Michigan Alliance for Families

Michigan Alliance for Families Michigan Alliance for Families and Michigan Alliance - PTI provides information, support and education Michigan Alliance for Families is a moderated page.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY
Michigan Alliance for Families (MAF) will use its Facebook (FB) page and any other social media siteS to connect with and inform parents and other interested parties about our organization. We encourage all MAF supporters to be involved in online tools such as Facebook, which can promote MAF, connect people with the information and resources that they need and positively impact

the lives of families of children receiving special education services. Your use of MAF social media sites is acceptance of this Policy and has the same effect as if you had actually physically signed an agreement. If you do not agree to the terms of this Policy, you may not view or post any content to any MAF Social Media site. As a guest posting content to any MAF social media sites, you agree that you will not:
violate any local, state, federal and international laws and regulations, including but not limited to copyright and intellectual property rights laws regarding any content that you post;
transmit any material (by uploading, posting, email or otherwise) that is unlawful, disruptive, threatening, profane, abusive, harassing, embarrassing, tortuous, defamatory, obscene, libelous, or is an invasion of another's privacy,
make comments about a person or groups’ culture, race, ethnicity or disability that is hateful or objectionable as solely determined by MAF;
impersonate any person or entity or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with a person or entity;
transmit (by uploading, posting, email or otherwise) any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, or promotional materials about a product or Web site
post any content that may be construed as political lobbying, solicitations or endorsements. MAF reserves the right, in its discretion, to restrict or remove any content that violates these policies or any applicable law or revoke a user’s privilege to post on its page. All comments, visuals, videos and any other type of material posted by guests on MAF social media sites do not necessarily represent the views of The Arc Michigan, MAF, or their employees or affiliates. MAF assumes no legal responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information posted by guests. To protect your privacy, never post personal contact information on a social media site. If you need to reach MAF, call the main number at 1-800-552-4821 or send an email to [email protected]

MAF reserves the right to report any comments that imply harm or imminent danger to yourself or others. By submitting a comment for posting, you accept that MAF has the right to contact the appropriate authorities to report any suspicious activities, threats, or behaviors. By posting on this site, you are granting permission to MAF to reproduce, distribute, publish, display such content and the right to create derivative works from your content, edit or modify such content and use such content for any purpose. MAF reserves the right, but undertakes no duty, to review, edit, move, or delete any material submitted as a comment to information posted on its social media sites without notice. MAF reserves the right to edit comments for grammatical purposes. This policy may be updated at any time without notice, and each time you access a MAF social media site, the new policy will govern, usage, effective upon posting.

07/29/2026

Our Return to School webinar series takes place over four Wednesdays at noon, starting July 29!

📅 July 29
Picture This! Developing Your Student Snapshot
A student snapshot shares your child’s interests, strengths, and needs with their IEP team and other staff who support them. Join us to discuss format possibilities, relevant information to include, and the benefits of working with your child to create a student snapshot that can help them self-advocate.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ReturnTS2026
Full details at https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/rts-2026/
One registration allows you to attend all the webinars in the series.

The Return to School webinar series takes place over four Wednesdays at noon, starting tomorrow July 29!  Register at ht...
07/29/2026

The Return to School webinar series takes place over four Wednesdays at noon, starting tomorrow July 29! Register at https://tinyurl.com/ReturnTS2026

Join our team of Regional Parent Mentors to chat about how to prepare your family for the new school year. Let's explore some things that work for us and might help your family have a smoother start to the new school year.

📅 July 29
Picture This! Developing Your Student Snapshot
A student snapshot shares your child’s interests, strengths, and needs with their IEP team and other staff who support them. Join us to discuss format possibilities, relevant information to include, and the benefits of working with your child to create a student snapshot that can help them self-advocate.
📅 August 5
Start Strong! Communication that Supports Your Child
When partnering with your child’s school team, strong communication skills can make all the difference. This engaging, hands-on webinar focuses on building effective communication skills with real-life scenarios and practical strategies.
📅 August 12
Prepare with Flair! Back to School with an IEP
Join our Parent Mentors as we dive into best practices for preparing ourselves, our children, and our IEP team for the new school year. We will explore ways to organize, calm nerves, get excited, and set expectations for our best year yet!
📅 August 19
Executive Functioning - What, When, and How
Join us to learn more about what executive functioning is, when support can be put in place, how to shift your thinking to support your loved one. Walk away with tips and tricks to make your life and school day more manageable and set up for success.

Register at https://tinyurl.com/ReturnTS2026
Full details at https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/rts-2026/
One registration allows you to attend all the webinars in the series.

07/28/2026

More opportunities for Michigan students start beyond the school day.

MiLEAP has announced $135 million in funding for the 2026-27 Out-of-School Time Grant Program—nearly doubling last year's investment to expand before-school, after-school and summer learning opportunities across Michigan.

Eligible organizations are encouraged to attend one of our statewide information sessions to learn about the grant opportunity, ask questions and prepare to apply.

🕔Tuesday July 28 @ 5PMRegister at https://tinyurl.com/2em723w4
07/28/2026

🕔Tuesday July 28 @ 5PM
Register at https://tinyurl.com/2em723w4

"IEP: A Closer Look" is offered once a month at different times of day, even during the summer!

Get a better understanding of your child's IEP by taking a closer look at the core areas and how they build on each other. This workshop can help you:

☀️ take a more in depth look at the key sections of the IEP
☀️ prioritize your greatest concerns
☀️ learn how to address those concerns through the IEP process

Time is set aside every month to answer attendee questions.

🗽Tuesday July 28 @ 5PM
https://tinyurl.com/2em723w4

🏖️Monday August 17 @ 10AM
https://tinyurl.com/3vvxcsyj

🚌Wednesday September 9 @ 12PM
https://tinyurl.com/mpevffy6

See our full calendar of events at https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/

07/28/2026

The words we use with children have the power to help them feel seen, valued, and like they truly belong. Small changes in our language - such as saying "You belong here," "I'm glad you're here," or "You can be yourself here" - can make a lasting impact. Inclusive phrases teach children empathy, acceptance, and respect for differences from an early age. When children feel included, they're more likely to build confidence, form meaningful friendships, and actively participate in learning. By modeling inclusive language every day, we create environments where every child knows they matter. Inclusion starts with the simple words we choose.



Source: Diversity Kids

On this day in 1990, history was made!The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people...
07/26/2026

On this day in 1990, history was made!

The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities.

Because the Americans with Disabilities Act is a law, and not a benefit program, you do not need to apply for coverage. People with disabilities have a right to be given the same opportunities for employment, ability to purchase goods and services, and right to participate in state and local programs.

Parents need to understand the important words that impact their child's special education services. Follow this page as we help decode this alphabet soup.

Learn more about the ADA and other special education matters on our website https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/

View this video (and others!) on our YouTube channel
https://youtube.com/shorts/QeflAdvkRR4

07/26/2026

Happy birthday ADA 🥳
"Let the shameful wall of exclusion finally come tumbling down."

07/26/2026

On this day in 1990, history was made!

The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities.

Because the Americans with Disabilities Act is a law, and not a benefit program, you do not need to apply for coverage. People with disabilities have a right to be given the same opportunities for employment, ability to purchase goods and services, and right to participate in state and local programs.

Parents need to understand the important words that impact their child's special education services. Follow this page as we help decode this alphabet soup.

Learn more about the ADA and other special education matters on our website https://www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/

A sibling relationship is one of the most important and lifelong connections a person can have. For the sibling of a chi...
07/26/2026

A sibling relationship is one of the most important and lifelong connections a person can have. For the sibling of a child with special health care needs, the bond can be especially meaningful. Join Emily Holl, director of the Sibling Support Project, as she shares ways to support this special relationship. You’ll also hear about an upcoming Sibshops facilitator training and grant opportunity to bring Sibshops to your community.

CARING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: SUPPORTING SIBLINGS OF CYSHCN.
July 28, 2026
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To register, for the next webinar in the Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Learning Connections Webinar series use the following link: https://redcap.link/sibshopwebinar.

The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) of the Michigan Interagency Coordinating Council (MICC) is pleased to present a f...
07/25/2026

The Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) of the Michigan Interagency Coordinating Council (MICC) is pleased to present a family leadership award in memory of a dear friend and Michigan Alliance for Families colleague, Celena Barnes.

Celena passed away in September 2014, and the PIC would like to keep her memory alive with your help, by selecting an outstanding parent leader to be awarded the “Celena Barnes Family Leadership Award.”

Please see the nomination form and consider recommending an exceptional parent leader.

https://tinyurl.com/CelenaBarnesFamilyLeadership
Nominations are due by August 28, 2026. The parent selected will be revealed at the Early On Conference in Traverse City this year, November 11-12, 2026.
We are excited to learn about all the incredible parents who are making a difference in the lives of young children.

Nominees can represent a variety of different leadership roles that contribute to the well-being of children including:
· State or Local Interagency Coordinating Councils
· School organizations
· Advocacy organizations
· Other leadership roles
In selecting the recipients, consideration will be given to a parent whose contributions include, but are not limited to, any of the following activities:
· Passionately speaking up as well as amplifying the voices of other families
· Advocating for changes when they are needed and taking action
· Fostering leadership skills in others

Address

1325 S Washington Avenue
Lansing, MI
48910

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