"I may be the star, but you are the heavens."
~ Dustin Hoffman dedicates his Oscar to Kim Peek, inspiration for Rain Man.
Special Needs
Often, as a parent, you wonder if the developmental behavior of your child is normal for their age or if it has to do with their history or another issue. Sometimes, outside help can be a real blessing. Below are a list of organizations that you may want to talk to, if you have concerns. If you know of any organizations that should be on this list, please contact MeFCA.
A Guide to Assistive Technology in K-12 Schools, ranging from low tech to complex options, there are varied assistive technologies. This website can help you discover assistive technologies you may find helpful.
Alpha One (Physical and Developmental Disabilities), Brewer and South Portland. Information and referral, outreach, advocacy, one-to-one and group peer support, consumer-directed personal assistance services, assistive technology financing, access design, independent living, skills instruction, adapted driver assessment, and education service.
Autism Society of Maine, Winthrop. Information and training regarding Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Family-oriented support groups are held throughout the state. Lending library with books and video tapes.
Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center, Portland. Many clinical services offered, including behavioral and developmental pediatrics.
Cerebral Palsy Center, Portland. Education and treatment services for pre-school and school age children, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
Deaf Linx: Resources and guides for the deaf community. Deaf Linx is your resource for information on deafness, deaf culture, American Sign Language (ASL) and all other related topics. Deaf Linx firmly believes that deafness is not a disability, but a condition that produces a sub-culture that should be celebrated.
Department of Children’s Behavioral Health Services, an office of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Early intervention services through the first year of school, individual case management for children age 5-18 with autism, childhood mental illness, mental retardation, or pervasive developmental disorder.
Disabled Travelers, offers disabled travelers a great resource for finding good accessible travel information.
Disability Rights Center of Maine, Augusta. Advocacy services for people with developmental disabilities.
Edmund R. Ervin Pediatric Center Developmental Evaluation Clinic, Waterville. Offering We offer extensive support to children and their families in the areas of: behavior and emotional problems, developmental delays, autism, learning and school problems, trauma, counseling and family issues.
G.E.A.R. Parent Network, Augusta. Provides emotional and practical support for parents caring for children with challenging special needs through phone contact, one on one contacts, group meetings, local and regional conferences, workshops, informational forums and social events.
Genetics Clinic, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Bangor. Diagnosis of many developmental disorders.
Great Schools for Maine - Special Needs and School Choice. State and federal law requires that appropriate services must be provided to children with special educational needs, and that these services must be made available in an appropriate setting. If a parent can demonstrate that a child’s unique educational needs are not being met in their current placement, that can open the door to discussions of changing that placement, including the possibility of placing the child in a public or private school chosen by parents.
Know the A-D-A, American with Disabilities Act, A Parent and Teacher Guide - created by the Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities, this guide describes some of the more common learning disabilities and provide links to other sites for more information.
MaineGeneral Medical Center, Augusta/Waterville, This web page provides a list of support groups covering a a large number of topics.
New England Regional Genetics Group, Mt. Desert. Primarily an educational and research organization. Coordinates summer camps for children with sickle cell anemia and their families.
National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities information regarding disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth, IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education, No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and research-based information on effective educational practices.
Pine Tree Society for Handicapped Children and Adults, Bath. Pine Tree Society helps people in Maine with disabilities lead richer, more socially connected lives with assistive technologies, communication, community support and accessible recreation.
Southern Maine Parent Awareness, Sanford. SMPA is dedicated to providing information, referral support and education to families who have children and youth with special needs throughout Maine.
SPIN, Augusta. As a project of the Maine Parent Federation, SPIN staff have experience as parents of children with disabilities and have access to a wide range of information. They are available to answer requests for information or to help parents find the answers to more complex problems. SPIN also collaborates with parent organizations, state agencies and other organizations in Maine to expand opportunities available to families.
STRIVE, South Portland. The STRIVE Program of PSL Services is designed to address the many issues faced by young adults (ages 15-24) with disabilities. Areas of focus include: improving academic skills, developing leadership skills, improving economic opportunities, enhancing or upgrading work skills, integrating literary and social skills into occupational/vocational opportunities, fostering career opportunities, and promoting peer support for parents and siblings.
VoiceNation Going Beyond the Call, Special Education Resources. This website has provided teachers with special education resources on a variety of topics. It has been used in preparation of classroom materials.
Web Accessibility Standards, These are articles that cover the topic of web accessibility encompasses all kinds of disabilities, including auditory, speech, visual, physical, cognitive and neurological disabilities.