Center for Excellence in Disabilities at WVU

03/06/2026

WV Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Services, in collaboration with WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI), will be hosting a day of free webinars from from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on March 27, 2026 for Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month.

These webinars will provide practical, evidence-based insights from leading clinicians, researchers, and advocates in brain injury care from WVU RNI. Designed for healthcare professionals, educators, caregivers, and anyone supporting individuals with TBI, these engaging sessions break down complex topics into clear, actionable strategies you can use right away. Learn about assessment, recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term support while earning continuing education credit and connecting with a community committed to improving outcomes after brain injury.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are pending for PT/PTA, OT, Social Work, LPC, Athletic Training, and Nursing professionals.

Register for webinars: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/traumatic-brain-injury-awareness-month-webinars-tickets-1982353452540?keep_tld=true&

WV TBI Services
WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute

03/06/2026

There are more than 810,000 Social Workers in the United States. Each day they work to build stronger, safer, more equitable communities. That’s what uplift, defend, transform looks like in action.

March is Social Work Month, a time to celebrate the hardworking people who work behind the scenes and on the front lines to help people live their best lives. The CED employs multiple social workers across West Virginia to help clients for our various programs. We want to say thank you for all that you do to help West Virginians with disabilities and their families!

National Association of Social Workers

03/05/2026

Did you know that eligible former foster youth in West Virginia can receive up to $5,000 per school year to further their education through the Mentoring and Oversight for Developing Independence with Former Foster Youth (MODIFY) program?

Provided educational and training vouchers can be used to attend a WV university, college, or vocational program after high school. Funds can help cover tuition and fees, textbooks, special equipment for classes, and more. Youth who meet the criteria remain eligible for up to 5 years of school or until they turn 26.

Reminder that all paperwork for the summer session is due on April 1!

Learn more about the MODIFY program: https://modify.cedwvu.org/

West Virginia Department of Human Services

03/04/2026

Looking for some free, self-paced trainings that could relate to your family and/or professional work?

The IMPACT WV program offers several on topics like child development, adult education and employment, stigma, substance use, addressing challenging behavior, mental health, parent support, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and more.

Check out all of the free trainings: https://cedwvutraining.org/ced-online-learning/impact-wv/

IMPACT WV

Mental Health for Families and Providers - Self-paced online courses

Every Monday for the next couple of months, we will be putting a spotlight on the free online training modules we offer for both families and providers. Stay tuned every Monday to learn more about what the training portal has to offer.

This course builds awareness of mental health concerns, promotes early identification, and highlights strategies to support emotional well-being across the lifespan. Beneficial for both providers and families.

Take the training here: https://cedwvutraining.org/online-learning/mental-health/

See all courses here: https://cedwvutraining.org/ced-online-learning/impact-wv/

COMING SOON: A Ma*****na in Pregnancy learning module will be released within the next month or two!

03/04/2026

We're excited to help kick off Developmental Disabilities Month happening this March!

This year's theme is "We're Here. Then, Now, Always." People with developmental disabilities have always been part of our communities, and they always will be.

The WVU CED has multiple programs that serve this community, like the Country Roads program which helps students with developmental disabilities get a real college experience, the Specialized Family Care program that places children and adults with developmental disabilities with families who welcome them into their homes, and several other clinics and services.

We also want to give a shout out to the WV Developmental Disabilities Council, which works hard to make sure West Virginians with developmental disabilities receive the services, supports, and other forms of assistance they need to exercise self-determination and achieve independence, productivity, integration, and inclusion in the community.

Learn more about the WV DD Council: https://ddc.wv.gov/Pages/default.aspx



WV Developmental Disabilities Council
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities

03/03/2026

Do you know about the Specialized Family Care (SFC) program at the WVU CED?

SFC helps link adults and children who have intellectual and/or developmental disabilities with families that are willing to open their homes to them and offer loving family environments. SFC allows a person to continue living in the community in safe, loving family units rather than being confined to an institutional setting or left unattended without community care.

Persons qualified for this program live in a foster care setting with individuals and families who are specially screened, trained, and state-certified to provide care in their home. The person is welcomed into the home as a family member.

Make a referral to the SFC program: https://redcap.wvctsi.org/redcap/surveys/?s=MNEHNKJWAA

Foster home provider application: https://redcap.wvctsi.org/redcap/surveys/?s=9ENNYKA49D

Specialized Family Care Program

03/03/2026

Help Shape the Future of Caregiving in West Virginia!

Caregivers across West Virginia hold deep knowledge about what works, what doesn’t, and what support is truly needed. Whether you are caring for an aging family member, a person with a disability, a child with special health care needs, or working in the caregiving workforce—your experience matters.

We are developing a proposal for the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Caregiver AI Prize Competition, a national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that explores how artificial intelligence can responsibly support caregivers while protecting safety, equity, and dignity.
To ensure this work reflects real community needs, we are asking West Virginians to complete a brief survey to share their experiences and perspectives.

About the survey:
• The survey is short and will take less than 5 minutes
• It is not a research study
• Responses will be used for planning purposes only to help guide our proposal development
• No technical or AI expertise is required—only your lived experience

Why participate
Your input will help inform ideas for tools that could:
• Reduce caregiver burden
• Support care at home and in the community
• Reflect the realities of rural caregiving and diverse family needs
• Ensure technology is used responsibly and respectfully

By taking a few minutes to complete the survey, you can help shape a proposal grounded in the voices of West Virginia caregivers.

https://wvu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bfw3VNcRZvakn5A

03/02/2026

Today is Teen Mental Health Awareness Day. The West Virginia chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is leading the first-ever Teen Mental Health Awareness Week March 2-6 in the Mountain State.

This week is focused on prevention, conversation, and creating safe spaces for teens to talk.

Regional Transition Navigator Services (RTNS) at the WVU CED helps develop a network of support for West Virginia youth ages 14-25 who are facing or at-risk for mental health diagnosis, substance use, and/or homelessness.

Learn more about free RTNS services and make a referral: https://rtn.cedwvu.org/

The WVU CED also offers mental health services to West Virginia youth and adults with disabilities and their families.

Learn more: https://cedwvu.org/mental-health-services/

Check out some local WV resources from NAMI WV: https://namiwheeling.org/resources/local-resources/

Regional Transition Navigator Services
NAMI Greater Wheeling/NAMI in West Virginia

03/02/2026

Please join us for the next CED Ability Grand Rounds webinar happening on Tuesday, March 10 at 2 p.m. EST as we welcome Ashokkumar (Ashok) Manoharan from Flinders University in Australia as he presents on "Creating Social Impact: From Barriers to Opportunities in Intellectual Disability Inclusion in Hospitality."

CED Grand Rounds are an important teaching tool that helps our teams and other disability service providers keep up to date in evolving areas that may be directly related to, or associated with our core practice. The CED hosts a variety of state, national and international experts to share information and provide opportunities for discussion.

Register for free: https://wvu.zoom.us/meeting/register/cqlQaWQdRa-ixx-cbIEeBw #/registration

Flinders University

02/27/2026

We mentioned earlier this week that WVU Day of Giving is happening on March 25 and that the WVU CED will once again be participating.

You might be wondering, what is WVU Day of Giving? It's a one-day, 24-hour fundraising opportunity designed to bring people together to give toward a cause close to their hearts. Basically, donations are accepted only on March 25, but up until then it is all about spreading the word and building hype!

Please help spread the word about the CED's participation in this year's Day of Giving! The best way to do this is by becoming a Day of Giving ambassador. This gives you access to social media graphics, sample posts, and more to help you share with friends and family.

Thanks so much for your support!

Become a WVU Day of Giving ambassador: https://dayofgiving.wvu.edu/giving-day/110212/signup



WVU Foundation
Regional Transition Navigator Services
Positive Behavior Support - PBS Tips & Tools
Specialized Family Care Program
West Virginia Assistive Technology - WVATS
WV F2F and P4P Programs
WV TBI Services
IMPACT WV

02/26/2026

Thanks to the West Virginia Assistive Technology System (WVATS) AT Champion, Sophia, for sharing about the WV Family and Community Support program! This program provides services and supports to families who have a member with a developmental disability.

Learn more and view contact info per county: https://bbh.wv.gov/media/9891/download?inline

West Virginia Assistive Technology - WVATS

02/26/2026

Chair of the CED's Center Advisory Committee, Rev. Shannon Blosser, was recently featured in an article in The Intelligencer for his work to make houses of worship more inclusive and welcoming for people of all abilities.

Blosser is a pastor of Mount Olivet United Methodist Church and Benwood-McMechen UMC in WV's northern panhandle where he has been raising awareness about accessibility and advocacy for people with disabilities. "That awareness has led to some conversations about building a more welcoming church, and also how to support real policies that can lead to actual help for the community," said Blosser.

Rev. Blosser has lived disability experience of his own and with his two sons, one with autism and one with ADHD. "Building a beloved community for the disability community should be an issue that brings us all to the table and say, ‘Yes, this is right and important,'” said Blosser.

The CED's Center Advisory Committee is an organization that is established under the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (P.L. 106-402). The Committee's work is to advise the WVU CED regarding civil rights, needs and services for people with disabilities that help assure their full inclusion in their communities.

Read the full article: https://cedwvu.org/about-ced/center-advisory-committee-cac/

The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register