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Washington State Resources for Parents of Children and Youth with Disabilities

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Parents of youth with disabilities have unique opportunities to promote their successful transition to postsecondary education, employment, and full adult participation in society. Parents can provide the foundation for young people to become self-determined, learn decision-making skills, and gain access to resources. Families can assist in the transition process by providing direction in exploration of interests, guidance in career and college planning, and encouragement as they pursue their dreams. Parents can help each other, too. As they develop skills in working with their own children they can:

Provide information,
Answer questions,
Recommend resources,
Empower youth and young adults with disabilities,
Network,
Train, and
Support one another.

Parents are most effective when they have up-to-date information, communication, and community resources. The following resources may be particularly helpful in assisting parents in Washington State as their children prepare for college and careers. Compiled with input from many parents, this list includes printed materials, websites, disability-related conferences and organizations, and agencies that provide services to individuals with disabilities.

Disability-Specific Organizations

American Foundation for the Blind

800-232-5463
http://www.afb.org/

The Arc of Washington State

Advocates for the rights of citizens with developmental disabilities.
888-754-8798
http://www.arcwa.org/

Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)

856-439-9099
http://www.add.org/

Autism Society of America

800-328-8476
http://www.autism-society.org/

Brain Injury Association of Washington

877-824-1766
http://www.biawa.org/

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)

800-233-4050
http://www.chadd.org/

Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted (CSBPS)

800-458-4888
http://www.csbps.com/

Deaf-Blind Service Center (DBSC)

206-323-9178 (TTY)
http://www.seattledbsc.org/

Epilepsy Foundation Northwest

206-547-4551
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/local/northwest/

Evergreen Spina Bifida Association

888-289-3700
http://www.evergreenspinabifida.org/

The FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) Family Resource Institute

800-999-3429
http://fetalalcoholsyndrome.org/

Hearing, Speech, and Deafness Center

800-761-2821
206-388-1275 (TTY)
http://www.hsdc.org/

Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

800-422-7930 (voice/TTY)
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/hrsa/odhh/

Spina Bifida Association of Puget Sound

206-726-3984

Telecommunications Relay Services

800-833-6384
800-833-6388 (TTY); 711 (TTY)
800-833-6385 (Tele-Braille)
877-833-6341 (speech to speech)
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html

United Cerebral Palsy-South Puget Sound

253-565-1463
http://www.ucp-sps.org/

Washington Sensory Disabilities Services

800-572-7000 (voice/TTY)
http://www.wsdsonline.org/

Washington Talking Book and Braille Library

800-542-0866
206-615-0419 (TTY)
http://www.spl.org/wtbbl/wtbbl.html

Washington State Department of Services for the Blind

800-552-7103
http://www.dsb.wa.gov/

Education and Employment

ADA—Answers Northwest

503-494-3331
http://www.ohsu.edu/oidd/cca/adaan/

Center for Student Success

206-296-6494
http://www.seattleu.edu/ccts/

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT)

888-972-3648 (voice/TTY)
http://www.washington.edu/doit/

Northwest Education Loan Association (NELA)

877-635-2669
http://www.centerforstudentsuccess.org/

Postsecondary Innovative Transition Technology (Post-ITT)

http://www.postitt.org/

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

http://wiche.edu/sep/

Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board

360-753-5662
http://www.wtb.wa.gov/

Health and Community Resources

Center on Human Development and Disability (CHDD)

206-543-7701
http://depts.washington.edu/chdd/

Children's Hospital Medical Center

866-987-2000
206-987-2280 (TTY)
http://www.seattlechildrens.org/

Children with Special Health Care Needs Program

360-236-3571
http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/mch/CSHCNhome2.htm

Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington

206-543-3600
http://depts.washington.edu/rehab/

Easter Seals Washington

206-281-5700
206-281-5700 (TTY)
http://wa.easterseals.com/

Health Education Resource Exchange (HERE)

360-236-3736
http://www3.doh.wa.gov/here/

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities-Washington State Resources (NICHCY)

800-695-0285
http://www.nichcy.org/stateshe/wa.htm

PROVAIL

888-810-0745
http://www.provail.org/

Shriners Hospitals for Children

800-237-5055
http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/_Hospitals_for_Children/

Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC)

http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/SILC.html

Summit Assistance Dogs

360-293-5609
http://www.summitdogs.org/

VSA Arts of Washington

206-443-1843 (voice/TTY)
http://www.vsaaw.org/

Washington State Client Assistance Program

800-544-2121
888 721-6072 (TTY)
http://www.washingtoncap.org/

Organizations for Parents

Fathers Network

425-653-4286
http://www.fathersnetwork.org/

Parent to Parent (P2P)

888-754-8798
http://www.arcwa.org/parent_to_parent.htm

Parent to Parent Power

253-531-2022
http://p2ppower.org/

Washington PAVE (Parents are Vital in Education)

253-565-2266 (voice/TTY)
http://www.washingtonpave.org/

Washington State Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

800-562-3804
http://www.wastatepta.org/

State Agencies and Organizations

Answers for Special Kids Resource Line

800-322-2588
800-883-6388 (TTY)

Career and Technical Education

360-725-6000
360-664-3631 (TTY)
http://www.k12.wa.us/careerteched/

Children with Special Health Care Needs Program

Washington State Department of Health
360-236-3571 (voice/TTY)
http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/mch/CSHCNhome2.htm

Division of Development Disabilities (DDD)

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
360-725-3413
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/DDD/index.shtml

Division of Special Education

Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction
360-725-6075
http://www.k12.wa.us/SpecialEd/

Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
800-637-5627
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/dvr/

Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment

360-438-3168
360-438-3167 (TTY)
http://www.esd.wa.gov/newsandinformation/legresources/gcde/resources.php

King County Office of Civil Rights

206-296-7592206-296-7596 (TTY)
http://www.metrokc.gov/dias/ocre/

Learning Disabilities Association (LDA) of Washington

425-882-0820
http://www.ldawa.org/

Mental Health Division

Department of Social and Health Services
800-446-0259
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/mentalhealth/

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
360-725-6000
360-664-3631 (TTY)
http://www.k12.wa.us/ESEA/Contact.aspx

Office of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS)
800-422-7930 (voice/TTY)
http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/hrsa/odhh/

Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP)

800-214-8731
866-866-0162
http://www.wata.org/

Washington Protection and Advocacy System (WPAS)

800-562-2702
800-905-0209 (TTY)
http://www.wpas-rights.org/

Washington Speech and Hearing Association

206-367-8704
http://www.wslha.org/

Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council

800-634-4473
http://www.ddc.wa.gov/

Transportation and Driving

GM Mobility

800-323-9935
800-833-9935 (TTY)
http://www.gm.com/shop/services/gm_mobility/

King County Metro Transit

206-553-3000
206-684-1739 (TTY)
http://transit.metrokc.gov/

Quick Guide to Accessible Transportation for People with Disabilities

Community Access Washington State (CAWS)Center for Disability Policy and Research
206-685-7260
http://depts.washington.edu/caws/guide_tr.shtml

Spokane Transit

509-328-7433
509-456-4327 (TTY)
http://www.spokanetransit.com/

St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute Driver Rehab Program

509-473-6289
http://www.stlukesrehab.org/

Washington State Department of Transportation

360-705-7000
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/choices/accessible.cfm

About DO-IT

DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) serves to increase the successful participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs such as those in science, engineering, mathematics, and technology. Primary funding for DO-IT is provided by the National Science Foundation, the State of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education.

To order free publications or newsletters use the DO-IT Publications Order Form; to order videos and training materials use the Videos, Books and Comprehensive Training Materials Order Form.

For further information, to be placed on the DO-IT mailing list, or to request materials in an alternate format, contact:

Director: Sheryl Burgstahler, Ph.D.

DO-IT Funding and Partners

The contents of this publication were developed under a grant from the Department of Education, No. H324M990010. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

Copyright © 2009, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2000 University of Washington. Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, non-commercial purposes provided the source is acknowledged.

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Modified: April 30, 2009