Category: Resources

January 24, 2024

It Starts with Special

How do you define special? Do you look at the word positively or negatively? Why is it that we use words to hurt and minimalize people? As you may know, Special Olympics campaigned against the “R” word several years ago as people with intellectual disabilities spoke out about how the word had been used to bully, abuse, and hurt people....

Categories General/Resources

January 10, 2024

Finding the Pathways to Justice Together

I have been on a journey to find ways in which we, as a system, can better support those who have been a victim of crimes or may have engaged in criminal behavior. This means I am always on the lookout for resources. I recently came across The Arc’s initiative is called Pathways to Justice. This initiative is through The...

Categories General/Resources

November 22, 2023

Dishing Out Food Safety Tips for the Holidays

The holidays are times for sharing favorite foods and dishes with family and friends. No one wants to give the gift of food or foodborne illness to their loved ones.  Here are some tips from the Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration on how to keep everyone safe from foodborne illnesses while sharing meals. Keep foods...

Categories General/Resources

October 18, 2023

Consider Long Covid in the Workforce

This flyer from the Department of Labor highlights what employers may need to do to support employees who have been diagnosed with Long Covid related to their specific symptoms. Click to access Working_with Long COVID.pdf Medical Concerns of Long Covid include: In a person with an intellectual disability or Autism these medical concerns may appear different or like a “behavior”.  They...

Categories Community/General/Resources

September 27, 2023

Online Tutoring for Deaf Students – Check Out VASLA

Thadeus Brown is a deaf educator who has worked in both mainstream and residential settings. Brown, who is also deaf, grew up attending mainstream education. It was through these experiences that he “witnessed firsthand the inequities and lack of resources in the system” for deaf students. Within mainstream grades K-12, approximately 450,000 are deaf and hard of hearing students. It...

Categories Resources

September 20, 2023

Words Hit Like A Fist

In the past year, our HCQU team has been working with a young person with an intellectual disability that has experienced physical, verbal, and emotional abuse.  All of it has been documented and all of the right people have been informed to get this person help.  I just celebrated my twenty first year at the HCQU and twenty seventh year...

Categories General/Resources

August 30, 2023

It’s Buddy Walk Season!

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Buddy Walk in New York City is the flagship walk for the National Buddy Walk Program.  This event raises awareness and funds for programs that benefit people with Down Syndrome and their families. The Buddy Walk is the cornerstone of NDSS awareness and advocacy effort’s and it directly supports federal and state efforts to...

Categories Community/General/Resources

June 28, 2023

Gaming to Learn How to Say No

In January 2020, right before the world shut down, ODP held the Everyday Lives Conference. David Hingsburger was one of the keynote speakers and I was excited to listen to him. I first heard him in 2006 at a hotel conference room in Monroeville that was standing room only. I was mesmerized and I bought every book he had for...

Categories General/Resources

June 21, 2023

Smile, Mobile Dentistry Services are Accessible and Free

FREE Dental Care! Yes I said FREE! The Arc of Clarion and Venango Counties Inc. and Link the Valley have partnered to provide free dental care. This is a great way for people to get FREE (yes I said it again) preventative medical care. Further, they will assist with helping people get set up with a dentist when there is an emergency. Check...

Categories Community/Resources

June 14, 2023

Know the Signs, Ask, Report, and Take Action

Most of the people employed or associated with the Intellectual Disability/Autism systems are here because they want to help provide care and service to people with disabilities. But we also know that sometimes people get hurt. That may be through abuse, neglect, abandonment, or exploitation. So, who can abuse, neglect, abandon, or exploit a person with a disability? It can...

Categories Community/Resources