Education & Legislation
The chairperson for Legislation/Education Advocacy is available to assist all members of the Spina Bifida community in various ways.
The purpose of the Legislative Committee is to assist Spina Bifida Association of America in letter-writing and telephone campaigns, with help of the Spina Bifida Association of North Texas community at large, by targeting specific members of the state and federal legislature in their capacities on various house and senate sub-committees. The goal is usually to further the mission statements of both SBANT and SBA. Previous efforts have focused on a National Birth Defects Prevention package and quality of life research and the National Spina Bifida program housed at the CDC.
The purpose of the Education Committee is quite broad, but primarily focuses on assisting families of individuals attending or trying to attend public schools in Texas who require special education services. There is also an Education Day held each February that offers sessions for adults, kids and parents.
Spina Bifida Association of North Texas
Email: information@spinabifidant.org
Copy of “STILL a Good Idea,”
54 pages to review/print free of charge
Advocacy, Inc or The ARC of Texas
www.advocacyinc.org www.thearcoftexas.org
Texas Parent to Parent
512-458-8600
e-mail: txp2p@sbcglobal.net
www.main.org/txp2p
Providers of support and information for families of children with disabilities, chronic illness and other special needs:
Texas 211
2-1-1 Texas, a program of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, is committed to helping Texas citizens connect with the services they need. Whether by phone or internet, our goal is to present accurate, well-organized and easy-to-find information from state and local health and human services programs. We accomplish this through the work of our 25 Area Information Centers (AICs) across the state. 2-1-1 Texas is a free, anonymous social service hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1, or (877) 541-7905, and find information about resources in your local community. Whether you need help finding food or housing, child care, crisis counseling or substance abuse treatment, one number is all you need to know.
Annually, millions of Texans dial 2-1-1 to reach the Texas Information & Referral Network (TIRN) for help with basic needs like food, housing, child care, or emergency services. 2-1-1 TIRN, a program of Texas Health and Human Services, hosts a free anonymous hotline that operates options 1 (community programs and services), 4 (emergency assistance registry), 5 (disasters), 6 (public health emergencies) and 8 (mental health and substance abuse). To view available data related to the needs of 2-1-1 TIRN callers throughout Texas, you can search, view, and display the information as charts and graphs at tx.211counts.org
North Texas SNAP
Mission Statement: To foster feelings of independence, productivity and pride among special needs citizens by working with their families, and in cooperation and collaboration with the community to develop opportunities for their social, educational, and economic growth.
817-227-8067
Email: ntxsnap@mail.com
Social Security Administration
800-772-1213
www.ssa.gov/
Texas Education Agency
See Adaptations for Special Populations and Commissioner’s Rules Concerning Special Education Services (revised 01/03). A copy of state law and rules may be obtained from the TEA website.
www.tea.state.tx.us/special.ed
Employment for All
Unique, empowering way of looking at employment for individuals with disabilities. Presentation available by logging on to their website.
www.employmentforall.org
Self-Directed Support Corporations
Creating an SDSC – Putting the Individual with a disability in the key position to decide how they will live their life after parents/chief caregivers are no longer living. Brand new information for the United States and just beginning to get started in Texas.
Jackie L. Golden/Inclusion Research
202-546-4464
www.inclusionresearch.org
Mental Health Mental Retardation of Tarrant County
The ARC of Dallas
2114 Anson Rd.
Dallas, TX 75235
www.arcdallas.org
Offering Summer Day Camping experiences for kids and teens with disabilties (ages 5-21). Crafts, swimming, games, computer fun, weekly field trips, watch movies, meet friends and so much more. Contact Jenny Pate for an information packet, 214-634-9810 or jpate@arcdallas.org
Texas Rehabilitation Commission
www.rehab.state.tx.us