RESOURCE WEBPAGES, by TOPIC

These webpages identify external resources on specific topics of interest to foster, kinship and adoptive families.

Me and My FASD website

This website from the UK Department of Health and Social Care is designed for children, youth and young adults who have had prenatal exposure to alcohol, and may be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

Interactive tools and resources help youth, families and connected adults learn more about the condition and how to cope.

  • Website, Me and My FASD website

    Me and My FASD website


Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD)

A website of the Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD), funded by the British Columbia Ministry of Education shares current research, ideas, strategies, training and resources in order to build capacity in schools for students with FASD and their teachers.

  • Website, Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD)

    POPFASD website


Youth in Foster Care in Virginia: What Happens When You Turn 18
August 16, 2023

This fact sheet from Formed Families Forward and the WAZE to Adulthood project at PEATC is designed for youth in foster care. It names specific considerations when a youth in foster care turns 18. Links to other Virginia resources are provided.

  • Factsheet, Youth in Foster Care in Virginia: What Happens When You Turn 18

    Youth in Foster Care in Virginia- What Happens when you turn 18 fact sheet


LGBTQ family resources

A collection of linked resources for families raising LGBTQ+ children, youth and young adults, and professionals and communities who support them.

  • Document, LGBTQ family resources

    FFF Building LGBTQ Awareness and Acceptance webinar training and related resources

  • Website, LGBTQ family resources

    Family Acceptance Project LGBTQ Youth and Family resources

  • Website, LGBTQ family resources

    The Trevor Project

  • Website, LGBTQ family resources

    The National Center for Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression (The National SOGIE Center)


Teen mental health resources for Picnic 2023
July 28, 2023

These mental health resources were developed for teens and young adults for the August 4, 2023 FFF Family Picnic.

 

  • Website, Teen mental health resources for Picnic 2023

    Teen mental health resources


988 Mental Health Suicide and Crisis Lifeline FAQ

From NAMI, updated information about the 988 mental health suicide and crisisline, as of July 2023, the one year anniversary of the 988 line.

  • Document, 988 Mental Health Suicide and Crisis Lifeline FAQ

    Updated Frequently Asked Questions on 988

  • Document, 988 Mental Health Suicide and Crisis Lifeline FAQ

    Fast Statistics on 988 from NAMI Northern Virginia


VDOE special education guidance documents

This Virginia Department of Education page links to official technical assistance and policy guidance documents related to special education in the state.

These resources were developed to provide professional development and technical assistance to parents, school personnel, and other consumers. All resources are intended to provide guidance for addressing the regulatory requirements and instructional elements needed for a student’s free appropriate public education (FAPE).

  • Website, VDOE special education guidance documents

    VDOE technical assistance and guidance documents


Kinship Care Guide from Virginia DSS

From the Virginia Department of Social Services, this guide overviews options for relatives and close family friends of children in foster care. Legal and financial implications of each option are reviewed. Includes links to other kinship care resources.

  • Guide, Kinship Care Guide from Virginia DSS


Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: What Families Say about Parenting FASD fact sheet
June 09, 2023

This Fact Sheet, produced by GMU Intern Charlotte Walmsley in Spring 2023, provides suggestions based on lived experiences of parents and caregivers raising children, youth and young adults with FASD. Links to additional resources are included.

  • PDF, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: What Families Say about Parenting FASD fact sheet


Fact Sheets on Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Academic Well-Being and Success
June 01, 2023

In March of 2023, the U.S. Department of Education released Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates for students and school staff, featuring specific recommendations for evidence-based practices that allow students to learn, grow, and be successful. To enhance state and local implementation of these guiding principles, a collaborative of technical assistance centers serving the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools developed a series of four fact sheets. The series describes best practices and approaches to help support and respond to students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs, including practices designed to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline in schools.

Each fact sheet is tailored to a specific audience at the school or district level:

  • school and district leaders
  • student support teams
  • educators and school-based staff
  • families

The fact sheets also feature resources to help support stakeholders in this important work.

Fact sheets are available in English and Spanish.

  • Website, Fact Sheets on Supporting Students’ Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Academic Well-Being and Success

    Links to 4 Fact Sheets for different audiences, in English and Spanish


2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

From the US Administration for Community Living, Health and Human Services, this 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers was created to support family caregivers of all ages, from youth to grandparents, and regardless of where they live or what caregiving looks like for them and their loved ones.

The strategy was developed jointly by the advisory councils created by the RAISE Family Caregiving Act and the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, with extensive input from the public, including family caregivers and the people they support. It will be updated in response to public comments and will evolve with the caregiving landscape.

  • Website, 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

    Link to Caregiver Strategy and related documents


Clarifications on RTI/MTSS and special education referral

Clarifications from the US Office of Special Education Programs  and the Virginia Department of Education in spring 2023 that clarifies responsibilities of schools to allow a parent or caregiver to request an initial evaluation of child suspected of having a disability.  Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multitiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) cannot be used to delay or deny an initial evaluation.

  • Website, Clarifications on RTI/MTSS and special education referral

    3/14/23 Federal clarifications including links to two earlier memoranda

  • Website, Clarifications on RTI/MTSS and special education referral

    4/21/23 Virginia Superintendents' Memo


Self Care: How to Take Care of Yourself So You Can Take Better Care of Others

Originally broadcast live on May 9, 2023, this webinar from FFF’s Renee Myers offered an overview of typical parenting stressors, self-care techniques and approaches for making a self-care plan for the upcoming summer break.

  • Video, Self Care: How to Take Care of Yourself So You Can Take Better Care of Others

    Recording of webinar

  • PDF, Self Care: How to Take Care of Yourself So You Can Take Better Care of Others

    Copy of presentation slides


Proof Alliance North Carolina

Proof Alliance NC strives to prevent alcohol-exposed pregnancies by providing training, education and resources to professionals who serve individuals of reproductive age, deliver prevention messaging and resources to individuals who can become pregnant, as well as resources for professionals who provide supports to families and individuals impacted by FASD.

  • Website, Proof Alliance North Carolina


Trauma and Developmental Disabilities webcast series from VCU

This series of three webcasts from VCU Autism Center for Education, presented by Dr. Ruth Brown, were made available in February, March and April 2023.

  • Webinar, Trauma and Developmental Disabilities webcast series from VCU

    Webcast Part 1: The Essential Messages of Trauma Responsive Practices

  • Webinar, Trauma and Developmental Disabilities webcast series from VCU

    Webcast Part 2: Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses

  • Webinar, Trauma and Developmental Disabilities webcast series from VCU

    Part 3: Trauma Responsive Strategies for the Classroom


Critical Crossroads: Resources for Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in Children and Youth with Disabilities webinar

On March 8, 2023, FFF hosted a live webinar featuring the new Critical Crossroads videos and other resources. Provided here is a re-recording, that does not include time for the pre-and post-tests or Q & A that were included in the live webinar.

  • Video, Critical Crossroads: Resources for Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in Children and Youth with Disabilities webinar

    Recording of Critical Crossroads resources webinar March 2023


Schools Respond: Substance Abuse in Teens panel webinar from NVFN
February 22, 2023

Presented live on February 22, 2023, this virtual panel session was hosted by Northern Virginia Family Network (nvfn.org) and facilitated by Formed Families Forward and NAMI Northern Virginia.

Panelists included:

Victor Martin, Ruthy Marcado, Alexandria City Public Schools

Jenny Sexton, Arlington Public Schools

Stefan Mascoll, Fairfax County Public Schools

Rebecca Sharp, Falls Church Public Schools

Blaise Carland, Megan Marshall, Loudoun County Public Schools

Mallory McKnight, Julie Crawford, Prince William County Schools

A recording of the session and a resource sheet with links mentioned during the session are available.

A recording with Spanish captions will be available soon.

  • Document, Schools Respond: Substance Abuse in Teens panel webinar from NVFN

    Resources shared in Session and related links of interest

  • Video, Schools Respond: Substance Abuse in Teens panel webinar from NVFN

    Recording of Panel session


Preventing Secondary Characteristics of FASD: What Does the Research Say? webinar
January 31, 2023

Originally broadcast live on January 31, 2023, this webinar featured a replay of a FASD Collaborative webinar on Preventing Secondary Characteristics of FASD by Adrienne Bashista, Director, Families Affected by FASD (FAFASD). Ms. Bashista addressed questions from participants at the end of the webinar.

Presenter Adrienne Bashista can be reached at fasdfamilies@gmail.com.

  • Video, Preventing Secondary Characteristics of FASD: What Does the Research Say? webinar

    Webinar recording


Interdisciplinary Diagnosis and Interventions for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders webinar
January 24, 2023

Originally broadcast live on January 24, 2023, this webinar features Dr. Elizabeth Cleveland of the Central Arkansas University. Dr. Cleveland overviews FASD and in particular, the  diagnosis of FAS and ND-PAE. She offers recommendations for meeting the needs of children, youth and young adults in home and school settings.

  • Video, Interdisciplinary Diagnosis and Interventions for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders webinar

    Webinar recording

  • PDF, Interdisciplinary Diagnosis and Interventions for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders webinar

    Dr. Cleveland's presentation slides


Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies

This January 2023 resource from Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network:  A National Technical Assistance Center at Generations United covers some areas of educational access for kinship families.

  • Factsheet, Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies

    Fact sheet

  • Website, Supporting Educational Access for Kinship/Grandfamilies