Resources
Disclaimer: Claude Moore Precious Time does not specifically endorse any of these programs, organizations, or services, but rather provides this list as a reference for families seeking information on additional services available in the area. Families should research/contact each organization to determine if the services will meet their needs. We cannot guarantee that the information provided is up to date. Please let us know if you see incorrect information or know of a program offering services to children with special needs and/or their caregivers that we should include in this list.
A Mother’s Rest: A Mother’s Rest is a national organization that offers parent retreats, summer camp grants and childcare.
www.amothersrest.org
ABLE Now: ABLEnow accounts help individuals with disabilities save money to pay for qualified expenses, without being taxed on the earnings – and in most cases, without losing eligibility for certain means-tested benefit programs.
www.able-now.com
ACE-IT in College: VCU’s ACE-IT in College is an inclusive learning and training program for transition-age adults with intellectual disabilities. With individualized support, ACE-IT in College students participate in employment, college classes, and campus activities. These college experiences create opportunity and prepare students to pursue self-determined futures.
aceitincollege.org
Adagio House: Adagio House is an organization focused on "caring for the caregivers." Services offered include individual counseling, groups, seminars and trainings. On site care is provided.
www.adagiohouse.org
AIM VA: AIM-VA provides accessible instructional materials to eligible Virginia K-12 students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and are unable to access traditional print.
aimva.org
Albemarle Therapy Center: Albemarle Therapy Center provides physical, speech, and occupational therapy for children in a state of the art facilities in Charlottesville and Waynesboro.
www.albemarletherapycenter.com
All Blessings Flow: is a local faith-based non-profit organization whose primary mission is to collect, clean, refurbish and redistribute medical equipment free of charge to those in need in Charlottesville, Albemarle, and surrounding counties.
https://www.allblessingsflow.org/pediatrics.html
Alvin V. Baird Attention and Learning Disabilities Center: The Baird Center (JMU) contains two clinics, which offer the following services:
- Applied Behavior Analysis – Parent-Child Interaction (ABA – PCIT) Clinic provides assessment and treatment intervention services as well as parent consultation, training and support for children with behavioral and neurodevelopmental disabilities such as autism, intellectual disability, acquired traumatic brain injury, attention deficit hyperactivity and oppositional/defiant behavior.
- The Inter-Professional Autism Clinic (IPAC) provides in-depth multi-disciplinary assessment and intervention for children ages 2- 10 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or suspected ASD.
The Audiology and Speech-Language Clinics at JMU: The Audiology and Speech-Language Clinics provide hearing, speech, and language clinical services to adults and children with communication disorders.
www.csd.jmu.edu/services.html
Best Buddies JMU: Best Buddies at JMU is a part of an international organization that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). At JMU, they match students to adults (age 18 and older) in the surrounding community who have an IDD.
beinvolved.jmu.edu/organization/best_buddies
The Blue Ridge Care Connection (UVA Children’s Hospital): The Care Connection for Children Program provides community-based services and funds to support families with children with special healthcare needs. Our professional care coordinators help children and their families access medical and community-based services targeted to each child's individual needs.
childrens.uvahealth.com/services/blue-ridge-care-connection
Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley: Brain Injury Connections of the Shenandoah Valley provides community-based services for individuals affected by brain injury in the Shenandoah Valley. Services may include:
- Case Management
- Community Support Services (Life Skills Training)
- Behavior Support Facilitation
- Education, Outreach, & Advocacy
- Professional & Case Consultation
Camp Light: Camp Light works with campers, ages 6-17, with a variety of medical and physical conditions, as well as at risk youth. Campers may include kids with autism, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, ADHD, diabetes, and many other diagnoses. At risk youth include kids from foster care, homeless shelters, and other special home situations. We provide a safe place for campers to come who would not be able to attend a mainstream summer camp, and allow them to shine!
www.creativeworksfarm.org
Caregivers Community Network: The Caregivers Community Network (JMU) is a collaborative effort between Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) and James Madison University's Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services. The goal of this program is to provide respite to caregivers of those who are 60 years old and older. JMU students are trained to offer this service and make weekly visits throughout the semester.
www.socwork.jmu.edu/Caregivers
Center for Family Involvement: The Center for Family Involvement (VCU) works with families to increase their skills as advocates, mentors and leaders so that families, children and young adults with disabilities can lead the lives they want.
Helpline phone number: 877-567-1122
Email address: CFIHelpLine@vcu.edu
Website: https://centerforfamilyinvolvementblog.org/
Compass Youth and Family Services VA: The mission of Compass is to provide quality behavioral health services to stabilize, strengthen, and support youth, adults, and families. Compass provides ABA and family support, outpatient therapy, and psychological testing.
compassva.com
The Disability Law Center of Virginia: The Disability Law Center of Virginia helps clients with disability-related problems like abuse, neglect, and discrimination.
www.dlcv.org
Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond (DSAGR): The Down Syndrome Association of Greater Richmond (DSAGR) advocates for awareness and understanding by educating members and the community about DS, and offers education practices to help members navigate the school years – from IEPs to behavior and everything in between.
dsagr.org
Email: shenandoahvalley@dsagr.org
Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network: The mission of the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network is to connect, support, and provide accurate information for families with a Down syndrome diagnosis.
www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org
Empowerment3: Based in Harrisonburg, VA, Empowerment 3 is a center designed to provide a strong connection between education, research, and service for underserved youth and break down the barriers inhibiting their success and overall wellness, both as individuals and members of society. Its mission is to empower and equip underserved youth, their parents, college students (as future professionals) and community organizations to influence positive change in the immediate and future communities.
empowerment3.jmu.edu
Explore More Discovery Museum (Harrisonburg): The Explore More Discovery Museum is a children’s museum in downtown Harrisonburg that engages young minds through interactive, multi-sensory learning experiences that promote a greater understanding of themselves and their world.
www.iexploremore.com
Financial Planning Guide:
Money Geek Guide for Financial and Estate Planning for Children with Special Needs.
https://www.moneygeek.com/financial-planning/resources-for-parents-of-children-with-special-needs/
Gus Bus: The Reading Road Show, more affectional known as the Gus Bus, is a mobile literacy program that helps to bring literacy opportunities into the neighborhood of students. On the Gus Bus, instructors provide story time, activities, and book checkout for students. The Gus Bus also works in collaboration with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to give out food bags at each neighborhood stop. The Reading Road Show-Gus Bus has two mobile literacy vehicles that serve neighborhoods in the city of Harrisonburg and Page County.
www.iihhs.jmu.edu/thegusbus
Harrisonburg Paratransit: Harrisonburg Paratransit is a specialized public transportation service that operates within the City of Harrisonburg for persons who have disabilities as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Wheelchair accessible vehicle service is offered for trips within the City of Harrisonburg.
www.harrisonburgva.gov/paratransit-service
I'm Determined: The I'm Determined project, a state-directed project funded by the Virginia Department of Education, focuses on providing direct instruction, models, and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior. This project facilitates youth, especially those with disabilities to undertake a measure of control in their lives, helping to set and steer the course rather than remaining the silent passenger.
www.imdetermined.org
Including Me in Virginia: Including Me in Virginia is an organization of parents and professionals that advocates for more inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities in their general education classrooms in neighborhood schools throughout Virginia.
sites.google.com/site/includemeva/home
The Individual and Family Support Program: The Individual and Family Support Program (IFSP) assists individuals with developmental disabilities and their families with accessing person-centered and family-centered resources, supports, services and other assistance. The program's primary target population is individuals on the waiting list for Virginia's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Medicaid waivers.
dbhds.virginia.gov/developmental-services/ifsp
The Infant & Toddler Connection: The Infant & Toddler Connection of Virginia provides early intervention supports and services to infants and toddlers from birth through age two who are not developing as expected or who have a medical condition that can delay normal development. Early intervention supports and services focus on increasing the child's participation in family and community activities that are important to the family. In addition, supports and services focus on helping parents and other caregivers know how to find ways to help the child learn during everyday activities. These supports and services are available for all eligible children and their families regardless of the family's ability to pay.
https://www.itcva.online/
McNulty Center: The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board's McNulty Center offers the Child and Family Services division of comprehensive behavioral healthcare. The program provides services to children from birth through adolescence and their families. Services include:
- Behavioral health, wellness, and prevention
- Juvenile justice
- School based services
- Autism services
- Psychiatric services
- Outpatient therapy
- Emergency services
- Developmental disabilities services
- Case management
virginianavigator.org/program/25542/mcnulty-center-children-and-adolescents
Moms in Motion: Moms in Motion (Moms) is a Service Facilitation provider for Medicaid CD-PAS (CCC Plus, CL & FIS Waivers, EPSDT program) enrollees.
momsinmotion.net
Overcoming Barriers (JMU): The Overcoming Barriers is designed around the concept of "Empowerment". Our mission is to empower individuals with disabilities, parents, educators/instructors, and community organizations by producing significant changes in each target population's self-efficacy. Each group is empowered by receiving and utilizing the "tools" necessary to participate in, advocate for, and/or facilitate successful health and physical activity programs. The programming, training, and support provided is designed to give each targeted population the skills, knowledge, and appropriate attitudes to achieve success and allow all individuals with disabilities to work towards making significant changes in health, wellness, function, and community integration outcomes.
empowerment3.jmu.edu
The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC): The Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center builds positive futures for Virginia's children by working collaboratively with families, schools and communities in order to improve opportunities for excellence in education and success in school and community life. Their special focus is children with disabilities.
www.peatc.org
Service Dogs of Virginia: Service Dogs of Virginia is a non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places dogs to assist people with disabilities. Highly trained dogs perform a multitude of tasks that allow greater personal freedom and independence. They serve clients residing in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and are based in Charlottesville, Virginia.
www.servicedogsva.org
The Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership: The mission of Shenandoah Valley Autism Partnership (SVAP) is to improve the lives of all who are affected by autism through community awareness, effective training, and support across the life-span. Their programs include:
- Support Groups
- Family/Professional Scholarships
- Educational Trainings
- Social Opportunities
- Dissemination of Materials
- Community Outreach
- Annual 5K Walk/Run for Autism
The Shenandoah Valley Child Development Clinic: The Child Development Clinic (JMU) provides comprehensive interdisciplinary assessments for children and adolescents who are suspected of having developmental delays and/or disabilities. Staff offer medical, psychological, educational, and social evaluations to assist in determining a child’s needs.
iihhs.jmu.edu/cdc/
The Shenandoah Valley Inclusive Wellness Coalition: The Shenandoah Valley Inclusive Wellness Coalition (SVIWC) is an alliance of individuals with disabilities, family members, and professionals who are working to increase opportunities for ALL individuals to participate in community-based physical activity and wellness opportunities.
inclusivewellness.org
The Speech and Language Center: Located in Harrisonburg, the Speech and Language Center offers Speech-Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Behavioral Therapy.
www.virginiaspeechtherapy.com
The Special Olympics of Virginia: specialolympicsva.org
Still Meadows Enrichment Center and Camp: Still Meadows Enrichment Center and Camp is a charitable, nonprofit organization created as a special needs facility in a country setting. They provide year-round therapeutic activities for children and adults with developmental and/or physical disabilities in a safe, creative environment.
https://www.campstillmeadows.org/
T/TAC (Region 5): The T/TACs are regional offices of the Virginia Department of Education Office of Special Education and Student Services, charged with assisting school divisions as they improve educational opportunities and contribute to the success of children and youth with disabilities (ages birth-22 years). The T/TACs provide consulting and professional development opportunities in other areas of special education on a staff/time available basis, e-newsletters, lending library, and other resource services to increase the capacity of school personnel and service providers to meet the needs of children and youth with disabilities and to foster the state improvement goals for personnel development.
www.ttacjmu.org
Virginia Assistive Technology System (VATS): The mission of the Virginia Assistive Technology System (VATS) is to ensure that Virginians of all ages and abilities can acquire the appropriate, affordable assistive and information technologies and services they need to participate in society as active citizens.
www.vats.org
Virginia Institute of Autism: The Virginia Institute of Autism is dedicated to helping people overcome the challenges of autism through innovative, evidence-based programs in education, outreach and adult services.
www.viaschool.org
Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind: At VSDB, we focus on the whole child, providing truly superior education and skill-building for students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/vision impaired, deafblind, and deaf or blind with other disabilities.
vsdb.k12.va.us
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