Community Resource Network is a Medicaid and Med-Waiver provider that delivers an array of support services for children, adults and people with disabilities. We constantly advocate to medical and insurance companies, social workers and state officials and agencies on behalf of our individuals to ensure they are receiving the services they need and deserve. We have an unyielding commitment to the people we serve, and we regard their concerns as concerns of our own.
Staff Spotlight: Shining a light of Head of Direct Support Services, Alex
In The Know: Disability News January 2023
In The Know: Disability News November 2022
Holiday Fun for All Abilities
7 Black Friday Deals for Adaptive Products
Celebrate World Kindness Day
In The Know: Disability News October 2022
Staff Spotlight: Shining a light of LSP Instructor, Sean
Tips & Tricks for an Inclusive Halloween
Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month
3 Activities to Celebrate Fall for People with Disabilities
Disability Voting Rights Week!
Payroll 101: 4 Things To Know About Payroll
Staff Spotlight: Shining a light on CMS Coordinator, Jessica
In The Know: August 2022 Disability News
This past month went by so quickly! It was like you blinked and poof, it was over! If that was the case for you, do not worry! We’ve rounded up everything you might have missed in August! Study Identifies Genes Strongly Linked to Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders A new study of genes underlying neurodevelopmental differences has uncovered more than 70 that are very strongly associated with autism and more than 250 with strong links to the condition. The analysis is the largest of its kind to date and includes more than 150,000 participants, 20,000 of whom have been diagnosed with autism. The results offer the most comprehensive look yet at diverse forms of genetic variation in autism and in more broadly defined neurodevelopmental conditions. The insights shed light on the molecular roots of brain development and neurodiversity and provide new avenues for future research on the biology of autism. (source: Disability Scoop) Lyric Changes spark Ableism Conversations This summer, both Beyonce and Lizzo made lyric changes to their songs-removing the word Spaz. Spaz is an ableist slur derived from the “spastic” movements of an Individual with Cerebral Palsy. Both musicians quickly made the changes, but it sparked overdue conversations about
CRN Community Events: Planning Events for the Disability Community
3 Ways to Support a Nonprofit Organization
#NationalNonProfitDay is a day designated to recognizing the impact of the social sector, highlighting the importance of charitable organizations and to thank all the organizations, their staff and volunteers that dedicate their time and efforts to improving communities. Here are 3 ways to support nonprofits today and every day. 1. Raise Awareness Nonprofit organizations are most success when they have a larger audience. Help raise awareness and visibilities for your favorite nonprofits by spreading the word and educating peers and family about their mission, values and the community they support. You can also raise awareness by attending or planning a fundraiser. 2. Donate Financial donations are always helpful and is what comes to mind first, but donations can come in multiple forms. You can donate: Your time by volunteering Goods, supplies, materials that benefit their cause. Always ask what donations are needed. Monetary donations or sponsorships. You don’t always have to donate large amounts. Any amount makes a huge difference Using giveback programs like Amazon Smile. 3. Follow & Share on Social Media Platforms Help increase their visibility. Following and sharing on social media platforms helps promote awareness, build communities and inspire action. You can share upcoming events, impacts and
Staff Spotlight: Shining a light on Transportation Driver, LaShanne
Meet LaShanne! LaShanne has been providing amazing transportation services for CRN for the last 4 years! Transportation Coordinator, Fio, says LaShanne brightens the day of each Individual. Greeting them every morning with a ‘Good Morning!’ and her big, contagious smile and ending the day asking how their day went and putting on good music! When asked why CRN? LaShanne responded: “The Individuals. It always comes down to them. I’ve been supporting Individuals with disabilities for a long time. It’s my passion. I love enriching their lives in any way I can. It’s fun and it’s a part of who I am!” LaShanne’s favorite CRN activity is attending our community dances! She loves to see their smiling faces as their favorite songs are played! LaShanne’s compassion doesn’t end at CRN. In her spare time, she donates her time to her church’s youth group and is a part of the greeters ministry. Thank you, LaShanne for your fun and outgoing personality- it’s a huge asset to our CRN Family! Join the CRN family! Click here to apply!
Book Lovers’ Day: Resources for Reading Accessibility
Today is Book Lovers’ Day- a day to celebrate and honor the crucial role in preserving cultures, educating the masses, and storytelling. Reading can provide you with knowledge, a chance to escape, and opportunities to develop ideas and possibilities! But how can you read if you can’t see the text or turn a page? Whether you read to escape or to learn, there are resources, tools, and books to help make reading accessible to everyone! Check out the list below & let yourself get lost in a good book! If you find it hard to read standard print… The term “print impairment” refers to any disability that makes it hard to read standard print. The most common is visual impairments. Here is a list of adaptations and tools to help people who are visually impaired gain access to reading. Magnify print materials Scan print materials and convert to e-text Manipulate e-text using adaptive software Listen to an audio version Read by touch (braille, tactile images) Watch video with an audio description of on-screen action Daisy Readers TTS (text to speech application for mobile devices) Magnifier Physical disabilities may also make it hard for a person to read standard print. Here are
2022 Team Building Event
At the beginning of the year, CRN made it a priority to show our community and ourselves just how strong and dedicated we are, making 2022’s theme Stronger Together. With that in mind, the entire CRN team got together for this year’s Team Building Event. WHY DO WE HOST TEAM BUILDING EVENTS? Team building events are not only fun and motivating but allow us to enhance our communication and problems-solving skills; connect across departments; and overall, become better providers to the Individuals we serve. This year’s event focused on exploring our communication. Teams had the opportunity to determine their communication style and identify ways to best communicate with their style and others in mind. Teams also participated in games designed to foster team spirit, motivation, and of course, getting those bragging rights! Most importantly, CRN was able to show our appreciation for this amazing team with raffle prizes and surprise gelato truck! We ended the event with our staple send off- one phrase close. Each employee is given the floor to share one word or phrase about how they’re feeling regarding the event. Here are some of our favorites! “I am feeling grateful to work for an organization that really
In The Know: July 2022 Disability News
If you’ve been keeping up with our blog, then you know that July was Disability Pride Month and our industry really showed up! So many exciting new projects, programs, and investments into our community. Read on for a look at some of those July highlights! For more information, check out the resources below: Become a DSP-If you are interested in supporting and improving the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, join our team here! Learn more about DSP rate increase at APD of Florida Sign up here to receive Florida Purple Alerts today through email or text messages. Need more info? Disability Rights of Florida shares more on their site! See what changes have been made to a park or beach near you here- Florida State Parks Foundation Keep up to date with more news to come in August on all our social media platforms and weekly blog updates!
Staff Spotlight: Shining a light on Assistant Program Manager, Alicia
Compassionate care is at the heart of who we are, and we couldn’t deliver that without our incredible team. Our team actively lives out CRN core values (read about our core values here) while embodying our mission. We are so proud of each member and are excited to highlight each one of them, starting this month with Alicia! Meet our Assistant Program Manager, Alicia! Alicia has been bringing fun and compassion to CRN & FM Life Skills Program since December of 2019. Alicia’s favorite hobby is bowling. She participates in both a fall and summer bowling league in Cape Coral. Alicia has been described as “living our core values every day. She’s always smiling, helping and doing her part to make everyone’s day a little brighter.” Thank you for all you do, Alicia! Want to join the Fort Myers LSP team, click here to apply!
Happy Disability Pride Month
July is Disability Pride Month. We celebrate Disability Pride in July in recognition of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA, on July 26th, 1990. The act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Following the legislation, Boston held the first Disability Pride Day event in July 1990. The month differs from Disability Awareness Month by celebrating and embracing an individual’s disabilities, reclaiming visibility and rejecting internalized ableism. Rather than only raising awareness, it is a time to “accept and honor each person’s uniqueness and seeing it as natural and beautiful part of human diversity.” At CRN, we are celebrating by amplifying our Individuals voices. We asked a few of the Individuals from our Life Skills Program questions about what Disability Pride means to them. What are you proud of? What makes you special? Fernando: “I’m proud that I make new friends and I won medals.” Thomas: “My goals: I have a girlfriend, I have a family and I’m looking for a job.” Kayla: “I do what I can. Yes, we all mess up, but guess what? I learn. I’m not giving up.” What do you love about yourself? Isis: “I’m caring
Welcome to Community Resource Network: 5 Facts About CRN
Hello CRN Family and welcome to our first blog post! Since 2009, Community Resource Network has been serving the needs of people with developmental disabilities and now, we are excited to provide even more support and resources! Here we will be sharing community resources for caregivers, families and the entire disability community; up to date announcements and news; and a look inside what makes CRN so special. Starting with 5 Facts about CRN! 1. CRN has the best team We are a company full of dependable, fun, and compassionate employees with a passion for enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities. (Be sure to follow along as we introduce you to this amazing team!) We began providing compassionate care and services in 2009 and in 2017, we expanded our services to better serve the community. Now, with more than 275 direct support providers and two life skill programs, we are helping approximately 500 people of all ages and abilities thrive at home and in the community all throughout Florida. 2. CRN offers a variety of services Community Resource Network is a Medicaid and Med-Waiver provider that delivers an array of support services for children, adults, and people with