The Early Childhood Supports &
Services projects encompass those families who reside within
the East Baton Rouge Parish area. One of the goals of this
initiative is to develop a local integrated, comprehensive
system of care for preschool children and their families. The
process will function much like an Interagency Service
Coordination (ISC) in that needs will be identified and
supportive services explored and offered through participation
of the core group of agencies and others who may offer
appropriate services. It is expected that OCS utilitzes this
process for eligible foster children as well as for any child
and familily identified within our Family Service population.
There are three (3) components of ECSS:
• ECSS Staffing - The staffing
consists of CORE members (15-18) agencies that attend meetings
on a regular basis.
on a regular basis.
• Emergency Funds - Temporary
Assistant to Needy Families (TANF).
• Infant Mental Health Program -
Service children age 0-5 and their caretakers.
The Parent Liaisons provide information,
referrals, education, training and one to one support to
families enrolled in Children's Special Health Services. This
program is unique because each Parent Liaison is a parent of a
child with special needs and is able to understand the
challenges faced by each family as they negotiate through
the medical service provider system in order to receive
needed medical services.
The overall goal of the project is to improve access to quality care and supports for children and youth with special health care needs in their community.
Families Helping Families Centers across the state will be participating in F2FHIC
Activities include:
Activities include:
- Provide training opportunities and technical assistance to families to help them advocate for quality health care services for their children and youth with special health care needs.
- Provide public benefits information to families of children and youth with special health care needs.
- Help families navigate various health care systems and supports.
- Help families have an active voice in the decision making process about their services and supports.
Families and Professionals will have the opportunity to build partnerships, share information and support each other in our advocacy efforts on behalf of children and youth with special health care needs.
Family to Family Health Information Cente
Learning that your child has a disability
can be a very stressful and lonely time. You may feel a great
sense of loss for the child you hoped to have and a sense of
isolation. You don’t have to feel alone. There is a
program that can help you and your family. Through the First
Touch Program, you can talk to a parent who shares your
experiences and has the information about the services your
child can receive in your community.
“No one knows what I am going
through.”
Please contact us to receive the following
services:
Parent to Parent Support
We can visit you while you and your baby
are in the hospital or can visit you at home. The services we
offer are unique, because we are parents of children with
special needs, too.
Information and Referral
We can guide you to the services in your
community. We can also help you through systems that often
confuse and intimidate families.
Education and Training
We can provide you with information
packets about your child’s disability or any other
information that can help prepare you and your child for the
road ahead.
Inclusive Education is the education of
all students in regular education and community settings to
ensure full and valued membership in society. We believe all
students should be provided the same opportunities to be
educated in neighborhood schools as their sisters, brothers,
friends and neighbors. We believe with or without
disabilities, all students need and should be provided with the
support to learn together effectively, using family, school and
community. We believe all students need and should be provided
educations which meet their individual needs, result in
meaningful outcomes, and prepare them for productive and
satisfying lives. If you would like more information
about
• educating children in
the least restrictive environment, or Inclusive Education,
• scheduling a workshop
or presentation,
• scheduling one to one
support,
• scheduling someone to
go with you to an IEP.
Disability specific resources and program
information is available upon request. Also available to
families is a resource library on disabilities, advocacy,
education and resources. This information can be mailed or
delivered to you at your convenience.
The primary purpose of the LaSIG is to
improve Louisiana’s service system in ways that better
meet the needs of all students by improving special education
services within the overall context of general education reform
initiatives. The project seeks to achieve the following broad
outcomes in participating schools and districts and transfer
these local accomplishments to other schools and districts:
• Increase the number and quality of
general and special education teachers, related service
personnel, administrators and other staff.
• Increase the access to, and
participation of, children and youth with disabilities and
their families in appropriate and effective special education
services and supports.
• Increase and improve the learning
results of children and youth with disabilities.
LaCAN (Louisiana Citizens for Action Now)
is a statewide grassroots network of individuals and families
who have worked together since 1988 advocating for a service
system that supports individuals with disabilities to live in
their own homes, rather than having to move to a facility to
receive needed services. Specifically, they have advocated for
implementation of Louisiana's Community and Family Support
System Plan. Regional LaCAN teams include parents, individuals
with disabilities, and advocates for individualized supports.
Team members are linked by telephone trees and e-mail to
mobilize when communication with state policymakers is
necessary.
To join the LaCAN Team in your area,
please contact Kathy Edmonston, Region II Team Leader, or
contact the Louisiana State Planning Council for Developmental
Disabilities at 1-800-922-DIAL.
"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it
is the only thing that ever does." Margaret Mead.
Experienced parents are linked with new
parents to provide emotional support and information about
specific disabilities. If you would like to speak to a
parent who has experience in dealing with your specific
situation and can share their knowledge and insight and give
you emotional support, please contact the FHF office.
This program is designed to provide
special education information and training to parents
and professionals alike. The services provided by the
Project PROMPT Parent Trainer can be in the form of
workshops, case conferences, presentations, and one to one
assistance. The Parent Trainer is available to
attend IEP and ISC meetings in order to provide technical
assistance to parents and professionals in the school setting.
Teen talk is designed to meet the unique
needs of brothers and sisters of persons with disabilities.
Teen Talk offers an opportunity for the siblings to express, in
a nonjudgmental setting, their love, concerns, joys and fears
of being raised with a child with a disability. Teen Talk works
on the premise that the siblings will be the constant in the
life of a
person with a disability and should be able to receive support in that capacity. Contact the FHF office to see if a
Teen Talk can be scheduled near you.
person with a disability and should be able to receive support in that capacity. Contact the FHF office to see if a
Teen Talk can be scheduled near you.
The transition staff work with families
and professionals to help train, educate and empower them
to develop an Individualized Transition Plan that will help students reach their fullest potential.
to develop an Individualized Transition Plan that will help students reach their fullest potential.
Down Syndrome Awareness Group
4911 Front Royal Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Sundae Holm, President
225-753-9678
Louisiana Capital Area Chapter of
CHADD
Jones Creek Library
6222 Jones Creek Road
Most meetings are scheduled for the 4th
Sunday of the month, these dates are occasionally adjusted to
avoid conflicts with holidays and to confuse the more ADHD
among us.
For the most up to date information on
meetings, people can call our InfoLine at 225/261-0613.
Support group meetings for Adults with
ADHD and their families have been scheduled for Monday evenings
at 7:00 pm at the Goodwood Library (main branch) in Room
2. Most months these meetings will be held on the
third Monday of the month.
“ASPIES Meet Up”
Please call to register 216-7474
Families Helping Families of GreaterBaton
Rouge
778 Chevelle Drive, Baton Rouge, LA
Contact Ritchie Bryant -
rbryant58@hotmail.com
Dates: January 18, February 22, March 22
Teen Talk
*PLEASE CALL TO REGISTER AT 216-7474
Families Helping Families of Greater Baton
Rouge
778 Chevelle Drive , Baton Rouge, LA 70806
From 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Thursday, March 8, 2007