Strong Families. Strong Futures. |
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Hello, VFN family and friends! Happy August!
It’s been a very busy summer for all of us, and full of change. Like many of you, we are preparing for multiple possibilities of school reopening. (See the article below with VFN Back to School Resources.) Our Family Support team is working hard to assist families and education partners in thinking critically about options that work for all students, especially those with disabilities/special health needs as they return to their learning programs in the continuing pandemic uncertainty. Puppets In Education is developing helpful programming that can be offered virtually to advance online learning, support, and community-building for a variety of students in a variety of learning environments.
As our statewide family support and advocacy work continues, we are in the midst of bringing our Chittenden County Children’s Integrated Services Early Intervention (CIS-EI) program to a close at VFN after 30 years. Our dedicated staff are doing everything they can to support the transition of this integral part of our family-to-family work to Northwestern Counseling and Support Services. (See my June Letter from the Heart for the story behind this change.) As you might imagine, it is bittersweet to be creating a new beginning for Chittenden County’s CIS-EI program from VFN’s program’s end. From its inception as the Family, Infant, and Toddler Project (FITP), Early Intervention has been part of VFN’s Parent to Parent work with families. The model of the experienced parent of a child with special health needs/disability as Service Coordinator--a caring, highly skilled person who has walked the walk--paired with an early childhood special educator as Developmental Educator was a gold standard for FITP in Vermont, and served many families well for many years. As CIS-EI evolved from FITP in Vermont, VFN continued to support this way of working with families of infants and toddlers. We still believe it is the best way to serve families of little ones who have or are at risk of having developmental delays.
I want to take a moment to recognize our CIS-EI staff and leadership for all of their commitment, care, and creativity, especially over the last few years. Their dedication and determination to make things work for families, no matter what, is laudable. I especially want to lift up the following individuals for their years of service to early intervention:
Anniversaries
5 years:
Kate Ruwet, Family Resource Coordinator
10 years:
Kathleen Fitzgerald, Developmental Educator
Laurel Sanborn, Family Resource Coordinator
Jessy Gerry, Family Resource Coordinator
15 years:
Mark Kennedy, Family Resource Coordinator
Michelle Perry, Developmental Educator
Rachel Boyers, Director of CIS-EI
I hope you will join me in wishing all of our CIS-EI professionals all the best as they move on from VFN. I cannot thank them enough for all they have done, and I am hopeful that they will be wildly successful and much appreciated in their new pursuits. They say, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” We know.
From the heart,
Pam McCarthy, M.Ed.
CEO/President
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Back to School VFN Resources |
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Back-to-school planning has never come with so much uncertainty. To help families of children with disabilities better understand their options, Marilyn Mahusky, Staff Attorney, Disability Law Project and Karen Price, VFN Co-Director of Family Support presented this short video on School Options with accompanying infographic. The video covers the intersect of IEP (Individualized Education Program) and home schooling; IEP educational placement; and considerations for homebound/hospitalized students. Parents of students who have an IEP may want to request Compensatory Education Services using one of our sample letters. Alternatively, if students have failed to make progress due to Covid-related circumstances, they may want to discuss Covid recovery services with their school team. VFN developed a list of Covid-19 Questions to Consider Before Schools Reopen for possible discussion. If you have questions about your child in school, please contact a Family Support Consultant at (802) 876-5315 or info@vtfn.org
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Medically Necessary Supplemental Fund |
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Income-eligible families of children with special health needs (birth to 21) may apply for up to $1,000 per 12 month period for their child’s unmet, medically-necessary needs such as equipment, medications, medical travel, and therapies. Here is more information. To apply, please contact Joanne.Wechsler@vtfn.org or talk with your CSHN Care Coordinator.
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Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey |
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The Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey is a national school-based survey that monitors the health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and young adults. This survey is administered to all middle and high school students every two years. Several states collect data on youth with disabilities and for the first time, Vermont has added questions for students who identify as having a disability. The report includes key findings and possible next steps. There are some stunning results on topics such as bullying, physical violence, and mental health to name just a few.
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Special Education Rules Survey |
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The Vermont Special Education Rules are currently open for comment! This is a rare opportunity for you to share valuable feedback regarding your experience with your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP). We are gathering information regarding proposed changes in this short survey. Your feedback will be aggregated and shared with the State Board of Education and could influence the final changes to the Rules. If you are interested in submitting more detailed written comments to the State Board of Education, please contact Family Support at (802) 876-5313 or info@vtfn.org. The survey will be open until October 30.
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Did you know that our Parent Match program is more than 30 years old? Now more than ever, parents of children with disabilities and special health needs may feel isolated and alone. Talking on the phone with a parent who has “been there” can offer a source of empathy, hope, encouragement, and problem solving. Learn more about how our Parent Match Program is evolving to meet the needs of families during the pandemic. If you would like to request a parent match or learn how to become a Support Parent, please contact us at info@vtfn.org or (802) 876-5315. Learn
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The Puppet Team has been flexing their creative muscles during the past few months. While the puppets have not been able to perform live, key programs were adapted and filmed that we knew children needed during Covid-19 (Anxiety, Physical Abuse). They can be found on our website. The Team has been exploring how to reach children in meaningful ways, and is planning for a variety of possible delivery scenarios for the 2020-2021 school year. We have been: adapting scripts; learning about filming, lighting, and sound; exploring online platforms; connecting with other puppet troupes; and keeping a close eye on the ever-changing plans for the upcoming school year. We are also researching and developing our Middle School Anxiety program. Children and schools need social and emotional program support now more than ever! Our message is: We are here to meet children’s needs and more information on the format will be coming soon!
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Contact Us. We Will Listen! |
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Helping Vermont Families thrive for more than 30 years |
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New video!
Parent Match Program
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Join our closed Facebook Group for parents only |
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Covid-19: Questions to Consider Before
Schools Reopen
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Upcoming Events - Register & Share |
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Update on Covid-19 Emergency Supports for Family Caregivers
Families who receive support through Developmental Disabilities Home and Community Based Services, also known as “The Waiver,” for a child or adult with a disability may be are eligible for Covid-19 Emergency Supports as outlined on the DAIL website. Join this webinar for updates about these Emergency Supports. Please send your questions in advance to eventscoordinator@vtfn.org Presenters: Selina Hickman, DDSD Director; Amy Roth, DDSD Assistant Director; and Clare McFadden, Deputy Director of Payment Reform, DAIL
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Special Education Workshop with Dr. Jacqueline Kelleher, VT Director of Special Education, & Her Twin Sons
The Vermont Youth Advisory Council invites youth and young adults to an interactive conversation about being your best self-advocate when it comes to your IEP. Student voices are so important to the process! Join Dr. Kelleher and her twin sons, Teagen and Tyler Comeau, as they share their experiences as a family who were actively involved in their IEP meetings, which led to some awesome outcomes! They are excited to share, happy to chat about IEP self-advocacy, and answer questions you have about your special education.
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Vermont Youth Summit: Finding Your Story
with Hasan Davis
Every person hopes to become the hero of their own story. For young people experiencing disabilities it can be difficult to own their experience, feel empowered, navigate challenges, and find personal success. Hasan Davis will lead you through exercises sharing his success strategies beyond challenges one is faced when trying to write their own story. Hasan is excited to share strategies which helped in shaping his own journey. Hasan presented this same workshop in May. Take a look here.
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(802) 876-5315 / 1-800-800-4005
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Main Office
600 Blair Park Rd, Ste 240,
Williston, VT 05495
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