Family Support Center on Disabilities: Knowledge and Involvement Network

Before we get into this issue we'd like to share an important announcement from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, ADD, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, which funds the Family Support Center on Disabilities: Knowledge & Involvement Network (KIN).

Sharon Lewis will be joining the Administration on Children and Families as Commissioner of ADD.  She has extensive experience as a disability advocate, and has worked as the Senior Disability Policy Advisor to the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman, George Miller since 2007.  She is the parent of 3 daughters, one of who has an intellectual disability.  Click the following link and scroll down to learn more about her background:
http://www.oregonmegaconference.org/keynote.html

And now to the newsletter.....
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This issue of KINews is focused on rural communities, families, and initiatives.  This is not a small focus. A 2005 report describes Rural America like this: 3,444,930 square miles; more than 97% of the total U.S. land mass; 21% of the total U.S. population; 59,061,367 people of whom 10,852,330 have a disability.(Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities)

We present an array of resources and articles to enhance services for individuals with disabilities, their families and the rural communities in which they live.