Professional Development
Level 1
Individuals wishing to offer the noted Professional Development sessions must contact the "Bright Spot Provider" to arrange appropriate contractual agreements.
| Level: | 1 |
| Target Audience: | Educators, family-based support organizations, service providers, and community stakeholders supporting children who are DHH and/or disabled. |
| Working Title: | Supporting Safety and Healing: A Trauma-Informed Approach for DHH and Students with disabilities |
| Description: | Children who are Deaf, hard of hearing (DHH), and/or have disabilities face a significantly higher risk of maltreatment, bullying, and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). These challenges can have lasting effects on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. This session offers educators, families, and service providers practical, research-informed strategies to identify early signs of trauma, build protective factors, and create safe, healing-centered environments for students.
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| Submission Date: | 8/7/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Kristin Grender |
| Level: | 1 |
| Target Audience: | Teachers, therapists, and families who want to deepen their understanding of the eating disorder Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. |
| Working Title: | Understanding and Preventing Maltreatment with ARFID: A Guide for Teachers and Families, introduces Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) |
| Description: | This presentation, Understanding and Preventing Maltreatment with ARFID: A Guide for Teachers and Families, focuses on stopping the maltreatment of individuals with eating disorders, specifically Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Too often, those with ARFID face harmful responses—ranging from pressure to eat to judgment and isolation—due to misunderstanding of the disorder. This resource equips teachers and families with the knowledge and tools needed to prevent these harmful practices by fostering compassion, awareness, and support. With practical strategies tailored for both home and school settings, the presentation highlights what to avoid, what to do instead, and how to create safe, nurturing environments where individuals with ARFID can be understood and supported rather than mistreated. |
| Submission Date: | 8/7/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Kristin Grender |
| Level: | 1 |
| Target Audience: | teachers/staff who work with students who are visually impaired |
| Working Title: | Building Safe, Independent Travel Skills: A Protective Factor for Students who are blind or have low vision |
| Description: | This session explores how Orientation and Mobility instruction can be powerful in promoting safety, autonomy, and abuse prevention for students who are blind or have low vision. Participants will learn how O&M instruction lays the foundation for independent travel, spatial awareness, and critical decision-making skills. The session also introduces the role of dog guides in increasing a student's confidence, mobility, and independence, while reducing reliance on potentially unsafe individuals for assistance. We’ll discuss readiness skills for future dog guide users, safety protocols, and how fostering travel independence can support personal boundaries, reduce vulnerability to maltreatment, and build overall empowerment. Strategies for integrating self-advocacy, consent, and situational awareness into O&M lessons will also be shared. |
| Submission Date: | 8/7/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Kristin Grender |
| Level: | 1 |
| Target Audience: | teachers/staff who work with students who are visually impaired |
| Working Title: | Recognizing Signs of Maltreatment in Students who are blind or have low vision |
| Description: | This professional development session would introduce participants to the often-overlooked ways that maltreatment can manifest in students who are blind or have low vision. Because these students may have limited access to visual cues, rely heavily on adults for access, and may struggle to communicate experiences clearly, signs of abuse or neglect may be misinterpreted or missed altogether. This session will walk participants through real-world examples, common red flags, and factors that increase vulnerability, such as overprotection, social isolation, and learned compliance. Participants will learn how to recognize these signs, how to listen and respond appropriately, and how to build more protective, supportive environments within their role. This session is especially relevant for educators working with students who have multiple disabilities or communication challenges. |
| Submission Date: | 8/7/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Kristin Grender |
Level 2
Individuals wishing to offer the noted Professional Development sessions must contact the "Bright Spot Provider" to arrange appropriate contractual agreements.
Level 3
Individuals wishing to offer the noted Professional Development sessions must contact the "Bright Spot Provider" to arrange appropriate contractual agreements.
| Level: | 3 |
| Target Audience: | K-12 Educators |
| Working Title: | The Impact of Trauma on Behavior & Learning |
| Description: | This training introduces a powerful framework that helps educators better understand how trauma impacts student behavior and learning. You’ll walk away with tools to recognize the difference between intentional misbehavior and trauma responses, helping you respond with greater empathy and effectiveness and improve learning outcomes. |
| Submission Date: | 8/16/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Amy Curtiss & Ben Curtiss |
| Level: | 3 |
| Target Audience: | Parents of children with disabilities |
| Working Title: | "How to Talk about Child Abuse and Neglect: From Awareness to Action in Your Organization, Meetings, and Community" |
| Description: | This session provides strategies for navigating crucial conversations about child abuse and neglect within various spheres of influence. Participants will gain practical strategies and actionable steps to move beyond simply acknowledging the issue, fostering genuine change and building a culture of child safety within their workplaces, meetings, and communities. |
| Submission Date: | 8/15/2025 |
| Bright Spot Provider: | Janet DesGeorges |