe or profound disabilities.
Recent Southern Miss graduates who have obtained a master’s degree in multiple developmental disabilities with the emphasis in dual sensory impairment (deaf-blindness) are employed all over the state at various types of human service agencies. The grant, known as The Domino Effect Project grant, enables them to provide much needed assistance to children and youth in their region above and beyond their current vocation.
As each group of graduates (10 – 13 each) begin to apply their services, the effect will be doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled in terms of having professionals trained in this arena.
“This grant from CDD assists the Project to achieve the goal of improving services by utilizing graduates to provide consultative assistance, training, building model demonstration sites and creating cooperative relationships between the Mississippi Department of Education, Health, Mental Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services for changes in state-wide service delivery,” said Toni Hollingsworth, project director.
Project services include assistance with resources, training for staff and family members, and consulting regarding instructional strategies, individualized education plans, individualized family service plans, communication, behavior and transition planning.
Southern Miss special education associate professor, Dr. Linda McDowell, initiated the effort behind the formation of the graduate program with the goal of helping Mississippi residents who need services, Hollingsworth said. Now, because of the high demand for professionals trained in this area, other state projects are expressing interest in hiring Southern Miss graduates.
Nationwide, deaf-blindness affects more than 10,000 individuals and is caused by more than 70 conditions. To request an application for services for individuals with both vision and hearing loss and who are less than 21 years of age, call (800) 264-5135.
The Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities is funding a three-year grant to the Mississippi DeafBlind Project, located at the University of Southern Mississippi, to help graduates use newly acquired skills in helping those with severe or profound disabilities.
Recent Southern Miss graduates who have obtained a master’s degree in multiple developmental disabilities with the emphasis in dual sensory impairment (deaf-blindness) are employed all over the state at various types of human service agencies. The grant, known as The Domino Effect Project grant, enables them to provide much needed assistance to children and youth in their region above and beyond their current vocation.
As each group of graduates (10 – 13 each) begin to apply their services, the effect will be doubled, then tripled, then quadrupled in terms of having professionals trained in this arena.
“This grant from CDD assists the Project to achieve the goal of improving services by utilizing graduates to provide consultative assistance, training, building model demonstration sites and creating cooperative relationships between the Mississippi Department of Education, Health, Mental Health and Vocational Rehabilitation Services for changes in state-wide service delivery,” said Toni Hollingsworth, project director.
Project services include assistance with resources, training for staff and family members, and consulting regarding instructional strategies, individualized education plans, individualized family service plans, communication, behavior and transition planning.
Southern Miss special education associate professor, Dr. Linda McDowell, initiated the effort behind the formation of the graduate program with the goal of helping Mississippi residents who need services, Hollingsworth said. Now, because of the high demand for professionals trained in this area, other state projects are expressing interest in hiring Southern Miss graduates.
Nationwide, deaf-blindness affects more than 10,000 individuals and is caused by more than 70 conditions. To request an application for services for individuals with both vision and hearing loss and who are less than 21 years of age, call (800) 264-5135.