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Parent Training Transition Series

You won't want to miss this in-person series!

Parent TrainingTransition SeriesYou won't want to miss this in-person series!
Beginning Thursday, May 5th, May 19th, June 16th, and June 30th from 6-6:45 PM, MPAC and The Family Network on Disabilities will be offering a series of three free, one-hour training that you can attend while your child is attending the Thursday MPAC/Arts 4 All session(s). We will focus on topics related to transition and life beyond school. The format will be a group interactive session led by Sassafrass Moore, an MPAC Mom who works with The Family Network on Disabilities. You can attend as many or as few that are of interest to you. Participants will be encouraged to speak up if they have thoughts or ideas to share, and there will be a fifteen-minute period at the end of each session for "Aha moments", or questions. Resources about topics discussed in training will be emailed to parents.
Event Information

Nuts & Bolts of Diploma Pathways

When?

Thursday, May 5, 2022, 06:00 PM

Where?

Obsessions Gift Shop, Railroad Square, Tallahassee, FL, USA

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We will discuss the different options that a student can take in the state of Florida to obtain their Standard High School Diploma. In 2014 the special diploma was eliminated as an option for ESE students. Learn about the different tracks to reach the diploma, including the 24 Credit Diploma, the Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway, access points, accommodations, modifications, and the age of majority. We will also review the new legislation and its relation to the Transitional IEP (TIEP). Lastly, we will touch on the need for guardianship and provide a resources list via email for all topics discussed throughout the presentation! It can be a lot of information, but we are here to guide you throughout the process!
Event Information

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) & The Medicaid Waiver

When?

Thursday, May 19, 2022, 06:00 PM

Where?

Obsessions Gift Shop, Railroad Square, Tallahassee, FL, USA

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We will discuss the Social Security's Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Programs and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) Medicaid Waiver. Together, we will learn how these programs can provide assistance to your students/adults with special needs. We will discuss income, qualifications, and work/life balance regarding the SSI Program. We will discuss the services that are offered under the Medicaid Waiver, the criteria for enrollment, as well as cover "Crisis," as defined by APD, and how to apply. We will also review services available to individuals on the waitlist and the Consumer-Directed Care Program (CDC+).
Event Information

The Nuts and Bolts of Self-Advocacy

When?

Thursday, Jun 16, 2022, 06:00 PM

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Please join us, as we discuss self-advocacy. It can be a scary time for parents when it comes to stepping back as advocates to allow their children to become their own self-advocate. With strategies and planning, families can overcome their fears regarding their children participating as self-advocates around the IEP table and in life. Our hope is to empower families to get inspired and excited about this new adventure, watching their children grow and succeed while understanding who they are, and how to speak up about what they will need to succeed in life. It's never too early to start empowering our kids. We can help!
Event Information

Vocational Rehabilitation: How it Can Work for You

When?

Thursday, Jun 30, 2022, 06:00 PM

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Learn about the wonderful services VR offers for our students/adults. We will also touch on some other programs in the area, such as Lively's Transition Program and TCC's Eagle's Nest program. It's time to start looking upward and onward!
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Sassafrass Moore

Sassafrass is the Parent Trainer for Parents Offering Parents Information & Networking (POPIN), a program of Family Network on Disabilities (FND),

Sassafrass has worked in the ESE and Early Education fields, both as a teacher and advocate, but also sat on the side of the parent; of two adult children with disabilities.


Through FND, we support parents in knowledge about the IEP process, assessing options, Procedural Safeguards, the Individual Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), related services, and Section 504. We also partner with school ESE offices to provide training, evidence-based education resources, and collaborations with other state and local non-profits serving students with disabilities.

Email: smittleman@fndfl.org
Website: www.fnd.usa.org
Phone: 1-800-825-5736
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/popinfl
Twitter: @POPINFL

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Parents Offering Parents Information & Networking (POPIN)

Parents Offering Parents Information & Networking (POPIN), a program of Family Network on Disabilities, is your North Florida Parent Training & Information (PTI).

We are funded, in part, by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), under the Federal Department of Education, as per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004), Part D.


As such, all of our services are free of cost to families. We train parents in IDEA/Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and assist with information on rights/policies/procedures through transitions, either from the Early Steps Program (0-3) to school (3-22) or from school into the community (18-26). We also assist families in disputes/misunderstandings with the local districts/administration with knowledge of procedural safeguards, disability law resources, proper procedures, evaluation information and timelines, accommodations and modifications, assistive technology, and the development of quality IEPs.

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Motivating People Through Arts & Crafts (MPAC)

Obsessions Gift Shop owner, Betty Proctor, founded the non-profit MPAC (Motivating People through Arts and Crafts) with the vision to provide a space where persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Communication Disorders can learn employment, social, and life skills. MPAC intends to garner opportunities for financial independence and increase job retention by employing persons with ASD to develop leadership, social, and life skills that reduce anxiety. The project serves ages 13 to 25 in the Greater Tallahassee area into the Big Bend Region. MPAC was organized in March 2020 to enhance friendships and acquaintanceships through arts and crafts.


Betty Proctor

mpac681@gmail.com


Website:

https://www.mpacobs.com/


Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/MPAC-obs-112315231122670/

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Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a federal-state program that helps people who have disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping people with disabilities find meaningful careers. Passage of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act further supports VR efforts to prepare youth for success in the 21st-century workforce through our Transition Youth Services.



Suzanne Bradley, Supervisor

Gadsden and Leon


Shakelia Epps, Supervisor

Jefferson, Leon, Taylor, and Wakulla