Behavior
When a child exhibits challenging behaviors, it can have an impact on the whole family. This page of the website will contain resources about Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and other strategies that may be helpful for families.
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Bullying
- Challenging Behavior
- Mental Health
- Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
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Description: Learn evidence-based tools and techniques that will help you stress less, focus more, and feel more calm. In this 10-day mindfulness challenge we will share a variety of practices that promote healthy management of anxiety, present-moment awareness, and overall wellbeing. The goal of this 10-day Challenge is to kickstart a mindfulness practice for those who are new to the idea and to offer new exercises and approaches for all participants, even those with established practices. We encourage you...
Description: Journaling can strengthen your well-being because it allows you to build intention, reflection, and mindfulness into your life. It’s fairly easy to start a habit of journaling. You don’t need a lot of time or supplies for journaling, and you can choose from many different forms of journaling to discover a journaling practice that works best for you. Here are the key well-being benefits of journaling and how to get started journaling for well-being.
Description: Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness. About Self-Care When to Seek Professional Help What to Do in a Crisis Featured Videos...
Description: Schools and families can promote and foster kindness all year. These ideas are simple day-to-day acts of kindness to enable our schools, communities, and state to be a kinder, safer, healthier and more inclusive place to live, work, learn and play. The Kindness Classroom Resources include videos with discussion questions and a kindness book list (elementary).
Description: Register for Spring 2023 (through May 1, 2023) - Learning Your Way is Formed Families Forward’s free online learning portal for parents, caregivers, youth and professionals. Participants enroll and can access course on-demand, learning at their own pace. Registration for Spring 2023 access to Learning Your Way is open February 1 through May 1, 2023. Access to the modules runs mid-February through June 2023. As of Spring 2023, Learning Your Way includes Five Courses: Special Education 101...
Description: The SEL Innovations series aims to help the field imagine new, more expansive and equitable approaches to SEL and wellness to ensure that all children, adolescents, and adults feel safe, supported, and seen so that they can thrive. This report focuses on the conditions and guiding actions to foster authentic school-family partnerships.
Description: New Critical Crossroads video and print resources are available. Designed for families of children and youth with disabilities and the professionals who work with them, the videos, infographics, and checklists provide an understanding of how trauma affects children and youth with disabilities and the ways in which trauma-informed care can improve outcomes in all areas of children’s lives. These resources offer strategies to help families advocate for trauma-informed care in school, health...
Description: The CARD™ Toolkit helps educators, parents, and healthcare professionals support youth struggling with anxiety. The CARD™ system (Comfort, Ask, Relax, Distract) is a science-based, proven framework to help prepare children for stressful events, like school-based vaccinations, presentations, and examinations.
Description: Resources for Educators, Resources for Families and Caregivers, Resources for Spanish Speakers - What is Unstuck? A curriculum and a set of easy to use tools that employ cognitive behavioral techniques to improve flexibility, planning and organization. Unstuck consists of small group lessons and simple, everyday strategies that build a common language for better regulation of feelings, behavior and thinking. Who is Unstuck for? Does it Work? Unstuck is for school-age youth...
Description: Every community is affected by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Causes as diverse as falls, sports injuries, vehicle collisions, domestic violence, and military incidents can result in injuries across a spectrum of severity and age groups. Just as the many causes of TBI and the people who experience it are diverse, so too are the physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes that can occur following injury. The overall TBI ecosystem is not limited to healthcare and research, but includes the...
Description: The holidays are an exciting time for children, and we often work overtime to make them live up to our kids’ expectations. But they can be challenging for kids, too, when all those things they look forward to — free time, sweets, presents, cousins! — can get overwhelming. This week we round up resources to help prevent festivities that are supposed to be fun from being stressful instead. Big family get-togethers can tax kids’ ability to behave. Talking to relatives...
Description: Families are a child’s first teacher and an essential factor in the cultivation of social and emotional competencies throughout a child’s life. When schools and families work together, they can build strong connections that reinforce social-emotional skill development. In fact, research suggests that evidence-based SEL programs are more effective when they extend into the home. This discussion series was developed to support schools and community partners that wish to engage parents...
Description: How you feel can affect your ability to carry out everyday activities, your relationships, and your overall mental health. How you react to your experiences and feelings can change over time. Emotional wellness is the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. Flip each card below for checklists on how to improve your health in each area. Click on the images to read articles about each topic. You can also print the checklists separately or all...
Description: From the time you’re born, your relationships help you learn to navigate the world. You learn how to interact with others, express yourself, conduct everyday health habits, and be a part of different communities from those around you. Positive social habits can help you build support systems and stay healthier mentally and physically. Flip each card below for checklists on how to improve your health in each area. Click on the images to read articles about each topic. You can also print the...
Description: This includes: RCPS Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion Response Process - Flow Chart Concussion Symptoms and Accommodations CMT-1 CDC Concussion Signs and Symptoms CMT-2 RCPS Concussion Symptom Monitoring CMT-3 RCPS Concussion Notification to Teachers CMT-4 RCPS Concussion Academic Monitoring CMT-5 - Recommendations for Referral to Student Study Due to Long Term Symptoms CDC Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussions And more....
Description: A behavior contract can help you and your child work on things like self-control and lying. It can also spell out rewards for meeting a goal and consequences for not meeting it. A good contract includes steps you and your child will take to change a behavior. So rather than just saying “Stop doing X,” you come up with strategies to replace inappropriate behaviors with better ones. For the contract to work, it’s key to get your child’s input. Helping shape...
Description: The holidays can be hard for kids who learn and think differently. Things that are supposed to be fun - special holiday meals, chitchat with friends and relatives — can be stressful. There may be unspoken (or even spoken) comparisons to other kids. All these demands can lead to behavior problems. One way to avoid problem behavior is by planning for holiday challenges ahead of time. With these worksheets, you and your child can do that together. The worksheet lists common...
Description: The 2022 Children’s Mental Health Report looks at the effects of psychological trauma on kids and the most promising ways to treat it. Several key questions are explored, including: What are the most common definitions of trauma? How can trauma affect children and teenagers? What is the evidence base for treatments aimed at mitigating the impacts of trauma? And in a special supplement, we report the results of a national survey of parents’ perspectives on trauma and how it has...
Description: The Federal Emergency Management Agency has videos on personal disaster preparedness for people with disabilities. The videos give tips on how to be prepared and suggest some items to bring with you in an emergency based on your particular disability.
Description: One of the ongoing challenges of helping children with autism thrive is understanding behaviors that can seem baffling.These resources may help to clear up some common misunderstandings. Autism experts explain how repetitive or self-harming behaviors may have medical causes, how sensory processing issues can trigger meltdowns, and what is behind picky eating and other mealtime challenges. And we discuss ways to help kids on the spectrum build communication skills, so they can express their own...
Description: With school comes tests, and with tests comes anxiety for many students. Clinical psychologist, Dave Anderson, PhD, provides some helpful ways to beat test anxiety!
Description: Everyone wants to be valued and have a sense of belonging in their community. The need for valued belonging is true for students in a school community as well. Although belonging is equally important for all students, students with significant cognitive disabilities are less likely to experience a deep sense of belonging. Developed to directly address the creation of school communities in which each and every student is included in all aspects of everyday school...
Description: Easterseals UCP provides meaningful and exceptional services so that children, adults and families living with disabilities, behavioral health challenges and autism can live, learn, work and play in their communities. Easterseals UCP’s Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) services provide home and community-based supports that help children and adults be engaged and contributing members of their family and community. Our Behavioral Health programs are evidenced-based and...
Description: Schools can provide parents and caregivers with information about essential services that help their children achieve success. There is a positive relationship between family engagement and student performance in school. When families are actively engaged in their children’s academic career, their children are more likely to do well in areas such as academic performance and school behaviors, and to have a positive attitude toward school.
Description: What you'll learn from this article: Why is substance use more dangerous for teens with mental health disorders? Why do teens with mental health disorders use substances? Why does substance use make a mental health disorder worse? Experts note that to encourage teens to reduce or stop substance use, it’s important give them other coping strategies to manage their problems without turning to substances.
Description: What you'll learn from this article: How are ADHD and substance abuse in teenagers connected? Why do teenagers with ADHD use drugs? Are ADHD medications connected to substance abuse? How can parents help teenagers with ADHD avoid substance abuse?
Description: The teenage years have a lot in common with the terrible twos. During both stages our kids are doing exciting new things, but they’re also pushing boundaries (and buttons) and throwing tantrums. The major developmental task facing both age groups is also the same: kids must pull away from parents and begin to assert their own independence. No wonder they sometimes act as if they think they’re the center of the universe. This makes for complicated parenting, especially because teens...
Description: The U.S. Department of Education announced the release of new guidance from its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to help public elementary and secondary schools fulfill their responsibilities to meet the needs of students with disabilities and avoid the discriminatory use of student discipline. These newly released resources are the most comprehensive guidance on the civil rights of students with disabilities concerning student...
Description: This toolkit was created to help raise parent awareness about school connectedness and its role in supporting student health and emotional well-being, and why family engagement both in and out of school is important. It is a resource for CDC Healthy Schools partners, education leaders, and other collaborators. Partners and schools can use this toolkit to let parents know how healthy and supportive school environments increase resiliency and improve students’ overall health and academic...
Description: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Beginning July 16, 2022, 988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. When people call, text, or chat 988, they will be connected to trained counselors that are part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network. These trained counselors will listen, understand how their problems are affecting them, provide support, and connect them to resources if necessary. The...
Description: The transition to college can be hard on kids’ mental health. Teenagers living away from home for the first time may experience academic stress while also trying to make new friends, build routines, and stay physically healthy. All these changes at once can be overwhelming for college kids. Parents can help kids prepare for these emotional challenges before college starts. First, try to avoid solving problems for your teen. Instead, let them know that you empathize and you’re there...
Description: The Say Something Anonymous Reporting System allows you to submit secure, anonymous safety concerns to help someone who may hurt themselves or others. What Should You Report? You can help save lives by reporting observed threats, behaviors, actions, and harassment. Here are examples of some of the most common behaviors and incidents to report: Acts of violence, with or without weapons Verbal or physical abuse, assault or harassment Sexual abuse, assault or harassment Threats seen on social media...
Description: This webinar was presented by Erica Rouch, PhD, a Clinical Psychologist and a Research Assistant Professor at the UVA Curry School of Education and Human Development. It provides strategies for coping, cultivating self-care, and finding comfort followed by a discussion and Q& A You will need to join Autism Drive to view this video.
Description: Child Mind Institute has compiled information on borderline personality disorder, as well as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia — all disorders of adolescence and early adulthood. What are the symptoms, and how does each develop? Most important, it’s critical to know about the best treatment, which for each of these disorders has become much more effective in recent years.
Description: The following books provide strategies for expressive writing that can help to improve health, deal with trauma and increase well-being.
Description: The California Healthy Minds, Thriving Kids Project features a series of free videos and print resources for parents, educators and students, all available in English and Spanish. Developed in partnership with the state of California, this project promotes children’s emotional health and teaches essential coping skills through five topics. The videos feature the voices and lived experiences of caregivers, teachers and kids today. Videos for the elementary school age group use a whimsical...
Description: This Warm Line is a peer-run service for residents of Virginia. They offer this support line for individuals, family members, and other concerned parties who would like someone to talk to, or who request community mental health resources, or who have specific questions about their recovery journey. The peers who answer this Warm Line listen with compassion and provide non-judgmental support. The peers at MHAV are not licensed professionals, medical providers, or legal advisers. MHAV’s Warm...
Description: Developed in collaboration between VCU's School of Social Work and the Partnership for People with Disabilities, LEAP provides training on healthy relationships and information about preventing abuse to adults with disabilities. LEAP was developed by a multidisciplinary team that included people with disabilities and their families, along with representatives from domestic violence, child advocacy, social services, health, LGBTQ+ and disability advocacy agencies. People with...
Description: The average teenager spends nearly 40 hours a week on social media. The popularity of social media and increased student access to the internet has led to some dangerous trends wherein youth try to complete a variety of online challenges. Students are frequently exposed to these challenges via their phones and other electronic devices and watching these challenges can become extremely addictive. These trends have emerged on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Reports of "TikTok Challenges"...
Description: PEATC has developed a toolkit to help guide parents through the process of discussing Sexual Health and Wellness with their child. The toolkit covers topics such as sexuality, self-care, relationships, social skills, and boundaries.
Description: This project was developed as part of a grant funded by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center for The Arc of NoVA to create short videos with information on interactions between people with disabilities and the justice system. Each of these videos are designed to empower people with disabilities, educate them on what to expect, and let them know about options and accommodations they may request.
Description: These notes can spread some positivity—self-adhesive and perforated—these notes can be peeled off one at a time and posted anywhere a grateful recipient will see them.
Description: This section contains social skills tips for early Education (pre-K & kindergarten), Elementary School (grade one through five), Middle School (grades six through eight), High School (grades nine through twelve) and Life After High School.
Description: The Association for Positive Behavior Support is a multidisciplinary organization made up of professionals (teachers, researchers, university professors, and administrators), family members, and consumers who are committed to the application of positive behavior support within the context of the school, family, and community including across systems (e.g., entire schools, organizations), for small groups, and for individuals with complex needs for support.
Description: Current Coronavirus Guidance for K-12 Schools and Child Care Programs is provided by the Virginia Department of Health. This guidance includes information about COVID-19 screening and at-home testing resources available to K-12 schools.
Description: In this report, the Child Mind Institute examins the growing body of research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health, including the results of a survey of thousands of parents conducted by the Child Mind Institute. We explore several key questions, including: What do we know about how the pandemic has affected young people’s mental health? What are some of the most common mental health challenges that children and adolescents have experienced? What are...
Description: Most kids get angry sometimes. It’s a natural reaction when life feels hard or unfair. It’s also natural for the adults in charge to feel conflicted when it happens. They can feel irritated and want to help at the same time. Anger is often a sign that kids are struggling with or frustrated about things beyond their control. They don’t react this way on purpose. It happens because they don’t yet have the skills to identify and cope with strong emotions. Two common...
Description: Using a trauma-informed lens can help educators be better prepared to meet students’ unique educational and transition needs. Trauma informed care provides a common language and an understanding of how to approach situations in a way that is supportive. This brief provides an overview of trauma and trauma informed strategies to support students who have experienced trauma. These strategies are a sample of best practices and actions that can be implemented...
Description: This series of videos is designed to give practical parenting advice that they can immediately use to support their neurodivergent child’s executive functions. These engaging videos feature parents sharing their real life wisdom and experts who give practical ideas and easy to understand explanations. If you have a child with ADHD, Learning Disabilities, or Autism, these videos will help you reduce conflict and turns can’t’s into cans.
Description: Bullying is a community issue and must be addressed by students, parents, schools, and the entire community. Bullying exists in schools, but schools are also in a unique position to educate students and staff about its presence, danger, and negative consequences. Schools can teach behaviors that help protect students from the harmful effects of bullying. Schools have an obligation to adopt policies and procedures to educate school staff about the harmful effects of bullying and the need to...