What We Do

Community Services and Outreach

The Center has many ongoing community service and training projects that are all designed to increase quality of life, support self-determination, and/or facilitate community integration for people with disabilities and their families. These projects address a broad range of family and consumer needs.

 

Aggie Guide-Dogs and Service-Dogs

Contact: Laura Stough, 979-845-8257

Since 1997, Texas A&M students have been training puppies to become service dogs through the Aggie Guide-Dogs and Service-Dogs (AGS). With the help of these student puppy raisers, dogs learn how to obey and behave in public places, as well as respond to commands unique to service dogs. AGS members provide services to the community via education and therapy-dog programs.

 

Camp LIFE | Contact: Amy Sharp, 979-845-4612
A weekend adventure for children with disabilities and their siblings.
LIFE—it stands for Leadership, Independence and Friends through Experiences, and it’s what embodies the spirit of Camp LIFE. Spearheaded by the Family Support Network, Camp LIFE creates an integrated setting for children with disabilities and their siblings to participate in a barrier-free camp adventure. It is held twice a year for a weekend in the fall and spring. Many of the counselors at Camp LIFE are undergraduate students in a special education teacher training program at Texas A&M University. Participating as a counselor provides these future teachers an opportunity to teach social, recreational and independent living skills and to spend an entire weekend with campers with disabilities in a non-classroom setting. A low counselor-to-camper ratio ensures that each camper receives the support he or she needs to fully participate in all activities. Campers engage in horseback riding, ropes course, climbing wall, petting zoo, swimming, canoeing, fishing, dancing, zip line, biking, archery, crafts and more. Children with disabilities between the ages of 5 and 21 and their siblings between the ages of 5 and 14 are eligible to attend Camp LIFE. To keep the camp affordable, fees are charged on a sliding scale based on combined family income. Applications, which are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, are available online.

 

Brazos Valley Center for Independent Living
Contact: Jackie Pacha, 979-862-8340

Promoting the full inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of community life.

Provided by a five-year federal grant from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the BVCIL is a cross-disability, consumer-directed organization that will provide peer counseling, independent living skills instruction and other support services to individuals with disabilities in the Brazos Valley. The BVCIL will be part of a state and nationwide network of Centers for Independent Living. As a community outreach organization affiliated with the Center on Disability and Development, the BVCIL will also provide opportunities for graduate student training and research and demonstration projects that address community quality of life issues for people with disabilities and their families.

 

Bryan ISD GEAR UP | Contact: Linda Castillo, 979-845-0891
Preparing underrepresented students for college and beyond.
The GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) project is focused on improving school completion and college attendance rates for first-generation students, students of color and students with disabilities. Over the next six years, project faculty and staff will work to provide resources to impact over 1,000 Bryan ISD seventh-graders. These resources will include comprehensive professional development services to teachers, counselors and administrators. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the GEAR UP grant is designed to enable more young Americans to succeed in school, to study hard and to take the right courses to become eligible and competitive for admission to colleges and universities. Based upon proven models, GEAR UP supports institutions of higher education, local schools and their districts, community-based organizations, businesses and states as they work together to help students and their parents receive information, training and support along the pathway to college.

 

Family Support Network | Contact: Amy Sharp, 979-845-4612

Founded in 2002, the Family Support Network formalized the model of Parents of Children with Special Needs, a grassroots group that had been meeting since 1999, with the mission to strengthen knowledge and communication among parents, professionals and educators in the area. The Family Support Network directs families to area agencies and services, as well as to resources on specific topics of interest. Members receive a monthly e-newsletter packed with
articles, announcements and a calendar of events. The Family Support Network organizes learning and networking opportunities as well as providing Camp LIFE.

 

Institute for Person-Centered Practices
Contact: Jeff Garrison-Tate, 979-862-2843
Offering training on person-centered thinking and plan facilitation.

As a collaborative initiative between the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University and the Texas Center for Disability Studies at the University of Texas, the Institute offers training in person-centered thinking and plan facilitation. Trainings are based on materials from The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices. The Institute’s goal is to offer extensive training for participants to gain an understanding of person-centered practices, and provide opportunities to learn specific tools to be used to actively help people have fulfilling lives. Those who are encouraged to attend the trainings include (but are not limited to): individuals with disabilities, family members, service coordinators, service providers, local authority and state department staff. Scholarships and discounted registration fees are now available for people with disabilities and their families!

 

Texas Advanced Leadership and Advocacy Conference (TALAC)
Contact: Jaime Duran, 979-845-1884
Providing leadership and advocacy training to adults with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities.

This annual conference gives priority status to applicants who are individuals with a disability or family members of a person with a disability (e.g., parents, grandparents, siblings, and/or spouses or domestic partners). Others may apply and will be considered on a “space available” basis. Participants will learn to identify methods to successfully promote and advocate for policy and systems change. They will also define current legislative issues and will gain knowledge in how to collaboratively advocate for change alongside local and statewide advocacy organizations. The goals for the conference are to:

  • Increase the number of competent leaders and advocates with
    disabilities across the state of Texas
  • Equip current leaders and advocates with up-to-date knowledge and skills in the areas of legislative advocacy and leadership
  • Advance these leaders’ legislative experiences for policy influences
    Build and expand a network of leaders and advocates in the disability community for united efforts in effective advocacy actions

Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum (YLF)
Contact: Eric Roberts, 979-458-4168
Developing leadership and advocacy skills in young adults with disabilities.
Held each summer for one week on a university campus, the Texas Statewide Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) provides training and experiences to youth with disabilities to develop their leadership and advocacy skills. The Texas YLF selects youth participants from among high school juniors and seniors across the state. Applications are available at http://txylf.tamu.edu by clicking on “Apply to Be a Delegate.” Participants learn the history of the disability rights movement, engage in career activities and explore assistive technologies. They also gain exposure to legislative activities at the Capitol, such as mock testimonies and a legislative session, and a tour of the facilities and meetings with state legislators. Of course, there’s always an element of fun with recreational activities, including a talent show, dance and more! Participants are equipped with:

 

  • Leadership plans to implement upon return to their communities
  • Academic and career goals
  • A resource development plan in order to attain continued or more
    complete independence through technology, community support,
    peer mentoring and civil rights

Co-sponsors are Texas A&M University, the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities and the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services.

 

Texas Transition Conference | Contact: Cheryl Grenwelge, 979-845-4612
Equipping participants with information about youth in transition.
The Texas Transition Conference is an annual three-day conference that equips family members and professionals with information about students with disabilities in transition to improve outcomes for postsecondary education and better employment opportunities. Established in 1977, the conference was formerly known as the Vocational Needs for Special Populations Statewide Conference. The conference is co-sponsored by the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University and other statewide organizations. Participants come from all over the state and include transition specialists, vocational coordinators, representatives of service agencies, educators and parents of youth with disabilities. Keynote speakers are internationally recognized experts in the field of transition issues.