Children's Resource Center-South

Resources for children with special health needs and the families who care for them

Don’t worry about calming the storm. Calm yourself; the storm will pass. -source unknown

Featured Resources and Events — Monday, December 4

Dec 6, Noon: Making IEP’s Palatable with the Family Panel Registration Let’s talk about what snacks families have brought with them to IEP meetings to help build relationships and come prepared to submit your favorite one to be put into the IEP Snackbook Part of Conversations on Showing Up for Kids!

Monday Night Transitions Dec 11, 6:15-7:15pm Virtual Registration A chance for families of transition-aged AYA (Adolescents and Young Adults), 12-21years old, with disabilities/special health care needs, to get together and talk transition. Topics could include health care, school, employment, housing, decision making – it’s up to you. We believe families talking with families is the best support possible. The informal discussions will be led by Tim Markle, lived-experience parent with the Southern Regional Center and the Youth Health Transition Initiative. You can show up for one or more discussions.

Creating Goals for Children — Family Input is needed!!!  UW Madison needs parents to give feedback on our initial draft of possible goals to include in  the Creating Goals for Children project. If you are a parent or caregiver of one or more children or youth with special health care needs/disability, please complete one (or both) survey(s). The surveys will be open through December 15th.
Early development: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esos4Glo8T1IKQS
Young adult transition: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WiDi3DAY3VHVDE

Recent recordings and resources

Let’s Learn About the Wisconsin Family and Caregiver Support Alliance (WFACSA) November 21, 2023: Recording The mission of WFACSA is to raise awareness of family and caregiver support needs and increase the availability of and access to services and supports (both paid and unpaid) which will keep people across the lifespan engaged in their community as long as they desire. Let’s have a conversation about who is a Caregiver, what supports are available and how people can get involved with WFACSA. Part of Conversations on Showing Up for Kids!

Self-care on a Budget-Family Panel Strikes Back  Nov 15, 2023  Recording  Taking care of yourself while on a budget, and no babysitter.  We have all been through that. You be surprised how many ideas parents come up with. But those in crisis don’t have the luxury to think of those solutions all the time. Part of Conversations on Showing Up for Kids!

Depression and Kids with ASD/DD Oct 31, 2023 Recording Join Lindsay McCary, Director of Psychological Services at KGH Autism Services, and talk about what depression is, how it might look in kids with ASD/DD, and how families can help — especially when they are waiting to get into therapy. Part of Conversations on Showing Up for Kids!

Transition Talks Tuesdays: Topics — Sauk Prairie Schools Beyond 18 Employment Options & Ho-Chunk Nation Financial Literacy Program; Disability Work Benefits; Health Care Changes, Too!; Supported Decision Making and Guardianship; Aging and Disability Resource Center; Postsecondary Transition Plan, Special Needs Trust. Offered in partnership with Sauk Prairie Schools. Spanish interpretation (and recordings) provided by Interpreter’s Cooperative of Madison through the support of the Wisconsin Integrated Transition Planning Project. TTTflyerSauk

Conversations on Showing Up for Kids! Topics — Self-Care on a Budget (Family Panel); Depression and Kids with ASD/DD; How Can I Help from My Home (Family Panel); Should We Consider Homeschooling?; What is a BIP?; School has started! How do we change the IEP?; Taking a deep dive into Neurodiversity; Family Built Support Systems.

Recommended Book of the Month 

Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty

Find it at your local library: Monarch Library System, Prairie Lakes Library System, South Central Library System, Southwest Library System, Winding Rivers Library System, Wisconsin’s Digital Library 

Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can’t get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his. Provided by Sun Prairie Library Youth Services Staff.

Upcoming Events and Workshops

Other information for the Week of December 4

Creating Goals for Children — Family Input is needed!!!  UW Madison needs parents to give feedback on our initial draft of possible goals to include in  the Creating Goals for Children project. If you are a parent or caregiver of one or more children or youth with special health care needs/disability, please complete one (or both) survey(s). The surveys will be open through December 15th.
Early development: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_esos4Glo8T1IKQS
Young adult transition: https://uwmadison.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6WiDi3DAY3VHVDE

Bringing Respite to Your Community (BRYC) Workshop is now available as an open, online workshop!
This FREE workshop can be completed at your own pace and is now entirely online. BRYC will provide the information and building blocks needed to start a respite program in your community.

WORKSHOP CONTENT:

Week 1: Needs Assessment, Program Design, and Business Structure

Week 2: Program Design and Licensing, Funding & Budgeting Intro

Week 3: Insurance, legal information, accounting, and tax information

Week 4: Policies and Procedures, Documentation, Marketing, Activity Design, Interviews with Respite Programs

Week 5: Staffing & Volunteers, Recruitment & Hiring, Training, and Program Growth

Week 6: Additional resources, grant writing, wrap-up assignments

Other information for the Week of November 27

• Changes are Coming to BadgerCare and Medicaid from ABC for Health
• Unwinding Partner Toolkit from Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Things to Remember

• Wisconsin Birth to 3 Program is committed to serving children under the age of 3 with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. We value your family’s primary relationship with your child and work in partnership with your family. We work to enhance your child’s development and support your family’s knowledge, skills, and abilities as you interact with and raise your child. Learn more on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
• Katie Beckett Medicaid provides access to Wisconsin Medicaid services for children with disabilities, mental illness, or complex medical needs. Katie Beckett helps some children whose parents have too high of an income for Medicaid, and those covered by private insurance, get a ForwardHealth Medicaid card so they can receive needed services and equipment that might not otherwise be covered. To apply, families can call 888-786-3246. They will be connected with an eligibility specialist who will explain the Medicaid benefit and help the family decide if they want to pursue enrollment. Learn more on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.
• Disability Information and Access Line Help with COVID-19 vaccinations for people with disabilities from Administration for Community Living
• Dane County Behavioral Health Resource Center — If you, someone you care about, or someone you are working with needs help finding mental health and/or substance use services in Dane County. The BHRC phone line is available Monday to Friday 7am to 7pm at (608) 267-2244; Email the BHRC at BHRC@countyofdane.com
• Adams, Rock, Crawford, Lafayette, Vernon Counties — Did you know the Early Childhood Health Consultation (ECHC) is a free program that provides Wisconsin’s early childhood care and education providers with information on best practices related to child health and safety? Through this program, early care and education (ECE) providers can receive free health consultations, on-demand training, and tailored resources surrounding best practices for health and safety needs at their child care facilities. For more information we invite you to visit the ECHC website, webinars, and podcasts.