Information Resourses

Frequently Asked Questions

My child is having problems in school; am I calling the right place?

Generally speaking, yes; however, you will need to go through our intake process so we may assess your situation and provide the agency assistance, or refer you to other agencies, which may provide more

appropriate services.

Can I get some legal advice?

LDAH does not provide legal advice, nor do we recommend specific lawyers; however, we do have a resource list of lawyers in the community whose practice includes the area of special education. See

our ""Information & Resources"" page for this list.

What services do you provide?

We provide: information and referral services, community workshops on special education education topics, technical phone support, strategy sessions, individual advocacy assistance and emotional support for parents of children with disabilities. Most services are also provided to professionals who serve children with disabilities.

Do I have to be within a certain income bracket to request your services?

Not at the current time; however we do welcome and encourage everyone to become members of LDAH and/or contribute through monetary donations to enable us to continue to provide the much needed services. We are a non-profit agency so your donations are tax deductible.

How do I qualify for your help?

Anyone is welcome to contact our office for general information. If, however, the help or information/assistance requested is specific to an individual child then we will need to speak directly with the parent or guardian of the child.

What is a Parent Consultant?

"Parent Consultant" is the name of the staff position at LDAH. Our Parent Consultants are individuals who are mainly responsible for providing the service of one-to-one assistance to parents of children

with disabilities in their quest for a free and appropriate public education. The role of the Parent Consultant in the one-to-one service is to guide the parent through the processes of organization of the child's information, knowledge gathering of the Educational Requirements, technical assistance with the child's IEP and to provide moral and emotional support through the process. Our Parent

Consultants are also trained to conduct our community workshops. Parent Consultants may also be known as Advocates. Currently LDAH has 4 full time Parent Consultants and 2 other staff members who provide advocate assistance.

How do I get an Advocate?

Each request for an Advocate/Parent Consultant should be made through our intake process. During this process you should share with our Intake & Information Specialist your concerns and information

regarding the child and his/her education. It is helpful if you have a chronological list of event dates.

After the concerns are identified and relevant information is gathered the intake is forwarded to our Intake Review Committee for possible assignment to a Parent Consultant. Since the demand for this

service is great, each and every assignment request is carefully scrutinized and services are provided appropriate to each case. Even though we cannot provide one-to-one services for every parent who calls, we will assist in every way possible to help you receive the information you need to assist your child.

How can I find out what my child's rights are?

I would recommend reading the "Parent and Student Rights in Special Education" brochure distributed by the Department of Education (DOE) and asking the school administrator any questions you may

have regarding this information. You may also call our Intake & Information Specialist, visit our "Information & Resources" page, and attend one of our free workshops in the community.

Are you affiliated with D.O.E.?

We receive a grant from the Department of Education to assist with our services; however we operate independently of the Department.

Is the information that I provide to you confidential?

Yes. In order to provide our services, there may be a need to discuss information regarding your child with other individuals, agencies or professionals, should this become necessary, we will ask you to sign consent forms prior to release of any information. Any records such as medical, educational or personal that are received by our agency are returned to you at the closing of your case.

Can you test my child for a learning disorder?

No, but we do have a resource list of evaluators available who may be able to provide the service you are looking for or you may consider requesting an evaluation through the Department of Education (DOE). See our "Information & Resources" page for this list or contact our Information Specialist for information on the DOE procedure for requesting the evaluation.

Do you have a support group for ADHD?

No. Currently, LDAH does not sponsor any support groups.

Can you recommend tutors or alternative schools for special education?

We do not make recommendations to specific tutors or schools; however, we can provide you with resource lists of those who have contacted us as providers of those services. See our "Information & Resources" page for the lists.

Where can I get more information about learning disabilities?

Please click on our "Links to Associate Agencies" page where you will find links to other websites for additional information on learning disabilities.

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