10/17/2021: Daily Bus Incident Tracker + Helpful Contacts
9/20/2021: Low Cost/ Free Legal Resources for Those Seeking Compensatory Education
Our advocates not only work professionally in the field, but also spend time advancing education and disability rights at city and state levels.
Volunteer Affiliations and Actions
Presentations and Workshops
Media Engagement and Publications
Volunteer Affiliations and Actions
All of our advocates are active members in 2eNYC, an organization serving the needs of parents of twice-exceptional children in New York City. Highlights of collective work with 2eNYC include:
Developing an informal survey and producing a report completed by 500 parents to identify the needs of 2e students in NYC.
Published in May 2018, this report was presented to the NYC DOE Special Education Office and the Citywide Council on Special Education.
Represent 2eNYC at meetings with the New York City Department of Education Special Education Office. Conversations from these meetings led to two conferences on executive function skills and serving students with disabilities in gifted and accelerated learning environments.
Our senior family peer advocate, Amber, has spent last 10 years advancing the rights of various vulnerable populations and their families including those with developmental disabilities and behavioral health disabilities at both the city and state level.
Service
- Serves as Steering Committee member of Medicaid Matters New York
- Participates as Member of the Arise Coalition
- Serves as PAIMI Advisory Council member for Disability Rights New York PAMI Pogram
- Participates as Member of the Arise Coalition
- Served as Facilitator for 5th Annual Disability and Civil Rights Clinic Roundtable
- Created a Participant Survey for those with OPWDD concerning care management changes
Testimony
- Testified on behalf of parents, caretakers and various disabled populations to the NYS Legislature and New York State Department of Health
- Submitted Written Testimony to the NYS legislature
- Submitted public comments for the OPWDD Waiver
- Testified in front of state legislators on the importance of Self-Direction program used by individuals with disabilities at New York State Joint Hearing of the Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means Committee
Presentations and Workshops
Part of our commitment to empower parents as advocates means speaking up about what we know and speaking out about our experiences. We can customize workshops for parents on a range of topics such as navigating IEP process, assistive technology, turning 5 process, and high school admissions. If you are interested in booking Special Support Services for a workshop at your next event or meeting, email rachel (at) specialsupportservices (dot) com.
Citywide Council on Special Education, Presentation on 2e Parent Survey Results, led by our former partner Jenn Choi
Workshop on NYC Public High School Admissions for 2E Kids, led by former partner Jenn Choi
Gigi’s Playhouse, Turning 5 Workshop, led by Amber Decker
Media Engagement and Publications
Our advocates are regularly consulted as experts on a range of advocacy topics and also contribute opinion pieces and articles. Here are just a few links:
- SDNYC, CCO, After Front Door post from Amber.
- ProPublica, NYC Schools Handcuff and Haul Away Kids in Emotional Crisis, Amber quoted on how schools are not held accountable for unnecessary 911 calls.
- Talk Out of School with Leonie Hamison (Episode 91) Rachel and former partner Jenn talk about how to navigate special education and what happened to special education.
- The City, Special Report: Parents Sacrifice Savings and Careers in Fight for Special Education Services, Amber quoted as an expert source discussing the lack of impartial hearing officers to take on due process hearing requests
- eParent, The Endless Fight for Help, Yesterday and Today, Amber quoted as an expert source in parents having to fight to gain access to services.
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