The information on this page is not supported by State Support Team 9 but is provided for your information.
The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce has several family, parent, and guardian resources from PreK to Grade 12. Visit ODEW - PARENTS
Children’s Hearing Resource
Children’s Hearing Resource
Check out the updated hearing resources that the Children’s Hearing Screening Program and the Ohio Hearing Aid Assistance Program have to offer children and young adults. Hearing School-aged Guidance: 6 to 18 Years of Age.
Changing Spaces Ohio – A Conversation Around Inclusive Communities
Join host Nate Turner on the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) podcast as he chats with Jennifer Corcoran and Kim Kirkwood, the mothers and advocates behind Changing Spaces Ohio. Their personal journeys with sons Matthew and Aiden have led to dynamic conversations around inclusive communities, resulting in new universal changing tables at rest stops and vital grant funding across the state.
OOD Accessible Ohio Program: Smart Device Tools
Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD) spotlights tools that make daily tech easier to use and provides a resource page for Smart Device Accessibility Tools. This link provides instructions on how to maximize your smart device’s accessibility features, including predictive text, adjustable display, voice control, and more.
Special Olympics USA Games
On September 24, 2025, the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Special Olympics Ohio announced that Cleveland has been officially selected as the host city for the 2030 Special Olympics USA Games! For more information on Special Olympics Ohio, visit www.sooh.org.
School Communication Board
Kick off the school year with a new communication board from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). You can find the communication board, along with others, here.
Advocacy Tip Sheets
Advocacy Tip Sheets
With the end of this school year upon us and summer in full swing, there is no better time as a caregiver or parent to a student with a disability than now to brush up on your advocacy knowledge. We are happy to share these eight Advocacy Tip Sheets to help you navigate the entire Special Education system and prepare for the 2025-2026 school year. With the second largest Somali population in the US, we have a duty in our state to meet this language access need.
We appreciate the efforts of our Education team in crafting these resources originally, and for placing a heavy emphasis on expanding their access to Somali. You can find the Somali versions of all of our Advocacy Tip Sheets here: https://www.disabilityrightsohio.org/adedsomali2025
#AdvocacyMatters
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has several family and community engagement resources from PreK to grade 12. Engagement is critical to helping your child achieve in and out of school.
Future Forward Ohio encompasses the state’s strategic priorities for helping students recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the District and School Student Recovery Dashboards illustrate, the road to full recovery continues.
Ohio’s Whole Child Framework places the whole child at the center, with district, school, family, and community supporting the needs of the whole child using a comprehensive approach. A whole-child approach broadens district and school focus beyond academics to include meeting students' social-emotional, physical, and safety needs. It is a student-centered approach that emphasizes the role of families and the community in providing safe environments and rich learning experiences. Whole child strategies include providing integrated student supports, fostering relationship-centered learning environments, and coordinating policies, systems, and practices. Check out Ohio's Whole Child Framework Infographic to view all of the components of Ohio's Whole Child Framework.
The Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center at The Ohio State University is a leader in the field of family, school, and community engagement. Our mission is to support the development and academic achievement of children by providing tools and trainings to Ohio families and schools for building effective family-school partnerships.
On-Demand Educational Webinars
Does my child need a legal guardian or power of attorney is an emotion-packed topic. In this recorded webinar, Andy Brennan, attorney at Disability Rights Ohio, offers objective information that highlights the necessary balance between independence and least restrictive, supported decision-making options. VIEW WEBINAR HERE
Read the latest edition of the LiveSpecial.com Magazine
Free device offer from AngelSense-AngelSense is an advanced assistive technology providing maximum safety and greater independence for our most vulnerable loved ones with Autism and special needs.
LEARN MORE
The Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) serves families, educators, and professionals working with infants, preschool, and school-age children, and adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and low-incidence disabilities - including hearing impairments, visual impairments, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, and other health impairments.
Funded through a grant from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW), Office for Exceptional Children
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence
The Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) LENDING LIBRARY is available to any person over the age of 18 residing or working in the state of Ohio.
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence
Ohio Afterschool Child Enrichment Educational Savings Program (ACE) provides qualifying families with a $500 credit that can be used to pay for a variety of enrichment activities that will accelerate learning for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click HERE for more information.
Communication Disability Law
The Communication Disability Law helps reduce potential confusion and supports the safety of Ohioans who have challenges communicating, whether they are drivers or passengers. This video explains the law and gives step-by-step instructions on how to register. For more information, visit https://ood.ohio.gov/information-for-individuals/resources/communication-disability-database
The Father's Feelings Project
What Are Father's Feelings Communities of Learners?
OhioGuidestone’s Institute of Family and Community Impact’s Father’s Feelings Project team is on a mission! Our Father’s Feelings Communities of Learners provide professional development sessions for all the superhero professionals working with dads during the perinatal period—from the moment dads are expecting a baby until the child’s first birthday bash- we know dads have a place in this space!
These training sessions explore the vital role of dads during the perinatal period. We discuss how fathers can continue to support child development while also promoting and maintaining their own mental health and well-being. But wait, the Institute has more! Join a Community of Learners for a deep dive into real-world practices for serving fathers across our communities.
For more information, click this link.
Ohio Parent Mentor Project helps families navigate local and state special education processes and services so that children with disabilities can get the most out of their educational experience.
Click HERE for more information.
The Parent Mentor Project is a project of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and the Ohio State University. A Parent Mentor is a parent of a student with a disability whose role is to assist parents in understanding and navigating special education while working in conjunction with their public school district.
Addy Taylor
Parent Mentor
Tri-County Educational Service Center - Wayne County
tesc_ataylor@tccsa.net
330-345-6771 Ext. 263
Parent Mentor Services
The Parent Mentor provides free information, support, and training to help families and districts with needs related to special education. The Parent Mentor draws on knowledge and experience gained through Ohio Department of Education trainings and as a parent of a child with a disability.
The Role of the Parent Mentor:
Guide families through the special education process and explain parents’ rights and responsibilities,
Provide information and resources to families and school personnel on education laws, district programs and services, and community resources;
Attend Individual Education Program (IEP), 3-year assessment (ETR), 504, and other meetings at the request of parent or educational staff
The Tri-County Parent Mentor Program is funded by a grant from the Ohio Department of Education.
ADDY TAYLOR will be the Parent Mentor of Ohio at Tri-County starting the 2025-2026 school year. You may remember her from her previous time here at the ESC as a Parent Mentor. After spending some time at the Ohio Department of Health, working on public health initiatives and the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, working in maternal and infant health, Addy is returning to her work, here, in education. As you may remember, she is a parent of a child with a disability herself which allows her to relate to the challenges that families of children with disabilities experience. She is also well versed in the community resources that are available here in Ashland, Holmes and Wayne Counties. During her previous years at the ESC she was a familiar face to many families and district staff. She is looking forward to engaging in the work of assisting districts and families on their journeys through Special Education. Please reach out to her to learn more about the role of the Parent Mentor and how she can assist your districts and families.
Family ECHO: Autism
What is Family ECHO: Autism?
From navigating a diagnosis to learning about new therapies, parents, and caregivers of children with autism need an immense amount of knowledge and support in order to provide the best care to their loved ones. But often, that information can be difficult to access.
Family ECHO: Autism is a virtual learning program for families and caregivers raising children with autism. The sessions are designed to shift medical and behavioral information from the clinic into the hands of parents and caregivers so they can learn to better support and care for their autistic children. Session topics have been chosen based on input from participants.
As an “all teach, all learn” environment, Family ECHO: Autism connects families with an interdisciplinary panel of experts from the Autism Care Network. The series is designed to increase autism knowledge, build leadership skills for managing interdisciplinary care teams, and provide strategies that can be applied by families and their teams.
The Ohio Center for Deafblind Education provides services in Ohio for individuals from birth through 21 years with deafblindness, including free collaborative technical assistance to families, education personnel, and service providers through training and information dissemination.
The News & Events section on the right side of the OCDBE website provides a list of their current professional development opportunities.
These events are not sponsored by State Support Team 9, but are provided for your information.
Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) is an evidence-based program that "aims to equip parents with the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient and to be able to manage family issues without ongoing support.
Supported by the Governor’s Children’s Initiative, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), and the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF).
OhioRISE
As a part of Ohio Medicaid’s effort to launch the next generation of Medicaid, ODM has launched OhioRISE (Resilience through Integrated Systems and Excellence), a specialized managed care program for youth with complex behavioral health and multisystem needs.
A Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment is needed to help determine a child or youth's eligibility for OhioRISE. CLICK HERE for information about how to obtain a referral for a CANS assessment.
Paws with Purpose
The Ability Center serves people with disabilities across 13 counties in Northwest Ohio. Among its initiatives, the Assistance Dogs program builds confidence and connection through highly trained dogs and supportive recreational activities. The Assistance Dogs program supports people with disabilities by providing trained service dogs, skilled companion dogs, and facility dogs. Learn more about The Ability Center and its programs here.
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