Blue text saying: "Connecting Communities Coalition Leadership Academy" followed by four icons: one of a man in a wheelchair, one of a telephone and keybaord, one of a ear with listening signals, and one of someone signing a word. All icons are white with a blue background.
The Connecting Communities Coalition is proud to announce its newest education program – The Leadership Academy!

The site is now
LIVE and ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! 

The website is located

HERE.

There is also a recently launched Facebook Page to promote the Leadership Academy. Click HERE to connect! 
Individual pictures with silhouettes of people. In each photo one word is written: respect, empowerment, confidence, active listening, perseverance, and visionary.

 

The Connecting Communities Coalition’s Employment Subcommittee is looking for volunteers to start researching resources for leading practices in employing people with disabilities!

If increasing employment and improving the work experiences for employers of and employees with disabilities excites you come out and join us in our new project. Our work will provide opportunities to learn about and share resources for innovative proven practices in Workplace Accessibility, Accommodations, Talent Acquisition (recruitment),Talent  Retention, Talent Development, and Diversity & Inclusion Efforts of employees with disabilities.

Our kick off to the resource guide work will be at our April meeting:

When: Monday April 22nd, 5:30 to 7 PM 

Where: Independent Living Resources, 1839 NE Couch St, Portland 

For more information or to R.S.V.P. please contact Lavaun Heaster at: lavaunch@yahoo.com or Gary Chiaravalli at: gchiaravalli@gmail.com

 

 Thank you to all who attended the March Membership Meeting!
 
We had a great turnout and invigorating talks by Dean Westwood and Shoshanah Oppenheim about self-advocacy and about some of the new plans that the City of Portland is working to implement.
We look forward to seeing you at the next membership meeting, which we will announce shortly!

 

The City Auditor’s Independent Police Review (IPR) Division

Recruiting volunteers to serve three-year terms on the Citizen Review Committee (CRC) – an advisory body to IPR and the Portland Police Bureau (Police Bureau). There are three immediate openings on CRC and up to four additional positions commencing on or before February 2014.

IPR is the city agency responsible for the civilian oversight of the Police Bureau.  CRC members hear community and Police Bureau member appeals of police misconduct investigations, listen to public concerns regarding police conduct, engage in training and other activities to learn about policing, review Police Bureau policies and procedure, and advise IPR.

We anticipate that the size and scope of work of the CRC will increase due to the City of Portland’s pending settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice. This will include service on the Police Review Board to make fact-based recommendations for discipline in use of force incidents to the Chief of Police and Police Commissioner 

Applications are available at the IPR office or online at www.portlandoregon.gov/auditor/ipr. Candidates must be Portland, Oregon residents or business owners. Please return applications to the IPR office by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, via fax, mail, hand-delivery, or e-mail crc@portlandoregon.gov. 

We would be happy to meet with you and/or interested parties at a community meeting to discuss CRC’s role in civilian oversight, the work of IPR, and police/community issues. Please let us know if we may be of further assistance. 

For questions on this volunteer opportunity please contact our Outreach Coordinator Irene Konev at (503) 823-0146 or by email atIrene.konev@portlandorgon.gov. 

Been Denied Medically Necessary AT?

Has Medicaid or Medicare denied your request for assistive technology (AT)–like a wheelchair–that was prescribed by your doctor?  Disability Rights Oregon may be able help.  Contact us at (503) 243-2081.

Jan Campbell appointed co-chair on CCC Steering Committee

Jan Campbell was recently appointed to be co-chair on the Connecting Communities Coalition (CCC) Steering Committee by the committee co-chair, Barbara Dirks of Independent Living Resources. She fills the position vacated by Therese Grayson of Portland Habilitation Center, who is officially stepping down.

Dirks appointed Campbell in accordance with CCC bylaws which state a co-chair may appoint a member of the coalition to fill a vacated position until the end of the previous officer’s term. Campbell, chair emeritus for the Portland Commission on Disability, will serve until May 2014. Grayson will remain on the committee as chair emeritus, a position created by a vote of the steering committee members.