Lou and Bianca's autism story

This video really needs no preamble. Its compelling and inspiring message stands for itself. It's the beginning of a father and daughter's story of how their lives were affected by autism.



You can read more of Lou's story about his relationship with his daughter Bianca and his family's efforts to give her the best life possible despite her autism here on his blog 'Lou's Land'.

Remembering the Disabled

Earlier this week, on Monday, September 19, 2011, a Remembrance Day ceremony was held at Sonoma Developmental Center in memory of everyone who has passed away while living at the Center and all state hospitals in California.

The event was hosted at the Gazebo on the SDC campus by Disability Rights California/Peer Self-Advocacy Unit, People First of California and California Network of Mental Health Clients.

In addition to a statewide moment of silence at 1:55 p.m. to honor those who have passed away in state hospitals and developmental centers, simultaneous events were also held at the following facilities:

• Agnews Historic Cemetery, Santa Clara
• California State University - Channel Islands, Camarillo
• Porterville Cemetery, Porterville
• Metropolitan State Hospital Auditorium, Norwalk
• Napa State Hospital, Napa
• Parkview Cemetery, Manteca
• Patton State Hospital, Patton
• Stockton Rural Cemetery, Stockton
• Ukiah Cemetery, Russian River Cemetery District, Ukiah

Remembrance Day ceremonies are part of The California Memorial Project, a collaborative effort between the Peer/Self-Advocacy Unit at Protection & Advocacy, Inc., the California Network of Mental Health Clients, and Capital People First, along with other local People First chapters. The objective is to remember and honor the thousands of people who have lived, who are still living, and who have died in state institutions by:

1. Restoring the cemeteries at the state institutions
2. Recording the stories of people who lived in the state institutions by decade
3. Documenting the history of the consumer/survivor movement in California

Staff, clients and the public are always invited and encouraged to attend the annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.

PHA welcomes the 2011-12 Board of Directors

The Parent Hospital Association general membership meeting this past Saturday was an upbeat occasion with good news from the administration on the results of a summer of surveys and the election of a new group of board members for the coming year.

The PHA welcomed new board president Kathleen Miller. (Watch for a special message from Kathleen in the next issue of The Gazette.) Previous co-Presidents Steve Doherty and Mary O'Riordan remain on the board in the capacity of past presidents and will be joined by some returning and some new members.

The complete list of PHA Board of Directors for 2011-12 is as follows:

Kathleen Miller, President
Steve Doherty, Past President
Mary O'Riordan, Past President
Mike Hawkins, Vice President
Bev Austin, Secretary
Mary Grangoff-Lew, Treasurer
David White, Parliamentarian
Carolina Blake, Member
Alice Nemon, Member
Pat Walter, Member
Brian Farrell, Member
Sue Donaldson, Member

A big 'Thank You' went out to everyone who has agreed to serve on the board, and to Mary and Steve for all the time and attention they have put into PHA over the years. Kathleen was keen to let SDC staff and the general PHA membership alike know that the board will be looking to everyone to participate in PHA activities in any and every way they can in order to keep the group strong and effective.

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In other news, it was announced that next year's gala fundraiser is set for the last Saturday in March (March 31, 2012) and will be held at a new venue - The Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa, CA. The new location offers a convenient location just off Highway 101 and complete event services, which means less time and expense will need to go towards planning and staging the event and more proceeds can be retained for PHA programs. Mark your calendars now - the next fundraiser promises to be a lot of fun.