| National Advocacy Organizations/Resources |
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Alliance for Children and Families - The Alliance for Children and Families, a national membership association, provides effective resources and leadership to over 300 private, nonprofit child- and family-serving organizations in the United States and Canada.
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American Academy of Pediatrics - Dedicated to the health of all children.
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American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - AAIDD promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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Association for Behavior Analysis International - The Association for Behavior Analysis InternationalTM (ABA InternationalTM) is a nonprofit professional membership organization with the mission to develop, enhance, and support the growth and vitality of behavior analysis through research, education, and practice.
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Breaking the Barriers - A website devoted to information on the right to communicate from Breaking the Barriers. Breaking the Barriers is a national effort supported by TASH.
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Child Advocacy Institute - Voices for America's Children - Voices for America's Children is the only entity in the country devoted to enhancing the effectiveness of state and local child advocacy organizations. That role is important. Although the needs of children are constantly changing as service gaps are addressed and others emerge, children will always need someone to speak out on their behalf, someone to be their advocate. Yet no one goes to college or professional school to be a child advocate. You can’t earn a Masters Degree in Child Advocacy. Information can be garnered from multiple sources on the issues affecting children and families, and degree programs exist to build skills in certain aspects of child advocacy. But, before Voices began to focus resources on building the child advocacy skills and knowledge of its membership, child advocacy expertise was gained only through on-the-job training.
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Concrete Change - An international effort to make all homes Visitable!!
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Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates - An independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates and parents established to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities.
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Disability is Natural - The Disability is Natural web site is brought to you by BraveHeart Press, the family-owned business of Kathie Snow. The mission of this site is to encourage new ways of thinking about disability and to help create a society in which all people are valued and included.
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Disability Nation - An Audio Magazine By and For People with Disabilities - DisabilityNation is an audio magazine by and for people with disabilities. Too often we hear about the legal, physical or attitudinal barriers facing persons with disabilities in our society today. Unfortunately, not enough attention is focused on those with disabilities living life. The goal of DisabilityNation is to be different than normal and to give you, the listener, the opportunity to learn and grow from the experience of hearing the program.
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Disaboom - Transforming the way people living with disabilities communicate, share, and grow.
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Exceptional Parent - EP’s on-line resource. Continuing 33 award-winning years of providing information, support, ideas, encouragement and outreach for parents and families of children with disabilities, and the professionals who work with them.
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Family Voices - Family Voices, a national grassroots network of families and friends, advocates for health care services that are family-centered, community-based, comprehensive, coordinated and culturally competent for all children and youth with special health care needs; promotes the inclusion of all families as decision makers at all levels of health care; and supports essential partnerships between families and professionals.
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FindFamily Registry - Online database will match families with their missing family member with a disability. For decades, parents of children with disabilities were advised by professionals to institutionalize their child and in effect "forget you ever had them." Of the more than 500,000 people in out-of-home residential settings, experts report that a high percentage have no regular contact with their family. States are gradually replacing their institutions with smaller, community-based residential settings that support family connections, but there has been no good way, until now, to actually help make that connection happen. As a result, most people in these settings have no families to help them make decisions, no one to call them on their birthday, no one to share holidays. Now, there is an opportunity for family members to reunite.
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Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center - The Grandfamilies State Law and Policy Resource Center serves as a national legal resource created to educate individuals about state laws and legislation in support of grandfamilies and to assist interested state legislators, advocates, caregivers, attorneys, and other policymakers in exploring policy options to support relatives and the children in their care both within and outside the child welfare system.
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Great Lakes ADA Center - The Great Lakes ADA Center provides informal guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessible information technology for educational entities. The Great Lakes ADA and Accessible IT Center staffs a toll-free information line and provides informal guidance on the Americans with Disabilties Act (ADA) and Accessible Information Technology for educational entities. The Great Lakes ADA Center is not an enforcement agency and cannot provide legal representation. However, the Center's Technical Assistance Specialists can answer most questions you have immediately and will research and return your call on complex questions if necessary. They may also be able to provide you with expert referrals for disability issues, which are not addressed by the ADA. All requests for technical assistance are strictly confidential.
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IncludingAllKids.org - Paths to Inclusion - IncludingAllKids.org and its companion publication, Paths to Inclusion, are designed as guides to help youth program leaders and volunteers expand opportunities for all young people to be engaged by making their organizations and programs more accessible. Sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.
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Institute for Community Inclusion - The Institute for Community Inclusion supports the rights of children and adults with disabilities to participate in all aspects of the community. As practitioners, researchers, and teachers, we form partnerships with individuals, families, and communities. Together we advocate for personal choice, self-determination, and social and economic justice.
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Kids Camps.com - KidsCamps.com, online since 1995, continues to be the most popular and trafficked camp directory on the Internet with over 600,000 unique visitors per month, allowing millions of parents and children the ability to select the program of their choice.
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Leaders with Developmental Disabilities in the Self-Advocacy Movement - The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley is pleased to announce the addition of a new collection of oral histories of leaders in the self-advocacy movement. This project explores the life stories of thirteen leaders in the self-advocacy movement and their perspectives on key issues and leadership challenges.
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National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities - NADDC's mission is to provide support & assistance to member Councils in order to promote a consumer and family centered system of services and supports for those with Developmental Disability
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National Catholic Partnership on Disability (NCPD) - Advancing inclusion in church and society.
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National Center for Parents with Disabilities and Their Families - This National Center is funded by NIDRR, U.S. Department of Education. The Center targets three national populations: (1) parents with diverse disabilities; (2) family members; and, (3) service providers and trainees who have a particularly critical impact on parents. The Center's activities focus on priority issues facing parents with disabilities and their families: custody and parental evaluations; family roles and personal assistance; paratransit; and, intervention with parents with cognitive and intellectual disabilities and their children. The overall goal of this project is to Improve the quality of life among parents with disabilities and their families.
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National Council on Disability - NCD's overall purpose is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.
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National Disability Rights Network - The National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) is the nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP) for individuals with disabilities. Collectively, the P&A/CAP network is the largest provider of legally based advocacy services to people with disabilities in the United States.
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National Dissemination Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities - NICHCY is the national information center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues. Anyone can use our services—families, educators, administrators, journalists, students. Our special focus is children and youth (birth to age 22).
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National Fair Housing Advocate Online - The National Fair Housing Advocate Online is a resource designed to serve both the fair housing advocacy community and the general public with timely news and information regarding the issues of housing discrimination.
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National Family Caregivers Association - The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) supports, empowers, educates, and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for a chronically ill, aged, or disabled loved one. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of different diagnoses, different relationships and different life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers.
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National Organization for Rare Disorders - The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a unique federation of voluntary health organizations dedicated to helping people with rare "orphan" diseases and assisting the organizations that serve them. NORD is committed to the identification, treatment, and cure of rare disorders through programs of education, advocacy, research, and service.
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National Parent Information Network - The mission of NPIN is to provide access to research-based information about the process of parenting, and about family involvement in education. We believe that well-informed families are likely to make good decisions about raising and educating their children.
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National Respite Network - Respite Locator Service - The National Respite Locator Service helps parents, caregivers, and professionals find respite services in their state and local area to match their specific needs. The service is also useful when a family travels or must move to another state.
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Partners in Policymaking - Partners in Policymaking was created in Minnesota by the Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities in 1987. Partners is an innovative, competency based leadership training program for adults with disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities.
The purpose of the program is twofold: To teach best practices in disability, and the competencies of influencing public officials.
Since 1987, Partners programs have been implemented in 46 states, the Northern Mariana Islands, Netherlands, Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom. More than 13,000 Partners graduates are part of a growing national and international network of community leaders serving on policy making committees, commissions, and boards at all levels of government.
Partners in Policymaking is now offering a number of e-courses including "Partners in Time," "Partners in Education," "Making Your Case" and "Partners in Employment".
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Public Policy Guide from Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation - This Policy Guide was developed to provide an orientation about public policy work with and on behalf of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The website is designed for use by Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Public Policy Fellows and others new to the field of public policy and intellectual and related disabilities.
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Quality Mall - Welcome to Quality Mall, a place where you can find lots of free information about person-centered supports for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Each of the Mall stores has departments you can look through to learn about positive practices that help people with intellectual/developmental disabilities live, work and participate in our communities and improve the quality of their supports.
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Search Institute - Search Institute is an independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, knowledge, and resources to promote healthy children, youth, and communities. Train and share information on Developmental Assets - The Developmental Assets are 40 common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible adults.
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Sibling Support Project - The Sibling Support Project is a national effort dedicated to the life-long concerns of brothers and sisters of people who have special health, developmental, or mental health concerns.
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Special Needs Alliance - The Special Needs Alliance is a non-profit organization
dedicated to serving the legal planning needs of people
with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them.
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Special Needs Resource Project - Special Needs Resource Project (SNRP) provides a basic guide for parents of children with chronic health issues, disabilities and special needs. This site is designed to help you get a jump-start in your search for helpful information and resources. Every situation is unique. Our aim is to help you learn the basic skills you'll need to obtain the specific resource information, equipment, and services your child and family needs. Though focused on children ages 0-22, most of the information we offer is applicable to adults as well.
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The 2008 A Case for Inclusion - An Analysis of Medicaid for Americans with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - The Case for Inclusion 2008 ranks all 50 States and the District of Columbia on how well they are providing community-based supports to Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities being served by Medicaid.
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The Arc of The United States - The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
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The ArcLink - The ArcLink exists to supply the free flow of information that makes self-determination possible. TheArcLink’s goal is to provide resources that empower individuals with disabilities and their families to make sound choices about services that support their full participation in the community.
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The Association of University Centers on Disabilities - The Association of University Centers on Disabilities (formerly the American Association of University Affiliated Programs for Persons with Developmental Disabilities) is a 501(c) non-profit organization that promotes and supports the national network of university centers on disabilities, which includes University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD), Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Programs and
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The Center for Study and Advancement of Disability Policy (CSADP) - The Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy conducts research and analysis of complex public policy issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families. Through consensus-building strategies that transcend partisan and interest-group politics, the Center develops common-sense, flexible solutions that recognize the needs and rights of individuals with disabilities and their families as well as the legitimate concerns of Federal, State, local, and private entities.
The Center also provides public education, leadership development and training, technical assistance and information dissemination to disability groups, international, national, State, local, and private sector leaders and others interested in learning about the complex details of, and the relationships among various laws and programs affecting individuals with disabilities and their families.
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The Center on Human Policy - The Center on Human Policy (CHP) is a Syracuse University based policy, research, and advocacy organization involved in the national movement to insure the rights of people with disabilities. Since its founding, the Center has been involved in the study and promotion of open settings (inclusive community opportunities) for people with disabilities.
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The Council on Quality and Leadership - The Council provides a continuum of services and resources that increase the effectiveness of individuals, organizations, and systems.
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The Family Village - The Family Village is a web site for children and adults with disabilities, their families, and their friends and allies. Family Village brings together thousands of online resources in a organized, easy-to-use directory. The centerpiece of Family Village is the library, where visitors can find information on over 300 diagnosis. Visitors can also learn about assistive technology, legal rights and legislation, special education, leisure activities and much more.
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The National Center for Healthy Housing - To develop and promote practical methods to protect children from residential environmental hazards while preserving the supply of affordable housing.
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The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability - The mission of the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is to promote the substantial health benefits that can be gained from participating in regular physical activity.
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Through the Looking Glass - Through the Looking Glass (TLG) is a nationally recognized center that has pioneered research, training, and services for families in which a child, parent or grandparent has a disability or medical issue. TLG is a disability community based nonprofit organization, which emerged from the independent living movement, and was founded in 1982 in Berkeley, California. Our mission is "To create, demonstrate and encourage non-pathological and empowering resources and model early intervention services for families with disability issues in parent or child which integrate expertise derived from personal disability experience and disability culture."
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Travelers with Disabilities and Medical Conditions - One of the primary goals of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is to provide the highest level of security and customer service to all who pass through our screening checkpoints. Our current policies and procedures focus on ensuring that all passengers, regardless of their personal situations and needs, are treated equally and with the dignity, respect, and courtesy they deserve.
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UCP - United Cerebral Palsy - United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is the leading source of information on cerebral palsy and is a pivotal advocate for the rights of persons with any disability. As one of the largest health charities in America, the UCP mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network.
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We Have Human Rights - A Handbook from the Harvard Project on Disability - HPOD has published a Handbook with an easy to read explanation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This publication is designed for anyone wanting a clear explanation of the CRPD, including people with intellectual disabilities, their organizations, and their advocates.
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