Multiple Systems Navigator

The Council has developed a NYSB5 Renewal Reference Guide that includes descriptions of each B5 initiative.

Apply for PPP Before March 10^th

Help for Family and Center-Based Child Care Businesses

With Fewer Than 20 Employees

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a forgivable loan program to help very small businesses, such as child care programs, with much-needed financial support during these unprecedented times. From February 24 to March 10, 2021, only businesses with fewer than 20 employees can apply for a PPP loan. This exclusive application period allows participating lenders to focus on serving very small businesses, such as family child care (FCC) educators and early care and education (ECE) programs.

What’s Great In Our State Seeks Nominations for Recognition

NYS Council on Children and Families is thrilled to be working with the NYS Office of Mental Health again this year on planning the What’s Great In Our State (WGIOS) event. Currently, the WGIOS committee is looking for nominations, and we’d like your help!

Online Parent Group

For parents of children with special needs

This is an interactive group where parents of children with Developmental disabilities and/or special health care needs are able to share in a non-judgmental and encouraging environment that connects parents with other parents who can share their tips and advice on various topics and situations.

Registration is Open for Region 3

Learn how to lead staff trainings in your area with this comprehensive training led by Katherine McLaughlin and a staff member from a NY Developmental Disability Service Provider! All attendees will receive materials to lead their own trainings including a facilitator's curriculum guide, follow-up support through quarterly webinars, and a certificate of completion for passing the assessment.

There is no fee to attend this training, but we do require you to implement these events in your community and sign a commitment form in order to attend.

Family Empowerment Week

March 1st - 5th, 2021

Join families and young people across New York State for a week of advocacy about topics and issues that are important to you!

Registration is FREE! You may register as a general audience member or an ambassador.

The Independent Living Center of the Hudson Valley is partnering with St. Peter’s Health Partners to offer a FREE Virtual Butt Stops Here smoking cessation program. Classes start in February and March.  Groups meet once per week for 7 weeks.

You DO NOT have to be quit before starting the group! Choose one group that meets once per week with a trained facilitator. 

You are invited to register for the March 25, 2021 Kindergarten Transition Summit Orientation

This event is an Orientation for community agencies (school districts, CBOs, Head Starts, Home Visiting programs, CCR&Rs, etc.) to learn about how to conduct and host a Kindergarten Transition Summit in 2021.

As part of the PDGB5 2021 grant (NYSB5), we aim to fund community teams that are ready, willing and able to host this next round of Kindergarten Transition Summits. There will be an application process for this funding opportunity shared with you at the Orientation.  You must attend this Orientation to be eligible to apply for the Kindergarten Transition Summit Host funding (up to $10,000).

This opportunity is for agencies that did not receive NYSB5 funding to host Kindergarten Transition Summits in 2019 or 2020.

New York state will offer free diapers at food banks amid ongoing COVID-19 recession

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is establishing a program to distribute free diapers through food banks throughout the state, starting as early as March.

“COVID-19 has piled challenge after challenge onto hardworking New York families, including the ability to afford the products they need to care for their children,” Cuomo said. New York’s statewide unemployment rate in December topped 8%, up from about 4% a year earlier.

Baby2Baby, a national nonprofit, will donate 20 million diapers to establish the “diaper bank.” Baby2Baby cofounders and Co-CEOs Norah Weinstein and Kelly Sawyer Patricof said they’ve seen a 350% increase in requests for diapers since the start of the pandemic almost a year ago. “You ask a low-income mom what her biggest struggle is, and she starts with diapers,” Weinstein said.

Join Us Via Zoom

Join the discussion on how to support your youth as they learn and develop their self-advocacy skills! Foundations for Leadership is a FREE workshop series connected to VYLFs and offered in the community for parents/caregivers of youth with disabilities that brings together both the family and youth perspective.

It is 2021- a New Year! Kids are still learning remotely and many parents are still struggling to make that work. But life goes on around us, and there are still people that need us. And it's more important now than ever to take care of ourselves too. With a vaccine now a reality, there is an end in sight. But we need to stay safe and keep our sanity in the meantime. 

Family Discussion for Parents/Caregivers of Children and Youth (ages 0 – 21) with Physical, Medical, Emotional and Learning Needs

Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) and The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at University of Rochester Medical Center is recruiting families to participate in discussions about how to best support families in New York State (NYS) who have a child or youth with physical, medical, emotional or learning needs. In addition, we are working with local health departments (LHDs) to compile a regional resource directory and training materials that LHDs can use to support children and youth and their families in the future.
 
WIHD and The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities at the University of Rochester Medical Center are engaged in this project through a grant from the NYS Department of Health.
 
We will be holding virtual small group discussions and individual interviews with eligible participants from May 2020 through June 2021.

Who is eligible?

• Any person who lives in NYS; and is
• A parent/guardian with caregiving responsibility of a child or youth (0-21) with physical, medical, emotional or learning needs; or
• An individual (18-21) with physical, medical, emotional or learning needs.

Discussion Group Details:

• 90-minute virtual group discussion; $75 compensation
• 60-minute individual phone interview; $50 compensation

 
Interpreters available and sessions in Spanish available

For more information:

In the Hudson Valley and Upstate Region of NYS
Call or Email:
Susan at 914-719-7774 or sburlazzi@wihd.org
Jeannie at 914-719-7761 or jrisucci@wihd.org
 
In the Western Region of NYS
Visit: https://bit.ly/3dyV7Ih
Email: Melissa at Melissa_Parrish@urmc.rochester.edu