Special Needs Families
Early Intervention
The Connecticut Birth to Three System is the state’s early intervention program for children under age three who have significant developmental delays. It provides developmental evaluations and early intervention services for infants and toddlers (from 0-36 months of age). www.birth23.org
Advocate Services
Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center, Inc. (CPAC) is a statewide nonprofit organization that offers information and support to families of children with any disability or chronic illness, age birth to 26. www.cpacinc.org
Connecticut Families for Effective Autism Treatment (CT FEAT) is a non-profit organization formed by parents and family members to provide information and support to the families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). www.ctfeat.org
Your Special Child – Julie Swanson, Special Education Advocate. As a special education advocate, Julie will help you secure appropriate services in all areas of need requiring special education. www.yourspecialchild.com
Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut will ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences. www.epilepsyct.com
Down Syndrome
CT Down Syndrome Congress: Dedicated to improving the lives of persons with Down syndrome. Includes information on scholarships and resources. www.ctdownsyndrome.org
SOCT – Special Olympics of Connecticut
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and www.soct.org
Speech and Language Disorders
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is committed to ensuring that all people with speech, language, and hearing disorders receive services to help them communicate effectively. www.asha.org
Learning Disabilities
CACLD – Connecticut Association of Children with Learning Disabilities: A non-profit organization dedicated to helping children and adults with learning disabilities and attention deficits. www.cacld.org
Learning Disabilities Association of Connecticut: LDA of CT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the education experience of children with disabilities. www.ldact.org
CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is the nation’s leading non-profit organization serving individuals with AD/HD and their families. www.chadd.org
HEATH Resource Center: A national clearinghouse on post-secondary education for individuals with disabilities. www.heath-resource-center.org
Dyslexia Teacher.com: Dyslexia information and resources for helping dyslexic children and teens www.dyslexia-teacher.com
Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped: The Library provides free mail loan of recorded and Braille books and magazines and necessary playback equipment to eligible state residents unable to read conventional print because of a visual or physical disability. www.cslib.org
Gifted & Disabled
The Gifted Development Center (GDC): A service of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development, GDC has served as a resource center for developmentally advanced children and their parents, and for gifted individuals of all ages. www.gifteddevelopment.com
Uniquely Gifted: A collection of resources for families with gifted/special needs children and professionals who work with them. www.uniquelygifted.org
Autism
Autism Help: This site provides help with over 350 fact sheets of autism-related information, with an emphasis on practical strategies. www.autism-help.org
Hope 4 Autism, Inc: Offers an autism family center, support groups and community services in the Greater Hartford region, with particular attention to reaching those in poverty. http://www.hope4autism.org/
The State Education Resource Center (SERC): Funded by the state of CT and located in Middletown, SERC has an excellent lending library of educational resources. SERC sponsors an annual “Focus on Autism” series of workshops providing families and educators information about various approaches to autism treatment. www.ctserc.org
ASCONN: The Autism Society of Connecticut, ASCONN serves as a resource with information and referral for parents, professionals, educators and the wider community. ASCONN’s educational programming includes the annual statewide conference on autism, the largest autism conference in Connecticut. www.asconn.org
The Asperger’s Association of New England (AANE): Our mission is to foster awareness, respect, acceptance, and support for individuals with AS and their families. www.aane.org
Autism Speaks: A national autism science and advocacy organization dedicated to funding research into treatments for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. http://www.autismspeaks.org/
Autism Spectrum Resource Center: The mission of the ASRC is to provide, through our many programs, the most recent information and research to parents and professionals. www.ct-asrc.org
FAVAN is the Farmington Valley Aspergers Network: A support group for parents of children with Asperger’s Syndrome, PDD-NOS, and other forms of Autism. www.favan.org
General Services:
The Sensations Charitable Foundation offers programs that were established to offer children a place to learn important skills and strategies for coping in their daily life, while discovering a variety of ways to have fun. http://www.sensationscharitablefoundation.org/program.html
