Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

[Guest guest]

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings

and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws

and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings

and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and

don't know what's best for my children.

Would appreciate any leads

Kim

[Guest guest]

There's going to be meetings at the CSERC's. There will probably be many advocates attending the meetings as the meeting will be discussing a proposal change things and they need input from parents and advocates for this.

Yours,

n

In a message dated 4/28/07 12:20:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ziahsmomma@... writes:

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's best for my children.

Would appreciate any leads

Kim

[Guest guest]

There will probably be advocates attending this meeting, maybe you could find out more about advocates from someone at one of the meetings:

Proposed Special Education Rules changes meeting

**1st date is This coming Monday: 4/30/07 at the Cuyahoga SERRC in Valley View, See below for all dates, session times and locations.

The following information is a list of where five regional public hearings on the proposed Special Education Rules changes will be held.

This is what the Office for Exceptional Children-OEC (State Dept of Special Education-Columbus) is proposing as changes to our current State Operating Standards For Ohio's Schools Serving Children with Disabilities.

The rumor mill is that the changes and the language is mirroring the Federal Changes in our Federal Regs of IDEA 2004. There is no rumor about the State maybe going "above and beyond" what the Federal law requires. Federal law guides our States on what they must do minimally, States are allowed and can offer more (above and beyond) what the Federal Law (IDEA 2004) requires.

This is why PARENT INPUT is so important at these meetings. So please review the following list, if any of these meetings are within your area and you are able to attend please do so. At this time, a copy of the proposed rules are not on OEC's website. I'm working on this so that parents can review a copy of these rules before attending the meetings. Also call your local Special Education Regional Resource Center (SERRC's) and ask if you can recieve a hard copy of these proposed rules for your review. As soon as I get word that they are on the State Dept's website, I'll email the link.

Cuyahoga SERRC Date:

4/30/07

Choose a session time:

2:30 - 4:45pm

6:30 - 8:45pm

Cuyahoga SERRC

ESC Professional Development Center 5700 West Canal Road Valley View, Oh 44125 Call or email Kodek @ 216-524-2770 x3805 or @... to register. They welcome walk-ins, but registration is preferred.

5/1/07

Choose a session time:

2:30 - 4:45pm

6:30 - 8:45pm

NWOSERRC Wood County ESC 1867 N. Research Drive

Bowling Green, Oh 43402 (seats 60)

Director: Sue Zake 419-833-6771 SZake@...

5/2/07 COSERRC

Choose a session time:

2:30 - 4:45pm

6:30 - 8:45pm

Central Ohio SERRC 470 Glenmont Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43214

Director: Rhonda Dickson 614-262-4545 x1575 rhonda_dickson@...

5/10/07

Choose a session time:

2:30 - 4:45pm

6:30 - 8:45pm

SEOSERRC

507 Richland Avenue

Athens, Oh 45701 (seats 40) Director: Dave Roach 740-594-4235 91_droach@...

5/11/07

Choose a session time:

12:30 - 2:45pm

4:00 - 6:45pm

SWOSERRC

Southwestern Ohio SERRC

1301 Bonnel, 3rd Floor

Cincinnati, Oh 45215

Director: Bill Bogdan 513-563-0045 x12 bill.bogdan@...

Barbara Rutt, Information Specialist

OCECD-Cleveland Office

440-617-9544 - Office

440-617-9547 - Fax

800-694-6402 - Toll Free

www.ocecd.org

Words of Wisdom:

"All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents!"

-- F. Kennedy

In a message dated 4/28/07 12:20:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ziahsmomma@... writes:

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's best for my children.

Would appreciate any leads

Kim

[Guest guest]

Your local SERRC may have parent advocates or you could contact the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities www.ocecd.org . Both are very knowledgeable will help you for free.

----- Original Message ----From: ziahsmomma <ziahsmomma@...> Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 12:20:03 AMSubject: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's best for my children.Would appreciate any leadsKim

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[Guest guest]

Hi, Kim --

I have tried the OCECD and haven't gotten very far -- mainly because there are so many people who need advocates and so few advocates to go around. Many places I called at the end of last year when I began my search for an advocate flat out told me that unless my child was: A) in danger of being thrown in jail, or in danger of being expelled, they did not have the time or manpower to talk to me. The OCECD told me to talk to our district's parent mentor, who is a very nice lady, but is very pro-school. So, she wasn't about to give me the help I needed.

I think you're in Summit County, right? Try Mental Health America of Summit County in Cuyahoga Falls -- 330-923-0688, or www.mhasc.net. We have them as advocates, they're good and they're free.

Failing that, I would go to this site: http://www.yellowpagesforkids.com/help/oh.htm. It's on slaw, and they can help you find a local contact, although some do charge, and some have some rather interesting restrictions on what kind of cases they'll take.

Hope that helps!

--Suzanne

-----Original Message-----

From: bec1974@...

Sent: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 7:02 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

Your local SERRC may have parent advocates or you could contact the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities www.ocecd.org . Both are very knowledgeable will help you for free.

----- Original Message ----

From: ziahsmomma <ziahsmomma >

Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 12:20:03 AM

Subject: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings

and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws

and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings

and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and

don't know what's best for my children.

Would appreciate any leads

Kim

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?

Check out new cars at Autos.

AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.

[Guest guest]

I have used Judy Marks, email Marks815@... from Autism Advocates. She is for hire. Debbieziahsmomma <ziahsmomma@...> wrote: Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's

best for my children.Would appreciate any leadsKim

[Guest guest]

I had someone come from OCECD come and help me.

She helped with what my son needed. We got what we wanted and more!

----- Original Message -----

From: 1@...

Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:20 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

There's going to be meetings at the CSERC's. There will probably be many advocates attending the meetings as the meeting will be discussing a proposal change things and they need input from parents and advocates for this. Yours, n In a message dated 4/28/07 12:20:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ziahsmomma writes:

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's best for my children. Would appreciate any leads Kim

[Guest guest]

The advocate for my area, Lyke, is very helpful. She does ask people to use the parent mentors from the SERRCs first, but if needed or the parent mentors aren't able to deal with the problem, she will help out. She also does free trainings and has written materials that are very helpful. She has helped me both through my profession and personally with my son. I was once in an all day mediation between a family and a district with her and I was very impressed. I have learned a lot from her.

----- Original Message ----From: Eisengart <cdleers@...> Sent: Sunday, April 29, 2007 3:38:02 PMSubject: Re: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

I had someone come from OCECD come and help me.

She helped with what my son needed. We got what we wanted and more!

----- Original Message -----

From: 1@wmconnect .com

@group s.com

Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 9:20 AM

Subject: Re: [ ] Wanted: Special needs advocate on loan or for hire

There's going to be meetings at the CSERC's. There will probably be many advocates attending the meetings as the meeting will be discussing a proposal change things and they need input from parents and advocates for this. Yours, n In a message dated 4/28/07 12:20:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ziahsmomma (DOT) com writes:

Hi I'm trying to locate someone who joins families for IEP meetings and who strongly advocates for the child. Someone who knows the laws and is not easily intimidated. I'm tired of walking into IEP meetings and being ripped to shreds and made to feel like I'm uneducated and don't know what's best for my children. Would appreciate any leads Kim

Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell? Check out

new cars at Autos.