You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know: Here’s Some of What I Know
Since starting this blog, I’ve been consistently uncovering new resources to support parents of children with developmental disabilities. It is my mission to help them find support. Talking to one of my former student’s mom struck a chord with me when she said, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” I found some great resources I would like to share in today’s blog. I hope parents spread the word so that more people know about these resources. This week I am highlighting Integrated Community Solutions and the magazine Livespecial.com which is a free magazine filled with resources for the inclusive community.
Last week I was invited by Lisa Morrison, founder of Integrated Community Solutions (ICS) to attend their first parent support group meeting. ICS is a nonprofit group working toward inclusion, independence, and accessible communities for adults with developmental disabilities in Medina County. This is a great resource group for parents of children with developmental disabilities. Every parent present shared what they wanted from the group and some of their challenges. I suggest people follow the Integrated Community Solutions Facebook page, look at their monthly calendar, and attend a meeting or an activity for their child. One of the common things people shared was that they found the most support from other parents. The next Parent Resource meeting will be Tuesday, November 26 at Medina Hospital, Conference Room 3, Entrance A at 6:30 pm. The topic will be Tech and Remote Supports. For up-to-date news, follow ICS on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Integrated.OHIO.
One key takeaway was that future meetings will cover important topics for parents, including SSI and SSDI benefits, along with other relevant information. A free magazine called livespecial.com was available, so I took one. This is a great magazine filled with all kinds of resources. There are topics like legal do’s and don’ts and supports inside and outside of the community. It is a project of the National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland. There are past magazines online with many great resources on many topics. The 2024-25 Northeast Ohio edition contains articles on navigating the voting process for people with disabilities and their families, sensory-friendly places in Ohio, inclusive communities, and more.
Take time to go online and check this magazine out. With a 10-year history, this outstanding magazine provides an extensive collection of resource articles from its early days to now. I spoke to the Livespecial coordinator, Wendy Spitz and she shared that the magazine is published once a year. You can find copies of the magazine at such places as Marcs and Giant Eagle. There are many online resources and a comprehensive database of providers for your every need. Free educational programs and a go-to guide for individuals with special needs, caretakers, and providers in Northeast Ohio are included with prerecorded video programs to enjoy. Navigating all the ways to enrich and include people with developmental disabilities must be exhausting at times, and I hope I can provide some new, fresh ideas to help. Take the time to read this wonderful magazine filled with a wealth of support. Look at all the resources available under the resource tab at the top of the page. As the magazine says,” We are committed to being Northeast Ohio’s go-to online resource to support individuals with special needs and their families.”
A special thanks to Wendy for including my book and my blog as resources in the livespecial.com magazine.
