IDD Community Connection
Greetings and a warm welcome to the abundance of June, a month brimming with engaging resources and events for the IDD community here in Oregon. As the days grow longer and the air gets warmer, we’re here to ensure you have access to the wealth of opportunities our community offers.
Whether you’re looking for opportunities for employment, mental health support, or simply fun activities, we’ve got you covered. This month, our highlights include activities from parent training to recreational pursuits and even advocacy group participation. These resources are designed to enrich your life and support you in achieving your personal goals.
We invite you to leverage these resources and partake in these events to enhance your well-being and build stronger connections within our community. Our shared experiences unify us, and we hope that June opens up new avenues of interaction and growth. Here’s to a month of exploration and the continuous fostering of a resilient and supportive IDD community in Oregon.
.
Empowered Services June Newsletter
.
Also, read or download a copy of our June 2023 Newsletter.
.
.
.
.
This guide for new parents covers a range of topics, including:
- how your child got the intellectual disability diagnosis
- how to cope with the feelings you might be experiencing
- finding the right therapies and supports for your child
- intellectual disability resources
- a letter from a Special Olympics athlete
Download a free copy of this guide: Young-Athletes-New-Family-Resource-English
.
.
.
June Resources and Activities
.
Resource/Event Highlights
- June 10th – Sibshops – Sibshops is a free virtual sibling group for brothers and sisters, ages 8-13, of children with special developmental needs.
- June 10th – Latino Festival – Free event with music, food, culture and community resources
- June 13th – Night Pints for NW Disability Supports
- June 17th – DSNO Family Kick off – kick off the summer at Sherwood YMCA for an all-family DSNO gathering. Enjoy connecting with other families while we enjoy the entire facility for swimming, gym time, crafts, food, and more.
.
.
Activities
- Clackamas County Library Events – so many free community events at all public libraries. This page lets you sort by events for Adults, Children, and teens at all county libraries.
- PDX Summer Camps with Space – https://pdxparent.com/updated-summer-camps-with-space-2/
o ACAP –Autistic Community Activity Program – has a day camp that is k-plan funded
o Tucker Arts Camp: Over eight weeks, children in preschool through fifth grade explore the art of storytelling through music, visual arts and diverse world cultures.
o Oregon City Children’s Theatre Camp through June Blackbeard the Pirate
o Upward Bound Camp – See attached flyer
o The Youth Music Project – there is tuition assistance
o Speak and Be Heard Summer Camp – Summer Theater Camp for Neurodiverse Children
o Camp Rivendale – Summer day camp that provides recreational opportunities for children and young adults who have physical, emotional, and/or developmental disabilities.
o Camp Yakety Yak – Day camp with speech support
o Bustin Barriers– Breaking barriers and building life-long expriences through sports and enrichment activities.
- Special Olympics Oregon – check out the inclusive sport options and get signed up for an upcoming season
- North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District
- Molalla Aquatic Center
- North Clackamas Aquatic Park
- Oregon City Children’s Theater: Sensory gym (ages 2-9), toddler town (ages 1-5), the Hang (ages 7-12)
- Forward Stride – Equine Therapy
- Tiny Dance Life – Nonprofit arts and education program offering enrichment dance classes to children of all ages
.
.
.
.
Parent Advocacy and Support, Trainings
- Oregon Advocates for Equitable Disability Services (OA4EDS) – Parent run advocacy group working to make positive changes in disability services. Contact them for more information and/or to get involved. Their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OA4EDS or you can contact their leadership team by emailing: JessaReinhardt@gmail.com (make sure to put “OA4EDS” in the subject line.
- UPC Support Group for Parents – Online support group open to all Oregon & SW Washington families who are raising a child with ANY disability. Group is called “Gimme A Break” (GAB). Meetings are held over Zoom. There are both daytime AND evening options. Families get to connect with other families to cheer for each other, vent, just talk, and/or to share ideas. Group members share information on how to find support and what to expect now and in the future.
- Northwest Family Services – Programs and services include health and social service navigation, youth prevention and intervention programs, outpatient alcohol and drug treatment, support for youth and families affected by incarceration, youth education and employment success, restorative justice, mental health services, job readiness and placement, couple’s classes, parenting, and healthy relationship education. Phone: 503-546-6377 Email: service@nwfs.org
- Reach Out Oregon – is an organization that offers support to families with children experiencing mental, emotional, and behavioral health challenges. Their goal is to help families gain access to a support team of families, friends, and community networks where questions are answered, resources are shared, and needs are understood.
- Autism Society of Oregon – support groups, resources, and information for individuals with Autism and their families.
- Fact Oregon– On-Demand Trainings on Transition to Kindergarten, The IEP, and Behaviors at School
- Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center – Trainings available on parenting teens, suicide prevention, developing open and effective communication etc.
- The Shadow Project- Summer Goal Setting to help parents and caregivers support their child’s confidence, attention and motivation. See flyer for more details.
.
.
.
.
Food Resources
- How to Get Food in Clackamas County Resource Page
- PDX Free Fridge
- Oregon Food Bank Finder
- Clackamas Service Center
- FIDO (Friends Involved in Dog Outreach) – providing pet food to ensure that the bond between people and their pet companions is unbroken. 503-655-3663
.
.
.
.
Mental Health Resources
- Clackamas County Crisis Line – provides 24/7, free, and confidential support. 503-655-8585
- Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741 – 24/7 line.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – provides 24/7, free, and confidential support. Military veterans may press ‘1’ for specialized care. 800-273-TALK
- The Trevor Project Suicide Prevention Line – for LGBTQ+ youth. 1-866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386)
- Oregon YouthLine – a teen-to-teen crisis support and help line. Please let your teens know that there are peers available to listen and support them. Call, text, and chat options are available.
o Call: 877-968-8491 (24/7 line)
o Text: teen2teen to 839863
o Chat: Online (4pm-10pm)
o Email: youthl@linesforlife.org
- Trans Lifeline’s Peer Support Hotline – Peer support service run by trans people. 877-565-8860
- Suicide Survivor Support Group – Youth Era Drop-in Center. Tuesdays at 4 pm. For individuals ages 14-18.
.
.
.
.
Other Resources
- HOUSING ASSISTANCE – Clackamas County Coordinated Housing Access is the starting point for housing and support services. Emergency, transitional, and permanent housing referrals may be available. Problem solving and resources to prevent loss of housing can be explored (financial assistance is based on eligibility). You can call or fill out the online intake form to get on the waitlist for an Intake Interview. Phone: 503-655-8575
- Clackamas Parenting Together Calendar – event calendar for family friendly events and parent support/learning opportunities.
- Cooking Matters – Cooking Matters is on a mission to make eating healthier and affordable for families everywhere. Find tips, recipes, lesson plans, and handout activities for kids. Find cooking classes in your area as well.
- School Based Health Centers – confidential medical services for students. No student is denied services. Insurance is billed whenever possible; however, students and families are not charged for services.
- Youth Era – Youth Era works to empower young people and create breakthroughs with the dedicated systems that serve them. Clackamas Drop-in Center is open Monday-Friday 3pm-6pm
.
.
.
.
Important Reminders
The federal public health emergency for COVID-19 ends May 11, 2023. This affects temporary actions the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) took to protect people’s health during the pandemic.
ODDS will host three public webinars to help I/DD community members and partners through this transition. ODDS’ staff will discuss the policies and procedures that are changing.
The meetings will be online on Zoom.
- April 25 (past)
- May 4 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. (past)
- Zoom meeting link
- Zoom meeting passcode: 252111
- June 1 from 3 to 4 p.m.
- Zoom meeting link
- Meeting passcode: 069692
Email questions to ODDS.Questions@odhsoha.oregon.gov ahead of time. We will post answers to these questions and those asked at the meetings as FAQs on the “ODDS COVID-19 Information” web page. We will update these FAQs in the coming months.
The meetings will have American Sign Language interpretation, Spanish interpretation, and Communication Access Real-Time captioning.
For questions or help with accessibility, contact ODDS at 503-945-5811 or DD.DirectorsOffice@dhsoha.state.or.us. Please make requests at least three business days before the event.
.
.
.
.
|
|
|
|
.
.
.
.
|
|
|
|
.
.
.
|
.
.
|
|
