Developmental Disabilities

A former house manager at a Baltimore County group home for the developmentally disabled has been charged with abusing a resident of the home, the state attorney general's office announced yesterday. That group-home provider, Baltimore-based Netcon & Earthkins, had its state license revoked last summer amid state findings of abuse and neglect. Phyllis Fakuade, 41, of the 6600 block of Parr Ave. in Baltimore was charged with one count of second-degree criminal abuse of a vulnerable adult and one count of second-degree assault, said Kevin Enright, a spokesman for Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr. The charges were filed Thursday, and Fakuade was served yesterday, Enright said.

The 19-year-old Harford County man with developmental disabilities who is accused of killing his 2-month-old niece was ordered Monday to continue being held without bail. Colin Christopher Wolf, of the 2000 block of Bay Meadows Court in Forest Hill, is facing first degree murder charges after he allegedly struck the child, who had been left in his care, in the face Thursday night and she later died, according to the Harford County Sheriff's Office. After an earlier bail review hearing Friday where Harford County District Court Judge Mimi Cooper questioned Wolf's competency, District Court Judge Victor Butanis ordered Wolf to continue being held without bail Monday and made no mention of any competency concerns.

State Sen. Edward Kasemeyer, who represents District 12 which includes Catonsville and Arbutus as well as portions of Howard County, is one of three state legislators honored for their efforts in support of people with developmental disabilities. Kasemeyer received a Champion for Real Lives Award from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition at the 2013 annual Developmental Disabilities Day in Annapolis last month. "Throughout his tenure in the Maryland General Assembly, Sen. Kasemeyer has been a tireless advocate for the issues most important to Marylanders with developmental disabilities," said Ken Capone, public policy coordinator for People on the Go, in a release.

State Sen. Edward Kasemeyer, who represents District 12 which includes Catonsville and Arbutus as well as portions of Howard County, is one of three state legislators honored for their efforts in support of people with developmental disabilities. Kasemeyer received a Champion for Real Lives Award from the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Coalition at the 2013 annual Developmental Disabilities Day in Annapolis last month. "Throughout his tenure in the Maryland General Assembly, Sen. Kasemeyer has been a tireless advocate for the issues most important to Marylanders with developmental disabilities," said Ken Capone, public policy coordinator for People on the Go, in a release.

On a recent Friday after her shift ended, Mary Beth Reich, an employee in the nursery at the Arena Club in Churchville, quickly ate her lunch so she could go swimming in the fitness club's outdoor pool. The Friday swims are important to her. "I met a lot of good friends," said Reich. She and her friends are beneficiaries of a flourishing partnership involving several health and fitness clubs in Harford County and The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, an organization that provides assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities.

On a recent Friday after her shift ended, Mary Beth Reich, an employee in the nursery at the Arena Club in Churchville, quickly ate her lunch so she could go swimming in the fitness club's outdoor pool. The Friday swims are important to her. "I met a lot of good friends," said Reich. She and her friends are beneficiaries of a flourishing partnership involving several health and fitness clubs in Harford County and The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, an organization that provides assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities.

After 30 weeks of Hello, Dolly! rehearsals, the No Boundaries drama troupe was getting antsy. Members were ready to perform, and all the last-minute costume adjustments and stage reminders just before their final dress rehearsal this week at the "black box theatre" in Ellicott City were making them restless. While they waited for the lights to dim, they shot nervous grins at one another, practiced dance steps, commanded others to calm down and giggled - a lot. But once the music began, they were all business (show business)

When construction at 718 Hookers Mill Road, Abingdon, comes to a close in April, few people will be happier than the Kramers. After placing their mentally retarded adult son, Jim, in a home by himself for about a year, then bringing him back to live with them when complications arose, they know how difficult finding the ideal home can be. "We've been through about four houses ourselves in the process," said Robert Kramer, Jim's stepfather. "This one is well-built." Once Jim Kramer moves into his new home - built for developmentally disabled people in Abingdon - he might have the most accommodating home possible.

Robert Goldstick, a man with mild retardation and a strong sense of purpose, signed on to the computer, made sure videos were in their boxes and logged them in quickly.Then he put the boxes in alphabetical order so he could return them to their proper homes on the floor and looked around the Blockbuster Video store in Parkville for other opportunities."Do you need help?" he asked customers, then showed them where to find videotapes: the family section (his favorites), action movies, oldies or the latest releases.

Arc seeks nominations for Carroll County awards WESTMINSTER — The Arc of Carroll County is accepting nominations for its 2012 Community Awards. Each year The Arc recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The awards will be presented at the Annual Dinner and Community Awards to be held on May 8 at Martin's Westminster. The awards include: Timothy J. Atkinson Award — Presented to a direct care employee of The Arc of Carroll County.

When economic times are tough and the daily headlines remind us of our nation's deficit challenge, it's easy to use misinformation and anecdotes of abuse to demonize certain entitlement programs. Unfortunately, this has the unintended effect of stereotyping whole groups of people as lazy, unmotivated or, worse yet, committing intentional fraud. First, it was those living on the edge of poverty and relying on Medicaid for health care and other critical support services who took the hit. Now it's the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County awarded some $134,000 to eight county organizations this month through its Ladders to Success grant program. Jan Hoffberger, program director for the foundation, said every day the organization "sees examples of the good work being done by many nonprofits throughout our community," and the grants seek to support those efforts. Grant awards generally fall under Youth Development or Economic Opportunity categories, and recipients of this year's grants include organizations that help residents with developmental disabilities, groups helping youngsters with homework and programs juvenile offender intervention.

The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region, a non-profit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities build better lives, will host its first annual Harford Hills Bike Adventure on Saturday, April 27. The ride will begin and end at the historic Steppingstone Farm Museum in Havre de Grace. Participants can choose between a 31 or 64 mile loop through the scenic hills of Harford County and along the Susquehanna River. The starting time for both routes is between 8 and 9 a.m. and all riders are required to wear helmets.

When most people hear the word Medicaid, they probably think about health care for poor people, especially children. To an extent, that is true. But for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, Medicaid means so much more than just health care. For them, Medicaid is the reason people with disabilities and their families have been able to thrive in our communities, having a quality of life comparable to that of other citizens. Now, in the face of a protracted economic downturn, Medicaid is under attack.

March 1 marks the beginning of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region will be joining with people and chapters across the country to raise awareness about issues facing those with disabilities. To observe this month, The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region will be promoting the news and sharing stories at various activities in the community with the goal to promote and protect the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, stories like Jason Coffman, of Harford County, and his recycler position that opened the door to a micro-enterprise opportunity.

Arc seeks nominations for Carroll County awards WESTMINSTER — The Arc of Carroll County is accepting nominations for its 2012 Community Awards. Each year The Arc recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The awards will be presented at the Annual Dinner and Community Awards to be held on May 8 at Martin's Westminster. The awards include: Timothy J. Atkinson Award — Presented to a direct care employee of The Arc of Carroll County.

Berkeley E. Sadowski, a founder of an Annapolis school for children with developmental disabilities, died of respiratory failure Wednesday at the Annapolitan, an Annapolis assisted-living facility. She was 85. Berkeley Elizabeth Krauss was born and raised in Baltimore. She was a graduate of city public schools and attended the University of Maryland. Mrs. Sadowski was a founder of the Providence Center Inc. in Annapolis, which opened in 1961 to provide services to children with developmental disabilities.

The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County has granted $5,600 of its 2011 grants budget in emergency funds to local nonprofits serving women and girls. Emergency Grants are provided to selected nonprofits organizations on an annual basis to be used throughout the year toward immediate relief of emergencies in the lives of women and girls they serve. Recipients for 2011 are Bridges to Housing Stability, Community Action Council, Domestic Violence Center, Family and Children's Services and Howard County General Hospital for the Healthy Families program, FIRN, and Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.

Rebecca Johnson-Stone , of Columbia, is the recipient of the Rising Star award by the National Association for Female Executives. She founded and runs the national non-profit organization W.A.R. (Walk Against Rape), an organization that unites all survivors of rape and sexual assault with an emphasis on military service members, ethnic minorities, the LGBT community and other non-profit organizations. The award will be formally presented to her in New York on Nov. 30. The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County has granted $5,600 of its 2011 grants budget in emergency funds to local nonprofits serving women and girls.