Welcome
to the A2Z Educational Advocates website. A2Z
helps parents obtain special education services for their
children.
Announcements:
Autism Society of America-Los Angeles
National Call-In Day May 13:
Ensure Long-Term Services and Supports are Included in Health Care Reform
Background:
In coming weeks, the Senate will finalize legislation to reform America's health care system. Long-term services and supports are essential to individuals with disabilities and seniors and must be included.
While over 48 million Americans do not have medical insurance, over 250 million Americans lack any insurance protection for the costs of long-term services.
Nearly half of all funding for long-term services is provided through Medicaid that requires individuals to impoverish themselves to receive supports.
There is an institutional bias within Medicaid that denies Americans with disabilities an equal choice for home and community services.
Hundreds of thousands of individuals with disabilities and their families are on waiting lists for Medicaid home and community-based services.
Proposals exist to help address these issues. However, they will only be included within health care reform legislation if Congress hears from you. Aging and disability organizations have joined together to host a national call-in day on Wednesday, May 13. Please join thousands of others across the country in calling your Senators to tell them how important it is to include long-term services and supports. Your calls can make a difference!
Call-In Information:
When: Wednesday, May 13 (Between 8AM and 6PM EDT)
Call-In Number: 1-866-459-9232 (Toll Free)
You will be asked which state you are calling from and will be connected to your Senators' offices. Below is a sample script to leave a message:
Hello (state your name and where you are calling from). I'm calling to ask the Senator to help make sure long-term services and supports are part of health care reform. Long-term services and supports are essential to the health, well-being, and community participation of individuals with disabilities and seniors. Please ensure long-term services and supports are included in legislation to reform health care. Thank you.
ASA, in collaboration with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) hope that you will participate in the National Call-In Day May 13: Ensure Long-Term Services and Supports are Included in Health Care Reform.
Visit our new Educational Advocates Blog!
This blog is a place for those interested in special education issues. We hope to use this blog to share stories and ideas with the special education community. We are a team of attorneys and advocates in southern California who represent parents of students with disabilities.
Agenda
for the Special Education Advisory Committee Meeting.
The
Advisory Committee is a committee composed of attorneys,
advocates, parents and school employees, the majority
of whom are parents or those that represent parents.
The Advisory Committee
is responsible for providing non binding recommendations
for improving the mediation and due process hearing
system as it is operated by the Office of Administrative
hearings
The
Public Service Announcement (PSA) video "Respect"
is included as an option on the Tropic Thunder home
video/DVD menu. Our coalition partner TASH was successful
in having Wal-Mart show the PSA in stores across the
country during October for Disability Awareness Month.
Coalition
"Respect" PSA, Copyright 2008 Will Schermerhorn
September
30th, 2008
URGENT GOOD NEWS
ADAAA
Becomes Law, Strengthens 504 & ADA
Today,
the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), S.3406, was signed into
law. The ADAAA overturns a decade of jurisprudence that
has barred the door to ADA eligibility for many people
with disabilities, including epilepsy, diabetes, intellectual
and developmental disabilities, muscular dystrophy,
and cancer, among many others...read
more
Jul.
07, 2008 Families of Autistic Children, Insurers Battle Over
Coverage
By Evan George
Daily Journal Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES - A labyrinth with no end is how one father
described the dizzying process parents must maneuver
to secure medical treatments for a child with autism.
Many say the struggle
for medical care is as complex and maddening as the
disorder itself, because even families with robust health
coverage must fight, petition or sue their insurers
to get the costly therapy that doctors say is crucial
to help children with autism.
A new class action and
a handful of autism-related legislation winding through
Sacramento highlight that struggle...read
more
PRESUME
COMPETENCE:
Challenging Conventional Wisdom About People with Disabilities
Within
our judicial system, a person is presumed innocent.
At trial, the person charged with breaking the law doesn’t
even have to take the stand to defend himself; it’s
up to the prosecution to present evidence which shows
the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. read
the full story...
The
Help Group is please to offer After-School Social
Skills Groups KIDS LIKE ME
Designed
to facilitate social skill development in a structured,
fun, & supportive atmosphere. Click
here for details
P.A.L.
training
The
program’s goal is to educate parents in the IEP
process towards achieving a more meaningful IEP. Click
here for more info
Pal
Training is for groups of 10 or more. Arrangements can
be made by calling our office at 888-433-2232.
"The
A2Z P.A.L. Program gave me the resources and confidence
to meld my life experiences into a successful career
that works around the rest of my life."
Jeri Suchand - single mother of a child with Asperger's
Syndrome
I
wanted to thank all of you for the wonderful training
experience on Saturday. Not only was it extremely
helpful on both a personal and a professional level,
but it truly confirmed my choice of career paths. It
was really exciting to see how fulfilling your careers
are. My favorite part of the day was went we
got to meet the children and share their scenes with
them! They were amazing! I really look forward to helping
out with your upcoming projects.
Sincerely,
Erica Willis
Special
Education Topic:Update on Changes
in Special Education
- Those involved in the Special Education field are
currently sorting through many transitions and changes.
To parents, this can seem overwhelming and confusing.
What does it mean to you and your kid? What resources
are available to help you through the process? Click
here for more info
