These webpages identify external resources on specific topics of interest to foster, kinship and adoptive families.
This webinar from Formed Families Forward was broadcast live on May 18, 2020. Find the full recording, and 5 accompanying handouts here.
Recording of Pandemic Parenting webinar
Pandemic Parenting webinar slides
NCTSN Fact sheet: Supporting Children during COVID
Self Care Assessment
FFF Trauma Videos flyer
FFF Trauma Videos fact sheets
A presentation by FFF Director Kelly Henderson for the NAMI of Virginia Family and Youth Virtual Summit on May 16, 2020. Includes some COVID-related specifics at conclusion of the session.
Trauma training modules from MidWest PBIS Network.
Broadcast on February 11, 2020, this webinar features Barb Clark from NACAC.
Webinar recording
Slides from 2 11 20 webinar
A website produced by the Department of Defense with data from the Departments of Commerce, Education and Labor. Site offers information and tools on post-high school career, education and military options.
Originally recorded January 16, 2020, presented by Dr. Molly Millians of Emory University.
Webinar recording
Slides for 1 16 20 webinar
This website features resources written by Jeff Noble, an FASD caregiver and others with FASD experiences. A free e-book, Making Sense of the Madness: An FASD Survival Guide, is available by signing up for the Newsletter.
From Virginia Poverty Law Center, a review of kinship caregiver rights and benefits.
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), through grant funding provided by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities (VBPD) and assistance provided by the Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) at James Madison University has developed five web-based training modules for parents, school professionals, and other community stakeholders that work with families whom have a child with a disability. Parents and caregivers have certain goals in mind when their children go to school. Regardless of whether or not their children have disabilities, all parents want their children to learn, explore, and experience as much as they possibly can. Parents strive for their children to complete their public education, obtain a diploma, and be fully prepared to move on toward their chosen path, whether that is immediate employment, higher education, or something else. In order for children to achieve these goals, there are certain decisions that will have to be made along the way. The modules created relate to the Critical Decision Points for Families of Children with Disabilities curriculum and are designed to assist participants in understanding four things as they prepare to make these decisions:
There are a total of five modules that range in length from three to five minutes, which can be completed in a single viewing or broken up over time to meet individual time constraints.
The curriculum for these modules is also available in print and online. A fully accessible online version is located at the following web link: Virginia Department of Education’s Special Education – Parents Section. To obtain a printed copy of the curriculum or to ask questions about the module training opportunities, please contact Tracy Lee, Family Engagement Specialist, via email, at Tracy.Lee@doe.virginia.gov, or by phone, at (804) 225-3492.
Resources from a Translating Evidence to Support Transitions (TEST) grant is to increase the use and adoption of research-based best practices in transition planning services for high school students with emotional and behavioral disorders receiving special education services.
Scroll down page to find Practice Guides, Presentations and other resources.
This website provides a one-stop-shop for parents, families and caregivers of children with special needs to:
Parents and families can and do make a difference in their child’s education.
A collection of linked resources on young children prenatally exposed to substances, from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA) and the IDEA Infant & Toddler Coordinators Association (ITCA).
A great one page comparison table for families and professionals from the Center for Transition Innovations at VCU.
The road to adulthood for youth with disabilities is filled with opportunity, and parents play a key role. PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment is ready with the information families want, presented in a way families can use. The site features a wide array of transition-related resources for families and youth.
Formed Families Forward was pleased to be featured on the Fairfax Public Access television show “Your Need to Know”. Learn more about how FFF started and the wealth of services and programs we offer to foster, adoptive and kinship families!
This handout from PACER Center offers a flow chart for distinguishing Section 504 support from special education/IDEA services.
This Joint federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMS) informational Bulletin provides guidance to states and school systems about addressing mental health and substance use issues in schools. It provides examples of approaches for services in schools and describes some Medicaid authorities that states may use to cover services.
Several best practice models, including multi-tiered systems of supports, are discussed.
The Virginia Family Network (VFN) is a statewide network of families who support, educate, and empower other families with children and youth with mental health needs while also promoting family-driven and youth-guided policy throughout the child-serving systems. The initiative is designed to “meet the family where they are” through activities such as providing support groups, training, resources, and mentorship from other families with children and youth with mental health needs. We are committed to ensuring that no matter where a family lives, they have access to the support and information that they need so that no family ever feels alone. VFN is Virginia’s Statewide Family Network and voice for families.
VFN is a program of NAMI Virginia.
At Portland State University, the Pathways to Positive Futures center aims to improve the lives of youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions through rigorous research and effective training and dissemination. Our work is guided by the perspectives of young people and their families, and based in a positive development framework.
This FFF “Less Than 5” minute video reviews the special education eligibility process and offers families some helpful tips.