A publication of the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Alabama State Resources

Complete update · 3/2008
Partial update · 4/2/2008

The offices listed on this state sheet are primarily state-level offices. Even if an office is not close to your home, they can usually put you in touch with resources in your community, as well as provide you with information and assistance about disability issues in your state. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.

State Agencies and Organizations

Age of Eligibility

Each state sets eligibility ages for services to children and youth with disabilities. For current information concerning this state, please contact the office listed under Department of Education: Special Education.

United States Senators
Honorable Jeff Sessions (R)
335 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-4124
(202) 224-3149 (Fax)
E-mail: http://sessions.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ContactMe
Web: http://sessions.senate.gov

Honorable Richard C. Shelby (R)
110 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5744
(202) 224-3416 (Fax)
E-mail: senator@shelby.senate.gov
Web: http://shelby.senate.gov

United States Representatives
To find the contact information for your representative in the House of the U.S. Congress, visit the House’s Web site at: www.house.gov, or call: (202) 224-3121; (202) 225-1904 (TTY).

Governor
Honorable Robert R. Riley
State Capitol
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130-2751
(334) 242-7100
(334) 353-0004 (Fax)
Web: www.governor.state.al.us/

Governor's Office on Disabilities
Graham Sisson, Executive Director
Governor's Office on Disabilities
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36111-0586
(334) 353-0353; (888) 879-3582
E-mail: graham.sisson@good.alabama.gov
Web: www.good.alabama.gov

Official State Web Site
Web: www.alabama.gov/

State Department of Education: Special Education
Mabrey Whetstone, Ph.D., Director
Alabama Department of Education
Special Education Services
P.O. Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
(334) 242-8114; (800) 392-8020 (in AL)
E-mail: mabreyw@alsde.edu
Web: www.alsde.edu/

State Coordinator for NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Deann K. Stone, Director of Federal Programs
Instructional Services Division
Alabama State Department of Education
50 N. Ripley Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 242-8199
E-mail: dstone@alsde.edu
Web: www.alsde.edu

Programs for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities: Ages Birth through 2
Betsy Prince, Part C Coordinator
Alabama's Early Intervention System
Department of Rehabilitation Services
Division of Early Intervention
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 215-5042; (800) 543-3098
(800) 499-1816 (TTY)
E-mail: betsy.prince@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.rehab.alabama.gov/ei

Programs for Children with Disabilities: Ages 3 through 5
Cathy Jones, Education Specialist
Contact State Department of Education: Special Education

State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
Steve Shivers, Commissioner
Department of Rehabilitation Services
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 281-8780
E-mail: steve.shivers@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.rehab.alabama.gov/vrs

Coordinator for Transition Services
Daniel Roth, Education Specialist
Special Education Services
Alabama State Department of Education
P.O. Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-8114
E-mail: droth@alsde.edu
Web: www.alsde.edu

Office of State Career and Technical Education
Sherry A. Key, Director
Career and Technical Education
Alabama State Department of Education
P.O. Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
(334) 242-9111
E-mail: skey@alsde.edu
Web: www.alsde.edu/

State Mental Health Representative for Children and Youth
Steve Lafreniere, Director
Office of Children's Services
Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL 36130-1410
(334) 353-7110
E-mail: steven.lafreniere@mh.alabama.gov
Web: www.mh.alabama.gov

Programs for People with Developmental Disabilities
John Houston, Commissioner
Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
RSA Union Building
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL 36130-1410
(334) 242-3107
E-mail: john.houston@mh.alabama.gov
Web: www.mh.state.al.us

Patricia L. Martin, Assoc. Commissioner
Alabama Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
RSA Union Building
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL 36130-1410
(334) 242-3701
E-mail: pat.martin@mh.alabama.gov
Web: www.mh.alabama.gov

Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Elmyra Jones, Executive Director
Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities
RSA Union Building
100 N. Union Street, Suite 498
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL 36130-1410
(334) 242-3973; (800) 232-2158
E-mail: acdd@mh.state.al.us
Web: http://acdd.org

Protection and Advocacy Agency
Ellen Gillespie, Ph.D., Executive Director
Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP)
The University of Alabama
500 Martha Parham West
P.O. Box 870395
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0395
(205) 348-4928 (V/TTY); (800) 826-1675
E-mail: ADAP@adap.ua.edu
Web: www.adap.net

Client Assistance Program
Rachel Hughes, Director
Department of Rehabilitation Services
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 613-2265
E-mail: rachel.hughes@rehab.alabama.gov

Programs for Children with Special Health Care Needs
Melinda Davis, Asst. Commissioner
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services
Children's Rehabilitation Service
2129 East South Boulevard
P.O. Box 11586
Montgomery, AL 36111-0586
(334) 281-8780; (800) 441-7607
(800) 846-3697 (in AL)
E-mail: melinda.davis@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.rehab.alabama.gov/crs

State CHIP Program
(health care for low-income uninsured children)
Cathy Caldwell, Director
Children’s Health Insurance Program
Alabama Department of Public Health
201 Monroe Street, Suite 250
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 206-5568; (877) 774-9521
Web: www.adph.org/allkids/

Programs for Children and Youth who are Blind or Visually Impaired, Deaf or Hard of Hearing, or Deaf-Blind
Michelle Jones, Regional Director
Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
1050 Government Street
Mobile, AL 36604
(251) 432-7777 (V/TTY)
E-mail: jones.michelle@aidb.state.al.us
Web: www.AIDB.org

Steve Shivers, Commissioner
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 281-8780; (334) 613-2200
E-mail: steve.shivers@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.rehab.alabama.gov

Telecommunications Relay Services for Individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or with Speech Impairments
(800) 548-2547 (V)
(800) 548-2546 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
(888) 229-5746 (Speech to Speech-English)
(866) 260-9470 (Speech to Speech-Spanish)

Regional ADA Technical Assistance Center
Shelley Kaplan, Project Director
DBTAC - Southeast ADA Center
Project of the Burton Blatt Institute - Syracuse University
490 10th Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 385-0636; (800) 949-4232 (V/TTY)
E-mail: sedbtacproject@law.syr.edu
Web: www.sedbtac.org

Graham Sisson, Assistant Attorney General
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services
2129 East South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36111
(334) 613-3471 (Montgomery office)
(205) 290-4540 (Birmingham office)
(888) 574-2257 (TTY)
(800) 205-9986 (Alabama's Toll Free Hotline for ADA Information)
E-mail: graham.sisson@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.rehab.state.al.us/ada

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Harold Sontheimer, Director
Civitan International Research Center
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1719 6th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-0021
(205) 934-8900; (800) 822-2472
Web: www.circ.uab.edu

Technology-Related Assistance
Frankie Mitchum, Executive Director
STAR (Statewide Technology Access and Response for Alabamians with Disabilities)
2125 East South Boulevard
P.O. Box 20752
Montgomery, AL 36120-0752
(334) 613-3480; (334) 613-3519 (TTY)
(800) 782-7656 (In AL)
Web: www.rehab.alabama.gov/star

Lisa Snyder, Resource Center Coordinator
Technology Assistance for Special Consumers (T.A.S.C.)
United Cerebral Palsy of the Tennessee Valley
1856 Keats Drive
Huntsville, AL 35810
(256) 859-8300
E-mail: tasc@hiwaay.net
Web: http://tasc.ataccess.org

State Mediation System
Doris McQuiddy, Coordinator of Mediation
Alabama Department of Education
Gordon Persons Building
P.O. Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
(334) 242-8114; (800) 392-8020 (in AL)
E-mail: dorismc@alsde.edu
Web: www.alsde.edu

Respite Care
Linda Lamberth, Project Manager
Alabama Lifespan Respite Resource Network
1521 E. 9th Street
Anniston, AL 36207
(256) 237-3683; (866) 737-8252
E-mail: alabamarespite@aol.com
Web: http://alabamarespite.org

Special Format Library
Fara L. Zaleski, Librarian
Alabama Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
6030 Monticello Drive
Montgomery, AL 36130-6000
(334) 213-3906, ext. 921; (800) 392-5671
E-mail: fara.zaleski@apls.alabama.gov
Web: http://statelibrary.alabama.gov/

Disability-Specific Organizations

Attention Deficit Disorder
To identify an ADD group in your state or locality, contact either:

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
8181 Professional Place, Suite 150
Landover, MD 20785
(301) 306-7070
(800) 233-4050 (Voice mail to request information packet)
Web: www.chadd.org

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
P.O. Box 543
Pottstown, PA 19464-0543
(484) 945-2101
Web: www.add.org

Autism
Jennifer Muller, Executive Director
Autism Society of Alabama
4778 Overton Road
Birmingham, AL 35210
(205) 951-1364; (877) 4AUTISM
E-mail: contact@autism-alabama.gov
Web: www.autism-alabama.org

Blind/Visual Impairments
Jaclyn Packer, Ph.D., Director of Information Center
American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300
New York, NY 10001
(212) 502-7600; (800) 232-5463
E-mail: afbinfo@afb.net
Web: www.afb.org

Cerebral Palsy
Gary Edwards, Executive Director
United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Birmingham
Hand In Hand: A Learning Environment for Children
120 Oslo Circle
Birmingham, AL 35211
(205) 944-3939; (800) 654-4483
E-mail: gedwards@ucpbham.com
Web: www.ucpbham.com

Glenn R. Harger, President/CEO
United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile, Inc.
3058 Dauphin Square Connector
Mobile, AL 36607
(251) 479-4900; (888) 630-7102
E-mail: info@ucpmobile.org
Web: www.ucp.org/ucp_local.cfm/160

Epilepsy
F. Mitchell Garrett, Executive Director
Epilepsy Foundation of Alabama
Office Park 3
273 Azalea Road, Suite 310
Mobile, AL 36609
(251) 341-0170; (800) 626-1582 (In AL)
E-mail: mgarrett@efala.org
Web: www.epilepsyfoundation.org/

Head Injury
Charles Priest, Director
Alabama Head Injury Foundation
3100 Lorna Road, Suite 200
Hoover, AL 35216
(205) 823-3818; (800) 433-8002
E-mail: charlespriest@bellsouth.net
Web: www.ahif.org

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Thomas B. Holmes, Executive Director
The Arc of Alabama, Inc.
P.O. Box 1206
Montgomery, AL 36102-1206
(334) 262-7688; (866) 243-9557
E-mail: info@thearcofalabama.com
Web: www.thearcofalabama.com

Learning Disabilities
Mattie Ray, President
Learning Disabilities Association of Alabama
P.O. Box 11588
Montgomery, AL 36111
(334) 277-9151
Web: www.ldaal.org

Mental Health
Terri Beasley, Executive Director
NAMI Alabama
4122 Wall Street
Montgomery, AL 36106
(334) 396-4797; (800) 626-4199 (In AL)
E-mail: terri@namialabama.org
Web: www.namialabama.org

Special Health Care Needs
Susan Colburn, State & Regional Coordinator
Family Voices
c/o Children's Rehabilitation Service
2129 E. South Boulevard
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 613-2284
E-mail: susan.colburn@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.familyvoices.org

Dr. Gerald Oveson, State & Regional Coordinator
Family Voices
9800 Cascade Drive
Mobile, AL 36695
(251) 438-1609
E-mail: oveson@bellsouth.net

Speech and Hearing
Gary Copeland, Executive Director
Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama
P.O. Box 357
Normal, AL 35762
(256) 325-8885
E-mail: garycopeland@arilion.com
Web: www.alabamashaa.org

Spina Bifida
Trish Switzer, President/Executive Director
Spina Bifida Association of Alabama
140 Lansdowne Drive
Madison, AL 35758
(256) 325-8600
E-mail: AL_spina_bifida_support@hotmail.com
Web: www.sbaofal.org

Tourette Syndrome
Linda Saunders, Program Manager
Tourette Syndrome Association Mid-South Regional Office
(Serving Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia)
423 Summertrees Drive
Auburn, AL 36832
(334) 502-0055
E-mail: tsamidsouth@bellsouth.net
Web: http://tsa-usa.org/TSANatlLocal/Chapters/Midsouth.htm

Organizations Especially for Parents

Parent Training and Information Center (PTI)
Alabama Parent Education Center (APEC)
P.O. Box 118
Wetumpka, AL 36092
(334) 567-2252
E-mail: jwinter@alabamaparentcenter.com
Web: www.alabamaparentcenter.com

Partners in Policymaking
Jayne R. Chase, Director
Partners in Policymaking of Alabama
100 N. Union Street, Suite 498
P.O. Box 301410
Montgomery, AL 36130-1410
(256) 765-3895; (800) 846-3735
E-mail: jchase1040@aol.com
Web: http://acdd.org

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Nakia Thomas, Executive Director
Alabama PTA
470 S. Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36104-4330
(334) 834-2501; (800) 328-1897
E-mail: al_office@pta.org
Web: www.alabamapta.org

Other Disability Organizations

Byron White, President
Alabama APSE, The Network on Employment
P.O. Box 11586
Montgomery, AL 36116
(334) 613-3527
E-mail: byron.white@rehab.alabama.gov
Web: www.al-apse.org

Jeff Ridgeway, President
Alabama Disability Action Coalition
3801 Cabana Club Blvd., #108
Mobile, AL 36609
(251) 414-5364
E-mail: jridgeway11@bellsouth.net
Web: www.accessalabama.org

Terry Graham, President
Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
P.O. Box 698
Talladega, AL 35161
(256) 761-3200
E-mail: graham.terry@aidb.state.al.us
Web: www.aidb.org

Lynne Stokley, CEO
Easter Seals Alabama
5960 E. Shirley Lane
Montgomery, AL 36117-1935
(334) 395-4489; (800) 388-7325
Web: www.easterseals.com

Jeff Underwood, President/CEO
Lakeshore Foundation
4000 Ridgeway Drive
Birmingham, AL 35209
(205) 313-7400; (888) 868-2303 (In AL)
Web: www.lakeshore.org

Julie Wall, Director
VSA arts of Alabama
1600 7th Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35233
(205) 212-7051
E-mail: info@vsartsalabama.org
Web: www.vsartsalabama.org

Independent Living

To find out the contact information for the Statewide
Independent Living Council (SILC) in your state, contact:
Independent Living Research Utilization Project
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research
2323 South Sheppard, Suite 1000
Houston, TX 77019
(713) 520-0232 (V); (713) 520-5136 (TTY)
E-mail: ilru@ilru.org
Web: www.ilru.org

To find out the contact information for centers for
independent living (CILs) in your state, contact:
National Council on Independent Living
1710 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 207-0334 (V); (202) 207-0340 (TTY)
E-mail: ncil@ncil.org
Web: www.ncil.org

This information is copyright free. Readers are encouraged to copy and share it, but please credit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).
NICHCY State Resources are listings of selected state-wide organizations that can refer people to organizations in their area. We update our state resources continuously; however, the addresses and telephone numbers of these selected groups are constantly changing. If you find that an address or number has changed or is incorrect, please e-mail us at nichcy@aed.org and let us know.
Publication of this document is made possible through a Cooperative Agreement between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.	NICHCY P.O. Box 1492 Washington, DC 20013 (800) 695-0285 · v/tty (202) 884-8441 · fax e-mail: nichcy@aed.org web: www.nichcy.org