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October 30, 2006
Help! I can't locate my son's immunization records.
Joyce,
First let me say shame on your son's school in Chicago. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, his shot records are to be a part of his permanent school records and maintained for a period of 60 years.
However, all hope is not lost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in cooperation with individual state goverments has started the National Immunization Program to maintain an electronic immunization record for all children. Each state has its own program, so you can't contact the CDC directly. Instead you need to contact the board of health for the state in which your child received his shots.
In the State of Illinois, where I'm assuming your son received his most recent shots, the program is called TOTS (Tracking Our Toddlers Shots) and you can call their help desk at 800-942-0024.
For contact information in other states use one of these two web pages maintained by the CDC:
State Health Departments - Select state from a drop down list to go to their Department of Public Health web site.
State IIS Staff - Directory of technical contacts for each states immunization registry. If you can't find a phone number to call from the above web page, use this one to find someone you can ask for further help.
Most, if not all states have started an immunization registry, but not all doctors participate. Ask your child's doctor if they participate in the registry. If they don't, ask them if they are planning on doing so. If not, contact your state department of health to either find another doctor who does participate or if you have your child added manually.
Publicly funded clinics usually participate in the registry.
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October 16, 2006
How do I prepare for the Road Home program?
The average initial meeting time for participants in Louisiana Recovery Authority's Road Home Program can take three to four hours due to the amount on information that needs to be collected. However, you can shorten that time considerably by being prepared.
Here is a list of steps you can do and items to collect to make your journey Home as easy as possible.
1. Even if you have already called (888-ROAD-2-LA [888-762-3242]) the Road Home program to register, fill out the online application. It will not put you at the end of line in being contacted to setup your first appointment.
If you have already setup your appointment, you can still fill out the online application since the Housing Counselor you are assisgned to will be using the very same web site when you are in front of them. You know your information better than them and can enter it easier and quicker than they can.
2. When you fill out the online application, you will create a username and be given a computer generated password. You can change the password once you have finished creating your online account. Be sure to bring your username and password with you to the meeting. Without that information, the Housing Counselor will not be able to bring up your information and will have to start from scratch.
3. The application will require the following information, so gather this before you start:
- Your personal info as applicant (full name, gender, sex, ethnicity, marital status, birthday, government ID type and number, current address, email address, and any phone numbers that can be used to reach you.
- Same information for any co-applicants (spouse or any other listed owners of property).
- Contact information for nearest relative or friend
- Address of damaged property
- Type of structure of damaged property, Tax Parcel ID, how you intend to use Road Home compensation.
- Home Owners Insurance information (company name, policy number, start/end dates, claim amount, settled amount, insured value for dwelling, total damage estimate, agent information, name of attorney, if hired).
- Lienholder information (federal/state taxes, mortgages).
- Disaster Relief Information (SBA funds received, FEMA funds received, FEMA registration number, in a FEMA trailer).
- Occupant information (who resided in the house).
After you enter all of this information into the online application, put the papers used to gather it together to bring with you to your meeting.
4. Items you need to bring with you to the meeting. Some of these should be expected, but are being listed anyway.
- Government issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, military ID). This is needed for every owner of the property.
- Social Security Number for each applicant. Having the Social Security Card is a bonus, but not required.
- Username and password for online application.
- All insurance paperwork. Bring your homeowners/flood insurance declaration page that shows the policy in effect on the date of the storm. Any claim forms, insurance adjustments, or other paperwork that you may have received from your insurance company. If you don't have any paperwork, you will need at least your policy number and claim numbers.
- Documents that show how much you have received from FEMA. If you don't have this, you can go to FEMA's Assistance website and print the page that shows what FEMA has disbursed to you.
- Any documents that prove you own the house. This can be a utility bill, property tax bill, or mortgage documents. Although the LRA doesn't list it, if you have a copy of your Deed and/or Bill of Sale, bring it with you.
- Any appraisal done after January 1, 2000 and before August 29, 2005 (Katrina) or September 24, 2005 (Rita).
- If you are repairing your home, your building permit and any receipts for work and/or materials pair for.
- If any property owner cannot be at the meeting, you will also need a Notarized Power of Attorney for any owner who is not present.
5. When you arrive, your identification will be verified by the receptionist and local law enforcement official, who will also document your arrival and exit times.
6. Your picture will be taken, along with a digital thumb scan, and you will need to sign some paperwork release papers before you are introduced to your Housing Counselor.
7. The Housing Counselor will verify all the paperwork you have brought and sort it into ten different categories. All of it will be scanned, placed into Adobe Acrobat files, and burned on a CD-ROM. You will be given the CD-ROM to take home with you.
8. The Housing Counselor will then update your application after going over all the information with you and an inspection will be ordered. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you can think of.
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