One of the best things I did for myself and my family was to join a support group. I attended the Arlington Parent to Parent meetings. I can't tell you the enormous sense of relief it was to meet and talk to other parents who were experiencing similar issues. I had finally met people who knew what I was talking about when I mentioned words like "hypotonia" or "sensory integration". It felt great being able to know that I wasn't alone on the emotional roller coaster. It felt even better to learn what worked and what didn't work for them and to try their suggestions. What was amazing was that a group of virtual strangers were brought together by one common bond, how to best help our children. The unconditional support and encouragement given within the group was and is exceptional. This page lists SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS. If you're looking for other Special Need Events, please visit the UPCOMING EVENTS Page of this website. Virginia Arlington Public Schools Special Education Parent Resource Center, The Clarendon Education Center, 2801 Clarendon Boulevard, Ste. 312, Arlington, VA 22201, 703-228-7239, www.arlington.k12.va.us Provides information and referral services, lending library, newsletter and workshops for parents of children with disabilities. POAC-NoVA's Information and Support Group Meeting Date: 3rd Saturday of each month Time: 1PM to 4:30PM Location: at the JCCNV. Directions: From the Capital Beltway (495), take exit 52A, Route 236 heading West (Little River Turnpike). The JCCNV is located on the right-hand side, 1.5 miles west on Little River Turnpike, at the intersection of Guinea Road. More info on the JCCNV is available at www.jccnv.org/displayContent.asp?id=64. For 2008, all of our monthly support meetings will be on 3rd Saturday of each month. We hope to see you there to discuss this crucial topic! Parent to Parent Support Groups for Parents and Young Children with Special Needs in Arlington, VA Date: First Tuesday and Third Thursday 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (families w/ children under 6, discussion topics) Location: Calvary Methodist Church; 23rd. St., (corner of South Grant St.) Crystal City, VA Description: Informal, drop-in support groups. New parents are especially encouraged to join us-we welcome you! * ALL EVENTS ARE FREE* No reservations needed. Contact: Julie Katz, 703-549-0259 or juliekatz@comcast.net NAMI-Arlington sponsors a support group for parents of children, teens and young adults with a psychiatric diagnosis. Date: Meetings are the third Sunday of each month, Time: 1:00 -2:30 pm Location: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 N. 16th Street, Arlington, VA. Contact: Naomi Verdugo at 703-862-9588. Alexandria City Public Schools Parent Resource Center, 2000 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, Virginia 22311, 703-824-6600 Most events are free unless otherwise noted and free baby-sitting is available for most events with advance notice (but not for the St. Elmo's Group). To register or for more information, please contact Anne Lipnick at alipnick@acps.k12.va.us or 703-706-4552 (office) or 571-274-2866 (cell). Support Group for Parents of Young (or any age) Children in Special Education Date: Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. to noon Location: Special Education Parent Resource Center, 1501 Cameron Street (enter through door #4) Description: Parents are wonderful sources of support for each other. Meet with other parents whose children have a wide range of special needs for a morning of sharing, problem solving, coffee, and bagels. Free childcare is possible if requested in advance. Fairfax County Public Schools Parent Resource Center, 2334 Gallows Rd., Dunn Lorin, VA 22027, 703-204-3941, www.fcps.edu Promotes parent awareness of the services provided by the Fairfax County Public Schools for children with special needs and their families. Training, seminars and information. The Fairfax County Special Education's Parent Resource Center For more information, go to the PRC web site at www.fcps.edu/ss/prc/workshops/ThursdayTheaterFATCity.pdf. Contact the Parent Resource Center at 703-204-3941 or prc@fcps.edu if you have questions. For a complete list of all upcoming Workshops and Activities posted to the PRC web site, click on the following link www.fcps.edu/ss/prc/workshops.htm You can also contact us by email prc@fcps.edu or phone 703-204-3941. The Fairfax County Office of Special Education Early Childhood Programs Description: preschool parenting support series Date: Second Thursday of each month Time: 9:45-11:15 a.m. Location: Mason District Government Center and then again the same evening in Spanish from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at The Baileys Elementary School. Child care will be provided for the evening session. The topic for the sessions will be Understanding Special Education. Additional information about this and subsequent workshops can be obtained by calling the Parent Resource Center (PRC) at 703-204-3941, www.fcps.edu/ss/prcfcps.edu/ss/prc The Special Olympics Young Athletes Program is a chance for young special needs children to experience the many wonderful life lessons that sports have to offer. Overview of Program: A chance for your young special needs children to experience the many wonderful life lessons that sports have to offer. It is our goal to create an environment that not only accommodates the needs of the children but also allows for a more inclusive environment and a family centered approach to bringing sports into the life of your children. This camp is not only focused upon winning and losing but instead the simple fundamentals and how these skills can be taught and built upon to create athletes of the future. Some of the sports we will be concentrating on include baseball, basketball, soccer, kickball, bowling, and putt-putt. No matter the child's current athletic ability they will learn new skills, have fun, and be in an environment where they, and their siblings, can feel free to be themselves and take a chance at something new. Contact Information: Beth Frank at 703-359-4301 for more volunteer information. Location: All sessions will be held at the Northern VA Training Center located in Fairfax, VA on: Saturday July 26th 9am - 11:00am (Open House) Saturday August 2nd 9am - 11:45am Saturday August 9th 9am - 11:45am Saturday August 16th 9am - 11:45am Saturday August 23rd 9am - 11:45am Saturday August 30th 9am - 11:45am Special Education Roundtable - On a monthly basis, The Arc of Northern Virginia in collaboration with PEATC (Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center) will hold a Special Educational Roundtable. Bring questions regarding education and schools for our facilitated open forum where parents and guardians may ask questions about special education issues. Dates: First Wednesday of the month Time: 7 to 9 p.m. Location: 98 N. Washington St., Falls Church, VA 22046 RSVP by the Monday before the Roundtable: info@thearcofnova.org or 703-532-3214, Ext. 115. VA chapter of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS-VA) Topic: Fetal Alocohol Syndrome Support Group Dates: Second Tuesday of each month Time: 7 p.m.-8:45 p.m. Location: Reston Library on Bowman Towne Dr., Reston, VA Contact: Jennifer Goudy, 703-759-7619, jengoudy@yahoo.com Prince William County Autism Support Group meeting Date: Second Thursday of the month Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: 8730 Sudley Road Room 22, Manassas, VA. Contact: Christine Hoch for more information at 703-431-1558. Learn more at www.innovativespeech.com. We have already scheduled some speakers for next year and are working to complete the rest of the 2008/2009 season: September `08: Dr. John Dalton will kick off the school year addressing the issue of social anxiety October `08: Dana Laake, M.S., a nutritionist specializing in preventive and therapeutic nutrition will speak about special diets for issues from ADD through autism November `08: Ben Mitchell, Director of Admissions for Landmark College, a two-year institution for students with learning disabilities will describe their programs and services Sponsorship of a program never explicitly or implicitly endorses a speaker, program, or product. The GT/LD Network simply aims to present a range of information for the consideration of members. "OPEN ARMS SUPPORT GROUP" Special Education Partners, LLC offers this service on a first-come, first- served, basis. Space is limited, so email or call now to reserve your spot. Meetings will be held two Wednesdays a month, unless room availability dictates otherwise, usually from 10am-11:30am. You will receive notifications and reminders via email or phone. Kings Park Public Library is located at 9000 Burke Lake Rd. Beth Troutman, Special Education Partners, LLC, P.O. Box 10786, Burke, VA 22009; 703-346-2414 As a parent of at least one child with a disability, we are quite sure you could use a break...And a chance to get what is in your heart and mind, off your chest. Join us twice a month, in a judgement free and caring setting, as we share our common bond and understanding of the enormous toll it takes to raise our "special" children. Clear your mind, unburden your heart, and share with people who truly understand what you are going through. If you've ever left a parent group with an unsettled feeling, or felt like you couldn't share your "real" thoughts or emotions, then this is the place for you. Or you may have a child with a rare or overlooked disability or disorder, and there are just no groups for you--you are welcome here. Kidzclubhouse, P. O. Box 347, Great Falls, VA 22066, 703-438-8370, wwwkidzclubhouse.org Kidz Clubhouse was established in March 2005 to serve the needs of children and adults with disabilities, their families and caregivers. Kidz Clubhouse is committed to serving the unique needs of each indivudal by nurturing and celebrating each person's God-given abilities. Kidz Clubhouse programs include evening and weekend respite care, camps during school breaks and support groups for parents. Resources available for families include a referral network to specialists, free tickets to area events, counseling, in-home care and fun family events. Sibshops are for kids who have a brother or sister with special health or developmental needs. The program is sponsored by the Early Intervention Office of Fairfax/Falls Church. For more information, please contact Carmen Sanchez at 703-319-0621. Brain Injury Services, Inc., 8136 Old Keene Mill Rd., Ste. B-102, Springfield, VA 22152 Contact: Jo Thompson, jthompson@braininjurysvcs.org Our Sibshops are for siblings of children with brain injuries. WASHINGTON, D.C. DC Autism Parents, DCAutismParents@yahoo.groups. Group for Parents of Children Living with Autism to receive information pertaining to the D.C. Autism Community. Our-Kids E-mail list for parents of special needs children to share information, encouragement and support. www.our-kids.org Silver Ribbon Campaign The Silver Ribbon Campaign is a grassroots effort to raise awareness and support for children with disabilities. www.geocities.com/silverribbon4ok, silverribbon4ok@yahoo.com TASH, 1025 Vermont Ave., Fl. 7, Washington, DC 20005, 202-263-5600, www.tash.org TASH is an international association of people with disabilities, their family members, other advocates, and professionals fighting for a society in which inclusion of all people in all aspects of society is the norm. TASH is an organization of members concerned with human dignity, civil rights, education, and independence for all individuals with disabilities. We have over thirty chapters and members from thirty-four different countries and territories. Since our inception over twenty-five years ago, TASH has gained international acclaim for our uncompromising stand against separatism, stigmatization, abuse and neglect. We actively promote the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. TASH believes that no one with a disability should be forced to live, work, or learn in a segregated setting; that all individuals deserve the right to direct their own lives. TASH 's mission is to eliminate physical and social obstacles that prevent equity, diversity, and quality of life. Leslie Daniels, who is president, lsd@vt.edu of Virginia TASH, puts out a newsletter about twice a week... more like a really informative e-mail for parents. Maryland Parent Encouragement Programs Description: PEP classes and workshops teach practical parenting skills geared to each stage of your child's development, whether you're looking for new parenting techniques or faced with serious parenting concerns. Location: 10100 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, MD 20895, 301-929-8824, PEPOffice@aol.com, www.PEPparent.org PEP is located within the Kensington Baptist Church at the corner of Connecticut Avenue and Dresden Street in Kensington, Maryland Planning for Safe Teen Driving For parents with or without their teens, ages 14 and up #24, Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Presenter: Cheryl Wieker Families can work together to substantially reduce the risks of crashes in the first years of teen driving. Learn about the problems experienced by novice teen drivers in our area and proven strategies for teens and parents to safely navigate this critical stage. Parents can attend alone or with their teen. National Safety Council book included. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/adult; $55/couple; $15/teen PEP members: $25/adult; $45/couple; $10/teen From Power Struggles to Cooperation For parents of children ages 4-12 #19 Tuesday, August 5, 2008 in North Potomac, MD Presenters: Sarah Skolnik and Robbye Fox When you and your child engage in power struggles, no one wins. Even if you have forced your child to comply, you often feel defeated. Learn why children engage in power struggles, what you can do to sidestep them, and how to replace fighting with cooperation. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/person; $55/couple PEP members: $25/person; $45/couple Anger Management For all parents #22 Monday, August 11, 2008 in Kensington, MD Presenters: Michelle Fannon and Linda Keely Everyone feels angry sometimes. As parents it's how we handle our anger that can make the difference between a peaceful, respectful home or a home in turmoil. Learn some constructive techniques to change what you think, say and do -- to improve communication and build stronger relationships. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/person; $55/couple PEP members: $25/person; $45/couple The Truth About Consequences: Effective Discipline Without Punishment For parents of children ages 4-14 Wednesday, August 6, 2008, in Kensington Presenters: Wendie Lubic and Julia Loeb When children misbehave, parents often resort to punishment or rewards to motivate better behavior. Learn how to use natural and logical consequences instead, for a more cooperative and respectful home life. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/person; $55/couple PEP members: $25/person; $45/couple Instilling Your Family Values in Today’s Consumer Culture For parents of children ages 5-15 Thursday, August 7, 2008, Kensington Presenter: Tory Joseph How can parents be heard over all the media messages bombarding kids? How can parents rise above children’s peer pressure to instill their personal family values? Come learn how to avoid overindulgence and raise responsible, respectful children. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/person; $55/couple PEP members: $25/person; $45/couple Preparing to Launch: Smoothing the Transition for You and Your Teen from High School to College or Fulltime Work For parents of high school juniors and seniors Tuesday, August 19, 2008, in Kensington Presenter: Wendie Lubic Parents of high school junior and seniors face special parenting issues -- the college application process or preparation for full time work; coping with the emotional ups and downs of teens looking forward to and fearing independence; and the impending "empty or less full nest". Come learn about the special issues from a PEP leader who has gone through it herself. Cost: Nonmembers: $30/person; $55/couple PEP members: $25/person; $45/couple Howard County Autism Society Meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month at our new location, 10280 Old Columbia Road, Columbia Maryland 21046 (Entrance and parking lot at the rear of the building). For more information e-mail info@howard-autism.org or call 410-290-3466 Howard County Autism Society Summer Pool Party Date: August 3, 2008 Time: 6 to 9 p.m. Location: Lifetime Fitness gym in Columbia. Free. Contact Information: 410-290-3466 Howard County CHADD Parent Support Group for parents of children with AD/HD CHADD Parent Support Group Mtg. Date: 2nd Tuesday of each month Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM Location: Norbel School, 6135 Old Washington Road, Elkridge, Maryland, 21075 Description: Each meeting will feature a speaker discussing pertinent information to parents of children with AD/HD, such as special education law, `typical' adolescent behavior, social issues, college transition, self- advocacy skills, and more. Contact: Nancy Rhodes, Assistant to the Head of School, @ 410-796-6700, nrhodes@norbelschool.org., Norbel@www.norbelschool.org Sibshops of Maryland Location: Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, 1708 West Rogers Ave. Baltimore, MD 21209, 800-999-9442, ext. 5169, Coordinates Sibshops in Anne Arundel, Baltimore/Baltimore City, Howard, Montgomery, and Carroll counties. The Parents' Place of Maryland The Parents' Place of Maryland is a non-profit family-centered organization. Our sole purpose is to enhance the lives of persons with disabilities. We are here to serve the parents of children with disabilities throughout Maryland, regardless of the nature of their child's disability or the age of their child. We know that all parents want their children to participate as fully as possible in home, school, and community life. We also serve the greater Internet community by providing these web pages of information helpful for anyone with a child in special education. 801 Cromwell Park Dr., Ste. 103, Glen Burnie, MD 21061, 410-768-9100, www.ppmd.org, www.ppmd.org National MUMS National Parent-to-Parent Network, 150 Custer Ct., Green Bay, WI, 54301 877-336-5333, www.netnet.net/mums, mums@netnet.net National network that matches parents of children with similar special needs for information sharing and support. Developmental Delay Resources, 5801 Beacon St, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, 800-497-0944, www.devdelay.org A nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the needs of those working with children who have developmental delays in sensory motor, language, social, and emotional areas. DDR publicizes research into determining identifiable factors that would put a child at risk and maintains a registry, tracking possible trends. DDR also provides a network for parents and professionals and current information after the diagnosis to support children with special needs. National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities, P.O. Box 1492, Washington, DC 20013-1492, 202 884-8200, www.nichcy.org Publishes newsletter, arranges workshops. Advises parents on the laws entitling children with disabilities to special education and other services. SUPPORT FOR SIBLINGS The Sibling Support Project of the Arc of the United States is pleased to announce SibNet and SibKids. SibNet and SibKids are the Internet's only listservs for and about brothers and sisters of people with special health, developmental, and emotional needs. Both SibKids (for younger brothers and sisters) and SibNet (for older siblings) allow brothers and sisters an opportunity to connect with their peers from around the world. Both listservs have members from the US , Canada , Australia , England , Japan and elsewhere. SibNet (started in 1996) and SibKids (started in 1997) are remarkably warm, thoughtful, and informative communities where young and adult brothers and sisters share information and discuss issues of common interest. Anyone who has email can subscribe to SibKids and SibNet. For a no-cost subscription and to learn more about SibKids and SibNet, please visit the Sibling Support Project's Web Page (see address below). Finally, if you have further questions about SibKids, SibNet, our Sibshops, or the work of the Sibling Support Project, please contact: Don Meyer, Director, Sibling Support Project, 6512 23rd Ave NW, #213, Seattle, WA 98117, 206-297-6368, donmeyer@siblingsupport.org, www.siblingsupport.org |
SUPPORT GROUPS
 | |  | |  | |  |