Navigating Excellence - Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team
Region A E-News
In This Issue
Featuring...
Upcoming Events/Dates to Remember
Non-Profit Management Resources
Family-Centered Services Resources
Youth-Centered Services Resources
Absenteeism
Bilingual/LEP
Bullying
Child Welfare
Choice/Charter Schools/Virtual Schools/Voucher Programs
Cultural Competence
Data
Discipline & Positive Behavior Supports
Dispute Resolution
Dropout Prevention
Early Childhood/Early Intervention
Equity
Foster Care
Health
Homelessness
Immigrant
Inclusion
Juvenile Delinquency/Juvenile Justice
LGBTQ
Mental Health
Military Families & Youth
Native American
Parent/Family Engagement (and Youth)
Poverty
Social-Emotional Learning
Technology
Transition to Adult Life/Youth
Trauma & Toxic Stress
Quick Links
Inspirational Quote

"Give freely to the world these gifts of love and compassion.  Do not concern yourself with how much you receive in return, just know in your heart it will be returned."  - Steve Maraboli
Message from Carolyn & Diana

As 2019 comes to a close and we take time to reflect on the past year, we are proud of the many accomplishments of each of the Region A Centers and our entire region.  We applaud each of you for your commitment to the infants, toddlers, children, youth and families we serve.  Every day you give freely to the world your gifts of love and compassion, without concern with how much you receive in return.  Please know that we see and value your gifts, and hope that we return those gifts to you in at least a small way.  As a reminder, our offices will be closed from December 24 through January 2nd.  We wish each of you a happy and healthy holiday season and a joyous New Year!
Featuring...

Advocates for Children: New Report Shows Racial Disparities in NYC Children's Access to Early Intervention Programs:   On December 5, Advocates for Children of New York published a new report in partnership with Citizens' Committee for Children of New York (CCC) entitled Early Inequities: How Underfunding Early Intervention Leaves Low-Income Children of Color Behind [PDF] w hich shows that State disinvestment in New York's Early Intervention program has caused major racial and socio-economic disparities in access to services. Read more.

Mission Empower: Training on Mental Health:   Mission Empower is teaming up with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for a training on Mental Health First Aid.  There are 2 opportunities to attend this free training and receive your certificate: January 4, 2020 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., lunch provided and January 13 & 14, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Read more.
Upcoming Events/Dates to Remember

APBS Conference:  The Association for Positive Behavior Supports will be having a conference in Miami, FL from March 11-14, 2020.  More information.

Monthly Drop In Call:   The next Region A Drop In Call will take place on Tuesday, January 7 10:00am -  12:00pm.  Our calls take place monthly on the first Tuesday of every month.  A calendar invite has been  sent out with additional details. Here is the link to join the call: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/987512493.  Thanks to Ruth of the FCSN for facilitating the call!
 
National Parent Center Capacity Building Conference & REACH for Transition:   Save the date!  The National Parent Center Capacity Building Conference will be held in Denver, Colorado on September 16-17; the REACH for Transition forum will be held on September 15. More info to come soon!

Other Events:   Don't forget to check out the CPIR Calendar of Events .
Non-Profit Management Resources 

Getting Started with Communications Planning This Communications Planning Guide was created by Wild Apricot.  It is designed to help the staff and volunteers of non-profit organizations get started with supporter communications and engagement planning.  Access the guide.

Volunteer Checklist:  Wild Apricot developed this volunteer checklist around welcoming, orienting, and engaging volunteers.  Check it out.
Family-Centered Services Resources

Culturally Connected :  Culturally Connected is an approach that brings together cultural humility and health literacy to help care providers and those they serve develop shared understanding of each other's values, beliefs, needs and priorities.  While developed in Canada for those working in the health arena, this information, tools and resources are relevant to our work in the US as parent centers.  Learn more.
Youth-Centered Services Resources

Resources for Youth with Disabilities, Families, & Professionals The US Department of Health and Human Services has a page of resources for youth with disabilities, families and professionals.  From this page, you can also access information on adolescent health, physical health, youth with chronic conditions, and healthcare transition, among other topics.
Absenteeism

Student Absenteeism:   Want to learn about who misses school and how missing school matters for performance?  Check it out.
Bilingual/LEP 

CDC Resources in Languages Other than English:  The CDC website provides numerous CDC resources translated into other languages.  Topics include emergency preparedness and response, diseases and conditions, data and statistics, environmental health, healthy living, injury, violence and safety, life stages and populations, travelers' health, and workplace safety and health among others.  The information comes in various formats available for sharing and downloading.  All of the resources are free to print and share.  Additional resources will be added periodically, so please visit often. For information in Spanish only, please visit CDC en Español.
Bullying

How to Stop Bullying in Schools: What Works, What Doesn't :  Some common school approaches to bullying can actually make the problem worse.  Check out this article on what works, what doesn't.
Child Welfare

Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care:   This powerpoint presentation is chock full of information and data related to youth with disabilities in foster care from numbers to barriers to outcomes to strategies to improve outcomes.  Access it.
Choice/Charter Schools/Virtual Schools/Voucher Programs

Three Big Problems with School "Choice" That Supporters Don't Like to Talk About:   Read this piece by Carol Burris, a former high school principal and Executive Director of the Network for Public Education, in the Washington Post.
Cultural Competence

Understanding Cultural Competence & Cultural Humility:   How can we and our staff work more effectively, compassionately, and appropriately with families from backgrounds and experiences different from our own?  The AIDS Education and Training Center Program SE has resources on cultural competence and cultural humility.
Data

Using Data for Action and For Impact:  There is a growing urgency in the social sector to  make better use of data to inform decision-making and evaluate performance, but many organizations struggle to do this.  This article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review provides a framework to help nonprofits and social businesses do better.
Discipline & Positive Behavior Supports

Nine Examples of Positive Behavior Supports & Interventions:  Positive Behavioral Support and Interventions (PBIS) was initially created to protect and support students with disabilities.  However, PBIS is beneficial for all students and provides effective Tier I intervention as well.  Check out a few examples of PBIS interventions to positively reinforce student behavior for all students. 
Dispute Resolution

18 Tips on Reducing and Resolving Conflicts Between Parents and Schools :   Positive and productive communication between school and home can be a big contributing factor to a student's success.  But even with the best of intentions on both sides, conflict sometimes happens-and when anger flares and arguments escalate, progress can come to a standstill.  This piece has 18 ideas for reducing and resolving conflict between families and school-based team members.  Check it out.
Dropout Prevention

Using Parent and Family Engagement as a Dropout Prevention Strategy :  Check out this webcast on using parent and family engagement as a dropout prevention strategy.
Early Childhood/Early Intervention

Building Momentum: State Progress on Early Learning in 2019 :  A new article from the Center for American Progress highlights areas of progress states have made over the course of 2019.  These include state budgets and legislation that address the child care crisis, and improvements to state infrastructure, access to child care, and home visiting.  The article goes on to stress that states must do more to ensure families have access to high quality, affordable, equitable, and accessible early learning programs.
Equity

Why Understanding Equity vs. Equality Can Help You Create an Inclusive Classroom :  The quality of education that students receive directly correlates to their quality of life years down the road.  Early education in particular has the power to shape a child's future and the more resources available to them, the better.  For this reason, it's crucial for educators to address any barriers young students face to succeeding in school. The key is equity.  Equity means offering individualized support to students that addresses possible barriers, like poverty or limited transportation. 97% of teachers agree that equity is important, but many don't know how to best work towards it in their classrooms.  But once educators have the right strategies to promote equity in schools, they can make sure each student is prepared to reach their potential.  Want to create inclusive and equitable classrooms at your school?  Discover the difference between equity and equality, then learn five strategies for resolving common barriers to equity in education.  Read more.
Foster Care

Working With the Courts for Permanency:  Courts play a key role within the child welfare system in achieving permanency for children.  Judges, attorneys, child welfare professionals, and others must understand and implement the laws and work together to ensure timely, safe, and stable permanent families for children.  Find resources here.
Health

Engaging Families in Improving the Health Care System for Children with Special Health Care Needs:  The evidence is clear that patient outcomes improve, and family and provider satisfaction rises, when health providers who care for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) actively partner with parents and caregivers in what is known as family-centered care.  Yet offering family-centered care is only part of the story.  To create a high-quality system of care, the family perspective must be actively pursued and incorporated at all levels of the health care system - direct care, organizational design and governance, and policymaking.  A review of relevant literature on patient and family engagement finds that at present most family engagement activities occur in physicians' offices, hospitals, and clinics.  There is both need and opportunity for families also to be engaged within the broader health care system and as contributors to public decision-making.  Involving families in program and policy planning makes it more likely that the service provided will be appropriate and utilized.  This fact sheet outlines the barriers to family engagement and the opportunities to improve it at all levels of the healthcare system.  Find out more.
Homelessness

Tips for Teachers & Staff: How to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness:  For many students experiencing homelessness, school is the only place of stability in their lives.  Teachers play a crucial role in creating a classroom environment that is safe and supportive for all students, especially those who are highly mobile and have experienced the trauma that often accompanies homelessness.  Find information and strategies that teachers and support staff can use to support the educational success of students experiencing homelessness.
Immigrant 

Judge Halts Trump's Insurance Mandate for Immigrants:  A federal judge stopped the State Department from suspending legal immigrants' entry to the United States if they don't provide evidence of health insurance coverage or ability to pay medical expenses.  Check it out.
Inclusion

Why High School Inclusion Matters: Factors to Consider:  Inclusion of students with significant disabilities at the high school level has been long debated and undoubtedly presents challenges for districts and schools.  However, there are evidence-based reasons for implementing inclusive practices.  And, students with and without disabilities alike will benefit.  Access this brief fact sheet.
Juvenile Delinquency/Juvenile Justice

National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability:  The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCID) serves as a bridge between the criminal justice and disability communities.  NCCID pursues and promotes safety, fairness, and justice for people with I/DD, especially those with hidden disabilities and marginalized identities, as victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants, and incarcerated persons.  Access their resources.
LGBTQ

Equality Federation Response to Introduction of the Fairness for All Act:  On Friday, December 6, Rep. Chris Stewart from Utah introduced in Congress the "Fairness for All Act" to address LGBTQ discrimination.  More details.
Mental Health

Cultural Awareness in Disaster Behavioral Health:  As the United States continues to become more racially and ethnically diverse, disaster behavioral health professionals should implement strategies and plans for working with diverse populations.  To respond effectively to the mental health and substance use-related needs of survivors, responders must be sensitive to the unique experiences, beliefs, norms, values, traditions, customs, and languages of individuals in communities they serve.  Find out more.
Military Families & Youth

Extended Health Care Option (ECHO):  This military health care option was originally intended to replace the types of supports and services that civilians can access through Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waivers (HCBS).  It's also sometimes known as the military health care system's best kept secret.  Find out what ECHO might do for military families in your state, even if they are not active duty.  Learn more.
Native American

Head to the Hill with NIEA:  From February 4-6, NIEA Hill Day will feature one-of-a-kind Native Education advocacy sessions to engage, update, and inform attendees on key issues current to Native education.  Our action driven Capitol Hill event provides training for real Native advocacy for the current national landscape.  As NIEA prepares emerging and seasoned advocates in the days before Hill visits, informational sessions focus on progress and how to address recent challenges for Native education.  More information.
Parent/Family Engagement (and Youth)

New Resource for Effective Family Engagement:  The National Association for Family, Community and School Engagement has a new resource developed in partnership with the FrameWorks Institute a communication toolkit to help us all rethink the way we communicate about family and community engagement so that people can understand it, appreciate it, and value it.  The interactive tools provided highlight several communications strategies proven by research to work in shifting people's mindsets about family engagement.  They also invite you to visit our new website, famengage.org, that highlights this work and the work of the National Alliance for Family Engagement, which has come together to encourage the adoption of these new strategies.  Access the toolkit.
Poverty

Exploring the Link Between Poverty and Education:  For the first time in recent history, the majority of children attending U.S. public schools come from low-income families.  Among these students, 16 million live in poverty-meaning and annual income below $23,624 for a family of four-which can touch almost every aspect of a child's life.  Living in poverty can sap physical and mental health, suppress energy and engagement, and hinder access to learning opportunities.  What can educators do to help promote the success of low-income students?  Find out.
Social-Emotional Learning

Guiding Principles of Social and Emotional Learning:   This piece provides information on the guiding principles of social-emotional learning for young children.   Check it out.
Technology

How to Use Emojis and Symbols to Improve Your Marketing Strategy [Infographic]:   Are you looking for ways to make your business stand out online? Have you considered incorporating emojis into your marketing strategy?  The team from Campaign Monitor share their guide to emojis in marketing in this infographic.
Transition to Adult Life/Youth

Sex Talk for Self Advocates:  Watch this webinar series from the Association of University Centers on Disability on the "taboo" topic of sex for people with disabilities.
Trauma & Toxic Stress

The Cost of Stress: The Devastating Effects of Toxic Stress in Children and Adults:   Toxic stress can have catastrophic effects on a child's development, including their physical and mental health.  At the fetal, infant, and even early childhood stages, their still-developing brains are especially susceptible to stress-related biological influences.  Stress experienced by an expectant mother transfers directly to the child she carries.  Find out more.
ABOUT THE REGION A PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER  
The Navigating Excellence-Parent Assistance and Collaboration Team (NE-PACT), the Region A Technical Assistance Center, provides technical assistance to federally-funded parent centers -- Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) - NEPACT Logolocated in the states of CT-AFCAMP CT-CPAC , DC-AJEDE-PIC, MD-PPMD, ME-MPF , MA-FCSN , NH-PIC , NJ-SPAN , NJ-ASCF NY-AFC , NY-CIDA, NY-LIAC NY-UWS , NY-Starbridge , NY-INCLUDEnyc , NY-Sinergia , NY-PNWNY , PA-HUNE, PA- ME, PA-PEAL, PR-APNI RI-RIPIN , VI-DRVI and VT-VFN .  These Parent Centers are independent non-profit organizations. We also provide support to emerging parent centers and parent organizations serving families of children with or at risk of being identified as having disabilities. In addition, we work with early intervention and education agencies (local, state and federal level) seeking information regarding best practices in involving parents of children with disabilities in systems improvement.

The center activities are specifically designed to:
  • Enhance the capacity of parent centers to provide effective services to families of children with special needs and to work effectively with their states to improve special education and early intervention systems; and,
  • Facilitate their connections to the larger technical assistance network that supports research-based training, including educating parents about effective practices that improve results for children with disabilities. For more information click here.