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Anonymous survey for individuals and care-takers

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Aveanna Consumer Satisfaction Survey

IHCS

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Aveanna is hosting a training on police interactions for individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities! Facilitated by ASERT and the Southampton Police Department, we will have a training specifically catered to our individuals (teens and adults) on how to interact with police and navigate police encounters. This event will take place at our office:

April 22, 2019 @ 3pm

4 Neshaminy Interplex Drive suite 202

Trevose, PA 19053

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Budget-friendly Things To Do in Montgomery County

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Budget-friendly Things To Do in Montgomery County

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The top 10 best free things to do in Valley Forge and Montgomery County, Pa., including Valley Forge Park, Schuylkill River Trail and Abington Art Center.

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Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Free Things To Do

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Budget-savvy travelers can have a blast in Bucks County. From old-fashioned festivals to panoramic parks, free has never been more fun.

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Self-Advocacy Skill Building and Resources

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Self-Advocacy Skill Building and Resources

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" focuses on the priority topic of “best practices in self-advocacy skills building.”  Here, you’ll find quick connections to materials and resources you can use with youth with disabilities and their families to build their abilities to advocate for themselves."

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The Parent Center network has a common list of 14 priority topics we are expected to address. The list comes to us from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education.

Welcome to the Hub page that focuses on the priority topic of "best practices in self-advocacy skills building." Here, you'll find quick connections to materials and resources you can use with youth with disabilities and their families to build their abilities to advocate for themselves. Items marked with ** are designed to be parent-friendly.

What is Self-Advocacy, and Why is It Important?

Wrightslaw answers these two questions quite succinctly, so we're going to quote from them. Speaking directly to those with disabilities but relevant to all of us:

What is Self-Advocacy?
Self-Advocacy is learning how to speak up for yourself, making your own decisions about your own life, learning how to get information so that you can understand things that are of interest to you, finding out who will support you in your journey, knowing your rights and responsibilities, problem solving, listening and learning, reaching out to others when you need help and friendship, and learning about self-determination.

Why is Self-Advocacy Important?
So that you have the knowledge needed to succeed and are given the chance to participate in decisions that are being made about your life.

Parents may need some orientation to this topic, too. Here's one such resource.

Training Video on Self-Determination.
Especially for parents (25 minutes) | Available in English and Spanish.
Do you want to help your child with a disability live an included and productive life? Your son or daughter needs self-determination skills such as making choices, setting goals, and self-advocacy. The Self-Determination video will provide you with a foundation of how to teach these skills to your son or daughter. Also available in Spanish (Cómo ayudar a nuestros hijos a desarrollar su auto determinación). From the Utah Parent Center.

Resources for Youth Themselves

There are resources about self-advocacy for parents, families, and service providers, but what about resources that speak directly to the young person with a disability? Fortunately, there are many. We've listed a few starters below (believe us, there are more!). Access them, share them, use them with young people with disabilities.

Learn about Self-Advocacy: Speaking Up.
For youth with intellectual disabilities.
This resource-rich website pairs minimal text with short, step-by-step video clips of youth themselves talking about self-advocacy. Includes a to help youth identify self-advocacy groups in their state. Lots ofvideo stories from self-advocates on key topics such as the ADA, education, jobs, health, home, and self-determination.

Youth in Action! Becoming a Stronger Self-Advocate.
Speaking directly to young adults with disabilities, this resource defines self-advocacy, describes why it's important, and suggests 4 steps to becoming a stronger self-advocacy. Youth-friendly, brief, to the point, this resource is a product of the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth).

Youthhood.org.
Youthhood is a not-to-be-missed website for youth. This fun and engaging site will remind students with disabilities that they are not alone as they explore community and build a future. It's chock-full of great resources and information. Introduce young people to the site by starting with "What Can I Do Here?"

Self-Advocacy: Find the Captain in You!
Video (10 minutes) | A funny and fun way to introduce self-advocacy to young people with disabilities.
Follow two hosts with dry humor on their morning news talk show, Midday In The Valley, as they explore and discover the powerful force of a term called: Self Advocacy. Covering two interviews and speaking with their ever helpful side kick, Captain Self Advocacy (yes he is really wearing tights!), they come to understand why understanding what you're good at, what you need assistance with, and how to effectively communicate with people in life is very important for everyone, especially youth with disabilities. Remember: Nothing About You Without You!

Speak Up! Using What You've Got to Get What You Want
Engaging multimedia tool that easily guides youth through training.
This tool helps youth with disabilities learn how to speak up and advocate for themselves. With this tool, they can map out personal goals, learn about their rights and responsibilities, learn the best way to ask for help, and get organized.

Fact Sheets, Toolkits, and Training Materials on Self-Advocacy

Oh, where to start, and what to list? There's an amazing amount of materials out there designed to help schools and families prepare young people with disabilities to advocate for themselves. In fact, many more than we will list here. We know you haven't got all day, so start with these resources and see how they fit your learning and training needs.

Whose Future Is It Anyway? (2nd edition)
Subtitled "A Student-Directed Transition Planning Process," Whose Future Is It Anyway? helps prepare students for their IEP meetings and gain self-determination skills through six sections that contain 36 lesson sessions. The lesson package comes with a Coach's Guide that outlines the lessons, how to teach them, the roles of the students and teachers, as well as expected outcomes.

Building Self-Advocacy and Self-Care Management Skills.
Here's a handy list of suggestions and insights for parents to build their youth's self-advocacy skills at home, especially with respect to health care and management. There are several videos, too.

My Health, My Choice, My Responsibility.
My Health, My Choice, My Responsibility is an 8-session curriculum-based group training program focusing on advocating for healthy choices on a daily basis. The emphasis is on gaining knowledge to make informed choices and the skills and tools needed to speak up for good health. Topics include being a self-advocate at medical appointments, physical activity, nutrition, being safe and healthy at home, and feelings. Participants learn the material through discussions, exercises, and visual aids. The link above will take you to a subsection, where you'll need to scroll down a bit to find the curriculum (go just past "Online Videos").

Personal Preferences Indicator: A Guide for Planning.
For use with individuals with significant developmental disabilities | Available in English and Spanish.
This is a tool to assist in planning with and for a person with a developmental disability. It's a guide, not a checklist, for accessing information about the person's preferences across 7 domain areas. The items are used as cues or prompts for discussing with the person or their family/friends the important considerations in developing a plan of support. Domains explored include the individual's favorites, emotions, socialization, self-determination, physical self, health, and family roles. Also available inSpanish | Los Indicatores de Preferencias Personales: Una Guía para Planear.

Resources in the Parent Center Network

In the Driver's Seat: Six Workshops to Help with Transition Planning and Self Advocacy for Youth with Special Needs.
From the Vermont Family Network, In the Driver's Seat is a series of six workshops for youth in transition from high school to adult life. Although this curriculum is suitable for all students, it was developed for students with special needs particularly those with development disabilities. During the workshops, youth experience hands-on learning that helps them achieve adult, life goals. With encouragement and support, young adults identify their skills, interests, and needs, and work toward improving their ability to self
advocate.

Dude, Where's my Transition Plan?
Includes checklists you can use with youth.
Speaking directly to youth with disabilities, this 28-page booklet comes from PEATC, the PTI for Virginia. In addition to multiple transition planning worksheets, the booklet also includes several checklists and discussions of self-advocacy.

Resources in Other Languages

Cómo ayudar a nuestros hijos a desarrollar su auto determinación.
¿Desea ayudar a su hijo(a) con discapacidad a tener una vida productiva y una vida de inclusión en su comunidad? Su hijo(a) necesitará desarrollar habilidades de auto determinación, tales como establecer metas, cómo tomar decisiones, y habilidades de auto abogacía. Este video sobre la auto determinación servirá de fundamento para enseñarles estas habilidades.

__________

Have a resource you'd like to recommend?
It's hard to find information in other languages about how to use data to advance school reform efforts. If you know of a resource that'd be helpful to other Parent Centers and the families they serve, please share the news with Lisa Küpper, product development coordinator, at the CPIR: lkupper@fhi360.org. Thanks!

Don't Forget to Search the Hub!!

Since this Priority Page was originally created, we've added many " Self-Advocacy" resources to the Hub library. These are easy to find! Just use the link below:
https://www.parentcenterhub.org/category/topics/self-advocacy

There's a SORT BY drop-down menu above the resources that will be listed. Set the drop-down to " Date (Newest)." And there you'll have the latest resources on self-advocacy!

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Best Practices in Self-Advocacy Skill Building

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The Parent Center network has a common list of 14 priority topics we are expected to address. The list comes to us from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education. Welcome to the Hub page that focuses on the priority topic of "best practices in self-advocacy skills building."

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Self-advocacy training "produced specifically for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There are clear, step-by-step instructions on how to be a self-advocate and how to ask for and effect change." (video 1 of 7)

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Self-Advocacy Training for Individuals with Intellectual

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Self-Advocacy Training for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (1 of 7)

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Information on communication, mental health, relationships, daily life, rapport building, goal setting, safety & crisis management, professionalism, service navigation and more.

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This guide houses trainings for professionals, individuals and family members. This guide is divided into sections organized by training competencies, and then further organized by tier levels in an effort to meet professional, individual and family member training needs.

This collection of resources provides a range of both prevention and intervention resources related to sexual abuse and assault. Resources are broken down into categories for individuals, professionals, caregivers and general resources, as well as those for children and adults.

This resource collection provides resources by condition as well as general physical health resources for individuals with autism, their families, and providers.

This collection of resources focuses on the topic of mental health and provides general mental health information as well as specific resources related to anxiety, depression, behavior, services and assessment, psychopharmacology, and crisis intervention.

This bundle is a collection of social stories developed by ASERT and other professionals. Social stories can be a helpful took for individuals to prepare for and understand different situations.

This collection of resources includes information about visual schedules and using visual schedules for individuals with autism. These resources have information for individuals with autism, their families, providers and the community.

This resource is a collection of transition toolkits across the lifespan, organized by transition period from infancy to adulthood.

This collection of resources provides information on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) including an introduction to ABA, how you can tell if a child is receiving ABA services, what to consider when choosing a provider, informationon insurance coverage for ABA services and more.

This collection of resources provides background information on LGBTQI topics as well as specific resources for families, individuals, policymakers and healthcare providers, as well as support groups and organizations.

The ASERT eLearning page offers free, online trainings across a variety of topics for both community members and direct support staff and other professionals.

This course provides an understanding of social skills associated with autism and how those deficits affect everyday social interactions, discusses common social skills targets and how to teach social skills in everyday life, and how to help individuals generalize social skills in everyday social interactions.

This course provides information regarding the benefits and risks of technology for individuals with autism, how characteristics of autism can influence online behavior, tips to increase online safety awareness, and tools to teach others about online safety.

This course provides a brief overview and history of autism, symptoms and diagnosis, tools and strategies that can be used when working with individuals who have autism, as well as additional resources for learning more.

This course provides information on the prevalence and pathways to sexual abuse/assault, why individuals with autism are at increased risk for sexual abuse/assault, primary signs of sexual abuse/assault, the importance of teaching sexual safety, how to monitor interactions to reduce risk and the process for reporting suspected sexual abuse/assault.

This resource provides a listing of support and self-advocacy groups across the state of Pennsylvania, listed by county. Individuals can use the interactive map to search by county to find support groups, including in-person and online groups.

This training and resource platform, maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs, offers a wide range of resources and trainings for professionals, as well as individuals and families.

The Health Care Quality Units (HCQUs) work to support and improve the health information and knowledge for the intellectual disabilities community service system by building capacity and competency within the physical and behavioral health care systems as well as the stakeholders of the ID/A system. This page allows users to search the HCQU online course catalog for free, online trainings.

The College of Direct Support (CDS) is a web-based training curriculum that provides learning opportunities on many topics of importance to people with developmental disabilities and those who support them. Since 2003, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Developmental Programs has supported the use of the CDS as a way to offer effective, consistent training to Direct Support Professionals, Supports Coordinators, supervisory and managerial staff, self-advocates, families and other interested parties across the Commonwealth.

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This guide houses trainings for professionals, individuals and family members. This guide is divided into sections organized by training competencies, and then further organized by tier levels in an effort to meet professional, individual and family member training needs. This collection of resources provides a range of both prevention and intervention resources related to sexual abuse and assault.

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Aveanna Healthcare (formerly Epic Developmental Services) Will be using this platform to share any updates on the company and/or services, inform you of any upcoming Aveanna events as well as provide relevant information and applicable resources.

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Epic's behavioral health services help children by increasing adaptive skills, communication, and learning through evidence-based practices and proactive strategies. Epic Developmental Services provides the most current, best practices in education and behavioral health to address the needs of children.

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Click the link and search through a variety of blogs to connect and relate to! Lets us know your favorites!

Actually Autistic Blogs List

Some of Our Favorites:

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Find fun events and activities near you!

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To partner with individuals and families living on the autism spectrum to provide integrative resources for life enrichment in a safe and respectful environment.

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Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

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Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

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"To advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development."

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Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund

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September 8, 2023
The new provisions show HHS's commitment to reconciling Section 504, the ADA, and key cases that together enable people with various disabilities to achieve consistent and timely access to needed healthcare, so that they can pursue their own life goals and interests. DREDF shares this commitment.

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The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

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DREDF is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education, and public policy and legislative development.

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Below is a list of companies who are proactive and public about their initiative in hiring people with special needs!

ADVICE:

Cintas

Staples

Quest Diagnostics

Amazon

Autism @ Work Employer Roundtable:

Microsoft

SAP

DXC Technology

JPMorgan Chase

EY

Ford

Freddie Mac

Travelers Insurance

Rising Tide Car Wash

Spectrum Designs

Walgreens

Willis Towers Watson

Bank of America

Capital One

Google

Dell EMC

Computer Aid Inc. (CAI)

AMC Theatres

Hart Schaffner Marx

Kinaxis

The Home Depot

Lowe's

SAS

Autism Speaks Employment Tool Kit: This tool kit can be used to help assist and guide you in finding thejob that fits you.

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Early Intervention Services for children birth to 3 years of age are offered through the Bucks County Department of Mental Health/Developmental Programs. If you have concerns about your infant or toddler's development, contact an Early Intervention Service Coordinator at the Base Service Unit in your area (see below). The Service Coordinator will assist you in determining whether your child is eligible for Early Intervention Services.

(School Districts: Palisades, Penn Ridge, Quakertown) 267-517-3650

Lenape Valley Foundation(School Districts: Centennial, Central Bucks, Council Rock, New Hope/Solebury) 215-345-5300 ext. 5402

Northwestern Human Services-Bucks County EI Office (School Districts: Bensalem, Bristol Borough, Bristol Township, Morrisville, Neshaminy, Pennsbury) 215-752-5760

The Early Childhood Services Program provides early intervention to children ages 3-5 years of age who have special needs. If you suspect that your preschool age child may have a developmental delay, call the Early Childhood Services Program at (800) 770-4822 ext. 1716.
Offering early intervention services, residential services, vocational services, production services and J.O.B.S program for individuals with special needs . Serving Bucks County families who have a child or adolescent that struggles with emotional, behavioral, social and/or learning issues, Bucks LIFE works closely with families to offer support along with informational resources and referral services. Services include Approved Private School, special classrooms, summer programs, recreational programs, parent-infant programs, assistive technology, early intervention programs and various outpatient speech, physical and occupational therapies for people with disabilities.Friendship Circle Community Preschool provides a positive and safe learning environment for ALL children ages 24 months to 5 years, to grow, make friends, build self-esteem and experience the joy of their accomplishments. Kencrest provides services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as autism. Services include early intervention, inclusive preschools, community living settings, life sharing, job coaching and more. Therapeutic play for children with special needs including Autism Spectrum Disorders, challenges in relating and communicating and regulatory challenges using the philosophy of DIR/Floortime. Services include play therapy/floortime, OT, educational consult, parent coaching, sensory integration, and child and family counseling.A non-profit association founded by parents and professionals Support groups, education and advocacy for caregivers and families with Progressions offers wraparound behavioral health treatment for children and adolescents in their own home, schools and communities throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. Services are child focused and individualized to the child and family needs. They help children and families struggling with various mood, thought and behavioral disorders. In addition, Progressions also provides child and adult outpatient therapy. Progressions accepts Medical Assistance and is currently taking referrals for new clients. Progressions has offices in Philadelphia, Trevose, Allentown, Pottstown and Reading. Sunny Days Early Childhood Developmental Services offers an early intervention program as well as pediatric home care for children up to 18 years of age. Local non-profit (501c3) that supports our children with autism and other disabilities. Their mission is to provide resources and financial relief to families across the Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia county in order to make this journey a little easier. They also hold kid friendly events as well as opportunities for parents to come together and offer Theraplay, Inc. is a provider of physical, occupational, speech and feeding therapies

Bucks County LIFE Program
Clarity Service Group
Clarity Service Group provides ABA services, early intervention, wrap-around, parent training, consultation services and more.
Easter Seals of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Education Law Center
The Education Law Center is a non-profit legal advocacy and educational organization dedicated to ensuring that all of Pennsylvania's children have access
to a quality public education.
Exceptional Connections
Friendship Circle Community Preschool
They offer smaller sized classrooms, experienced professionals, developmentally appropriate activities and individualized attention to IEP and IFSP plans, through a team approach. They work collaboratively with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit and the Bucks County Department of Mental Health and Developmental Programs.
Friendship Circle Community Preschool is proud to be DPW licensed, a Keystone Stars 3 participant and accepts CCIS funding. Early care, after care and up to five full or half days per week classes are available. Children do not need to be potty trained!!

Jane Melchiondo, 1082 Taylorsville Road, Washington Crossing, PA
(267) 981-7933

Penndel Mental Health Center
Penndel Mental Health Center provides Supports Coordination to individuals ages 3 and older who meet eligibility requirements for MR services.
Supports Coordinators provide resource and referral services,
advocacy and service monitoring.
to provide and promote Conductive Education (CE) services Piece of Our Puzzle Potential, Inc
A non-profit organization whose goal is to provide the highest quality interventions for individuals with Autism and other developmental disabilities. They utilize current research in ABA which includes an analysis of Verbal Behavior to improve communication, behavior, toileting, social skills and more.

Please visit the Progressions website for site specific information.

Improving the quality of life, knowledge and understanding of our special needs kids. Offering social skills groups for children with any range of disability or special needs in the Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia area. Friendships will be formed and skills taught to use in the community; also offering respite care and parent training. Contact Erin Farrell at 267-709-9589 for more information and discounted rates.

The Goofy Gators

support and advice in a non-judgmental environment.
Contact Erin Farrell at 267-709-9589 for more information on how to join this amazing cause. Theraplay, Inc.

and special instruction services for children from birth to 21.
Their services include Outpatient Centers, School Based, Home Care and Early Intervention Therapies. Theraplay provides children's therapy services in a play environment that enables a child to maximize their potential.

to individuals with motor disabilities and their families.

NAMI

loved ones suffering from mental illness.

Please contact (215) 794-0800 to schedule a visit.
Located in Croydon, PA

Exceptional Connections is committed to helping children and their families live a happy and comfortable life. Owned and operated by Board Certified Behavior Analysts. We look at behavioral and learning issues individually and create a plan that suits the child, the family structure and the child's environment. Eliminating behavior issues while teaching skills and communication is the key to success.

Cadence Hearing Services

Dr. Lynda Wayne, audiologist, located in Newtown/Langhorne area performs hearing tests for pediatrics to geriatrics. A variety of hearing instruments are dispensed as well as custom ear plugs for music, sleeping, hunting and swimming can be made.
Par with most insurances.

Call today (215) 860-3154, www.cadencehearing.com or drwayne@cadencehearing.com.

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Early Intervention Services for children birth to 3 years of age are offered through the Bucks County Department of Mental Health/Developmental Programs. If you have concerns about your infant or toddler's development, contact an Early Intervention Service Coordinator at the Base Service Unit in your area (see below).

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"a voluntary effort by public developmental disabilities agencies to measure and track their own performance."