Strong Families. Strong Futures. |
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Greetings, VFN family and friends!
As March teases us with hints of spring, Vermont Family Network is as busy as ever responding to the needs of families across the state. Our Family Support Team is helping parents and other caregivers navigate education and health concerns, even as many anticipate an easing of COVID restrictions in Vermont schools. Our Puppets in Education staff are gearing up to add in-person events in schools to the virtual programs that brought anxiety coping tools to thousands of children in Vermont and New York over the past two years. Registration is open for our highly anticipated Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy conference on April 14th, and we encourage families and interested professionals to sign up soon!
On February 25, our beloved President and CEO of 11 years, Pam McCarthy stepped down from her role. Pam has been a transformational leader for VFN, and as Co-chairs of the board, we believe we speak for many when we say that Pam will be sorely missed. She led the organization with compassion and vision and brought VFN through some challenges (not the least of which being the COVID pandemic) with grace and skill. The board is confident that, through Pam’s leadership, the organization is in a strong position to move forward, with increased reserve funds, a solid strategic plan, and a dedicated and talented staff.
The Board of Directors has named a search committee to recruit Pam’s successor. We are committed to finding a leader who will continue to champion VFN’s mission as a passionate, family-centered leader.
In the meantime, we are proud to announce that VFN’s Vice President of Operations and long-standing employee, Sarah Wallace-Brodeur, has stepped into the role of Interim CEO/President as our search for a long-term leader proceeds. We are confident that Sarah has the experience and skills to keep the organization humming and progressing toward our strategic goals. VFN’s Board of Directors are eminently grateful that Sarah has agreed to take on this challenge. We look forward to pulling together – all of us, board, staff, donors, sponsors, families, friends, and stakeholders – to strengthen VFN as it supports Vermont families, especially those with children who have disabilities and special healthcare needs.
From the heart,
Ellen Zeman and Craig Giles
Co-chairs, VFN Board of Directors
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Registration is Open for our
2022 Annual Conference
"Wrightslaw - Special Education Law and Advocacy"
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April 14, 2022
from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(with registration and exhibits opening at 8:00 a.m.)
In person* at the
Delta Hotel by Marriott Burlington
We are excited to welcome Pete Wright, Esq. from Wrightslaw to present on Special Education Law and Advocacy. This full-day training program is designed to meet the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates and attorneys. It will focus on:
- Special Education Law, Rights & Responsibilities
- Tests & Measurements to Measure Progress & Regression
- SMART Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
- Introduction to Tactics & Strategies for Effective Advocacy
Limited scholarships are available for parents/guardians on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill out the scholarship form before you register. We will contact scholarship recipients with a specific code to register for the day at the reduced rate.
Special note: Northwestern Counseling and Support Services has offered to sponsor scholarships for a limited number of families who live in Franklin/Grand Isle. Please complete the scholarship form.
*VFN will follow guidance from the CDC and Vermont Department of Health to ensure the safety and comfort for participants. All participants and exhibitors must show proof of being fully vaccinated or a negative COVID test as they enter the conference. Indoor masking will be required except for when eating. If necessary, we will reschedule this event for later in the year. Please check our website frequently for any changes or updates.
THANK YOU to our 2022 Conference Sponsors!
Platinum level:
- Vermont Department of Health – Children with Special Health Needs
Gold level:
- Cynthia and Mack Gardner-Morse
- Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living – Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
- Vermont State Independent Living Council
Silver level:
- Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council
- The University of Vermont – Office of the Provost
- The University of Vermont Center on Disability and Community Inclusion
- SD Associates
- The University of Vermont College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Bronze level:
- Northwestern Counseling and Support Services
- Howard Center
- Vermont Child Development Division – Children’s Integrated Services
Wrightslaw tickets sell out early, so don’t miss out!
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Respite Funding and Summer Camps |
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Are you stressed? Could you use a break? Imagine creating some time for yourself to rest and to recharge. You could tend to appointments and errands, spend quality time with other children, or perhaps schedule restorative and fun nights out with a partner or friend. VFN Family Support Respite Funds of $600.00 are available for eligible families. If awarded, this funding could be used to hire a caregiver for your child with special health needs, or to pay for a camp or other activity, that would provide you with a planned break. If you need some help thinking about summer camps, check out our 2022 Camp list. Many camps are filling up fast, so apply soon!
Eligibility for VFN Respite Funds:
- Child must be under the age of 21
- Child is not receiving respite money from another agency already (such as Family Managed Respite or Flexible Family Funding)
- Family income is below 500% FPL
Funding is also available for medically necessary items, therapies, equipment, and more if it is not being covered by your child’s health insurance. To find out if you are eligible for Respite or Medically Necessary Funds call or email today. 802-876-5315 or info@vtfn.org.
This funding is made possible through a grant from the Vermont Department of Health, Children with Special Health Needs Program.
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Vocational Rehabilitation is now
HireAbility Vermont
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High school students who receive special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or are eligible or on a Section 504 plan may access HireAbility Vermont Services. HireAbility Vermont Youth Transition Counselors can provide services such as job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, counseling on post-secondary education at institutions of higher education, workplace readiness training, and instruction in self-advocacy. For information and resources related to transitioning to adulthood, check out VFN’s Transition Toolkit for Youth with Disabilities.
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We hosted several virtual Sibshops this winter, with a fun Paint & Sip in January, and a Virtual Talent Show in February. Now we are ready to Welcome In Spring with our March and April Sibshops! On Saturday, March 12 (1-3:30 pm), we will be meeting at ECHO in Burlington for an afternoon of Exploration. Then on April 9 (1-3:30 pm), we will dedicate some time to mindfulness as we create our very own mini-landscape container garden at VFN!
Sibshops are for children 6+ who have a brother or sister with a disability or special health need. They provide an opportunity to connect, share a snack, and discuss the ups and downs of being a “sib,” all while doing a fun activity at VFN or in the community. If your child wants to join us, please fill out our Sibshops Registration Form. If you are not ready to commit but want to keep a pulse on our activities and updates for the year, you can email mindy.deibler@vtfn.org to be added to our Sibshops email distribution list.
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Special Education Rule Change:
Parent Input Needed!
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One Special Education Rule change that will take effect July 1st, 2022 adds the documentation of parent input in the Individualized Education Program (IEP). This change recognizes the value and need for parental input in the special education process. The IEP will contain a section for parents to provide written comments regarding their child’s IEP. Parents will be provided up to 10 days to complete and return the parent input section of the IEP. If you have any questions regarding this change or other Special Education Rule changes, or your child’s special education services in general, please contact the VFN helpline at 802-876-5315 or info@vtfn.org.
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The puppets have been (virtually) in New York this past month thanks to the wonderful Upstate Chevrolet dealers! We have a very full spring coming up!
We have combined aspects of our Worry/Anxiety program with our Kindness/Bullying Prevention program to meet the needs of students. Children have shared their worries and stresses with us, while we brainstormed ways to make their fears smaller and more manageable. There were some revealing conversations that felt like disclosures of hardships at home. We feel honored that we were there to hear their stories and support them. Here is what the children said:
What do you think kids are stressed about?
• My mom, she’s at work and I won’t see her and I miss her very much.
• People dying from the pandemic.
• Getting bullied
What unkind things have happened to you or that you’ve seen happen to someone else?
• When people are pushing other people.
• I’ve experienced being bullied a lot because of my size.
• Getting ice chunked at you; my brother got it right to his shoulder.
What strategies or tools can you use when you see unkind behavior?
• So when I’m sad and stressed out, and I feel really stressed…I go and take a nap and then feel better.
• My sister used to get bullied because she has disabilities; She mostly just told them that she didn’t like it and she was feeling very sad.
What else can you do to feel better when you are stressed?
• If I feel stressed, I stretch to feel better so I can go to school.
• When I feel stressed I usually go into my bed and grab one of my snugglies and that makes me feel better, and I play with my sister too to feel better.
• I take a balloon breath (and demonstrated this)
What Kind behaviors have you seen?
• I don’t have anybody to play with and someone says I’ll play with you sometime.
• When I’m at recess and I fall down, my friends help me.
• When I see people holding hands outside at recess.
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VFN continues to offer virtual Support Parent Trainings for parents who are ready to give back and support other families. Our next training opportunity will be Wednesday March 16th and Wednesday March 23rd, from 6-7:30pm. Join us in this Zoom training to learn, self-reflect, and connect with other parents, all from the comfort of your own home. We welcome all parents of children with special health care needs or disabilities to become trained Support Parents. If you are interested, please fill out our Support Parent Volunteer Application. Questions? Email marie.fetterhoff@vtfn.org.
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Issues
VFN continues to monitor issues and to work closely this legislative session with our partners to elevate the needs of families who have children with disabilities, special health needs, or mental health issues. Areas of focus include housing equity and choices for adults with disabilities, expanding home and community-based services for children with mental health needs, and creating equity in childcare so that all children have access to early learning. Additionally, VFN actively supports the policy planks of Vermont Coalition for Disability Rights and Vermont’s Early Childhood Alliance. For more information about these issues and how you can get involved, please email Robyn at freednermaguire@gmail.com.
Training
VFN hosted Advocacy 101: Basic Training for Effective Advocacy on Wednesday March 2nd. Thank you to the participants and to Robyn Freedner-Maguire from RFM Strategies for ensuring a robust training. If you missed it and you would like to learn more about how to influence legislators to support your family and community’s needs, view the 1.5 hr workshop recording here.
Advocacy Newsletter
To strengthen our communications, VFN will launch a monthly advocacy newsletter dedicated to readers who want more in-depth coverage on what’s happening during the legislative session, how to get involved to create systems change. and information about upcoming trainings and events. It will also provide opportunities for VFN families to provide feedback on important issues impacting their lives, build connections with other families seeking systems change and more. Keep an eye out for more information in the near future and how you can contribute to the development of the newsletter.
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Upcoming Events - Register today! |
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VFN Annual Conference Registration Open!
April 14 from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - "Wrightslaw - Special Education and Advocacy"
Save the Date
June 3 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. - "VFN Live Storytelling Event"
Please join Vermont Family Network for an evening of compelling true stories told live on stage! The event will be held in-person at Main Street Landing in Burlington and will be available to live-stream. Details of how to attend will be posted in the coming months.
Free Workshops
March 10 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm - "Restraints and Seclusions in Vermont Schools: What Rule 4500 Means for You and Your Child"
This workshop will be presented with parents/caregivers as the intended audience. The purpose of the rule, what is and is not permitted, and details regarding reporting, evaluation, and debriefing will be discussed. Hypothetical scenarios will be used for illustrative purposes. Presenter: Tracy Harris, Coordinator for Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports at Vermont Agency of Education. Register here.
March 16 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm - "The New Face of Vocational Rehabilitation: HireAbility VT"
VocRehab VT has changed their name to align with their career focus and to better reflect the services that they offer. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation has been dedicated to helping Vermonters living with disabilities achieve employment and vocational goals for years. The services that they provide are not just about finding jobs, but also obtaining training, education, and credentials needed for higher wage career opportunities. It’s about working together to navigate a path to grow and learn about their dream career. Please join this webinar to find out about all they can provide for youth and young adults with disabilities! Presenters from HireAbility VT: Diane Dalmasse - Division Director, Hibbard Doe - Field Services Manager, and Tara Howe - Transition Program Manager. Register here.
March 17 from 10:00 - 11:00 am "The Vermont Assistive Technology Program: An Overview and Feature on Sensory Tools"
The Vermont Assistive Technology Program (VATP) is pleased to present an overview of what assistive technology (AT) is, the core services of their program, how to access their services, and will even demonstrate a few relevant examples of assistive technology, free to borrow from their lending library. VATP will introduce their team of AT professionals and present information on the methodologies they use in assessing how AT can benefit their clients. Presenters from VATP: Phillip Seiler, Program Director and Quinby McLellan, AT Specialist. Register here.
In case you missed our last series of workshops, you can find a full list on our VFN website. Stay tuned as we add more workshops to our spring schedule!
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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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Office
600 Blair Park Rd, Ste 240,
Williston, VT 05495
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