November, 2019
Did you know...
There are several other county departments who send out community newsletters and announcements just like this one. If you'd like to learn more, sign up   here .
Chesco LIFE is hosting a FREE Parent/Professional Workshop 
 for Chester County Residents 

Friendship Toolkit

Wednesday, December 4, 2019
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The Brandywine Center in Coatesville

Participants will receive a copy of the booklet Friendships: Building a Good Life: Strategies for Families of Children with Disabilities and their Peers, Communities, and Schools
child-finger-painting.jpg
Barnstone Art For Kids
Cultivating Connections, Building Resilience

It's often said that art is a universal language, able to evoke feelings and cultivate connections, among other things. Those concepts are part of the Barnstone Art philosophy. The Phoenixville non-profit gives children who have experienced adversity the opportunity to work 1 to 1 with a trained mentor while creating, exploring and building resilience in children who have experienced adversity in childhood. Read more.
whole_family_at_dinner.jpg
Give Thanks to Improve Your Mental Health
Practicing and expressing gratitude is a key concept in the study of positive psychology, and it has been proven to boost our mental health. As the holiday season approaches, the Harvard Medical School offers tips to cultivate gratitude. Among the suggestions are writing thank you notes to let people know how much you appreciate or enjoy their impact on your life. Other suggestions are at this link
notebook_coffee.jpg
Holiday Shopping Has Begun

It seems to happen earlier every year. But like it or not, the holiday shopping season has arrived. There are many online sources to help parents choose gifts for children with different abilities. Parenting Special Needs Magazin e has a wealth of information and tips for parents. Visit the site for gift ideas from other parents to links for online specialty stores and more.
santa-kiss2.jpg
SAVE THE DATE

December 7 from 9:00 - 11:00 AM

Breakfast with Santa at the Arc of Chester County! Details for this and other planned events at the website .
Children Learn Everywhere

PA's Promise for Children offers monthly reading lists.
Click for November's , learning in the bath, which is also pictured below.

One in five new moms experience mental health concerns during and following childbirth. The online community, Motherhood Understood offers support and advice from experts. 
Since August, 2013, more than 100 million text messages have been exchanged on the national Crisis Text Line. The 24/7 service is free and available anywhere in the United States. The Crisis Text Line is easy to use, with its easy muscle memory path of numbers down the left side of mobile phones. The service offers simple instructions and FAQs at the website
woman_smiling_laptop.jpg
Positions Open!

If you are interested in County of Chester Job Opportunities, please check our our current openings at the link below:

More links and resources!
Use the underlined links to learn more

PA Care Partnership has resources for families.

West Chester Area School District Preschool Parents group offers lots of free activities for the family.

Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania matches parents, family members, and caregivers one-to-one with volunteer peer supporters, according to conditions or concerns.

Learn about Charting a Lifecourse - Contact Darcy Elks, Chester County Family Adviser, PA Family Network, at delks@visionforequality.org . Call 1-844-PAFAMILY  or 484-459-0538.

Chester County Early Intervention Connections has a Facebook page. Connect with us!

Chester County Early Intervention information at the MHIDD website.

Chester County Refer Web for social services in our area.
Chester County Department of Mental Health/Intellectual
& Developmental Disabilities


Chester County Commissioners
Administrator - Linda Cox
Director - Michelle Davis