Advocates' Voices Blog

August is here and our thoughts turn to the new school year. We know where our children will be during the day, but what about after 3 PM?

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The federal government recently launched HealthCare.gov to connect all types of health care consumers with information and resources to help them find care.

You have the opportunity to help shape the direction of the US Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Developmental Disabilities!  

Round 2 of pre-kindergarten admissions begins this Monday, July 19.

Are you a parent or primary caregiver of a young person with disabilities between 12 and 22 years old?

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has just released a "Q&A" document to provide information regarding the IDEA requirements relating to individualized education programs (IEPs), evaluations, and reevaluations.

New York City schools are moving toward inclusion of students with disabilities in more neighborhood schools and classrooms. With the goal of including all but students with the most severe disabilities in the city’s 1,500 neighborhood schools, the Department of Education is beginning its implementation of “special education reform” this school year with 260 “Phase 1” schools.

Check out the DOE's "Making Choices" Summer Workshop Series: June 30 - August 10. Middle school students and their parents are invited to attend summer workshops to learn about the high school admissions process. Dates, locations and topics are here on the DOE website.

Last year, more than 440,000 Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks were reported lost or stolen and had to be reissued. If you receive federal benefit checks yourself or on behalf of someone else, the U.S. Department of the Treasury wants you to know that there are safer, more convenient alternatives: direct deposit or prepaid debit cards.

New York City schools enrolled 14,000 more students than had been projected and about half of them require special education services, School Chancellor Klein said this week.

A major reorganization at the New York State Education Department (NYSED), announced last week, will merge Special Education with General Education from preschool through high school beginning July 1, 2010. 

This is a very significant shift in policy and structure, one that will certainly have profound consequences for all students -- especially those with disabilities.

Our friends at the PACER Center tipped us off to strengthofus.org and the Think College newsletter, two great new resources for young adults with disabilities navigating their transition years.

Does your child have a developmental disability (intellectual disability/mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, or traumatic brain injury)? 

Do you work with children and families dealing with these disabilities?

RCSN can help you...

Transition to college was the focus of a lively event presented by RCSN on May 13. 

Dr. Chris Rosa (Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, City University of New York) and Alan Wachtel, MD (Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine and Director, Familyhealth Associates) engaged nearly 150 audience members in a lively conversation about the academic, social, developmental, legal, family and practical perspectives of this critical process.

We need your help!  A critical program for children with autism spectrum disorders is in danger of losing its funding.

Join RCSN and other providers for a rally and press conference with City Councilman Mark Weprin on the steps of City Hall in New York City, at 10:00 am on Tuesday, May 25th, 2010.

Since the transition process for students with disabilities from preschool to kindergarten can be complicated, it is especially helpful to have current information.

The NYC Department of Education recently released its 2009-2010 Turning Five Orientation Guide, an orientation guide for students with disabilities transitioning from preschool to school-age programs.

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is offering a 16-day exchange program to Costa Rica this summer, with a focus on youth leadership and cultural perspectives on disability rights.

Young adults with disabilities from New York City who are between 18-24 years old, from cultural minority and low-income backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  Sliding scale program fee, with scholarships availalble. Those accepted to the program must have a valid passport to travel by June 16, so apply as soon as possible.

The 6th Annual Mental Health Forum for parents and professionals will be held on Friday June 4th at Lincoln Hospital and Medical Center. 

This one-day, free event is for anyone in the Bronx concerned with the well-being of children, adolescents and young adults with emotional and behavioral special needs, with a focus on Bronx community collaborations and coordination. RCSN is proud to be part of the planning group and our very own Gary Shulman will be one of the presenters. 

The Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE) advisory vote started yesterday and ends this Friday 4/30/10.

In the past only District 75 had a CCSE. This will be the first Council that is for all parents of children with an IEP, regardless of placement.  Any parent with a school-age child that has an IEP is eligible to vote for nine Council members.