Help is available!
The Candler County Parent Mentor is here to assist families in locating valuable resources and information on disabilities and special education. Please contact Christina Holland, Parent Mentor should you have any needs or concerns for your child. cholland@metter.org
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0562; Cell (912) 314-6463
Parent to Parent of Georgia is Georgia’s Parent Information and Training Center. Parents can be matched with a supporting parent that has a child with similar needs. P2P also provides informational workshops on special education laws, Medicaid basics, transitioning out of high school, among many other helpful topics. P2P has a searchable database of over 8000 resources throughout Georgia. You can find doctors, therapists, day programs, lawyers to help with planning for your child’s future, and more. On their website, they have recorded webinars for parents to review. www.p2pga.org
Candler County Resources:
GaDOE Special Education Help Desk
Special Education Questions & Support
404-656-3963
FAX: 404-651-6457
Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership is parents and professionals working together to improve outcomes for students with disabilities by enhancing communication and collaboration between families, educators and the community. There are over 90 Parent Mentors in the State of GA.
Find a Parent Mentor in your county: https://parentmentors.org/our-mentors/find-a-mentor/
Georgia Crisis and Access Line 24/7 mobile response provides immediate on-site crisis management through assessment, de-escalation, consultation and referral with post crisis follow up to assure linkage with recommended services. These services may be accessed by calling the toll-free Georgia Crisis & Access Line at
1-800-715-4225.
CHILD FIND
Child Find is a process designed to locate and evaluate children ages birth through 21, who may have a suspected developmental delay or disability. Child find offers free developmental screening including a brief assessment of a child’s communication, fine/gross motor, cognitive, social/emotional, and self-help skills. Early identification of disabilities assists parents, students and schools in the design of appropriate educational services.
If you have a child or know of a student who lives within the boundaries of the Candler County District (including temporary residence or homeless) who may have a suspected developmental delay or disability and you would like to schedule a free screening, please contact the district’s Special Education Department.
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0574 Candler County Special Education webpage
Candler County Program for Exceptional Children Contacts
Dr. Robbie Dollar, Special Education Director
rdollar@metter.org
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0526
Melinda Franklin, Special Education Administrative Assistant
mfranklin@metter.org
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0574
Roslyn Pittman, School Phychologist
rpittman@metter.org
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0566
Christina Holland, Special Education Parent Mentor
cholland@metter.org
(912) 685-5713 ext. 0562
Helpful links
Babies Can't Wait - The best time to refer is at the first sign of a delay. A child’s brain develops most rapidly during the first three years of life. The critical window of opportunity to detect developmental delays in children and address them before they become barriers to healthy development, is very brief. There is no time to wait!
Children 1st - links eligible children (birth - 5 yrs old) to early intervention services, as well as other public health programs and community-based resources.
Children's Medical Services - makes sure children and youth with chronic medical conditions have access to timely and quality healthcare services.
TEDP (Georgia Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program)
Learning Disabilities information packet - Support for Families.org
Cerebral Palsy information packet - Support for Families.org
Transition from early intervention to pre-school information packet - Support for Families.org
Mental health guide information packet - Support for Families.org
Christopher Reeve Foundation - Superman's Guide for Paralysis
Ronald McDonald House - RMHC© of the Coastal Empire is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides a restful, comfortable place for children and their families to find refuge and support as they receive medical treatment at our nearby hospitals
Parent Tool Kits and Guides
Cerebral Palsy Tool kit and Guide for Parents and Caregivers
GSAP Georgia Sensory Assistance Project - Deaf and Blind - Scroll to 'Family Support' Section and 'Resources for Educators and Families'
Special Education: Parent's Guide to Understanding Right and Responsibilities
All About Learning Disabilities and ADHD - GREAT guide with any topic you can think of!!
Able to Learn - Visual recipes and other adaptive visual digital resources
Mended Little Heart Guide - A Parent and Caregiver Resource Guide for Families Living with Congenital Heart Disease
SPARKLE - A Family's Guide to Interveners for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss (Parent Booklet)
Wonder Baby - database of articles written by parents who want to share with others what they’ve learned about playing with and teaching a child with visual impairments as well as children with multiple disabilities.