Federal Agencies and Resources
ADA.gov
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. The ADA is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life -- to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services. Modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin – and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 -- the ADA is an "equal opportunity" law for people with disabilities.
Center for Parent Information and Resources
The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) serves as a central resource of information and products to the community of Parent Training Information (PTI) Centers and the Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), so that they can focus their efforts on serving families of children with disabilities.
The Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
http://rwjms.rutgers.edu/departments_institutes/boggscenter/
The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities is New Jersey’s federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (UCEDD). The Boggs Center is part of the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Department of Pediatrics. Since its inception in 1983, The Center has emphasized a community based, life span approach to meeting the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
About University Centers for Excellence
University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities work to achieve the goal of independence, productivity, self-determination, and opportunities for full participation in community activities for people with developmental disabilities and their families through the following activities, delivered in a culturally competent manner:
Interdisciplinary education of students and fellows at the graduate, post-graduate, and undergraduate levels.
Continuing education for individuals who support or assist individuals with developmental disabilities and their families
Community and family education, technical assistance, and model demonstration activities
Applied research and policy analysis
Dissemination of information, research findings, and policy analyses
Office of Disability Employment Policy - US Dept. of Labor
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is the only non-regulatory federal agency that promotes policies and coordinates with employers and all levels of government to increase workplace success for people with disabilities. ODEP's mission is to develop and influence policies and practices that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Social Security
https://www.ssa.gov/disability/
The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.
SSI - How to Apply for Benefits
Social Security has provided financial protection for our nation's people for over 80 years. Chances are, you either receive Social Security benefits or know someone who does. With retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, Social Security is one of the most successful anti-poverty programs in our nation's history. We are passionate about supporting our customers by delivering financial support, providing superior customer service, and ensuring the safety and security of your information — helping you secure today and tomorrow.
Described and Captioned Media Program
The DCMP provides services designed to support and improve the academic achievement of students who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind. Explore our website to learn how we are living our mission to promote and provide equal access to communication and learning for students. The DCMP is an idea that works thanks to funding by the U.S. Department of Education and administration by the National Association of the Deaf.
DCMP supports families and educators with free Remote Learning resources.
Families and educators who have at least one student with a disability can register for free membership and access over 8,000 captioned and described educational videos.
Teachers can create Student Accounts, group students together in Classes, and assign videos to students and Classes. Learn more here. Users can instantly choose “captioned” or “described” with the Language/Accessibility button found under the video player. Many accessible videos are available without a membership and can be viewed by anyone without registering.
The information on this website is based on recommendations of Celebrate the Children (CTC) staff and families. This information is not endorsed by CTC. It is reliable but at times may not be 100% accurate. CTC is not liable for actions or information given from these agencies.