Advocates For Justice & Education Inc

ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE AND EDUCATION SEEKS TO EMPOWER FAMILIES, YOUTH, AND THE COMMUNITY TO BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN AND YOUTH, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS, RECEIVE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES.

THE PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION (PTI) CENTER IS A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE AND TRAINING CENTER. THE CENTER OFFERS PARENTS INFORMATION ON THE LAWS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, SPECIFIC DISABILITIES, THE LATEST RESEARCH ON TREATMENT AND INTERVENTIONS, AND ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY. THIS RESOURCE CENTER IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL TO OUR WORK, AS IT IS ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES THAT TRADITIONALLY WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THIS INFORMATION. THE PTI ALSO PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, OFFERS ADVANCE LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR PARENTS TO ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE AND PROVIDES A SUPPORTIVE NETWORK THROUGH PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES. AND TRAINS OTHER PROFESSIONALS WHO SUPPORT FAMILIES. AJE REACHED 2776 PARENTS THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT AT MEETINGS AND TRAININGS AND TRAINED 491 PROFESSIONALS ON SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED EDUCATIONAL TOPICS.

AJE MEETS THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WITH VARIOUS RESOURCE AND EMPOWERMENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES AND SERVICES FOR YOUTH AGES 13-26 TO SECURE APPROPRIATE TRANSITION SERVICES. AJE TRAINED 128 YOUTH ON TRANSITION AND SELF-ADVOCACY AND PROVIDED 13 TRANSITION-AGED YOUTH WITH LIFE ENRICHMENT AWARD PROGRAM (LEAP) AWARDS TO AID THEM IN MEETING THEIR TRANSITION GOALS. AJE ALSO PROVIDES LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING THROUGH ADVOCACY PROGRAMS SUCH AS OUR HEALTH EQUITY PROJECT, PARENT AMBASSADOR AND PARENTS BUILDING BRIDGES PROGRAM. 58 PARENTS COMPLETED PARENT LEADERSHIP ACADEMY & 19 COMPLETED AMBASSADOR TRAINING.

THE FAMILY-TO-FAMILY PROGRAM THROUGH THE D.C. HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER (DC HIC) PROVIDES SUPPORT, INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND TRAINING TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS AND THE PROFESSIONALS THAT SERVE THEM. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE PARENT ADVOCATES AT ALL LEVELS AND TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INFORMATIONAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO OTHER FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. AJE TRAINED 217 FAMILIES ON HEALTH CARE RELATED TOPICS AND PROVIDED 145 FAMILIES WITH EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND LINKAGES TO COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. THERE WERE 89 FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATED IN AJE'S SUPPORT GROUP.

AJE PROVIDES LEGAL SERVICES TO FAMILIES IN THE AREA OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND SCHOOL ACCESS ISSUES. LEGAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN THE FORM OF ADVICE AND COUNSEL, BRIEF SERVICES AND EXTENDED REPRESENTATION. AJE PROVIDED LEGAL SERVICES TO 634 INDIVIDUALS INVOLVING EDUCATION MATTERS. SPECIFICALLY, AJE PROVIDED ADVICE AND COUNSEL, BRIEF SERVICES OR EXTENDED REPRESENTATION TO 548 INDIVIDUALS IN SCHOOL DISCIPLINE/EXCLUSION AND EDUCATION ACCESS MATTERS AND TRAINED 2,142 PARENTS ON LEGAL RIGHTS INVOLVING SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND SPECIAL EDUCATION RELATED TOPICS.