|
The Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) at DBHDS provides a monthly news digest to highlight resources, events, and trainings that may be of interest to self-advocates and families.
As always, for additional information about services and supports, please visit mylifemycommunityvirginia.org.
Thank you,
IFSP Staff
| |
If your contact information changes (e.g., your email and/or mailing address), please remember you can contact your CSB and/or Support Coordinator to update it in WaMS! By doing this, you will be able to receive important information about the resources you or someone else are eligible to receive while on the Waitlist. | |
|
IMPORTANT: Were you approved for IFSP funds that were issued in April 2023? If you were awarded funds during that time, you must register your card and withdraw your funds by Sunday, June 30th, 2024. Please read this announcement for more information.
Reminder: All Funding updates will be sent via this mailing list and posted on our My Life, My Community IFSP-Funding Page.
| | |
 
|
-
IFSP Coordinated Regional Council Meeting materials: We are sharing the materials from our May 16th meeting about DD Waiver Slots in Virginia! Watch the recording, or get the slides on our My Life, My Community "Resources for Families" page (click on "Past publications and event recordings" in the carousel at the top of the page, or click on "IFSP Digest and Coordinated Council Archives" under "Helpful Links: Stay Connected" at the bottom of the page).
| |
-
Save the Date: Our next Coordinated Regional Council meeting will take place on Thursday, July 18th at 6 p.m. We'll announce our topic and guest presenter on our IFSP Facebook page next month! We'll also share this information and the registration link in our June IFSP Digest.
| |
-
Peer Mentoring Program: Peer mentors at The Arc of Virginia are ready to meet you and help you achieve your goals! Learn more about the program and eligibility requirements at The Arc. For questions, email Natasha Cooper at ncooper@thearcofva.org.
| |
-
Family Mentoring Program: Getting support from someone who's been in your shoes can make a difference! Learn how the Family to Family Network at the Center for Family Involvement can help.
| |
Welcome to our IFSP Council Corner! This section in the IFSP Digest debuted in our Feb. 2024 issue, and will contain items submitted by our Regional Councils. We are highlighting an item from our Central Regional Council. | |
-
Good Foods Grocery offers a first-of-its-kind opportunity for Virginia's Autism community: The Good Foods Grocery store in Bon Air is home to a new job readiness program for people with autism. Watch or read this CBS 6 news story to learn more about how this grocery program expands employment opportunities for people with autism in the IFSP's Central region!
| |
DBHDS Office of Integrated Health Supports Network (OIHSN) | |
May 2024 Newsletter Highlights | -
ABA Snippets: Mental Health and Behavior Science: This month's column from DBHDS behavior analysts looks at the history of Mental Health Month and its connection to behavioral science.
| |
June 2024 Caregiver Trainings | Get more details and registration information about the trainings below (and more!) through this link. |
-
Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): Thursday, June 6th from 1 to 3 p.m.
-
Diabetes — Part 1: Thursday, June 13th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
-
COVLC Falls & Individuals with DD: Training will review the accepts of falls relating to the intellectual and developmentally disabled population (I/DD). It will cover information on what percentage of individuals with I/DD fall annually, what might cause an individual with I/DD to fall, what medications increase the chances of falls, what to do if a fall occurs and when to seek medical help after a fall. This free online training is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Email dbhdscovlchelpdesk@dbhds.virginia.gov to set up an account.
| |
Opportunities, Events, and Resources for Professionals, Self-Advocates, and Families | |
PEATC (Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center) | |
Here are free PEATC and PEATC/VDOE trainings being offered during the month of June! Please visit PEATC's calendar (or view the calendar format) for more details about these and other trainings. | |
-
Ten Things You Need to Know about IEPs (in-person): Saturday, June 8th
-
Youth Empowerment Transition Council: Monday, June 10th
-
ComprensiĂłn de la EducaciĂłn Especial: Monday, June 24th
| |
-
IEP University (IEPU): Monday, June 3rd through Monday, June 24th
-
Transition University (TU): Monday, June 3rd through Monday, August 5th
-
Cumbre Latino - Hispana 2024 (presencial): 8 junio (sábado)
| |
Virginia Relay & Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) | |
-
Virginia Relay Town Hall Meeting: At the IFSP, we are grateful for the captioners at Virginia Relay–you might have noticed their work at our IFSP Coordinated Regional Council Meetings! On Thursday, June 13th, Virginia and Relay and VDDHH will be holding a town hall meeting where you can learn more about programs and services for individuals who are Deaf, hard of hearing, DeafBlind, or have difficulty speaking to connect to the community. You will also have an opportunity to share feedback, ideas, and suggestions about how these services may be improved. CART services and ASL interpreters will be available. There will be 2 sessions, a morning session at 10:30 a.m. (register here) and an evening session at 6:30 p.m. (register here).
| |
LEAP (Leadership and Empowerment for Abuse Prevention) | |
-
Webinar: Fostering Healthy Relationships and Preventing Abuse: If you missed this free webinar in March, join LEAP on Friday, June 14th at 9:30 a.m.! Disability support staff, family members, and friends are encouraged to attend. You'll gain strategies to empower people with disabilities to form healthy relationships and avoid abuse–something that is especially important for people who are at a higher risk for unhealthy relationships and experiencing abuse than their non-disabled peers. View the flyer to register and learn more about the agenda and presenters.
| |
Parenting Special Needs Magazine | |
-
Is a Behavior Support Plan Right for Your Child? Do your child's behavioral problems have you wondering whether they should start working with a behavioral specialist? In the May/June 2024 issue of Parenting Special Needs Magazine, our partner Molly Dellinger-Wray at VCU's Center for Family Involvement shares the important questions families should consider. To read the article, click on this link and choose "Read the current issue," then skip to page 12. You can also use this link to go directly to the article!
| |
disAbility Law Center of Virginia (dLCV) | |
-
dLCV Public Input Survey: dLCV is preparing their annual work plan, and they need your input to help them identify their focus areas and efforts for the fiscal year ahead! Please complete this survey to let them know what issues are important to people with disabilities and their families. The survey should take 5 to 10 minutes to complete. Take it here: https://loom.ly/OgCp7JU
| |
National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) | |
-
National Disability Rights Radio: PandA Pod: Still No Jingles: May was Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month! On Facebook, we saw NDRN share this May 2023 podcast in celebration of AAPI heritage, and we wanted to share it here, too. Listen in on this conversation with NDRN staff and Terry Ao Minnis about her voting rights work at the organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice, and Mia Ives-Rublee, who shares her experiences as an Asian American adoptee with a disability. This podcast episode is approximately 35 minutes long.
| |
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers | |
-
Disaster Preparedness Guide for Caregivers: June is National Safety Month—so it's a good time time to share this newly-released document! This guide aims to help family caregivers learn about disaster preparedness and identify the needs of those receiving their care, including how needs might change during a disaster. Read it here!
| |
Mental Health Awareness Month Resources | |
CHADD (Children & Adults with ADHD) | |
-
Mental Health Awareness Month resources: More than two-thirds of individuals with ADHD have at least one other co-occurring mental health condition, including autism, Tourette syndrome, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, substance use problems, and more. CHADD compiled a list of resources that focus on complex ADHD, the symptoms involved when various conditions coexist with ADHD, and possible treatments for those mental health conditions.
| |
Center on Transition Innovations at VCU (CTI) | |
-
"Considerations for Mental Health Support While Transition Planning": This new topical paper from CTI offers essential insights and strategies for educators, professionals, and families to integrate mental health support into transition planning effectively. Read it to learn more about mental health prevalence among transition-age youth, the intersection of mental health and disability, and strategies to support transition planning for youth with mental health needs.
| |
COVID-19 Information and Resources | |
While the IFSP has done our best to share information on COVID-19 resources, this information is not a substitute for medical advice. Stay up to date and visit virginia.gov/coronavirus. | |
|

-
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) launched a COVID-19 toolkit for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The toolkit includes tip sheets for caregivers and providers, and is also available in Spanish. Find it here!
| |
We know that navigating the developmental disability system can be hard for families. Not sure where to start? Read our “IFSP: First Steps” guide to learn about the IFSP program at DBHDS and other important resources, supports, and services offered in the Commonwealth of Virginia! Visit https://tinyurl.com/IFSP-FirstSteps, or use your mobile device to scan the QR code here. | |
 
 
|
Thank you for reading the IFSP Digest! | |
|
IFSP is always looking for more newsletter recommendations! What organizations would you like to see featured? What should we subscribe to? Please send your suggestions to IFSPCom@dbhds.virginia.gov.
If you liked the information in this digest, give us a follow on Facebook by clicking the icon below! To receive updates about events in your community, also follow your regional IFSP Council’s Facebook page. (Not sure which region you're in? Find out on My Life, My Community!)
| | | | |
