Resources For Churches
We believe compassion and caring can make a difference.
How do I plan for my child’s transition into adulthood? How can I get my church to pay attention to people with disabilities? Resources abound to help you, your school or church, or your business or organization reach out to, include, and assist people who live with disabilities. The resources below align with our vision of helping people with disabilities grow, learn and thrive.
All Belong
All Belong Center for Inclusive Education is the leading catalyst for creating and maintaining inclusive communities for persons of all abilities.
ASD Strategies in Action
Autism Certification Series
An online video-based learning solution that provides everyone in your family with practical information, real-life examples, and skills they can use to care for and support loved ones with autism spectrum disorder from early childhood through young adulthood.
Autism Internet Modules
AIM is designed to provide high-quality information and professional development for anyone who supports, instructs, works with, or lives with someone with autism. Each module guides you thorough case studies, instructional videos, pre- and post-assessments, a glossary, and much more. AIM modules are available at no cost. If you would like to receive credit for your time on AIM, certificate and credit options are available for a fee.
Center on PBIS
The Center on PBIS provides users with access to resources, guides for implementation, and professional development to support school wide, positive behavior initiatives.
Council of Exceptional Children (CEC)
CEC is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the educational success of individuals with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides professional development, advocates for individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.
Council of Exceptional Children
Everybody Belongs
This guide is a revision of what was previously called the Inclusion Handbook: Everybody Belongs, Everybody Serves. It has been created by and for those who love God and all of God’s people. We long for the church to embrace and to engage people with disabilities and their families, not only as recipients but also as ministers of God’s goodness to the world.
Interacting with Autism
A short video which gives the viewer a glimse into sensory overload (which is a common experience of someone who has autism).
Sensory Overload (Interacting with Autism Project) from Miguel Jiron on Vimeo.
IRIS
The IRIS Center is a national center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, to create resources about evidence-based practices for use in preservice preparation and professional development programs. IRIS then disseminates and offers trainings on those resources. The IRIS Center is dedicated to improving education outcomes for all children, especially those with disabilities birth through age twenty-one, through the use of effective evidence-based practices and interventions
Joni and Friends
The namesake of founder and president, Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends has grown into an international ministry that includes a “Wheels for the World” outreach, as well as regional offices that promote the inclusion and support of people with disabilities. Their website includes blog posts, articles, a research and best practices journal, and ideas and suggestions useful for people who have or know someone who lives with a disability.
Key Ministry
Key Ministry promotes meaningful connection between churches and families of kids with disabilities for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ. Since 2002, Key Ministry has provided knowledge, innovation and experience to the worldwide church as it ministers to and with families of kids with disabilities. Key Ministry is also helping families become connected with local churches where parents and children can worship and grow in faith alongside other Christ-followers.
Special Needs and Disability Ministry Leaders
This Facebook group is a discussion forum for special-needs and disability church ministry leaders and volunteers, hosted by KeyMinistry.org. We invite you post your questions, offer your insights, and encourage one another in our effort to help meet the needs of all God’s people.
The 5 Stages
The 5 Stages is a tool designed to help you, your family, your church, and your community identify where you are on the journey of “disability attitudes.” It starts conversations and is focused on change at the heart-level. Doing so means we focus less on demanding rights and defining our value as people with disabilities, and help other people see the Kingdom God is building, and our place in that Kingdom alongside our fellow believers.
99 Balloons
99 Balloons is changing the story of disability through training, awareness, programming, and investment opportunities that allow for everyone to get involved in the story.
Non-discrimination Policy:
It is the Standard of Elim Christian Services to admit children and adults to agency services regardless of race, color, national and ethnic origin, to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to agency service recipients. Elim Christian Services does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered policies. Read Full Disclosure.