Central Washington Disability Resources

ENDING OUR PAS PROGRAM

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0700

We are sorry to say that we are ending our PAS Program due to limited resources as of 08/21/2023. This means we will not be giving any more money toward fixing ramps, bathrooms, or help with yard work to become ADA accessible. Any postings for these goals and services are now out-of-date. CWDR applied for this grant with the goal of supporting our consumers by increasing accessibility in their daily lives. We apologize for any burden the sudden ending of the program may cause.

If you are interested in the services or support once provided by the PAS Program, you are welcome to schedule an appointment with one of our IL Specialists. By doing so, CWDR can help find other resources to fit your needs.

CWDR Board of Directors Meetings update

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0800

Do you want to be a voice for change in our community? Are you an individual with a disability? We are recruiting board members! Please email us for a board application or go to our BOD tab and fill out application online.

Our board of Directors meetings is held remotely every Fourth Thursday of each month from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. These meetings are open to the public and we invite anyone who would like to sit in on these meetings! At this time due to the Covid-19, our board of directors meetings is being held via Zoom

To log in click the link below:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81216967544?pwd=YVRHUmc3RExRSFc1VmNJWHBSZVZPdz09

Vaccine Clinics

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0800

See flyers of Vaccine Clinics hosted by CWDR or in partnership with other local organizations.

3/12/2022- Vaccine Clinic Chelan County @ 766 S Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 1 PM to 5 PM.

3/13/2022- Vaccine Clinic Grant County @ 101 F ST SW Quincy, WA 98848 8 AM to 5 PM

3/23/2022- Vaccine Clinic Chelan/ Douglas County @ 121 N Wenatchee Ave, Wenatchee WA 98801 12 PM to 5 PM

New Location!

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 00:00:00 -0800

We have moved please note our new address:

301 E 2nd Ave

Ellensburg, WA 98926

Voices for Change

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0700

As a person with a disability, have you ever felt that nobody is listening to you? Have you experienced actions or inactions by others that affected your quality of life? How can your voice be heard, and still make a difference?

There are ways you can be heard and become part of the voices for change. For example, there are boards and councils at the federal, state, and local level advising governing bodies. These groups of stake holders hold regular meetings to discuss various subjects, including disability.

Members of the Washington State Rehabilitation Council is one such group that promote ongoing improvement within the vocational rehabilitation service system.

The mission of the Council is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Washington State Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) leadership as they make decisions and insure that the DVR customer's perspective is never forgotten. The WSRC is mandated by the Federal Rehabilitation Act, and all members must be appointed by the Governor.

In 2015, I was appointed by Governor Inslee to the WSRC, and I would like to share an opportunity with you to be a part of the voices for change. On April 19, the WSRC will be holding a public forum at our quarterly meeting, to be held at the Holiday Inn in Yakima from 3:30-5:00 pm. Come let your voice be heard, and learn more about the Washington State Rehabilitation Council.

Medical Equipment

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0700

If you don’t already know about Central Washington Disability Resource’s (CWDR) Resource Library and Medical Equipment Loan Program, I am going to tell you about it. CWDR offers books about different types of disabilities that you might be interested in. They range from Autism, Brain Injury, Asperger’s, Down Syndrome, or resume help and so on.

We also offer DVDs with different movies and shows such as, Workout DVD; Pushing Forward, Autism: A Family Journey; How Difficult Can This Be; and Blind Sight. We also have The Parents Institute Brochures, which cover a variety of topics to hand out to parents or individuals who may be looking for more information. Some examples of what we have are bullying, how to get along with your teacher, kids and marijuana, using the internet as a study tool, what to do if your teen is having problems at school, and many more!

Our medical equipment loan program is for Kittitas County residents only. We have walkers, bath bench, transfer chairs, wheelchairs, raised toilet seats and much more! Stop by or call CWDR and find out what equipment we have available. Checking out equipment is easy! Just fill out the form and let us know how long you expect to use it. We usually loan equipment for 3 months, but additional time may be granted as needed. We also welcome medical equipment donations, but we are mostly in need of foldable wheelchairs.

Teaching Through Virtual Reality

Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0700

Technology has come a long way from overhead projectors, chalk boards and dial up internet. For people with disabilities technology has paved a path of independence. Over the years, we have seen technology make tremendous advances for all people with disabilities as they go through their day-to-day life. So, what’s new in the world of technology that has the disability community on their feet?

Meet the Floreo team: They are in the process of pilot testing a new product that helps young people with disabilities work on soft skills through Virtual Reality. The student is engaged in a new wave of hands on learning to help guide them as they work on skills, such as communication skills. The Floreo product is being tested both in a school with special needs students, as well as with therapy professionals.

The product itself works in two ways; from the perspective as the user, and from the perspective of the VR headset, where professional staff can monitor the progress of the student. While this product has not yet hit stores, will this program benefit those with disabilities, and how will this change the way we work with those with disabilities?

When you were a kid do you remember looking up to a family member? Or have you been the role model for someone in your life? The level of influences and motivation a role model can have is then apparent to you. In the media, you can find many role models but, in the disability community, you have less individuals with hidden disabilities being role models to look up to and learn from. You might hear of an actor or a professional athlete being vocal about living life with a learning disability, but beyond that it is difficult to find a role model.

Why is this? Maybe because many individuals with learning disabilities keep this to themselves and feel insecure about sharing this with their peers. When I was going to college for my bachelor’s degree, I can only recall one time in the 4-year period a student talking about their learning disability. Learning disabilities are hidden disabilities that are rarely talk about but are the most common disability out there and that needs to change.

When I was in grade school through high school, I would not deal or talk about my learning disability, and yet I was able to manage. Once I was in college, it was sink or swim. I needed accommodations to make school work for me, which included extra time on tests and a quiet room. Wow, what a difference! Just accepting and being more visible with my learning disability allowed school to be something I looked forward to, rather than dread.

Looking back I wonder, “What if I had role models growing up?” Would that have made more me accepting of my learning disability at a younger age, and what opportunities would I have had. So, this is a call out to everyone with a learning disability: Make an effort to be that role model to help fill that void. So, less youth have to feel they must hide their disability, and struggle in school because they are ashamed of their hidden learning disability.

Links to learning disability sites:

National Center for Learning Disabilities, Inc. - GuideStar Profile
http://ldaniagara.org/get-involved/program-volunteers/
https://www.acld.org/get-involved/volunteeropportunities/