Safety
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Description: This Wandering Resource Guide includes critical resources to increase safety at home and in the community. The Autism Society hopes that the resources can help you, your family, and other trusted caregivers have open discussions about safety and find solutions that meet your family’s needs.
Description: Behavioral Health & Wellness - Helping schools address the unprecedented rise in mental health and behavioral challenges facing Virginia students post-pandemic, Behavioral Health and Wellness helps to focus resources and attention to our students who are struggling with these evolving challenges. Sharpening the focus on the “Right Help, Right Now” resources available to Virginia students, Behavioral Health and Wellness will assists schools with teams of...
Description: Hanover reviews definitions and key components of digital citizenship, and provides guidelines on how to teach and promote students’ digital citizenship skills. In addition, this research brief provides guidelines on the effective use of technology in and outside the classroom.
Description: The Why and How of a Positive School Climate in 2023 - Maintaining a positive school climate has never been more challenging for districts — or more essential. With rising concerns about mental health, school violence, academic recovery, and the politicization of education, K–12 districts that fail to set climate goals and make steady improvements risk higher staff turnover and poorer student outcomes. By regularly assessing the social-emotional well-being and mental health of...
Description: Everyone deserves to experience intimate relationships if they would like to. However, parents and educators need to teach individuals with autisms the skills to keep themselves and others safe. These skills can help to reduce the likelihood of behaviors that can lead to negative consequences including social isolation, misinterpretation of social cues, and victimization. We must consider the need for age- and developmentally-appropriate instruction and support to address these skills.
Description: First responders and other emergency personnel are starting to use this helpful tool to communicate with individuals who are not responding to verbal instructions or questions. These may be individuals who are non-verbal, on the autism spectrum, or simply feeling overwhelmed or confused. By pointing to pictures on the ECB, emergency personnel can focus their need for information with the individuals level of understanding, ideally securing even a yes or no response allowing them to provide...
Description: Emergency Communication Boards (Chileda Institute) Paramedic & Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Symbol Board (Widget Health) Emergency Chat Google App Developing Positive Interactions for People with Developmental Disabilities and First Responders, Police, and the Justice System: A Guide for People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Loved Ones (Updated November 2020) (The Arc of Northern Virginia)
Description: The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System allows you to submit secure, anonymous safety concerns to help someone who may hurt themselves or others. What Should You Report? You can help save lives by reporting observed threats, behaviors, actions, and harassment. Here are examples of some of the most common behaviors and incidents to report: Acts of violence, with or without weapons Verbal or physical abuse, assault or harassment Sexual abuse, assault or harassment Threats seen on social media...
Description: The webinar will address how remote supports can provide the needed safety and opportunities for independence and self-determination for people with disabilities. SafeinHome Remote Support Staff is available 24/7 providing a consistent and responsive environment that encourages decision-making and learning. This person-centered remote support system can provide privacy, safety, guidance, wellness check-ins and more. The following are some of the many solutions SafeinHome successfully supports:...
Description: The average teenager spends nearly 40 hours a week on social media. The popularity of social media and increased student access to the internet has led to some dangerous trends wherein youth try to complete a variety of online challenges. Students are frequently exposed to these challenges via their phones and other electronic devices and watching these challenges can become extremely addictive. These trends have emerged on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Reports of "TikTok Challenges"...
Description: This project was developed as part of a grant funded by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center for The Arc of NoVA to create short videos with information on interactions between people with disabilities and the justice system. Each of these videos are designed to empower people with disabilities, educate them on what to expect, and let them know about options and accommodations they may request.
Description: Ready is a National public service campaign designed to educate and empower the American people to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to promote preparedness through public involvement. Ready asks that individuals: stay informed about the different types of emergencies that could occur and their appropriate responses make a family emergency plan and build an emergency supply kit, and get involved in your...
Description: In January 2020, Virginia legislators passed House Bill 817 requiring the Department of Education (VDOE), in collaboration with the Department of Health and medical professional societies, to develop health and safety guidelines related to the use of digital devices in the classroom. The VDOE convened a Digital Devices in the Classroom Workgroup to develop guidelines. The Digital Devices in the Classroom: Health and Safety Guidelines document addresses digital device use for different age...
Description: For LGBTQ+ Students: engaged and supportive families provide needed understanding, care and resilience. supportive families can mitigate other risk factors for LGBTQ+ youth. lack of family support can lead to conflict, running away, homelessness increasing the overall risk for mental health problems, including depression and suicidal ideation, among LGBTQ+ youth. (Excerpted from John Taylor's Side by Side Presentation: School PRIDE in the 21st Century Strategies to Ensure Inclusive School...
Description: Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide - Your involvement in your child’s education can lead to better learning results and outcomes. This “Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide” will inform you, as a parent or caregiver, as you monitor your child’s progress as your child accesses and uses technology for learning. This guide aims to help all parents and caregivers, including those who have limited experience with digital tools, those who are expert with these tools,...
Description: Parents can obtain ID cards for their children under age 15 at any DMV customer service center. The cost of a child ID card is $2 per year (minimum $10; maximum $16). In addition to serving as an identity document, the child’s photograph is stored in DMV’s database. If the child becomes missing, DMV can retrieve the image from the database and transmit it to law enforcement anywhere in the U.S. Child ID cards will expire on the last day of the customer’s month of birth in a...
Description: The National Child ID Program has distributed over 70 million inkless in-home child id kits since its founding following Amber Hagerman’s disappearance in 1997. These inkless kits do not enter a database and a stored at home by parents, providing them with a gift of safety they hopefully never have to use. The kits take two minutes to complete and allow parents to safely store in their own home the vast majority of their child’s vital information should law enforcement ever need it...
Description: The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) is one of 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and is a member of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD), a network of interdisciplinary centers advancing policy and practice for individuals with developmental and other disabilities, their families, and communities through research, education, and service. Their resource section includes: Advocacy Resources Diagnostic Centers Family and...
Description: The Virginia Department of Education's Office of Dispute Resolution and Administrative Services presents series of modules to inform Virginia school personnel on the Regulations Governing the Use of Seclusion and Restraint in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools in Virginia. The modules should be completed in order and followed by a cumulative quiz that will earn the participant a certificate of completion. The tabs contain the links for Modules 1-5, followed by the cumulative quiz. Module 1:...
Description: Supporting Survivors of Abuse with Disabilities- 7 Modules - This Module series is designed to help increase your knowledge and skills when supporting a survivor of abuse with disabilities. There are 7 training modules. CEUs and certificates are available. Module 1: Understanding Disability Module 2: Person Centered Thinking and Disability Etiquette Module 3: Disabilities and Abuse Module 4: Brain Injury and Abuse Module 5: Safety Planning and Accommodations Module 6: Disablity Justice,...
Description: During this webinar, Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak will draw upon attachment science and explore how it is critical that we take action to ensure all children feel safe, seen, soothed, and have secure attachments. We’ll also explore the idea of being a "stress detective” and how to navigate challenges that allow us to reimagine early care and educational practices that emphasize relationships and wholeness, especially for children with diverse abilities and their families. Following...
Description: The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) has put together a resource listing that will help you and your child to prioritize your mental wellness. In addition to keeping children physically safe during the pandemic, it is also important to care for their emotional health. The threat of COVID-19, long-term social distancing, and prolonged disruption to the school routine may create significant stress and impact children's mental well-being.
Description: NAMI Virginia is an organization of families, friends and individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness. Together, we advocate for better lives for those individuals who have a mental illness. If In Crisis: If in crisis, please call or text the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (24/7) If calling 911: Ask for a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Officer NAMI HelpLine: M-F 10 am – 10 pm ET Call: 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)...
Description: The National School Climate Center promotes safe, supportive learning environments that nurture social and emotional, civic, and academic growth for all students.
Description: The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a trusted source for knowledge about high-quality, evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL). CASEL supports educators and policy leaders and enhances the experiences and outcomes for all PreK-12 students. Our work is critical at a time when educators, parents, students, and employers increasingly recognize the value of SEL. Together, we are united in our call for schools to educate the whole child, equipping...
Description: The Our Lives: Safe and Strong Program Toolkit is a set of two web-based tools for abuse awareness, support, and safety planning. One is specialized to the abuse experiences of male-identified individuals, and the other for female-identified individuals. The programs feature people with diverse disabilities and identities speaking about their own abuse experiences. These tools can be used privately, or in the company of a trusted person(s). They can be used as educational information for the...
Description: Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign, designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. Blue Campaign works closely with DHS Components to create general awareness training and materials for law enforcement and others to increase detection of human trafficking, and to identify victims. Located within the Office of Partnership and Engagement, Blue...
Description: NetSmartz is NCMEC's online safety education program. It provides age-appropriate videos and activities to help teach children be safer online with the goal of helping children to become more aware of potential online risks and empowering them to help prevent victimization by making safer choices on- and offline.
Description: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students’ behavioral, academic, social, emotional, and mental health. When implemented with fidelity, PBIS improves social emotional competence, academic success, and school climate. It also improves teacher health and wellbeing. It is a way to create positive, predictable, equitable and safe learning environments where everyone thrives. Mental Health/Social-Emotional-Behavioral...
Description: The Parent and Educator Guide to School Climate Resources (Guide) is intended to provide parents, teachers, administrators, and other interested parties with a general understanding of school climate, school climate improvement activities, and the availability of additional resources. It should serve as a starting point from which the reader may choose to do further research; ultimately, it may result in the identification of practices or strategies a school, district or State may wish to...
Description: This is a free, online, on-demand system consisting of three primary components. Through this system, learners will understand the prevalence and impact of toxic stress on youth and those who care for them. Additionally, participants will understand how to infuse the values of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment into various aspects of their existing equitable multi-level system of support. This infusion is what we call the trauma-informed lens.
Description: The National Association of School Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource Officers have partnered to provide this guidance on armed assailant training. We received input from Safe and Sound Schools: A Sandy Hook Initiative and the ALiCE Training Institute. This document provides guidance on the important factors schools must take into account when considering and choosing to conduct armed assailant drills. It does not constitute an endorsement of a particular approach to...
Description: Project Lifesaver is the premier search and rescue program operated internationally by public safety agencies, and is strategically designed for “at risk” individuals who are prone to the life threatening behavior of wandering. The primary mission of Project Lifesaver is to provide timely response to save lives and reduce potential injury for adults and children with the propensity to wander due to a cognitive condition.
Description: A cell phone contract is an agreement that outlines what families will do to make sure kids take care of their cell phone and use it responsibly — like not texting while driving. Another goal is to help kids speak up if they see or receive anything on their phone that makes them feel uncomfortable. These contracts include steps that kids promise to take. They also include steps that parents or caregivers promise to take. A cell phone contract can also help set limits on how much...
Description: When a child is using your computer, normal safeguards and security practices may not be sufficient. Children present additional challenges because of their natural characteristics: innocence, curiosity, desire for independence, and fear of punishment. You need to consider these characteristics when determining how to protect your data and the child. You may think that because the child is only playing a game, or researching a term paper, or typing a homework assignment, he or she can't cause...
Description: Giving a child a home is a remarkable gift. This page is written for the families who’ve adopted children with disabilities (and without!) and those who offer them safe haven through fostering. It’s also written for those who work in state agencies or in private organizations who find foster homes and adoptive families for so many children.
Description: Helping Young Children Who Have Experienced Trauma: Policies and Strategies for Early Care and Education - In almost every early care and education (ECE) program across the country, there are children who have experienced trauma or who will, during their early childhood, experience traumatic events. Trauma in early childhood takes many forms, including abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, and having prolonged separation from or loss of a parent. An extensive body of research has documented the...
Description: Just like anyone else, individuals with I/DD come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants, incarcerated persons, victims, and/or witnesses. People with disabilities are more likely to experience victimization, be arrested, be charged with a crime, and serve longer prison sentences once convicted, than those without disabilities. Individuals with I/DD with other marginalized identities (e.g., people of color, members of indigenous communities, and those who identify...
Description: Autism Speaks provides a sampling of the large range products and services our community often inquires about relating to safety, from seat belt harnesses, to wearable identification items, and smart technology. This list is not intended to be all inclusive and they do not endorse any individual product. Alert Me Bands AMBER Alert GPS Angel Guard AngelSense Autism ID Card Autism Safety Initiative AWAARE: Autism Wandering Awareness Alerts Response and Education Collaboration BE SAFE The...
Description: The Virginia Department of Education is the administrative agency for the commonwealth’s public schools. VDOE works in partnership with Virginia’s 132 school divisions to support and improve teaching and learning, set high expectations for all students, and promote student safety, wellbeing, and health.
Description: The Arc of Northern Virginia (The Arc of NoVA) is dedicated to ensuring that the human and civil rights of people with developmental disabilities are protected. They have known and worked with thousands of families, in their more than 50 year history, who have taught them so much. The Arc of Northern Virginia has seen an increase in calls and concerns from family about interactions of people with developmental disabilities (DD), including intellectual disabilities, and emergency services and the...
Description: Abstract This policy statement focuses on children and adolescents 5 through 18 abstract years of age. Research suggests both benefi ts and risks of media use for the health of children and teenagers. Benefits include exposure to new ideas and knowledge acquisition, increased opportunities for social contact and support, and new opportunities to access health-promotion messages and information. Risks include negative health effects on weight and sleep; exposure to inaccurate, inappropriate, or...
Description: Advisory: This Fast Fact contains adult content and may not be suitable for all readers In today’s technological world, the Internet has become an important and growing source of information and connectedness. The Internet is useful for many reasons, whether it is being used to chat with old friends, find directions to a restaurant, or read a movie review. However, individuals with ASD and their families may face unique challenges when attempting to safely navigate the web. It is possible...
Description: ATN/AIR-P Puberty and Adolescent Resource - Puberty can be a time of mixed feelings for parents and pre-teens. All parents eventually face the challenge of teaching their children about the natural changes of puberty. However, parents of pre-teens with autism may need the help of additional strategies to ease the transition. Our aim in developing this tool is to provide guidance on puberty that can be directly applied to pre-teens with autism. In doing so, we hope to increase families'...
Description: AWAARE Collaboration is a working group of seven national non-profit autism organizations whose mission is to prevent autism-related wandering incidents and deaths. NAA (National Autism Association) has created three digital safety toolkits that can be downloaded: Caregiver Toolkit, First Responder Toolkit and Teacher Toolkit.
Description: Bullying in the United States was once a silent epidemic which was endured by millions of children on a daily basis. The attitude “kids will be kids” was just part of normal childhood development. Today, bullying in schools is being recognized as a national health problem and safety issue for all students including students with disabilities. The prevalence of bullying in schools is roughly one in three students and can occur twice as often for students with special needs. Dr....
Description: Since 1979, Attainment Company has been helping people with disabilities achieve independence at school, work, home, and in the community. Attainment's print curriculum, software, apps, and videos compbine for a uniquely blended approach to accommodate individual student needs.
Description: The Concussion Legacy Foundation's mission is to support athletes, Veterans, and all affected by concussions and CTE; achieve smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation; and to End CTE through prevention and research. Our vision is a world without CTE, and concussion safety without compromise. The Resource Center includes information on: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) Concussion
Description: The Safe Concussion Outcome Recovery & Education (SCORE) Program at Children’s National Hospital evaluates, monitors and manages the care of children and adolescents with concussions (known as mild traumatic brain injury or TBI). The program consults with physicians regionally and nationally, as well as scholastic and youth recreational sports programs in which children are vulnerable to injury. Clinicians in the SCORE program have a specific expertise in managing academic...
Description: The Sports Concussion Library offers a wealth of information on the topic of sport concussion. It has information for all audiences, including researchers, athletes, parents, coaches and first responders (therapists/trainer), educational institutions and physicians. The Library is a non-profit, no-fee, publically accessible storehouse for all non-commercial peer reviewed literature on sport concussion.