In response to COVID 19, PEAL is prioritizing health and safety while working to continue to provide information, training and guidance to the families and youth we serve, by working remotely and avoiding face-to-face interactions.

Click here for a full list of changes to PEAL services during this time.

We are gathering and organizing information and no-cost resources to post on our website so that they are easily accessible to families. This page will be updated frequently to reflect the most current information and with additional resources. 

In some cases, we will include links to other websites that are being frequently updated so that you can find the most current information. We are including general information about precautions, as well as education and health care resources, such as: 

• Back To School
• US Government Updates
• PA Government Updates, including county-specific information
• Online educational resources
• Virtual activities to engage children and teens
• Taking care of yourself and your family
• Health Care
• Early Intervention
• Transition
• Assistive Technology
• En Español
• Community Resource Updates

PEAL Webinars

PEAL is also hosting a series of webinars to cover helpful information while students are learning at home and virtually. These will be posted for viewing along with resources here. If you are interested in participating in an upcoming webinar please check out our Event Calendar or our Facebook page. 

Back to School

• Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Guidance and Answers to FAQs on COVID-19 Compensatory Services
• Pennsylvania School District Reopening Plans
• COVID-19: Checklists to Guide Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers | CDC
• Allegheny County Back to School Plan Benchmarking
• Public Health Guidance for School Communities
• Back-to-School Resources for Families and Educators from Child Mind Institute
• Online and Hybrid Learning: An Equity Checklist for Schools
• Operating schools during COVID-19: CDC’s Considerations
• Back to school amid COVID: What if I’m not ready?
• Reopening Schools During COVID-19: Understanding Possible Models, Stakeholder Needs, and Best Practices to Advance Educational Equity

US Government and National Updates: 

Compiled important updates, as new information and instructions progress. 

• CDC Main Coronavirus (COVID-19) Page (Available in English, simplified Chinese, and Spanish)
• CDC Child Care, Schools, and Youth Programs: Plan, Prepare, and Respond This CDC page offers helpful information to guide you as you consider health and safety with schools reopening, camps opening, child care resuming and sports beginning, Remember that the CDC has frequently updates, so check often for new guidance.
• CDC ASL COVID-19 Video Series
• Benefits of Clear Face Masks
• US Department of Education: COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) Information and Resources for Schools and School Personnel
• IDEA: Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak (March 2020)
• Medicaid Updates 
• COVID-19 and Students with Disabilities
• PIE Network’s Rapid Response Resources
• US DoE Providing Services FAQ
• U.S. Department of Education Fact Sheet for Protecting Students’ Civil Rights During COVID-19 Response
• Refugee Council USA translated the CDC Prevention flyer into 19 different languages
• AAP COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry

Pennsylvania Updates: 

Stay up to date on the latest developments through reliable sources. 

• Office of Developmental Programs 
• Pennsylvania Department of Health
• Pennsylvania Department of Education 
• Pennsylvania PBS Datacasting
• Bureau of Special Education (BSE) Guidance on Act 13 of 2020
• PDE Frequently Asked Questions
• Office of Dispute Resolution: ODR’s building is closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. While ODR staff will be working remotely, mail service will be disrupted through March 27th, 2020. Please submit all request forms and communication via email ([email protected]) or fax 717-657-5983. Visit their website for the most up-to-date information https://odr-pa.org/  
• PAcast: Gov. Wolf Offers Covid-19 Community Preparedness and Procedures Materials
• Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Telehealth Guidelines Related to COVID-19
• PA Dept of Health ASL COVID-19 Video Playlist
• PA COVID-19 Resources from United Way of Pennsylvania
• COVID-19 School Closures & English Learners
• PDE Evaluation Guidance 4-22-20
• Evaluation Further Guidance
• County-specific information
  • Community Behavioral Health (Philly) 
  • CAP4Kids COVID-19 Resources Philadelphia
  • Home Learning Resources for Philadelphia Families
  • School COVID-19 Updates and Resources for Philadelphia Families
  • Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester County Mitigation Plan: ODP Essential Functions 
  • Pittsburgh Public Schools Coronavirus Updates Page
  • Allegheny County Human Services Mental Health Services
  • PublicSource, a nonprofit digital-first news organization, offers information about Allegheny County (and surrounding counties)

Online Education Resources: 

Unlock a variety of online educational resources your family can access virtually. 

• Online and Hybrid Learning: An Equity Checklist for Schools
• Learning at Home with Pennsylvania Public Television: PA Public Television, working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education, have created Learning at Home, your connection to thousands of hours of educational and entertaining videos, activities and games to support you.
• National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) COVID-19 Resources for Supporting Students with Disabilities
• Virtual IEP Meeting Tip Sheets
• Accessible Remote Learning- How to Provide Essential Learning Supports from Anywhere on Don Johnston Human Learning Tools
• Free, Easy Science for Remote Learning on Mystery Science
• Parent Resources for Education: School Closures due to COVID-19 Created by the Reading League Pennsylvania
• Sample Schedule
• From Khan Academy: Sample schedules for different Age Groups 
• OCR Short Webinar on Online Education and Website Accessibility
• Morning P.E. Class for kids–Youtube
• Find resources for at home learning by subject matter
• 50 Online Art and Music Resources to Help Kids Learn and Create from Home
• Heinz History Center’s History At Home
• Executive Function Free Resources
• Gameschooling 101: How to Homeschool with Fantastic Games
• Reading Tip Sheets for Parents (available in thirteen languages)
• Way to do Live Communication Captioning UPMC

Virtual Things to Do – museums, field trips, and read aloud:

Keep your children engaged in entertaining ways and learn through a wide range of virtual activities everyone can explore. 

• Storyline Online: stream videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Viola Davis, Chris Pine, Lily Tomlin, Kevin Costner, Annette Bening, James Earl Jones, Betty White and dozens more. 
• 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch 
• National Museum of Natural History Virtual Tours  
• Virtual Field Trips
• These zoos and aquariums are live-streaming animals for people to enjoy during coronavirus isolation
• Children’s Authors Doing Online Read Alouds & Activities
• 12 Art Lessons on Youtube your Kiddos will love!
• Children’s Stories in Spanish
• Amazon Unlocks Batch of Kids’ Shows Free to Stream for All Customers
• Chatter Pack offers a list of free, online, boredom-busting resources! Including virtual tours, online learning, geography and nature, music, arts and culture, literature, and more!
• 30 Creative Activities for Kids
• Brain Breaks
• Accessible Chef is a collection of free visual recipes and other resources to help teach cooking skills to individuals with disabilities.

Taking care of yourself and your family:

Access useful tools and strategies to navigate day to day activities while maintaining balance.

• 8 Tips Parents Want to Share As You Help Your Child or Young Adult Through Crisis
• Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource (Available in English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, and Korean)
• Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty
• Supporting Kids During the COVID-19 Crisis (Available in English and Spanish)
• PBS’s How to Talk to your Kids about Coronavirus
• Ways to Promote Children’s Resilience to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Self Care Menu from URMC Behavioral Pediatrics
• Priority for Trauma-Sensitive Remote Learning: Keeping Connections Strong
• COVID-19 Resources from the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
• Supporting Teenagers and Young Adults During the Coronavirus Crisis
• CDC Coping with Stress
• Crisis Intervention by County
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) COVID-19 Resource and Information Guide
• Positive Behavior Support at Home Video
• COVID-19 Mental Health Resource Hub

Health Care Service Resources:

Taking Care of Your Family’s Medical and Behavioral Health Care Needs:

• Family Voices Coronavirus Information & Resources
• Safeguard Against Disability Discrimination During COVID-19 Fact Sheet
• Ten COVID-19 Preparations To Do RIGHT NOW for Medically Complex Families
• Supporting Individuals with Autism through Uncertain Times–Toolkit
• Coronavirus Resources from National Health Law Program; includes resources like an Overview on Using Medicaid to Respond to COVID-19 and Ensuring People Have Access to Prescription Drugs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• National Alliance on Mental Health Information and Resource on COVID-19, covering topics like how to manage your anxiety during this time and how to get your medication if quarantined.
• Telemedicine Resources: An Introduction to Health Care through Telemedicine
• Pennsylvania Health Law Project has created two helpful articles about Pennsylvania Health care, COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions and COVID-19 Federal and State Updates.
• COVID-19 Pediatric Healthcare Resources by Category
• Many Immigrants can Get Medical Assistance for Coronavirus Treatment
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak Glossary: This resource provides a description of some key terms used in the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
• COVID-19: Medical Communication Access for Deaf and Hard of Hearing
• Inclusive Dental Provider Directory Please note – most offices have emergency coverage, but the days and times may be limited which is why it is so important to listen to the voice mail.
• Is it OK to call the pediatrician during COVID-19 even if I’m not sure my child or teen is sick?
• Ensuring Support Services for Youth With Disabilities & Special Health Care Needs Amid COVID-19
• The US Department of Labor has clarified that parents of adult children who have lost their usual source of care due to COVID-19 may receive Paid Leave to stay home to care for their adult children just as parents of children up to age 18 may stay home to care for their child who has lost their usual source of care due to school or childcare closings or inability of childcare providers to come to the home to care for their child.  The US Department of Labor has finally determined that the definition of “son or daughter” for the new program should be consistent with that of the existing Family and Medical Leave Act, which “expressly includes children 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.”

Early Intervention Resources:

Guiding Families with Helpful Information

• Early Intervention Technical Assistance Portal: Resources to Support EI Work During COVID-19 
• Tele-Intervention Job Aid: Pennsylvania has approved the temporary provision of EI Infant -Toddler service delivery via Tele-Intervention 
• ECTA (Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center) Remote Service Delivery and Distance Learning
• Early Intervention Technical Assistance Portal Supporting Families During COVID-19

Transition and Youth Resources:

How to Support Students Transitioning During Covid-19

• Youth Summer Activities 2020
• Graduation 2020 and the COVID-19
• Studying at home due to coronavirus? This is how young people around the world are keeping their mood up  
• How To Cope With Stress Related To Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information For Young People Affected By Stress Related To Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) 
• High School Halt: Ways to Support Youth Working on Adult Life Plans During the School Shutdown 
• RAISE The Standard Newsletter: Hunkering Down for COVID-19
• The Arc’s COVID-19 Resources for Self-Advocates

Assistive Technology Resources:

Resources if you are considering using Assistive Technology in the home. 

• Family Resources for Complex Learners: Assistive Technology and Communication

• Resources for Access and Distance Education from National Center on Accessible Educational Materials

• TechOWL PA (Pennsylvania’s Assistive Technology Act Program)
• Assistive Technology Resources

En Español  

• Como hablar con tus hijos sobre el Coronavirus
• Cero a Tres: las primeras conexiones duran toda una vida
• Recursos de Duelo
• CONOZCA SUS DERECHOS ¡Preserve su seguridad!

Community Updates: How you can help?

Get involved in helping your community in constructive ways, this can include practicing social distancing, donating food, or sharing resources to those in-need.  

• Social Distancing: What does it Mean? (Available in English and Spanish)
• Donate to your local food bank
• 7 Ways to Support the Small Businesses in Your Community During the Coronavirus Crisis
• Information for Pennsylvania Employees Impacted by COVID-19
• Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank SNAP Department will take SNAP applications over the phone our call in is 1-833-822-SNAP or text SNAPPA to 555-888. For more information about services from the Food Bank or how you can help go here.
• ChildLine
• Domestic Violence Information from Women’s Law Project
• Free pregnancy, baby, and toddler support during COVID-19
• Immigrant Eligibility for Public Programs During COVID-19

Important Phone Resources:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio: 1-888-628-9454
• Crisis Text Line: Text “PA” to 741-741
• Veteran Crisis Line: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
• Get Help Now Hotline (for substance use disorders): 1-800-662-4357
• Pennsylvania Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-888-772-7227
• National Domestic Violence Helpline: 1-800-799-7233
• PA Statewide Support and Referral Helpline: 1-855-284-2494