NICHCY eNews Foundations:

National
and State
Disability Groups

NICHCY is pleased to offer you eNews, a news service that brings you resources and information that are relevant to your interests and concerns. All are welcome to sign up for eNews and tell us what type of info they'd like to receive. Because we sift through mountains of resources daily at NICHCY, we are in an excellent position to let our users know when we run across something of interest to them. (Don't know what we're talking about here? Visit our eNews sign-up page, and read all about it.)

This eNews Foundations page offers the same starting point to everyone who signed up on eNews to receive information about:

"Disability Groups, Agencies, and Organizations (Nationally and in Your State)"

Welcome to eNews Foundations on National and State Disability Groups!

• The state disability world---as NICHCY knows it.
  www.nichcy.org/states.htm
  
  
Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa...NICHCY offers a state resource sheet for each state and U.S. territory. Use your state's resource sheet to connect with state agencies serving children and youth with disabilities, state chapters of disability organizations and parent groups, your governor and senators, your state's parent training and information (PTI) project(s)...and more. These, in turn, can connect you with the groups in or near your community.


• Do you have an infant or toddler with special needs? Get in touch with the early intervention system in your state.
  www.nectac.org/search/confinder.asp
  Courtesy of the National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center.
  Your early intervention contacts include the Part C coordinators, the Section 619 coordinators (that's pre-school), and the ICC (Interagency Coordinating Council) contacts for the state. If you'd like to know the OSEP-funded early childhood projects in your state, visit the Projects Finder, at: www.nectac.org/search/projfinder.asp
  
  
• Health care insurance for uninsured children.
  www.insurekidsnow.gov/index.htm
  Did you know that each state has a health insurance program for children? Children who don't have health insurance right now are very often eligible for state medical coverage. The insurance is available to children in working families, including families that include individuals with a variety of immigration status. To find out what your state's policies are, what's covered, and how to apply, call 1.877.543.7669 or find your state at: www.insurekidsnow.gov/states.htm
  
  
• State resources for youth with special health care needs.
  www.hrtw.org/index.html
  The Healthy and Ready to Work (HRTW) project provides information and connections to health and transition expertise nationwide for youth with special health care needs. Use the "site search" on the home page to find a wealth of information, including what resources are available in your state. Find out about innovate programs in your state at: www.hrtw.org/systems/prgstate.html
  
  
• Need a place to stay while your child is in the hospital?
  www.nahhh.org/members/search.php
  Visit the Website of the National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses, which can help patients and their families find lodging and other supportive services when confronted with medical emergencies.
  
  
• Having trouble with reading? Find a literacy program in your community.
  www.nifl.gov/nifl/index.html
  NIFL is the National Institute for Literacy, and its site overflows with resources. NIFL maintains a database of literacy programs that you can search to find one in your neck of the woods.
  
  
• Looking for a private special education facility?
  www.napsec.org/network.html
  The National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC) can help you! Use their Networking Directory to identify a center with the services you need.
  
  
• And young people with disabilities? Where to turn for transition help in your state.
  www.ncset.org/stateresources/default.asp
  Visit NCSET (National Center on Secondary Education and Transition) to find contact information for the following education-related offices for all states and territories in the United States: state transition coordinator, RRC office contact, state director of special education, monitoring and state improvement planning Part B contacts, Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) transition contact, and state director of vocational rehabilitation.
  
  
• Is there a community-based transition program for your young adult?
  www.transitioncoalition.org/
  Courtesy of the Transition Coalition at the University of Kansas.
  The 18-21 Programs: Community-Based Special Education Programs database contains descriptions of over 100 community-based transition programs throughout the United States. From the Web page, select "18-21 Programs."
  
  
• Don't forget about vocational rehabilitation services.
  www.jan.wvu.edu/SBSES/VOCREHAB.htm
  By contacting your local vocational rehabilitation office, you can tap into a wealth of resources related to employment options for people with disabilities. VR is a state-supported division of services designed to assist individuals with disabilities who are pursuing meaningful careers.
  
  
• And then there's independent living.
  www.ncil.org
  The link above will take you to the National Council on Independent Living, which maintains a national directory of independent living centers.
  

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• Your PTI and CPRC.
  PTI stands for Parent Training and Information. Each state has at least one PTI program. If you're looking for resources in your state and community, or need information about disabilities, the educational rights of your child, or strategies for being an effective advocate for your child, call your state’s PTI. Some states also have what's known as a CPRC---Community Parent Resource Center, which is funded to serve a particular high-need area or audience. Find out more at:
  
  
• www.nichcy.org/basicpar.asp#bp3
  NICHCY's Parent Basic on PTIs and CPRCs will give you a clear view into what these centers do---and what they can do for you and your family.



• www.nichcy.org/states.htm
  Arizona, Arkansas, California... we mentioned our state sheets above. (If you didn't read that part, NICHCY offers a state resource sheet for each state and U.S. territory.) Your PTI and CPRC (if you have one) are listed on your state's sheet. Use the link above and jump to your state. Within that resource sheet, click on "Organizations Especially for Parents" in the Table of Contents. You'll jump forward immediately to the PTI and CPRC listings for your state. And remember---often, they have local offices. So even if not located nearby, they may have a satellite office in your area.
  
  
• If you would like to talk to another parent...
  Ever wish you could talk to another parent whose child has the same disability as yours? The Parent to Parent Program may be for you, then. It matches parents in one-on-one relationships for sharing information, experiences, and emotional and practical support. Find out more at:
  
  
• www.nichcy.org/basicpar.asp#bp2
  This Parent Basic will tell you about the Parent to Parent Program, including how to get in touch with the one in your state. Available in Spanish, too.
  
  
• www.nichcy.org/states.htm
  Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware... twice now, we've mentioned our state sheets. (If you still haven't read about them above, NICHCY offers a state resource sheet for each state and U.S. territory.) The Parent to Parent program for your state is listed on your state's sheet. Use the link above and jump to your state. Within that resource sheet, click on "Organizations Especially for Parents" in the Table of Contents. You'll jump forward immediately to the section where you'll find the P-to-P listing for your state. They can put you in touch with a parent whose situation is similar to your own.
  
  


• Parent groups on specific disabilities.
  There are many, many parent groups that focus on issues and concerns related to a particular disability. For example, local parents whose children have a learning disability may group together to talk about how to handle their child's education, find a local dentist or pediatrician, and put their heads together to troubleshoot any number of common concerns. How do you find such a group in your area? We'd suggest trying any of the resources below. They'll start you at the national or state level, where you can find a group (if one exists) in or near your community.
  
  
• Try our Disability Fact Sheets.
  www.nichcy.org/disabinf.asp
  We offer fact sheets on 13 disabilities, in English and in Spanish. At the end of each, there's a resource listing of national level organizations specializing in that disability. If you contact them, by phone or via Web, they can put you in touch with state or local chapters of their group (if they operate chapters, that is). Our fact sheets are:
  
  
  AD/HD
  Autism/PDD
  Cerebral Palsy
  Deafness/Hearing Loss
  Down Syndrome
  Emotional Disturbance
  Epilepsy
  Learning Disabilities
  Mental Retardation
  Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
  Reading and Learning Disabilities (Briefing Paper)
  Severe and/or Multiple Disabilities
  Speech-Language Impairments
  Spina Bifida
  Traumatic Brain Injury
  Visual Impairments
  
  
  
• Try our Search for Information page.
  www.nichcy.org/search.htm
  Here, you can search for organizations on the disability of concern. Click in the box next to "Organizations." Then enter your search term (for example, autism), then the button "Search." You'll get national level organizations. If you go to the Web sites listed, many will have "chapter locators" or "find a state or local group" listings.
  
  
• Try the National Resources list.
  www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/gr2.htm
  This 12-pager lists the names, address, phone numbers, emails, and Web site addresses for over 90 national disability organizations. If they operate state or local chapters, they'll have the info you're looking for.
  
  
• We're back to the State Resource Sheets.
  www.nichcy.org/states.htm
  District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia...on our state resource sheets there's a listing for "Disability-Specific Organizations." It's organized by disability and will lead you to the state-level chapters of various disability groups. See if there's a listing for the disability in which you're interested.
  
  
• None of that worked? Give us a call---or email us. Maybe we can help.
  Our phone is: 1.800.695.0285, our email is nichcy@aed.org. So don't be shy.
  
  

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• The National Resources list.
  www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/gr2.htm
  
  
• Search for Information page.
  www.nichcy.org/search.htm
  
  
• NICHCY's Disability Fact Sheets.
  www.nichcy.org/disabinf.asp
  
  

• Toll-free numbers?
  www.nichcy.org/pubs/genresc/gr5.htm
  Need help, who ya gonna call? Organized by topic and disability, here’s a list of toll free numbers that will connect you to a wide range of disability organizations.



• NICHCY's A-Z connections to the Disability Community.
  www.nichcy.org/resources/disability1.htm
  Everything but the kitchen sink.



• Info Galore.
  www.nichcy.org/resources/galore.asp
  Disability-related databases you'll love, on topics from specific disabilities, technical assistance centers, and general ed and special ed info, to health-related resources and working and community living.



• Other A-Z pages.
  www.nichcy.org/resources/default.asp
  Autism, PDD, addressing behavior concerns, learning disabilities...these stand-alone pages on disabilities will connect you to a wealth of info out there.
  
  

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