Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

At Partners Resource Network (PRN), our primary, fundamental concern is protecting the well-being of members of our community and educating others on how they can be strong allies to people with disabilities through the COVID-19 outbreak.

This event, first and foremost, has all of us focused on the safety and health of our families, friends, and clients. We are closely monitoring the rapidly changing data and facts associated with COVID-19 and the impact it is having both locally and around the world.

Keeping in mind the information from medical experts, and with input from our disability community, we are putting a plan in place to minimize any possible disruption to our ability to provide services to the families of children and youth with disabilities in our state.

We are prepared to continue the high level of service you expect from us, and have taken the following steps to do so with everyone’s health and safety in mind:

We have encouraged our staff to work remotely through the end of April.
We are moving all previously scheduled in-person events through April 2020 to virtual platforms. Details will be available on these developments through our Regional Coordinators, website, and social media.
Through the end of April, we are moving as much of our programming online as possible.
In instances where it’s not possible to adapt our programming for a virtual set-up, we will be canceling or rescheduling these events until further notice.

As this situation is fluid, with information rapidly changing and updating, PRN will continuously asses the circumstances, and make changes as necessary to protect the well-being of our clients and staff.

If you participate in any of our programs, your Regional Coordinator (RC) will be in touch with you to provide you with more specifics about any upcoming events or activities you were signed up for.

We are taking these actions for one simple reason: The more people and organizations that practice social distancing over the next few weeks will make the world an overall safer place for people with disabilities and chronic health conditions.

Regardless of if you yourself are at high risk for COVID-19, we encourage everyone to read up on the best practices of how to be a strong ally to our friends, family members, and peers at this time.

Resources for More Information on COVID-19

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – People at Risk for Serious Illness from COVID-19
World Health Organization (WHO)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Texas Department of Health and Human Services
List of County Public Health Entities in Texas
Major Texas cities: Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, San Antonio

Guidance from the U.S. Department of Education (USDE)

Guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA)

TEA: COVID19 and Special Education in Texas Q&A (PDF) Updated March 26, 2020
TEA: COVID 19 and Special Education in Texas (PDF) March 20, 2020 – TEA has published guidance for Texas public schools regarding the current COVID 19 pandemic and students with disabilities served by special education. This guidance is intended to compliment what was published on March 12, 2020 by the United States Department of Education (ED), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
TEA: COVID-19 Initial Guidance and FAQs
TEA: Updates on policies and procedures related to special education complaints, mediation, and due process hearings:
- Notice Special Education Complaints & Resolution Requests (PDF) March 20, 2020
- Notice Special Education Due Process Hearing Requests (PDF) March 20, 2020
- Notice Special Education Mediation Requests (PDF) March 20, 2020
- Aviso demandas de educación especial o solicitudes de reconsideración (PDF) 20 Marzo 2020
- Aviso solicitudes de audiencia de debido proceso de educación especial (PDF) 20 Marzo 2020
- Aviso Solicitudes de Mediación de Educación Especial (PDF) 20 Marzo 2020
TEA: Webpage dedicated to information and guidance related to COVID-19

More Resources

Disability Rights Texas – Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak: Protecting the Rights of Students with Disabilities in Public Schools
Disability Rights Texas – Resources, news, and other information important to people with disabilities regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Legal FAQs on Coronavirus, School Closings, and Special Education from Understood.org
COVID-19 and Students with Disabilities from the National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools
Tele-Intervention and Distance Learning Resources from ECTA
Supporting Individuals with Autism through Uncertain Times – Free online toolkit designed to help families and caregivers supporting individuals with autism during the COVID-19 epidemic. It includes user-friendly strategies, ready-made resources and examples, and links to additional supports to help families navigate this time.
Texans Urged to Use 2-1-1 Texas Social Services Hotline For COVID-19 Information and Referrals
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (Available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, and Korean)
Activities to Keep Kids Busy at Home – If kids have to stay home or activities are canceled because of the virus, it can be hard to find ways to keep them busy. Discover activities to keep kids occupied—and learning—at home from Understood.org
How to Talk About Coronavirus With Kids from Understood.org – Many kids find news about the virus upsetting or confusing. It can be especially hard for kids who have trouble processing information or managing emotions.
- Get tips for talking about coronavirus with kids.
- From handwashing to anxiety, get tips on helping kids cope.
- Hear about coronavirus anxiety from Amanda Morin, and what she does to avoid passing it along to her kids.
Rapid Response Resources: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) from Policy Innovators in Education (PIE)

Resources in Spanish

Disabilities

Disabilities

Need information about disabilities? You’ve come to the right place! We have a large selection of resources on disabilities as well as information on Texas support groups and other helpful organizations. Topics include:

Categories under IDEA

More Disability Resources:

Education Laws

Education Laws

Since the 1960s, there has been a virtual avalanche of federal legislation that relates directly or indirectly to individuals with disabilities, particularly children and youth. Use the links below to explore several of the most influential laws:

Babies & Toddlers (Ages 0-3)

Babies & Toddlers (Ages 0-3)

Early intervention is an effective way to help very young children (birth to the third birthday) catch up or address specific developmental concerns as soon as possible in their lives. Early intervention services are authorized under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. To learn more about these vital services, explore the topics in our resources for Babies & Toddlers (Ages 0-3):

In Spanish | En español – Ayuda para los Bebés Hasta Su Tercer Cumpleaños

Children & Young Adults (3 to 26 years)

Children & Young Adults (3 to 26 years)

The education of children with disabilities is a top national priority. IDEA sets high standards for their achievement and guides how special help and services are made available in schools to address their individual needs. To learn more about these vital services, explore the topics in our resources for Children & Young Adults (3 to 26 Years):

More Resources:

Evaluations

IEPs

Placement, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) & Discipline

Behavior

Transition

Dispute Resolution, Complaints, Mediation, Due Process

Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets

We’ve put together a collection of fact sheets on a variety of topics to help you along on your way to becoming an advocate for your child. Topics include: accommodations, disabilities, advocacy, ARD process, assistive technology, and much more. Visit the Fact Sheets page to view the full collection.

Statewide Webinars

Statewide Webinars

Throughout the year, our statewide team host free statewide webinars covering a variety of topics and including a Q&A session at the end. All of our webinars are free! Visit the Statewide Webinars page for information about upcoming webinars as well as recordings and resources from past webinars.

Online Courses

Online Courses

We are always looking for new ways to help parents and caregivers on their way to becoming advocates for their children. We believe the best way to meet this goal is to empower parents and caregivers through education. With this in mind, we hope the self-guided online courses will become a valuable resource on your way to advocacy. Our online courses are available at https://prntexas.com/