Services

How do advocates help?

Here is a general overview of typical services…

Advocates can…

• Educate and support clients about special education and regular education.
• Assist clients in focusing and prioritizing based on the needs of the individual and their family as a whole.
• Help with reviewing, understanding and responding to evaluations, IEP’s, NOREP’s and other special education related documents.
• Increase knowledge and understanding of special education procedures, timelines, and a parent(s)/guardian(s) rights and obligations in each process.
• Support through preparation for meetings, direct assistance in meetings, and follow up and review concerns after meetings for understanding and clarification.
• Be a resource to clients regarding local providers, services, and community resources.
• Assist clients in making educated decisions regarding services, placements, and utilization of resources that match the desired long term goals for the individual  while considering the needs of the family as a whole.
• Prepare and assist clients in requesting services, evaluations and placement changes in the educational and early intervention systems.
• Assist families in knowing when/if it is time to acquire legal counsel and how to go about doing that.
• Help find creative solutions to problems and support communication in circumstances where positive communications have deteriorated.
• Provide consultative services to teachers and other related service professionals about how to support and advocate for students/clients within the school district and early intervention systems.
• Provide community based advocacy presentations/discussions on educational and related related topics.