Exciting Updates for Children and Families Inside

Welcome to the Table Talk newsletter from The Arc of New Jersey's Children's Advocacy Program. Our October edition is filled with valuable advocacy resources as well as exciting opportunities and experiences for your family. For more information, please visit our webpage.

Advocacy with Adara on Facebook Live Update

Season Three is back! Don't forget to view our archived episodes on Facebook.

New to the series? Each episode offers a friendly 10-15 minute chat on special education or services for children with IDD and their families. Tune in every other Monday during the school year at 12 pm on our Facebook page. No sign-ups needed, just drop by, watch, and don't forget to share your thoughts in the comments. We look forward to having you join us!

Upcoming Webinars

Creating Opportunities through Music: Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities

Join us on October 22nd at 6:00 pm for a special webinar featuring Derrick and Nick from Blue Light Music Group. Learn how their inclusive music programs empower children and adults with disabilities through creative expression, skill-building, and community connection. Whether you're a parent, educator, or support professional, this session will provide valuable insight into how music can be a powerful tool for engagement, growth, and joy.

Understanding Transportation Options in New Jersey

Tuesday November 4th at 12:00pm- NJTIP @ Rutgers teaches persons with disabilities and older adults how to safely and independently use public transportation to access where they need and want to go. Join an informative webinar with NJTIP travel instructor Jackie Ng, who will share how individuals with disabilities can confidently and safely navigate public transportation to reach their destinations. Learn about NJTIP's services, discover accessible transportation options available within New Jersey, and explore tools and resources to plan for and facilitate travel. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your travel skills and independence!

Upcoming Events

Department of Children and Families Technoference

Parenting and caregiving today often means juggling work, home responsibilities, and constant digital distractions. Even with the best intentions, technology can interrupt meaningful moments with our children—a challenge known as technoference. The NJ Department of Children and Families’ Office of Resilience offers helpful resources to support families in staying present, connected, and emotionally engaged. Click here for more information.

Inclusive Paraprofessional Training from ALL IN

The Inclusive Paraprofessional (TIP) online training course offers 35 hours of learning designed to equip paraprofessionals with the tools they need to support every student in an inclusive classroom setting. This course is flexible and self-paced.

Click here to learn more or register!

Special Education Resources

To learn more about the special education process and current issues, take some time to explore the resources below. Gaining a deeper understanding of the process can help us better support students with disabilities. Click the links for helpful information and guidance.

Middlesex County Hallo-Treat Dance

Calling all families in Middlesex County! If you have a young adult or adult with autism, you're invited to a free Autism Hallow-Treat Dinner and Dance on October 26, 2025, from 2:00–5:00 PM in Milltown, NJ—a fun, sensory-friendly event with controlled music and welcoming vibes. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend for emotional support; please contact Ms. Mary at (732) 828-1920 to RSVP and hear the event guidelines.

Cumberland County Needs Survey

Oaks Integrated Care is conducting a Community Needs Assessment for their Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) and they need your input to better understand the needs of Cumberland County. Your feedback—especially from those with lived experience of mental health or substance use—will help shape the services we provide in the future. Please take a moment to complete the brief survey using the link. Please feel free to share it with others.

Children's Advocacy Virtual

Office Hours

Virtual office hours are here to stay! Due to anticipated volume, sessions will be limited to 20 minutes and given on a first come, first served basis to ensure that we can accommodate as many families as possible.

Upcoming Virtual Office Hours :

October 16th, 23rd, & 30th 12-2 pm

November 6th & 20th 12-2 pm

Click to sign up

Transition Survey

We'd love to hear from you! Please take a few minutes to participate in THe Arc of New Jersey's transition survey to help us better understand the challenges and experiences during the transition to adulthood. Your insights will guide us in improving support and resources for others going through this important stage. Click here for the survey.

New Inclusive Children's Dance Program in Sussex County

Sussex County TOPDance is an adaptive dance program that provides an inclusive and highly flexible environment where children of all abilities can enjoy and benefit from movement of dance. Classes begin on November 3rd and are open to all Sussex County residents. Click here to register.

Take Action! Cuts to Special Education

are Happening NOW

The rights of students with disabilities are at serious risk following cuts to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which enforces IDEA and supports youth with disabilities. Without proper enforcement, states may neglect their responsibilities, putting millions of students in jeopardy. Tell Congress to protect OSERS—students with disabilities can't afford to lose these critical services.

Click here to email your lawmakers!

Lead, Inspire, Impact- Become a Youth Advisory Board Member

Anvesha is a junior in high school deeply passionate about public health, with a particular interest in neurodiversity and the ways health systems can better support individuals with developmental differences. Motivated by a desire to create more inclusive spaces for neurodivergent communities, she co-founded Action Autism, an organization focused on raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and advocating for equitable access to education and healthcare for people on the autism spectrum.Through her work with Action Autism, Anvesha has organized outreach events, collaborated with local educators and advocacy groups, and helped develop initiatives that emphasize empathy and understanding toward neurodiverse individuals. She is looking forward to helping create a youth advisory board so that young adults can have an opportunity to make changes and learn throughout the process. Anvesha and The Arc of New Jersey are creating a Youth Advisory Board for students 14-21 years of age to gather, discuss, and advocate about educational issues at the local and state level.

To join our Youth Advisory Board, please fill out this form.

To learn more about Action Autism, click here.