Need advocacy help for Ohio

[LMC]

Is there anyone out there in the Columbus area that knows of any advocacy groups. I was contacted today by a friends relative and this person needs some advocacy help for a child. This person is dealing with the school board and the county MRDD board. This person is disabled (the parent is) so a free advocacy group would be very helpful. We have an advocacy group in Alabama that I know helps with schools and I will call them Tuesday when they open to see if they know of an Ohio counterpart. Any help is appreciated!!!

 

[1stluvispooh]

There should be a parent mentor for their school district. This person should be able to help with dealing with the school board. I would think if they call the district office they would be able to give them that persons contact information. I hope this is what they are needing. Hard to tell without more info.

 

[LMC]

Evidently this person has started to speak up for the child and now someone with the school district has been demoted. This is a small town so now everyone has "turned" (as this person described it to me) against this disabled parent of the disabled child. This parent has always just signed away blindly on all paper work just taking the person presenting the paperwork to them at face value. Now the powers that be with the school and county mrdd board are threatening this parent with "or else" and "consequence" comments if this parent is to try to intervene in anyway in child's schooling or home health or anything else. They have this person so terrified now that they will take the child away that they are very hesitant to speak up. There is evidently no one in the local town that can be counted on to help as this has resulted in a demotion for a well known, well liked individual. I won't take crap so I speak up for myself but this person is terrified to do so now so if I can find a group out of the area (near Columbus) that can help, I will pass the info along. In Alabama we have a group of attorneys at one of our universities that advocate for the child usually at not expense to the parent. I was hoping to find an impartial group that this person can speak to. For what it is worth, my child has a low IQ and I have had him tested extensively and been told by the experts that he will need supports to live independently. This child's IQ is even lower than my sons and they are trying to tell the parent that this child WILL BE living in an apartment by themselves when they turn 18. While this would be all well and good, from what I was told in our brief conversation, there is no way this child can live that independently.

 

[bookwormde]

Sounds like a difficult situation.

Calling and talking with the state DOE would be a good option

Also here is a parent information center, they are run from federal grants a are typically the clearing house for resources.

http://www.ohiopirc.org/

bookwormde

 

[LMC]

bookworme, thank you for the link. I'll pass it on. I certainly can not fight this battle for this person but I can try to find some resources. Evidently the state level DOE is out as well since the demoted person has told them bad things about this parent. I don't know all the details but there is no way I would sit by and allow this to happen. All I can do is try to find some resources for this person to contact. Thank you!

 

[Tiggerish]

I came across this group looking for something else and remembered your post.


http://olrs.ohio.gov/ASP/olrs_RequestForHelp.asp

 

[Forevryoung]

I know a parent of a child with special needs in the area (Columbus). Her son just graduated high school so she's used to the system and knows a lot of people.

PM me if you want me to email her and ask if I can pass along her email address.

 

[LMC]

Thank you for the websites. I will pass them on to the person tomorrow. Forevryoung: I pm'd you.