Building and Maintaining Resilient Families
A diagnosis of a low-incidence disability or intensive learning need reshapes daily life for a family — and for the professionals who support them. Developed by the Ohio Family Resilience Project at Youngstown State University, this set of research-based guides offers a shared four-stage model of resilience along with practical strategies for building it, tailored to two audiences: parents and caregivers navigating the challenges directly, and the school psychologists and related service providers who walk alongside them.
For Parents & Caregivers
A guide for families navigating a child’s diagnosis of a low-incidence disability or intensive learning need — with practical, research-based strategies for building resilience at home.
For Professional Service Providers
A guide for school psychologists and related service providers supporting these families — covering your role and strategies for building trust, collaboration, and resilience.
Acknowledgments
Both guides — and their companion video modules — are products of the Ohio Family Resilience Project at Youngstown State University. The project gratefully acknowledges the University of Cincinnati Systems Development and Improvement Center, the Ohio Deans Compact on Exceptional Children, and the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education for their support, which enabled the research and development behind these materials. Special thanks go to Dr. Deborah M. Telfer and Dr. Thomas M. Stephens for their invaluable ongoing support, and to Youngstown State University for the infrastructure, facilities, and dedicated video studio that made this project possible.