Resources: Table of Contents
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Online and Local Resources
Alameda Special Education Family Support Group: Email: alamedaspedpsg@gmail.com
AUSD Special Education Department: http://www.alameda.k12.ca.us/specialeducation
Alameda Unified School District's Special Education website.
North Region SELPA: www.northregionselpa.org
North Region Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) is responsible for ensuring that every child eligible for special education receives appropriate services. The SELPA has a Local Plan, based on Federal and California law and regulations, which describes how special education services are provided in the SELPA. NR SELPA is a multi-district SELPA located in northern Alameda County which includes Alameda , Albany , Berkeley , Emery and Piedmont Unified School Districts.
Advocacy Institute: www.advocacyinstitute.org
The Advocacy Institute is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the development of products, projects and services that work to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Ala Costa Centers: www.alacostacenters.org
Since 1972 Ala Costa Centers has been serving children and young adults with developmental disabilities in the Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The program was started by a small group of parents due to the lack of quality after school services for children with disabilities.
Alameda County Public Health Department ~ Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program: www.acphd.org/phep
The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program at the Alameda County Public Health Department is charged with the health and safety of the citizens of Alameda County. PHEP focuses on preparedness and response activities related to the health impact of any emergency in the county. We are currently building our Community Preparedness activities through several special projects focused on the needs of individuals with functional and access needs such as the frail elderly, persons with disabilities and individuals who are homebound or nonambulatory. Our Risk-Based Pilot Project is focused on developing strategies to assist extremely vulnerable individuals in the event of a disaster; individuals who, if left unattended for 24-48 hours, are at risk of serious injury, illness or death. We are currently working with the City of Alameda as a pilot site to better prepare organizations serving our target populations as well as individuals and caregivers. The pilot aims to develop a model that builds the preparedness and response capacity of organizations, the capabilities of individuals and increases the overall city response capacity.
Alameda PTA Council: alamedaptac.org
Visit the Council’s website for information pertaining to the Council and PTA’s within the Alameda Unified School District.
Canine Companions for Independence: www.ccieastbay.org
Canine Companions is an organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and on going support at no cost to the recipient.
Center for Accessible Technology: www.cforat.org
CforAT's focus is on access to computers and technology for people with disabilities.
We do this so children with disabilities can succeed in school, adults with disabilities can find (and keep) jobs and all people with disabilities can use the internet, email and benefit from the digital revolution.
CforAT also provides business consulting services to corporations, libraries and government entities. We provide assistance on creating accessible websites and have a test bank of users with disabilities to test products and services.
CforAT supports use of technology to promote independent living for people with disabilities, providing information via an online resource, and engaging in advocacy work to support policies that expand access to technology for people with disabilities, including the many people with disabilities who are low-income.
CforAT is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Center for Parent Information and Resources: parentcenterhub.org
Includes some information formally found on the closed site of NICHCY
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.
College of Alameda Programs and Services for Students with Disabilities (DSPS): alameda.peralta.edu/dsps
Programs and Services for Students with Disabilities (DSPS) at the College of Alameda provides assistance to students whose goals include: Transfer to a four-year college; Associate Degree; Certificate of Completion; Basic skills improvement; Employment; Personal growth Students who are high school graduates or 18 years of age and who have a documented disability are eligible for DSPS services. DSPS serves persons with mobility impairment, visual disability, learning disability, acquired brain injury, intellectual disability, psychological disability, chronic health problems, persons in recovery from drug and alcohol use, and persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. For additional information, please go to our website http://alameda.peralta.edu/dsps/ or call for an appointment with a DSPS counselor.
Commission on Disability Issues, City of Alameda: http://alamedaca.gov/city-hall/commission-disability-issues.
Purpose: The Commission's duties are to provide information and make recommendations regarding disability issues to the City Council and to receive information regarding the disabled from the community at large. Regular Meeting Schedule: Fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m., City Hall, Room 360.
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA): www.copaa.org
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit, §501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates, parents and related professionals. COPAA works to protect the civil rights and secure excellence in education on behalf of the 6.5 million students with disabilities in America.
Diamond Language, Susan Diamond: www.diamondlanguage.com
Susan Diamond is a licensed speech and language pathologist with a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area. She specializes in diagnosis and treatment of children with speech, language, and social delays and disorders. In 2012, Ms. Diamond presented to our group and discussed her book Social Rules for Kids.
Disability Rights California: www.disabilityrightsca.org
DRC works through advocacy, training, litigation, legislation, and investigation to protect the rights of Californians with disabilities.
DREDF - Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund: www.dredf.org
The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, founded in 1979, is a leading national civil rights law and policy center directed by individuals with disabilities and parents who have children with disabilities.
East Bay Innovations: www.eastbayinnovations.org
Adult Service Program, providing Independent Living Skills Training, Supported Living and Supported Employment. -Independent Living offers consumers the chance to learn more living skills to gain increased independence. Independent Living Services instructors teach various skills to consumers, including grocery shopping, planning a meal, making a budget, balancing a check book, getting in shape, dealing with social security and lots more. -Supported Living offers consumers the chance to be able to live independently in their own homes. Community living assistants, with supervision and support from their supported living facilitators, assist their consumers with all of the skills that the Independent Living Services instructors teach, as well as many times providing personal assistance care and overnight support to those consumers who cannot be left alone but still want to be independent. -Employment Services offers consumers a chance to work within their communities. Job developers find positions suitable for individual consumers. Job coaches train consumers to enable them to do their jobs. This includes but is not limited to: travel training to and from the job, proper grooming and dressing techniques, and on-the-job training.
Family Resource Navigators: www.frnoakland.org
FRN is a parent-directed community-based organization that serves families of children with disabilities or special health care needs. We have provided services to families throughout Alameda County since 1992.
Great Kids Educational Therapy: www.GreatKidsET.com
Educational therapy services including assessment and remediation of learning problems.
Denise Hartman, M.S.: Special Education Services
Ms. Hartman is a credentialed special education teacher and has been in private practice in Alameda since 2005. Provides individualized academic support for students of all ages who struggle with reading and/or written expression. Coaches students who need to master study strategies or improve their executive functioning. Contact information: Phone - 510-763-3654; Email - spedserv@yahoo.com.
Help Me Grow Alameda County: www.first5alameda.org/help-me-grow
Help Me Grow Alameda County is a county-wide system to promote the development, learning and social-emotional health of children ages birth to 5.
Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes: www.LindamoodBell.com
Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes is an organization dedicated to helping children and adults learn to their potential. Our research- validated instruction teaches reading, comprehension, and math, and is successful for those previously diagnosed with dyslexia, hyperlexia, ADHD, CAPD, and autism spectrum disorders.
OpenDyslexia: OpenDyslexic is a new open sourced font created to increase readability for readers with dyslexia. The typeface includes regular, bold, italic, and bold-italic styles. http://dyslexicfonts.com
Parents Education Network: www.parentseducationnetwork.org
Parents Education Network is a coalition of parents collaborating with educators, students and the community to empower and bring academic success to students with learning and attention difficulties.
Step One Support: Email: dyslexias.o.s@gmail.com
Personal experience with assistive technology tools. Training available with: Dragon; Kurzweil; Inspiration; Bookshare; iPad/iPhone Apps and accessibility; Tech tools for completing homework assignments online
Understood for Learning & Attention Disorders: www.understood.org
With the right support, parents can help children unlock their strengths and reach their full potential. With state-of-the-art technology, personalized resources, free daily access to experts, a secure online community, practical tips and more, Understood aims to be that support.
Sports & Activities
Alameda Martial Arts and Alameda Young Yoga: www.alamedamartialarts.com
Yoga and martial arts for all...private and small group specialized classes are offered.
Alameda Recreation and Park Department: alamedaca.gov/recreation
Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program (BORP): www.borp.org
BORP is the leading provider and promoter of adaptive sports and accessible recreation for children and adults with physical disabilities and visual impairments in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Special Olympics: http://www.sonc.org/sports/county/alameda
We offer 7 sports throughout the year including: Swimming, bocce ball, bowling, basketball, track and field, softball and tennis, conducting most practices most Saturday from September to June. Children 6 years or older in special education or developmentally disabled adults who might benefit from the Special Olympics are welcome to join at no cost to them. We welcome youth volunteers from middle and high schools as well as adult volunteers from all walks of life.