Welcome to June at FACT Oregon! 
 
The days are growing longer and warmer and we are nearing the end of another school year! Many students navigated their third school year impacted by the pandemic and we celebrate them, their families and the educators for their resolve this year.   
In This Edition:

  • Take ODE's Survey
  • Community Spotlight!
  • Integrating Health Care Topics in the IEP
The FACT Oregon team is hard at work planning for summer and beyond into the next school year! A few things to look forward to: 
 
  • Supported Decision Making Part 2: Putting the Pieces Together with our partner, Em Braman from The Arc of Oregon. We’ll focus on taking what we learned in May and putting into practice! 

  • Health Transition and the IEP with Tami Bakewell from the Oregon Family to Family Health Information Center. We’ll learn why it’s important for youth to be involved in conversations about Health transitions, receive tools and tips for incorporating health transitions into the IEP, and more!  


Lastly, parent and family member input is NEEDED by the Oregon Department of Education [ODE]!! Please see below you can help inform ODE about how your district involves families in the special education process! Don’t miss your opportunity to share. 
 
As always, thank you for being in community with us at FACT Oregon! 
Christy Reese, Executive Director
Get Involved
Look out for the Survey!

PARENT INPUT NEEDED!
The Oregon Department of Education [ODE] needs your help! Each year they do a parent survey in specific districts to learn how the districts are doing in reaching out to families of children receiving special education OR early intervention or early childhood special education services [EI/ECSE]. 
The survey lets them know how you feel about your district’s special education services…the good and even not so good. 

Please COMPLETE THE SURVEY if you receive one!! You will likely receive a letter explaining the process and will see FACT Oregon’s logo on it. You can fill it out online or complete the hard copy sent to you. It’s anonymous and helps ODE know how services are being provided! 

To see if your district or EI/ECSE program is included in this year’s survey
Putting the Pieces Together:
Creating a Supported Decision Making Agreement
With Em Braman, National Certified Guardian

June 15th, 2022
6pm - 7pm
Virtual!

Follow Up to Supported Decision Making!

Join us to start putting the pieces of a Supported Decision Making agreement together for yourself or your adult (soon to be adult) child.
Our time together will be closer to a workshop than a training as we will walk through each aspect of a Supported Decision Making agreement to identify what specifically works for you or your
adult child.
Participants will leave:
  • Able to identify the supports that work for you or your adult child
  • With examples of SDM Agreements they can use
  • With next steps in place to empower your child to make informed decisions

Please reach out to Cori@factoregon.org if you need accommodations.
FACT Oregon is proud to partner with The Arc Oregon to present this training
Integrating Health Care Topics in the IEP 
With Tami Bakewell 
June 27th, 2022 
6pm – 7pm 

The transition to adulthood is full of exciting (and sometimes confusing) changes. Preparing youth to participate in their health care decision can start in school and can be identified on the IEP.

During this session with FACT Oregon and Oregon Family to Family Health Center Families will:
  • Identify the Purpose of IDEA
  • Learn ways that youth can participate in the important planning phases of health care transition
  • Receive examples of IEP goals to support health care transition
  • Gain tools and resources to help prepare for health care transitions
If you need accommodations, please reach out to Cori@factoregon.org 
Community Spotlight
With our All Ability Tri4Youth swiftly approaching, we are excited to share more about some of our amazing sponsors and partners! This month we are sharing about Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District 
 
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District is the largest special park district in Oregon, spanning 50 square miles and serving about 250,000 residents in and around Beaverton, Ore. 
 
The mission of the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District is to provide high-quality park and recreation facilities, programs, services, and natural areas that meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve. 
 
The Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District boasts parks, aquatic centers, tennis facilities, and outdoor spaces. With a bustling events calendar, accessible playgrounds, and inclusive activities, THPRD is a great partner to FACT Oregon and the disability community. Check out their events calendar to see what is coming up and consider visiting one of THPRD parks today! 
FACT Families
Stories from FACT Families from the FACT Oregon Blog
Disability, Queer Identity, and Spaces that are Welcoming 
By Molly Brown 

June is Pride month! At FACT Oregon, we know that families and individuals are complex and unique and deserve to be celebrated for their differences! In all we do, we strive to create safe and welcoming spaces that foster growth, learning, and embrace differences! Read more about creating safe spaces and welcoming communities at the intersection of queer identity and disability. 
Up For Discussion!
Articles, videos, and podcasts to spark conversations with your friends and family!
LGBTQ+ People with Disabilities 
 
The LGBTQIA+ community and the disability community intersect in a number of ways. Check out this amazing website to find resources, articles, and information the celebrate both disability and LGBTQ+ identity.  
Celebrating and Supporting LGBTQ+ People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 
 
Its pride month! Read more about the important work of the Administration for Community Living in this article which shares some great questions and answers, and celebrated the unique lives of individuals living at the intersection of queer identity and disability.  
Connect with FACT Oregon
Support families
experiencing disability!
Share Your Story!

Share your family's story! Tell us what you've learned along the way and how the support, trainings, or resources FACT Oregon may have provided have helped!

What interesting conversations did this month's content spark with your family?

What would you like to see next month?