Press Releases

May, 2011

Parent Organization Awarded Family To Family Health Organization Grant

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau awarded Raising Special Kids a grant to assist families of children with disabilities and special health care needs in making informed choices about health care in order to promote good treatment decisions, cost effectiveness, and improved health outcomes.

Arizona has approximately 200,000 children, from birth to age 22, with disabilities and special health care needs. Many require extensive health services and support to achieve their potential. Families need resources to develop the skills to successfully advocate for their children. “The project recognizes both the significance of family wisdom and experience in planning and designing effective health care delivery systems and services,” explained Joyce Millard Hoie, Executive Director.Raising Special Kids will provide information and education regarding state and public health care programs, community resources, access to services, and provisions of the Affordable Care Act for 400 families each year. Training for families will address topics including effective advocacy, successful transition to adult services, and understanding health delivery systems. The proposed project will provide peer support and individual assistance to 100 parents each year by meeting the needs of parents for emotional support, information on their child’s special health condition, provisions of the Affordable Care Act, and obtaining appropriate services.

The project will also provide guidance to state programs and agencies regarding family-centered services and promote a model of collaboration and parent participation at all levels of decision-making in their children’s health care.

As a parent-led nonprofit organization, Raising Special Kids has been providing programs and services free of charge to families for over 31 years. Services are available in English and Spanish to families throughout the state. More information about Raising Special Kids can be found at www.raisingspecialkids.org or by calling 602-242-4366.

http://www.hrsa.gov/about/news/pressreleases/110517familytofamily.html
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Parent Organization Wins Grant for Special Education

Phoenix, AZ (July 9, 2009) - The U. S. Department of Education has awarded Raising Special Kids a $1.8 million grant to provide special education information and assistance to parents of students with disabilities in Arizona. The five-year grant is awarded under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which establishes parent training and information centers in every state.
Arizona has approximately 200,000 children, from birth to age 22, with disabilities and special health care needs. Many require special education services and support to receive a free and appropriate public education.
Julie Braswell reflected on her struggle to find the right educational environment for her 8-year-old daughter who is deaf. “I learned a lot” she said. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know. When we were talking with the school they were using a lot of terminology that we didn’t understand.”
Each child in public school who receives special education must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) designed by a team that includes parents and school representatives. “We had been through the IEP process before, and we had always just accepted whatever the school said. But now that our daughter is older, her IEP has gotten more complicated,” said Braswell. “Raising Special Kids’ staff were able to explain the system and define terms for us. When they did that, so many other things became clearer to us about the process, and we were better able to present our case to the school.”
The Braswells overcame the school’s initial reluctance to their proposal for their daughter whose new program will begin in the fall. “We learned how to advocate effectively for our child,” Braswell commented. “We are extremely grateful.”
The grant is intended to ensure that parents understand their rights and responsibilities in special education, and have the skills to successfully advocate for their children. “Learning how to work with schools and educators is a critical focus of the new project, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration between parents and professionals,” explained Joyce Millard Hoie, Executive Director.
As a parent-led nonprofit organization, Raising Special Kids has been providing programs and services free of charge to families for 30 years. Services are available in English and Spanish to families throughout the state. More information about Raising Special Kids can be found on their website: www.raisingspecialkids.org or by calling 602-242-4366.
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Members of the media: for more information, contact our Communications Coordinator at
602-242-4366 or marissah@raisingspecialkids.org