InfoNet - A resource of ID Action in partnership with Iowa's DD Council

	ID Action and Iowa's Developmental Disabilities Council want to help you become a better advocate. Instead of just sitting up and taking notice, we want you to stand up and take action. That is why we have created infoNET- to give you the information, tools, resources and opportunities you need to take action. Actions speak louder than words!
The 2012 Iowa Legislature is now in session! NEW! The first draft of the Mental Health & Disability Services Redesign Bills are now available. Click here for bill making work group recommendations as modified by DHS (91 page). Click here for bill making Judicial work group recommendations as modified by DHS (10 pages). Click here for bill changing "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability" in Iowa law (70 pages). Upcoming Town Hall Meetings Director Palmer is giving a presentation on the MHDS Redesign to the Johnson County Task Force on Aging. The event will take place on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm at the Johnson County Human Services Building. The location is 855 S. Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240. The meeting is open to the public. Director Palmer is presenting along with Senator Pam Jochum during a Town Hall Meeting in Dubuque, Iowa on Saturday, February 4th. He will be speaking about MHDS Redesign. The event takes place from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at Diamond Jo Casino in the Harbor Room. The location is 301 Bell Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001. The event is open to the public. Director Palmer and Rick Shults will be presenting along with Rep. Renee Schulte and Rep. Linda Upmeyer on February 10, 2012 at Opportunity Village in Clear Lake, Iowa. The focus will be MHDS Redesign. The event begins at 11:00 am and the location is 1200 N. 9th Street W, Clear Lake, IA 50428. The event is open to the public but RSVP’s are preferred. Please send an email to DHS-MHSRedesign@dhs.state.ia.us and include the number of people attending by February 8th. It is recommended that attendees arrive at least 15 minutes early to guarantee a seat. Announcements, documents and information will continue to be posted to the Redesign website http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/Partners/MHDSRedesign.html so please check back often. NEW ISSUE OF INFONET Please forgive technical issues with website as we upgrade our software - in the meantime, the new issue of INFONET is available below. Click here for 2012 Issue #1 More Tools for the e-Advocate Click here to review bills using our Bill Tracker.	"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." Dr. Seuss "I never worry about action, only inaction." Sir Winston Churchill "It is easy to sit up and take notice. What is difficult is getting up and taking action." Honore de Balzac "Politics should be the part time job of every citizen." Dwight D. Eisenhower