It’s time to register for the 2019 Family Support Conference which takes place at the Omni Mt. Washington Resort April 26-28. The Family Support Advisory Council for PathWays is offering scholarships for eligible families to attend. If interested in learning more, please contact Kristin at [email protected]. Reserving your room for the weekend is a separate process and the details for that as well as all of the adult and children’s workshops can be found at the conference website www.fscnh.com. Please note: space is limited for some programs.

SPECIAL EVENT

The Family Support Advisory Council for PathWays of the River Valley & Parent Information Center Presents:

The IEP Organizer

WHEN: Tuesday, October 18th, 5:30pm-7:30pm

WHERE: PathWays Office, 654 Main Street, Claremont, NH

When parents have well-organized school records, including evaluations, IEPs, work samples and information from their child’s doctor or specialists, they are able to use that information to participate more effectively and confidently in meetings of the IEP team. This workshop provides participants with materials, strategies and a tool they can use to organize their child’s records. Participants are encouraged to bring some of their child’s school records to the workshop. Pre-registration is required. call PIC at 603-224-7005 or email your name, email, phone, date and name of workshop to [email protected]. If you need any special accommodations please let us know when you register. Refreshments will be served.

---

 

The Family Support Advisory Council of PathWays of the River Valley

Who are we?
The FSAC is an advisory body to PathWays, the region’s designated Developmental Services agency. The Council is made up of family members or individuals with developmental disabilities or Acquired Brain Disorders.

What do we do?
The purpose of the FSAC is to promote and support services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, and to act in an advisory capacity to PathWays serving those individuals and their families. We seek to advocate for the needs of families both locally and at the state level.

The Council:

• Helps families who share some of the same challenges as they do
• Helps families advocate for their child(ren)
• Helps to build bridges
• Provides information and referral to local resources
• Brainstorms Ideas
• Assists with financial support for parents to attend trainings (as funding allows)
• Provides financial support and implementation of Holiday Baskets & Holiday Giving (as funding allows)
• Represents needs of families to the area agency Board of Directors
• Offers family trainings
• Offers recreational activities such as family bowling and apple picking (as funding allows)
• Contracts with the Special Needs Support Center to provide educational, social and recreational activities (as funding allows)
• Supports “Respitality”, an affordable weekend getaway for caregivers
• Provides financial assistance for Families to attend the NH annual family support conference (as funding allows)
• Oversees Respite supports

What are Family Support Advisory Chapters?  The Council has two chapters –one in lower Grafton County supporting the towns of Canaan, Dorchester, Enfield, Grafton, Hanover, Lebanon, Lyme, Orange, Orford, Plainfield, and one in Sullivan County supporting the towns of Acworth, Charlestown, Cornish, Croydon, Goshen, Grantham, Langdon, Lempster, Newport, Springfield, Sunapee, Unity, and Washington. Both chapters meet together monthly to plan recreational, educational events for families, and to oversee local family support funds.

How can you get involved?
We welcome new members. For more information, please contact your Family Service Coordinator. The Council currently meets on the third Wednesday of every month from 4:30pm-6:30pm. Meetings are held in our Claremont and Lebanon locations with videoconferencing available. The Chapters met between meetings to work on special projects as needed. Everyone is always welcome, but please call ahead to be informed of any last minutes changes in time or location.

Other Advocacy Resources

The Upbeat Group and the Upper Valley Neighbors are self-advocacy groups that meet monthly. Self advocates discuss common goals and work with PathWays on special projects that impact individuals receiving supports throughout the region.