Family Support Services - Northern Regional Center for Independent Living

Family Support Services

NRCIL’s Family Support Services team consists of a Family Network Coordinator, four Family Advocates, a Respite Coordinator, a Youth Advocacy Coordinator and a Lay Parent Advocacy Trainer. This program area offers advocacy to families of children with disabilities in medical and educational systems as well as other public forums with the goal that their children will grow up in a healthy, integrated and accepting society.

The Network Coordinator networks with local mental health services providers and families to facilitate support. Family Networks and Youth Groups are composed of families with children who have mental health disabilities. These networks help families grow their circle of natural supports by linking up with others in their home towns with similar life circumstances. The Network Coordinator offers ongoing support, information and referrals while serving as a liaison between families within each network.

Family Advocates offer expanded advocacy services to families of children with many different disabilities. A goal of this program component is to ensure families' access to all available services and entitlements. Additionally Family Advocates use family networks to provide information about disability diagnoses, rights and responsibilities in education settings, negotiating entitlements, insurance, home health services, etc.

The Parent Educator’s position is designed to provide training and workshops for parents of kids with disabilities and other involved community members so they will be better equipped to assist other families with advocacy issues. The Parent Educator works not only in Jefferson and Lewis Counties but also St. Lawrence County and the Akwesasne Reservation. The Youth Advocacy Coordinator works with kids with disabilities to form their own networks of support among each other. This Coordinator provides youth with disabilities access to resources to encourage leadership development and self-advocacy skill among the new leaders of the Independent Living movement. These programs are available to families in Jefferson and Lewis Counties.

More detailed information on the Family Support Services Program is available here.

Family Support Services
Family Advocacy as provided by NRCIL can include:

Information and Referrals – information about services available throughout the area and beyond

Disability-related Resources – we have an assistive devices loan closet as well as a large resource area with books and other disability-related materials that can be loaned out for up to three weeks

One-on-one advocacy – our Family Advocates can assist families and their circles of support to identify advocacy strategies and plans that will best fit their situations from educational advocacy to negotiating with medical providers

Systems Advocacy – Families are encouraged to join in efforts to change systems that make it difficult for us as families with disabilities to live independently and make contributions to our communities

Peer Support – nobody knows what you’re going through better than someone who’s already been there. Staff at NRCIL know about the situations you’re in because we’ve been there too. We are people with disabilities and family members who’ve been through CSE meetings, DSS meetings, Social Security applications and more.

Advocacy Training for Parents and Families encourages families to become active, informed decision makers on behalf of their family and child or children with disabilities.

Workshop topics include:

· Being a team member

· Assertiveness

· Locating and evaluating services

· Networking

· Navigating the system

· Problem solving

· Special Education Law (IDEA) including Individualized Education Plans (IEP), Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA), Positive Behavioral Intervention Plans, Discipline procedures

· ADHD-specific information

· Transition – Early Intervention to Preschool, Preschool to School and School to Adult Life

All workshops are free and open to the public. For more information about Parent Advocacy Training call Debbie at 315-785-8703 or 800-585-8703.

We are interested in topics that are of interest to families. Please let us know your ideas for other topics. This training is in collaboration with The Advocacy Center, Rochester, NY, a Parent Training and Information Center funded by the U.S. Department of Education so that all parents of kids with disabilities will have the information and resources they need to work with their schools in obtaining an appropriate education for their children. The Advocacy Center is a Parent Training and Information Center funded through the U.S. Department of Education. We offer training to parents and professionals throughout upstate New York on a wide range of disability-related topics. You may contact the Advocacy Center at:

The Advocacy Center
277 Alexander Street, Suite 500
Rochester, NY 14607
(716) 546-1700
(716) 546-7069 fax
800-650-4967 NYS only
advocacy@frontiernet.net
www.advocacycenter.com

Lay Advocacy training is available in the Adirondack region of New York State. For more information about Lay Advocacy training, contact:
North Country Center for Independence
159 Margaret Street Suite 202
Plattsburgh, NY 12901
518-563-9058 (voice/TTY)
518-563-0292
website: http://www.ncci-online.com

Parent Networks and Youth Groups are for family members and young people with any type of disability.

Networks are held at different times and places around Jefferson County including:

Parent Groups: Adams, Carthage, Lowville, Lyme, Philadelphia, Watertown

If you’re a parent or caregiver whose children are experiencing ADHD or other behavioral disorders we would like to invite you to join us. As a support group for parents we have opportunities to share experiences, concerns, and feelings we encounter. We present information and share parent skill-building discussions. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month at Lewis County Mental Health, 7550 South State Street (Lowville Commons). Meetings start at 6:30 p.m. and usually end at 8:30 p.m. For more information please contact Laurie Millard, Family Support Services at 376-5450 or Karen Boliver, Family Advocate at 376-8696. We look forward to meeting you. For more information about the Parent groups or to start one in your area, call 785-8703 and ask for Ruth

Youth Groups: Watertown, Adams

For more information about the Youth groups or to start one in your area, call 785-8703 and ask for Kelly

Short-Term Planned Respite provides the opportunity for short breaks to assist in preventing or reducing stress for families of children with mental health disabilities in Jefferson County. Families with a child who has a mental health disability can plan periods of time used for rest or relief from stressful situations. Respite referrals can be made for families of children with other disabilities.

NRCIL staff work with families to develop flexible and creative respite options. Families receive an initial allotment of respite hours for the year. The Network Coordinator and the family agree on an hourly fee for respite care. The family selects a respite provider to match their individual needs. After using the respite care, families are reimbursed for their respite expense.

Youth Advocacy Project

This program is specifically designed for youth (ages 10-19) in Jefferson and Lewis Counties. Youth will learn and experience leadership skills for self-advocacy. Youth are the builders of our future. Let’s give them the tools they’ll need to build a strong foundation for a barrier-free society. Call Kelly at 785-8703 or 800-585-8703