Exceptional Families Network

06/15/2026

For decades, newborn screening has relied on a heel-prick blood test that identifies a limited number of serious conditions shortly after birth. While every state's program differs, Florida currently screens for 60 serious conditions and diseases at birth. 🔗⬇️

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

Did you know that Washington State has a Parent to Parent coordinator in each of the 39 counties? We are the largest cohort (by far) out the 35+ other states in the country. If you’re moving in the State of Washington, make sure you reach out to your local Parent to Parent program. These are some of the amazing people I am honored to call colleagues.

06/14/2026

A Paralympic champion with spina bifida is one step closer to capturing the U.S. Senate seat that was once held by a key architect of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

06/14/2026

🎉 BIG NEWS... WE'RE MOVING! 🎉

I've been keeping a pretty big secret, and I'm so excited to finally share it with all of you...

🏡 Guynup's K9 Services is moving to Sumner, Washington! 🐾

Since selling our home and training facility in 2023, we have been searching for the right property to continue growing our programs and providing even more opportunities for our clients and their dogs. Finding the right space wasn't something we wanted to rush, and we are incredibly excited to have finally secured a wonderful property that checks so many of the boxes we have been looking for.

Over the next several weeks, we'll be hard at work preparing the property and transforming it into a space where dogs and handlers can learn, grow, and succeed together.

✨ Our new facility will feature:

🐾 Indoor training space

🐾 A fully double-fenced outdoor training arena measuring approximately **90' x 200'**

🐾 Space for dogs that may need extra room from other dogs or handlers

🐾 Plenty of parking for clients

🐾 Areas to potty dogs and stretch their legs before and after class

🐾 Expanded class offerings and training opportunities

🐾 Opportunities to host sanctioned matches, fun matches, trials, evaluations, workshops, seminars, and special events

🐾 A dedicated home for Guynup's K9 Services to continue growing for years to come

This move opens the door to so many possibilities. One of my biggest goals has always been to offer more classes, more training opportunities, and more flexibility for our clients. With this new space, we'll be able to expand our schedule, offer new programs, and continue building a training community that supports dogs and their owners at every stage of their journey.

❤️ None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our clients, friends, family, and community. Whether you've trusted us with your puppy, your family dog, your service dog, attended classes, referred friends, shared our posts, or simply followed along on our journey—thank you.

Your support has helped turn this dream into a reality.

📅 Upcoming Classes & Sign Ups

We already have an exciting lineup planned for June, July, and beyond—with even more classes to come!

June

🏅 **Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Testing**
**Wednesday - June 17th at 10:30 AM**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375489-cgctesting

🐶 **Advanced Obedience**
**Thursdays at 4:00 PM - Starts June 18th**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375698-advance

🐶 **Puppy Manners (AKC STAR Puppy)**
**Tuesdays at 3:30 PM – Starts June 23**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375467-puppy

🧗 **K9 Confidence & Parkour**
**Wednesdays at 10:00 AM – Starts June 24**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375599-k9confidence

🏅 **Ring Ready Rally**
**Tuesdays at 2:00 PM**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-62776622-ring #/

---

July

🐶 **Puppy Manners (AKC STAR Puppy)**
**Wednesdays at 5:30 PM – Starts July 8**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375647-puppy

🐶 **K9 Cooperative Care**
**Thursdays at 2:15 PM - Starts July 9th**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64393678-k9cooperative

🎓 **Intro to Basics**
**Fridays at 12:30 PM – Starts July 10**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375767-intro

👃 **Intro to Scent Work** ~~FULL~~
**Fridays at 10:30 AM – Starts July 10**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375776-intro

🏆 **Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Prep Class**
**Thursdays at 4:00 PM – Starts July 23**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375727-cgcprep

---

August

👃 **Novice Scent Work**
**Fridays at 10:30 AM – Starts August 7**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375782-novice

---

September

🏅 **Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Testing**
**September 3 at 4:00 PM**
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4EAFAA22A0FCC61-64375741-cgctesting

✨ **And this is just the beginning, more classes to be announced!**

With our new Sumner facility, we'll be able to offer more classes, more training opportunities, and more flexibility than ever before. We already have plans to continue expanding our schedule with additional puppy classes, obedience classes, service dog training opportunities, scent work, rally, confidence-building classes, workshops, seminars, sanctioned matches, trials, and special events.

🐾 **What classes would you love to see offered at our new facility? Let us know in the comments below!**

We are incredibly excited for this next chapter and cannot wait to welcome all of you to our new training facility. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and trust over the years. Watching your dogs grow and helping your families succeed has always been the best part of what we do, and we can't wait to continue that journey in our new space.

🎉 Here's to the future of Guynup's K9 Services! 🎉

Jennifer Guynup
Guynup's K9 Services, LLC🐾💙

Building confident puppies, well-mannered family dogs, successful service dogs, and stronger partnerships every day.

06/14/2026

The Autism Act became law in 2009. It was the first disability-specific legislation ever passed in England, requiring the government to produce an autism strategy and local authorities to meet autistic adults’ needs.

Sixteen years later, a House of Lords committee has reviewed its impact — and the findings are damning.

Outcomes for autistic people have not meaningfully improved since 2009. Employment remains at roughly 22%. Mental health crisis rates are higher than ever. Waiting lists for diagnosis stretch to years.

The committee’s recommendation: the current strategy is not working. The government must start again with a properly funded approach built around autistic people.

SOURCE: Aucademy / Autism Act 2009 Review

06/12/2026

Great Job Washington!

WASHINGTON STATE'S BLUE ENVELOPE PROGRAM STARTS TODAY

The Blue Envelope Program is a FREE and VOLUNTARY program whose aim is to make traffic stops safer and more productive for people who are neurodivergent, or who might have communication barriers in stressful situations.

Blue Envelopes are business-size envelopes with printed instructions for drivers on one side and information for law enforcement officers on the other, (see example below).

BLUE ENVELOPES CAN BE PICKED UP AT ANY DRIVER OR VEHICLE LICENSING OFFICE IN WASHINGTON.

Program participants will not need to show proof of need, and nothing will be noted on their driving record.

Participants will store their insurance card and registration in the Blue Envelope. During a traffic stop, they will hand the officer the Blue Envelope with the documents inside along with their driver's license. The Blue Envelope will serve as a visual cue to the officer that the driver, or even a passenger, processes the world differently.

This provides officers the opportunity to adapt their communication style to better reduce misunderstandings and stress on everyone.

Many other states and jurisdictions have Blue Envelope programs. Washington State Patrol led a workgroup composed of neurodivergent individuals, advocacy groups, and DOL to refine the idea for Washington.

Communication is key during stressful and/or crisis situations. If this tool is useful for you or a loved one, learn more here:
https://dol.wa.gov/driver-licenses-and-permits/blue-envelope-program

06/11/2026

🤟🏼