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Navigating The Maze

A Guide to Funding/Grant Opportunities & Advocacy

Resources

Updated February 2012 Please e-mail Debbie for updates/additions

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Funding Resources

GA Department of Community Health www.dch.ga.gov The Georgia Department of Community Health

(DCH) was created in 1999 to serve as the lead agency for health care planning and purchasing issues

in Georgia. The General Assembly created DCH by consolidating four agencies involved in purchasing, planning and regulating health care. The department is designated as the single state agency for Medicaid.

Katie Beckett Medicaid Deeming Waiver: Eligibility Based on Level of Care Criteria. The family income requirement is waived. Effective January 1, 2012 new applications for Katie Beckett will be processed by a centralized Katie Beckett Medicaid Team. The Katie Beckett Team will be the main point of contact. Right from the Start Medicaid Project Centralized Katie Beckett Medicaid Team 5815 Live Oak Parkway Suite D-2 Norcross, GA 30093 678-248-7449 (phone) 678-248-7459 (fax) Deeming Waiver Tutorial on Parent to Parent’s website under Education Tab (Archived Webinar) www.p2pga.org http://www.p2pga.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&catid=66 NOW/COMP Waiver offer home and community based services to people with mental retardation or developmental disabilities. Guidance to this waiver can be found in a document called Constructing A Good Life Through Understanding The Now & Comp Waivers by Dottie Adams. http://www.files.georgia.gov/DBHDD/Files/READY%20REFERENCE%20-%20CONSTRUCTING%20A%20GOOD%20LIFE.pdf PeachCare for Uninsured Kids (Children’s Health Insurance) www.peachcare.org 877-GA-PEACH (877) 427-3224 HIPP (Health Insurance Premium Plan) OR CHIPRA: If eligible reimburses you for health insurance premiums after you are deemed Medicaid Eligible. 678-564-1162 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - 800-772-1213 Supplemental Security Income provides monthly assistance for children with disabilities. The amount paid is based on your family income, the number of people in your family and the severity of the disability. SSI Benefits Navigators offers FREE Guidance. Call 866-772-2626 or http://www.bpaoga.com/

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Sampling of Some Local Service Boards: They offer a variety of services including respite. Ask if your service board offers Autism Family Support Funding. Fulton: www.livebetterfulton.org DeKalb: www.dekcsb.org Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale: www.grncsb.com Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin: http://www.avitapartners.org/ Cobb and Douglas County Community Service Board http://www.cobbcsb.com/ GCSS (GA Community Support and Solutions) www.gacommunity.org serves numerous counties and offers 13 different programs

Grants 4-A Healing Foundation www.4ahealingfoundation.org Provides financial assistance for children that require biomedical treatment, as well as information resources.

ACT! Today Grant http://www.act-today.org/index.php grant cycle is variable, check site frequently to see if they are accepting applications. They accept children on the autism spectrum as a first priority. The Ainsley Paige Higgins’ Dare To Hope Foundation, Inc. http://dare-to-hope.org/ They work to raise awareness and better the lives of children with rare diseases and/or complex medical conditions. Their services include procuring free or low-cost legal and advocacy assistance; furnishing medical supplies not covered by insurance; offering toys to brighten a child’s day; providing community resource referrals and coordination; and offering emotional support to families. Anchor of Hope Foundation http://www.anchorofhopefoundation.com/ Anchor of Hope Foundation, Inc. has grants for special needs children for therapy education, equipment and other needs not covered by insurance or Medicaid. Maximum grant is $250 per family. Autism Cares Emergency Grants http://www.autismcares.org/site/c.mqLOIYOBKlF/b.4745901/k.BD21/Home.htm One-time grant up to $1000 for families in crisis: disaster, family illness/death, divorce, etc. Autism Escapes www.autismescapes.org Serves as an Angel Network for families of children with autism. Its primary purpose is to arrange air travel on private jets for families in need of medical care for their children.

Autism Help Network http://www.autismhelpforyou.org/grantap.pdf Grants are based on family income and approved on a rolling basis. Send in all information at the same time; if you are waiting for a tax form, IEP, evaluation note and they are sent separately, it is unlikely that the late papers will be reunited with the file.

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Autism Relief Foundation http://www.autismrelieffoundation.com/ Any individual with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis, regardless of age, may be eligible for one of four financial assistance programs offered by this organization. Awards are made annually, applications accepted mid-July until Sept. 1. Amounts awarded generally range from $300-$1800. Champions for Children/Easter Seals 1-866-584-3742 http://www.championsforchildrenga.org/ To be eligible you must have applied for Katie Beckett and received a level of care denial ; Age 21 and under; Live at home; Have a physical, cognitive, developmental or medical disability. Disabled Children’s Relief Fund www.dcrf.com They provide disabled children with assistance to obtain wheelchairs, orthopedic braces, walkers, lifts, hearing aids, eyeglasses, medical equipment, physical therapy, and surgery. Blind, Deaf, Amputees, and children with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spastic Quadriplegia, Encephalitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spina Bifida, Down's Syndrome, and other disabilities receive assistance. DCRF focuses special attention on helping children throughout the U.S. that do not have adequate health insurance, especially the physically challenged.

First Hand Foundation https://applications.cerner.com/firsthand/ The Foundation helps with clinical necessities (such as medication and surgeries), medical equipment and travel related to a child’s care. Additionally, the Foundation implores doctors, hospitals and equipment providers to discount their services below listed prices. Funding is distributed directly to the child’s immediate healthcare provider. FOCUS (They have some grants for their camps/activities) http://focus-ga.org/ FOCUS provides emotional, informational, and physical support to parents of children with disabilities or with ongoing medical needs. FOCUS families deal with a variety of developmental delays, including rare syndromes, cerebral palsy, heart problems, immune deficiencies, and neurological involvement. Fragile Kids Foundation http://www.fragilekids.org/ Focuses on loaning or buying medical equipment and assistive technology to be given to families whose children don’t qualify for these items from insurance. Free Access Pass to National Parks http://store.usgs.gov/pass/access.html The Access Pass is a free lifetime pass to over 2000 federally owned parks in the USA. The Access Pass is available to US citizens or permanent residents of all ages who have a permanent disability. A permanent disability is a physical, mental or sensory impairment that severely limits one or more life activities. If you live in the USA, chances are that one of these parks is near you. For parks that charge admission per vehicle, everyone who is in the vehicle with the Access Pass holder is admitted for free (for individual tours and campsites, there may be discounts, but fees still have to be paid). Friends of Disabled Adults and Children, Too! http://www.fodac.org/index2.html Phone: 770-491-9014 Non-profit organization that provides people with disabilities in the Atlanta area with free medical equipment.

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Gentle Interventions http://gentle-interventions.org/ It is the intent of the staff and members of Gentle Interventions.org to provide support in areas not covered by other organizations, such as , cash to eat on while in hospital stays with their child, assistance in dealing with insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Georgia deeming waiver, prescription co-pays, medical equipment not covered by insurance, household food supplies, clothing needs, fund raiser’s, transportation repair and needs, Individual Education Planning, guides for filling out forms, up to date research information, respect and privacy, HIPPA release information, Birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, and other occasions. They state that they provide a place that the families of Mitochondrial children can talk about their issues without being judged. Generation Rescue www.generationrescue.org Generations Rescue’s Rescue Family grants are designed to provide support to individuals and families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Each grant recipient will receive: two doctor visits with a specially-trained physician who treats autism, vitamins, minerals and supplements for 90 days, a Generation Rescue Mentor, dietary intervention training. This grant is only applicable for families who have not done biomedical treatment, with the exception of the GF/CF Diet. Georgia Autism Professionals http://www.helpfillthegap.org Georgia Autism Professionals, Inc. (GAP) provides individuals with ASD scholarships for camps, therapies and/or respite care. Camps are programs that provide educational gains outside of daily schooling for individuals with autism. Respite services are compensated care taking for individuals with autism. Therapies are research based interventions provided outside of those received through daily schooling for individuals with autism (e.g., ABA therapy, speech therapy).

Gracie’s Hope http://www.gracieshope.org/ Gracie’s Hope provides funding for therapies such as, but not limited to, PT, OT, Speech, Chelation, and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. They also help provide needed equipment and assist families in finding respite care, and other needed services. Just Heart Foundation http://www.justheart.org/ Their mission is to provide assistance to families in crisis,--particularly those with a hospitalized child-- by paying their mortgage or rent, utilities, or in some other appropriate way. They partner with local hospitals and you will want to speak with your hospital social worker to contact them. They ask in return is that these families pledge to raise funds, when they are able, to help other families. Kiddo’s Clubhouse http://www.kiddosclubhousefoundation.org/ Kiddos’ Clubhouse Foundation provides therapy scholarships to help families pay for critical therapies. The m.o.r.g.a.n. project, inc: www.themorganproject.org/grants/html It is their hope that through this project, they can help other family caregivers to be able to better care for their own kids with special needs, by providing resources, gently used disability equipment, and small grants.

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MyGOAL Inc. Enrichment Grant www.mygoalautism.org MyGOAL Inc. is proud to offer a grant program that will enable families to take advantage of socialization and educational opportunities designed for individuals with special needs. The purpose of the grants is to enrich the body, mind, and spirit of individual(s) with Autism Spectrum Disorders, resulting in a higher quality of life.

Myles-A-Part Foundation www.mylesapart.org They exist to provide financial and emotional support to Georgia families facing Autism. In the past, some of their initiatives included an adopt-a-famly program at Christmas for single parent families of children in the autism spectrum. They get a list of needs for the child, and get a sponsor to help get some of the needs. Myles A Part also gives some money ($200 in 2009) for therapy plus a grocery store gift card. They also have provided married couples retreat weekend. They also have a summer scholarship program $1000 to families for therapies & medical bills. National Autism Association http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/helpinghand.php The National Autism Association’s Family first fund/helping hand grant applications are available and can only be submitted annually during June and July. The Olive You Foundation www.theoliveyoufoundation.org Their purpose is to provide grants to help children who have speech and language disorders. Their goal is to allow children with communication difficulties the chance to better express themselves. The Olive You Foundation strives to provide children the opportunity to receive assistance to help improve their communication.

Small Steps in Speech www.smallstepsinspeech.org Small Steps in Speech assists children with speech and language disorders by funding supplemental therapies and treatments for individuals as well as grants to charitable organizations who serve children with communicative disorders. Their goal is to give children the chance to better express themselves in the world in which we live.

TACA Family Scholarship Program http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/fic/family-scholarship-program.htm The TACA Family Scholarship Program was developed to help families who are pursuing treatment for their children with autism, but are struggling to find the funding. They provide funding for DAN! Doctors, lab work, DAN! Conferences, and independent assessments with licensed providers such as Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Educational Evaluations. TRICARE: Enhanced Access to Autism Services Demonstration www.tricare.mil Under the Enhanced Access to Autism Services Demonstration, TRICARE covers Educational Interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders for qualifying military families. The demonstration is available in the 50 states and DC to beneficiaries who are 18 months or older, registered or in the process of registering in ECHO, and diagnosed with either Autistic Disorder (AD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDDNOS), Asperger's Disorder (AS) or Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD).

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United Healthcare http://www.uhccf.org/ Children who have medical needs are sometimes not insured comprehensively to provide coverage for all of their medical treatments. There are few places for families who have gaps in their commercial health benefit plan coverage to turn to for funding medically necessary services for their children. Children may go without necessary treatment, or, they receive the care and families assume a large amount of debt. The Foundation understands these needs and is willing to help fill this void. Families must meet income requirements to qualify for this grant.

I-Pad Funding Autism Society http://www.autism-society.org/news/funding-for-ipads.html Loud Mommy www.loudmommy.com Their goal is to provide iPad's for families in need. Finances and child's condition are the deciding factors for Loud Mommy. Applicants will be reviewed by a committee. Supplies will be limited to donations received.

www.parentingspecialneeds.org Jan/Feb 2012 publication http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=97070&l=&m=&p=20&id=5779 Talk About Curing Autism has a wonderful article on I-Pad funding. http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/how-to-get-an-ipad-funded/

School Funding HB 1133 http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/DMGetDocument.aspx/hb1133.pdf?p=6CC6799F8C1371F671792C922C22DC7EFAE2B224675CCB85939D408E34A9685F&Type=D Under a new Georgia law (HB1133), tax credits will be given for donations to qualified Student Scholarship Organizations the provide scholarships for children in K-12 who are currently in public schools and wish to attend a private school. Tax credits will be issued on a first-come first-served basis up to a statewide annual cap of $50 million. The contributed amounts are deductible for federal income tax purposes.

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SB 10 http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx Funds received through the GSNS Program can only be used

to offset tuition and fees at a private school authorized by the State Board of Education to participate in

the program. Funds cannot be used to offset the costs of out of district tuition, charter schools, or other

options available under public school choice. Scholarship amounts for students generally range from

$2,500 to $13,500 with an average amount of about $6,000.

There is no application. In May 2012, a new scholarship calculator will be posted on the web page for parents. The award sheet generated by the calculator is proof of a student's eligibility for the GSNS Program. A student must meet the following eligibility requirements if a parent is interested in having a child participate in the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program during the 2012 - 2013 school year for the first time:

Student Eligibility Criteria 1 - The student´s parent(s) currently resides within Georgia and has been a Georgia resident for at least one year.

Student Eligibility Criteria 2 - The student has spent the entire immediate prior school year in attendance at a Georgia public school in grades K - 12.

Student Eligibility Criteria 3 - Student was enrolled and reported by a public school district(s) for funding purposes during the preceding October 2011 AND March 2012 full-time equivalent (FTE) program counts in accordance with O.C.G.A. § 20-2-160.

Student Eligibility Criteria 4 - The student was served at some point during the immediate prior school year under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and was reported by a school district in either the October 2011 OR March 2012 FTE program counts OR in student record as a student receiving special education services.

Educational Resources, Advocacy, and Protection The Arc of Georgia http://www.thearcofgeorgia.org/ All About Developmental Disabilities http://aadd.org/ For these and all AADD participants, they offer a broad array of support that covers three critical areas including consulting & planning, individual & family support, advocacy & education services.

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Center for Leadership in Disability http://publichealth.gsu.edu/678.html The major activities of CLD include:

Community education and technical assistance to people with developmental disabilities, family members, service providers, educators, and professionals on a range of topics, such as positive behavior support, person-centered planning, autism, individuals services and supports, and the SafeCare® training model

Research on implementation of evidence-based practices and the policies that support them

Disseminating information about services, supports, and resources for people with developmental disabilities, their families, professionals, service providers, and families

Advocacy and leadership training

Educational opportunities for graduate students, professionals, and advocates Childkind www.childkind.org Their mission is to empower families caring for children with special healthcare and developmental needs, promoting safe, stable and nurturing homes. Childkind’s work is grounded in a multi-disciplinary approach, combining the skills of licensed social workers, nurses, and community resource experts. Their programs form a continuum; families and children with special healthcare needs or developmental disabilities can access Childkind services based on the type of help they need. Their major initiatives include placement services and home based services which provides support for families & children with special healthcare needs & developmental disabilities through social workers, nurses & foster parents. COPAA Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit, §501(c)(3) tax-

exempt membership organization of attorneys, advocates, parents and other professionals. COPAA

members work to protect special education rights and secure excellence in education on behalf of the

7.1 million children with disabilities in America http://www.copaa.org/

Georgia Advocacy Office, Inc. www.thegao.org Toll-Free: 800537-2329 (TTY) Fax: 770-414-2948 Email: infor@thegao.org Georgia Advocacy Office, Inc. (GAO) is a private non-profit corporation. Their mission is to work with and

for oppressed and vulnerable individuals in Georgia who are labeled as disabled or mentally ill to secure

their protection and advocacy. GAO's work is mandated by Congress, and GAO has been designated by

Georgia as the agency to implement Protection and Advocacy within the state.

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Georgia Children’s Network The GA Children's Network is an exciting disability list serv in GA bridging parents and grandparents of special needs children together with other parents, advocates, professionals, service providers and community organizations. Parents, advocates, special education attorneys and professionals are members of the list and will offer support and sound advice. Information shared: disability info, BCW (Babies Can't Wait), SST, Spec. Ed. and Civil Rights (ADA, IDEIA, 504), appropriate medical care, and other such issues. This support is provided in an unbiased, safe forum moderated by parents of children with special needs. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GA-ChildrensNetwork/?yguid=284042666 Georgia’s Client Assistance Program http://www.vocrehabga.org/lev3j.html Phone/TTY: 404-373-3116 800-822-9727 Fax: 404-373-4110 Email: rehab@dol.state.ga.us Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities http://www.gcdd.org The Georgia Council on

Developmental Disabilities is the state’s leader in advancing public policy on behalf of persons with

developmental disabilities. Our mission is to promote public policy that creates an integrated

community life for persons with developmental disabilities, their families, friends, neighbors and all who

support them. We achieve this mission by sharing information, coordinating public outreach and

implementing strategic legislative advocacy.

Georgia Learning Resource Systems http://www.glrs.org/ GLRS is a network of 17 centers throughout

Georgia that provide training and resources to educators and parents of students with disabilities.

Georgia Parent Network The GA-ParentNetwork is designed exclusively for parents/guardians of children with disabilities in the state of Georgia. Parents/Guardians of adult dependents are also welcome. The purpose is to allow communication between families on the common issues we share, so as to better support, advocate, and influence change for our children.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GA-ParentNetwork/?yguid=284042666 LegalAid-GA http://www.legalaid-ga.org/GA/index.cfm LegalAid-GA is a joint project of Atlanta Legal Aid

Society, Inc. and the Georgia Legal Services Program. Their goal is to provide the public with easy

Internet access to basic legal information and legal resources in Georgia.

Parent to Parent of Georgia http://www.parenttoparentofga.org Parent to Parent’s mission is to support Georgia families and individuals from birth to 26 affected by disabilities or special health care needs. They strive to be the source of choice for support, information, education, and leadership development for Georgians with disabilities or special health care needs, ages birth to 26, and their families.

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Parents Educating Parents and Professionals www.peppinc.org PEPP Inc believes by giving families the

knowledge, skills, and tools necessary they will grow stronger. PEPP’s experience level includes

professional collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies, as well as direct level serves to at-risk

children, youth, and families. PEPP is currently an ARWB grant recipient under WIA funding for services

to youth as an emerging workforce; PEPP has been successful managing these funds since 2008. Other

PEPP project funders include Federal grants, CYCC State funding, individual local contracts within a

number of Georgia counties, and private and corporate foundation funds.

Southeast ADA Center http://www.adasoutheast.org The Southeast ADA Center (formerly known as

Southeast DBTAC) is your leader in providing information, training, and guidance on the Americans with

Disabilities Act (ADA) and disability access tailored to the needs of business, government, and individuals

at local, state, and regional levels. They conduct research to reduce and eliminate barriers to

employment and economic self-sufficiency and to increase the civic and social participation of

Americans with disabilities.

Special Olympics Georgia www.specialolympicsga.org The mission of Special Olympics Georgia is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for all children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Tools for Life http://www.gatfl.org/ Georgia's Assistive Technology Act Program, gives more options for greater freedom by increasing access to and acquisition of assistive technology (AT) devices and services for Georgians of all ages and disabilities so they can live, learn, work, and play independently in communities of their choice. Services within the TFL Network include:

Initial Interview Information and Assistance on Community Resources AT Demonstrations Access to the AT Lending Libraries AT Evaluations and Assessments AT Training AT and DME Reuse and AT Funding Education.

Unlock the Waiting Lists http://www.unlockthewaitinglists.com/ Unlock has focused its advocacy efforts primarily for people with physical and developmental disabilities. However, the goal of this Campaign continues to be to eliminate and/or reduce waiting lists in Georgia for all home and community-based services that support people with disabilities.

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Wrights Law – www.wrightslaw.com Their website is fantastic and has loads of free information. Consider purchasing their books From Emotions to Advocacy, Special Education Law, and All About IEP’s. They are INVALUABLE!

Yahoo Groups List Serves http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/ There are numerous online disability specific

list serves offered through Yahoo Groups. Two list serves that I moderate are the North Fulton Autism

Support Group List Serve http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/nfasg/ and North Fulton Autism

Support Group Parents and Professionals

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/NFASGParentsAndProfessionals/ . These lists and others can be

a tremendous resource for disability specific information in your area.

Georgia Education Specific Web-Sites Georgia Department of Education – Special Education From their homepage you will find lots of information such as Special Education Rules, Implementation Manual, Eligibility Categories, Dispute Resolution, and DL Updates (which has a tremendous amount of valuable information you should read). http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Special-Education-Services/Pages/default.aspx Georgia Performance Standards – Common Core https://www.georgiastandards.org/Common-Core/Pages/default.aspx Vocational Rehabilitation http://www.vocrehabga.org/

Disclaimer Debbie Dobbs does not provide medical or legal advice or services. Rather, Debbie Dobbs provides general information as a service to the community. The information provided on this document is not a recommendation, referral, or endorsement of any resource, therapeutic method, or service provider and does not replace the advice of medical or legal professionals. Debbie Dobbs has not validated and is not responsible for any information or services provided by third parties. You are urged to use independent judgment and request references when considering any resource associated with the provision of services related to you or your child’s disability.