News and Resources

Dear Families, Friends, and Partners,

Welcome to 2024! Last year, we witnessed remarkable growth and empowerment within our community, driven by our collective commitment to supporting families navigating disability, including through the transformative years of transitioning to adulthood.

This journey hits close to home as the parent of a young adult son. My family’s experience with the hopes, opportunities, and challenges that come with this transition fuels my dedication to supporting and empowering this new generation. In that vein, I’m thrilled to invite you and your youth to our upcoming virtual Transition to Adulthood Virtual Summit on February 3rd. Together, we’ll dive into vital topics, get equipped with tools and knowledge, and help pave the way for successful transitions for the young people in our lives.

Empowering young adults with disabilities is about nurturing confidence, fostering self-determination, challenging ourselves, and unlocking opportunities. Be part of this journey towards a brighter, more inclusive future!

Onward!

Christy Reese, Executive Director

Trainings and Support

Special Education Learning Summits!

Dive into Special Education! Join us as we explore special education and the IEP, share strategies to communicate with your child’s school, and talk about how to resolve disagreements. Learn more!

Special Education Virtual Summit
Saturday, March 2 | 8:45 am – 2:30 pm | Zoom
Learn more and register here.

Northern Oregon Regional Summit
Saturday, April 27 | 8:30 am – 3:30 pm | Hood River
Registration opening soon!

Activate Your Advocacy (AYA) Parent Leadership

AYA Spring 2024 Cohort
Mondays and Wednesdays, April 1 – 17 | 6:00-9:00 PM | Zoom
Application Opening Soon!

The goal of Activate Your Advocacy (AYA) is to give families a bigger say in things that matter.  When we all come together, we can bring about changes that help people with disabilities thrive at home, in school, and in community. Participants in this training series learn about leadership, ableism, equity, disproportionality, educational laws and governance, and legislative advocacy and meet and engage with other parents who care about making the world better for our kids.

Discover and Discuss

Turning 18: What Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Should Know

In these videos from The Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice, self-advocates Lisa, Sam, Kamisha, Wayne and Shameka talk about research findings from the Guardianship Alternatives and Transfer-of-Rights project. They explain transfer-of-rights, transition planning, and turning 18. They also talk about alternatives to guardianship and what self-advocacy and decision-making means to them.

Stress and Resilience: How Toxic Stress Affects Us, and What We Can Do About It
When the stress in your life just doesn’t let up, and it feels like you have no support to get through the day — let alone do everything you need to do to be the best parent you can be — it can seem like there’s nothing that can make it better. But there are resources that can help, and this kind of stress—known as “toxic stress”—doesn’t have to define your life. Check out this video, which is part of a series created by the Harvard University Center on the Developing Child.

Just for Youth

Tuition-Free Training | Pharmacy Clerk Program
Tuition-free training starting in January 2024! Teens and Young Adults living with disabilities have an additional option for career training to become a Pharmacy Clerk. Learn more and apply!

Friendship Group for Autistic Kids (suggested ages: 7-13)
Mondays, January 8, 15, 22 & 29 | 6:00 pm - 6:45 pm | Zoom
A place to meet, get to know each other, be silly, explore common interests, and make friends. On alternating Monday meetings, the group plays Minecraft. This group meets online, with occasional in person meetups. Hosted by Autism Society of Oregon. Click here to register.

Share the Love - Support FACT Oregon

In the new year, your gift — no matter the size — ensures that we can continue to support and empower families navigating disability.