One Journey - Many Paths "is the theme of New Hampshire's eight annual Family Support Conference, scheduled for May 21-22, 1994 in North Conway, New Hampshire. This conference has played an important role in the emergence of New Hampshire's family support program as one of the strongest and most effective nationwide. Conference workshops will cover a host of topics. FMI: Ceil Connor, Conference Coordinator, tel 603/271-5057.

Whatever It Takes, the First Annual Kansas Conference on Developmental Disabilities, will be held at the Century ?U Convention Center in Witchita on April 28-30, 1994. This conference is being co-sponsored by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services and Families Together, Inc., the State's Parent Training and Information Center. A wide variety of topics will be covered in over 30 concurrent conference sessions. The registration deadline is April 12. FMI: Families Together, Inc. 1023 S.W. Gage Road Topeka, KS 66604 (tel 1-800-264-6343).

Self-Advocacy: Voices for Choices is the theme of the National Self-Advocacy Conference that will be held in Alexandria, Virginia on July 14-17, 1994. FMl: People First of Northern Virginia, P.O. Box 357, Falls Church, VA 22040-0357 (tel 703/532-7279).

The Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (ODMRDD) is hosting its third biennial adult and transition services symposium. The theme of this year's conference is Promoting Community Participation '94. Symposium topics include person-centered planning, services and supports for persons with profound disabilities, functional assessment, and quality outcome measures for residential, school-to-work transition, and vocational services. This symposium will be held on May 17-20, 1994 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Columbus. FMI: Peggy Nemeth-Wright, ODMRDD, 30
East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43266-0415 (tel 614/466-7237; fax 614/752-5301).

The Annual Meeting of the American Association on Mental Retardation will be held May 30 - June 4, 1994 in Boston. FMI: Stephen H. Stidinger, AAMR, 1719 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20009 (tel 800/387-1968).

On the Information Highway, America OnLine's disABILITY Forum (located in the ,"Lifestyles and Interests" Department) offers computer users with a modem the opportunity to network and exchange information and ideas on a variety of disability-related topics with others around the country. The forum is comprised of a message center and library of downloadable materials. Online conferences also are scheduled from time-to-time. Folders are maintained on topics such as supported living and assistive technology. FMI: America OnLine, Customer Relations, tel 800-827-6364.

The New Hampshire Challenge is a quarterly publication which "disseminates in-depth information on disability issues from a family perspective." Each issue of the Challenge is filled with lively discussions of disability issues as well as stories about families and people with disabilities. Even though the Challenge focuses on topics on interest to New Hampshire families, it offers information of general interest. For example, the latest issue contained and excellent recap of national health care reform proposals and their potential ramifications for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Subscribers are asked to make a donation to defray the costs of publishing the Challenge. FMI: The New Hampshire Challenge, P.O.Box 579, Dover, NH 03820-0579 (tel 603/742-0500).

The Kansas Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities Division has released the first in a planned series of stories about people with developmental disabilities "who have had to struggle to remain with their families or return to their home communities." The Way It's Supposed To Be: Community Stories (Volume ?T) profiles a cross-section of Kansans with developmental disabilities who are being included in a family and a community. FMI: Rita Hodges, Mental Retardation / Developmental Disabilities Division, Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, 915 SW Harrison, 5th Floor, Topeka, KS 66612.

Building the Future: Planning and Community Development in Aging and Developmental Disabilities is now available (Price:$5) in a revised, updated second edition that includes new sections on family supports and person-centered planning. This publication is an excellent source of information on forging effective ties between aging and developmental disabilities service networks. FMI: The Community Integration Project in Aging and Developmental Disabilities, c/o NYS OMRDD, 44 Holland Avenue, Albany, NY 12229-1000.

IN REMEMBRANCE…

Arthur Padilla passed away last month in Greeley, Colorado. Arthur was Jeannie Johnson-Padilla's husband. Both had cerebral palsy and other disabilities that led to their being placed in a Colorado institution when they were children. They fell in love and sustained on another.

Jeannie Johnson left the institution in 1985 because she told someone who was willing to listen to "get me the hell out of here." Jeannie wanted to lead her own life rather than the life dictated by others In response to her disability labels. Jeannie moved to Greeley where she received the supports she wanted to live in her own home and pursue her own interests. Jeannie was a supported living pioneer in Colorado.
Because Jeannie succeeded, others followed.

Leaving the institution was one of Jeannie's goals. Her other goals were to get Arthur out of the institution and marry him. In 1992, Arthur finally joined Jeannie in Greeley. They were married last year.
Arthur fell ill. Tragically, Jeannie was killed after being struck by a pickup truck only two months after their wedding. Arthur did not survive his illness.

We mourn the passing of Arthur and Jeannie. They were enormously powerful teachers. As someone who knew them both observed.

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