Partnership for People with Disabilities

11/03/2026

🗳️

Gentle Reminder: Please Vote 🗳️

11/02/2026

Over-Aplogizing Syndrome: Yeah, it’s a thing!

10/30/2026

Feel Good Friday 🌟

10/29/2026

Leadership for Empowerment & Abuse Prevention (LEAP) - Ages 18+ 11/4, 11/11, 11-18 & 12/2/26 6-7:30PM

• What it means to trust someone-and how to decide who can be trusted
• Healthy, unhealthy, and confusing relationships
• Asking permission before touching
• Different ways to say "no"
• Recognizing feelings and physical signs of being uncomfortable
• How and where to get help

Registration LINK: https://tinyurl.com/LEAP-Training26

The Autism Society of Central Virginia (ASCV) is excited to offer LEAP (Leadership for Empowerment and Abuse Prevention)—a specialized training program designed for adults ages 18 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities. LEAP empowers participants to build healthy relationships, recognize unsafe situations, and prevent abuse.

Developed collaboratively by VCU’s School of Social Work and the Partnership for People with Disabilities, LEAP is grounded in the expertise of a multidisciplinary team that includes individuals with disabilities and their families, as well as professionals from domestic violence, child advocacy, social services, health, LGBTQ+, and disability advocacy organizations. People with disabilities have played an integral role in every stage of LEAP’s development and serve as essential members of each training team.

LEAP provides a supportive, interactive learning environment focused on safety, self-advocacy, and relationship skills. To ensure individualized attention and meaningful participation, this program is limited to 10 participants.

Who are we? partnership.vcu.edu

The Partnership is affiliated with: Center for Family Involvement Association of University Centers on Disabilities VCU School of Education

Autism Society Central Virginia

10/29/2026

Supporting Those with Hidden Disabilities: How to help them in the most gracious way? Check out this Care Card. Pass it along to anyone it might help! ✅

😍Care Card ~ Supporting Those with Hidden Disabilities

Are you uncomfortable 😣 saying what you REALLY think? Let us do it for you! Just forward this to friends and family or share it with a comment on social media.

We will be posting unique Care Cards ALL WEEK!

Please Do 🙌

UNDERSTAND IT’S REAL: Many people mask” all day to fit in and then collapse once they reach their safe space at home.

UTILIZE SENSORY BREAKS:
Quiet moments, sensory breaks, walking outside, carrying something heavy - this all helps with regulation.

WATCH FOR “SOCIAL FATIGUE”:
Hidden disabilities can make social cues exhausting.
Keeping that in mind can prevent difficult interactions.

USE PREDICTABLE ROUTINES:
Give advance warning for transitions or changes. Visual schedules help reduce the high anxiety of the “unknown.”

FOCUS ON THE “WHY”: This downplays the significant mental energy needed to stay regulated or “mask” each day.

Please Don’t ✋

SAY “THEY SEEM FINE TO ME”:
This can unintentionally downplay the significant mental energy my child uses to “mask” or stay regulated.

CORRECT IN FRONT OF OTHERS:
Publicly calling out behaviors increases anxiety and defensiveness. Avoid using shame, handle corrections gently and privately to preserve dignity.

TAKE AWAY RECESS: Don’t penalize behavior by removing the activities that prevent it.

I Can ...

✅Provide sensory tools
✅Share “at home” triggers ✅Collaborate on a plan
✅Support your classroom

Who are we?
tinyurl.com/CFI-PPD-VCU

1 ON 1 SUPPORT | ALWAYS FREE

Find us on Instagram: center4familyinvolvement

The Center for Family Involvement is affiliated with: VCU School of Education Association of University Centers on Disabilities Partnership for People with Disabilities

10/28/2026

Supporting Families of Kids with Disabilities: How to help them in the most gracious way? Check out this Care Card. Pass it along to anyone it might help! ✅

😍CARE CARD ~ Supporting Families of Kids with Disabilities

Are you uncomfortable 😣 saying what you REALLY think? Let us do it for you! Just forward this to friends and family or share it with a comment on social media.

We will be posting unique Care Cards ALL WEEK!

Please Do 🙌

BE SPECIFIC WITH HELP: EXAMPLE: “I’m at the store, what can I drop off?” or “l have 2 hours on Tuesday to help with laundry.”

KEEP INVITING ME: Please keep asking me to join, even if I usually say no. It reminds me I’m still part of the community.

TEACH INCLUSION: Talk openly about disability. It’s OK if children ask questions. It’s better to say hi than whisper and look away.

OFFER “LOW-ENERGY” HANGOUTS: I might not be able to go out, but I’d love for you to drop by with coffee and chat for a while.

CHECK IN OFTEN: Keep calling or texting regularly, even if I don’t respond. It helps me feel less alone.

Please Don’t ✋

SAY “LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO:” It puts the pressure on me to think of a task and ask for help. Just offer a specific action.

OFFER UNSOLICITED ADVICE: Be careful about suggesting new therapies, treatments, or
“cures.” This can come off as offensive or even ableist.

STARE OR JUDGE: If my child is having a hard time, please don’t stare. A kind look or an offer to help is much better.

I Can ...

✅Do a specific errand
✅Provide a meal
✅Provide childcare
✅Hang for a short time

Who are we?
tinyurl.com/CFI-PPD-VCU

1 ON 1 SUPPORT | ALWAYS FREE

Find us on Instagram: center4familyinvolvement

The Center for Family Involvement is affiliated with: VCU School of Education Association of University Centers on Disabilities Partnership for People with Disabilities

10/27/2026

Insomnia is incredibly FRUSTRATING! Leaning into the nighttime bursts of energy pays off the next day, when energy levels can be much lower.

CAREGIVER CHRONICLES: LEANING INTO INSOMNIA

FOOD PREP POWER: Use nighttime energy bursts to meal plan, chop veggies, and cook meals for the next day. Less stress when you’re tired.

ORGANIZATION OVERSIGHT: Tackle paperwork, pay bills, update care schedules, or research community resources during quiet hours.

QUIET COMMUNICATION: Draft emails to doctors, teachers, or family members. Update the care team on a quiet timeline.

PLAN & JOURNAL: Jot down care notes, reflect on the day, or outline the next day’s activities. Clear your mind for better rest later.

YOU MATTER! Who are we?
tinyurl.com/CFI-PPD-VCU

1 ON 1 SUPPORT | ALWAYS FREE

Find us on Instagram: center4familyinvolvement

The Center for Family Involvement is affiliated with: VCU School of Education Association of University Centers on Disabilities Partnership for People with Disabilities

10/27/2026

Did you know CFI has a rural specialist, Lisa Richard? Check out this thought-provoking article she’s recommended!

You might think you know rural when you see it. But what if you had to provide a clear definition?

That’s where things get messy. Even geographers, demographers, and statisticians can’t agree on a single definition of rural. How do you define rural?

Link: tinyurl.com/define-rural

Lisa Richard: Rural Outreach Specialist - [email protected]
(804) 827-8770

Who are we?
tinyurl.com/CFI-PPD-VCU

1 ON 1 SUPPORT | ALWAYS FREE

Find us on Instagram: center4familyinvolvement

The Center for Family Involvement is affiliated with: VCU School of Education Association of University Centers on Disabilities Partnership for People with Disabilities

10/26/2026

Parents of Adults with Disabilities: Kids with disabilities grow up and aging parents may continue caring for them - How to help them in the most gracious way? Check out this Care Card. Pass it along to anyone it might help! ✅

😍Care Card ~ Parents of Adults with Disabilities

Are you uncomfortable 😣 saying what you REALLY think? Let us do it for you! Just forward this to friends and family or share it with a comment on social media.

We will be posting unique Care Cards ALL WEEK!

Please Do 🙌

BE SPECIFIC WITH HELP: Instead of asking what can I do, try, “I’m at the store, what can I get you?” or “I can come over for two hours.”

KEEP INVITING ME: Please keep asking me to join, even if I usually say no. It reminds me I’m still part of the community.

REMEMBER MY CHILD IS AN ADULT: Speak directly to my son/daughter and engage with them based on their age, not their disability.

OFFER “LOW-ENERGY” HANGOUTS: I might not be able to go out, but I’d love for you to drop by with coffee and chat for a while.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE CIRCUMSTANCES: It’s OK to talk about how different your lives are. Validation and honest conversations are incredibly meaningful.

Please Don’t ✋

TELL ME THAT YOU UNDERSTAND: Without lived experience, it’s impossible to fully understand how complicated my life is.

ASK ABOUT “THE FUTURE” BLUNTLY: Planning for when I am no longer here is a heavy emotional load. Please don’t ask “what will happen to them?” unless I bring it up first.

COMPARE TO TYPICAL ADULTHOOD: Please don’t compare my experience to common milestones or your empty nesting phase. Our timeline is different.

I Can ...

✅Do a specific errand
✅Provide a meal
✅Sit with my adult child
✅Hang for a short time

Who are we?
tinyurl.com/CFI-PPD-VCU

1 ON 1 SUPPORT | ALWAYS FREE

Find us on Instagram: center4familyinvolvement

The Center for Family Involvement is affiliated with: VCU School of Education Association of University Centers on Disabilities Partnership for People with Disabilities