Karen Funkenbusch facilitated a brown bag lunch for five farm/ranch wives who are recent breast cancer survivors. The one-hour luncheon focused on successful ways to navigate the system to acquire emotional and psychological support in their rural agricultural communities, ways in which they can take control of their lives, and ways in which AgrAbility can be a source of help.
On April 6, the Brain Injury Association of Missouri and MO AgrAbility co-hosted their second Survivor and Family seminar. This seminar was held in the Kansas Cityareato answer questions as they transition to life with brain injury. Karen Funkenbusch was part of a panel of professionals with VR, VR VA, and Service Provider Job Coach/VR Counselors to discuss eligibility and how to access employment and community opportunities. After lunch, each professional provided personal consultations with potential clients to begin the AgrAbility process of appropriate services. The Survivor and Family Seminars are designed to provide practical suggestions and "how-to" information for survivors and family members living with brain injury. Attendees also included farmers and ranchers from the Kansas AgrAbility Project.
Bob Schultheis, natural resource engineering specialist and southwest region AgrAbility co-coordinator presented AgrAbility and Agricultural Assistive Technology at the Vocational Rehabilitation Spring supervisor meeting. All eighty-five vocational rehabilitation supervisory and leadership staff members learned about ways AgrAbility and VR can work together to assist Missouri's farmers and ranchers. Additional information can be found on the MU Extension calendar.
Missouri secured a fee-for-service agreement with Vocational Rehabilitation to provide AgrAbility customers with customized onsite farmstead assessments. The VR fee for agreement includes "base" and "expanded" assessment rates. If you would like additional information please contact Karen or Willard. Missouri is also finalizing a fee-for-service agreement with Rehab Service for the Blind to provide AgrAbility customers with customized onsite farmstead assessments. The RSB fee for service agreement will include "base" and "expanded" assessment rates. If you would like additional information, please contact Karen or Willard.
Jackie Allenbrand reported the following AgrAbility and PHARM Dog activities: Allenbrand did a 90 minute presentation at the 2013 NTW about the PHARM Dog project and how it can help farmers with their day-to-day operations. Alda Owen and Bruce Trammell along with their spouses co-presented. Participates reported they enjoyed hearing the clients discuss their own experiences with their dogs. She also did an hour long presentation about AgrAbility and PHARM Dog at the Power Up Conference in Columbia, MO. Power Up is an Assistive Technology conference held every year. Jackie also facilitated an AgrAbility radio spot that ran during the month of April with Randy Finwick, an AgrAbility farmer from the Northwest region who received financial support from MO Rehab Services for the Blind.
Submitted by Karen Funkenbusch