Exceptional Childrens Assistance Center Inc

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN'S ASSISTANCE CENTER (ECAC) IS A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT PARENT ORGANIZATION, COMMITTED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES AND EDUCATION OF ALL CHILDREN THROUGH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS. ECAC AFFIRMS THE RIGHT OF ALL INDIVIDUALS, FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND CULTURES, WITH OR WITHOUT DISABILITIES, TO AN APPROPRIATE EDUCATION AND OTHER NEEDED SERVICES. ECAC SEEKS TO MAKE THAT RIGHT A REALITY BY PROVIDING INFORMATION, EDUCATION, OUTREACH, AND SUPPORT TO AND FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

ECAC CURRENTLY SERVES AS NORTH CAROLINAS PARENT TRAINING & INFORMATION CENTER, FUNDED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE HAVE HELD THIS DISTINCTION SINCE 1986. AS THE STATEWIDE PTI, WE SERVE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS, FROM BIRTH TO 26 YEARS OLD, IN ALL 100 NC COUNTIES. THE PTI STAFF PROVIDE INFORMATION, TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES NAVIGATING EARLY INTERVENTION, SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD. WE HELP FAMILIES AND YOUTH TO KNOW THEIR RIGHTS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AND BE EFFECTIVE ADVOCATES. INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. ECAC HAS A BROAD REACH IN NC. DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD, ECAC HAD MORE THAN 28,000 INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS WITH FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS AND IMPLEMENTED 228 TRAINING SESSIONS FOR FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. IN ADDITION, ECAC'S WEBSITE HTTPS://WWW.ECAC-PARENTCENTER.ORG HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF PAGE VIEWS OF 215,280 DURING OUR LAST REPORTING PERIOD. OUR FACEBOOK CURRENTLY HAS MORE THAN 16,000 FOLLOWERS.

ALL OTHER PROGRAMS EXPENSES ECAC IS PART OF THE REGION B NATIONAL PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (RPTAC) NETWORK AND SUPPORTS 25 FEDERALLY-FUNDED PARENT CENTERS IN 12 SOUTHEASTERN STATES - FROM VIRGINIA TO FLORIDA, OVER TO TEXAS. THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH PARENT TO PARENT OF GEORGIA, ECAC'S STAFF MEMBER SERVES AS CO-DIRECTOR FOR THE REGION B PARENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER. IN THIS ROLE, THEY PROVIDES BOARD TRAINING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCES ON REACHING UNDERSERVED FAMILIES AND EFFECTIVELY OPERATING A NONPROFIT FAMILY ORGANIZATION INCLUDING BOARD GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVALUATION STRATEGIES.ECAC HAS SEVERAL CONTRACTS WITH THE NC DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION (NCDPI) OFFICE OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. IN ADDITION, ECAC IS A FUNDED PARTNER OF THE NC DEAFBLIND PROJECT TO SUPPORT FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND PROVIDE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH DEAFBLINDNESS. AN ECAC STAFF MEMBER IS THE CO-DIRECTOR OF THIS PROJECT. THROUGH THE NC SYSTEMIC IMPROVEMENT PLAN (NC SIP) GRANT, WE ENGAGE A CADRE OF FAMILY LEADERS TO SPEAK TO PRE-SERVICES CLASSES FOR EDUCATION MAJORS IN PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY ENGAGEMENT. TO ENSURE OUR WORK IS FAMILY-CENTERED AND YOUTH FRIENDLY, ECAC USES THE EXPERTISE OF THE FAMILY ADVISORY BOARD AND OUR YOUTH ADVISORY TEAMS. THE MEMBERS OF THESE ADVISORY BOARDS, AND OTHER FAMILIES WE ENGAGE FROM ACROSS THE STATE, INFORM ECAC'S WORK ON MANY LEVELS, FROM PROVIDING FEEDBACK AND PERSPECTIVES, TO WORKING WITH ECAC STAFF TO PLAN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES, TO CO-CREATING INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENTS, AND CO-PRESENTING TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS AND FAMILIES. ECAC PROVIDES A VARIETY OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO UTILIZE THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE TO IMPROVE THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR FAMILIES AND YOUTH.FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IS WOVEN INTO ALL THE INTO ALL THE FABRIC OF ALL PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES. WE ARE RECOGNIZED AS A STATE LEADER IN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, FAMILY LEADERSHIP AND FAMILY-CENTERED CARE. STAFF ARE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN IN MORE THAN 17 LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR FAMILIES AND YOUTH.ECAC HAS A FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER WHO COORDINATES OUR MULTIPLE PROJECTS ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND LEADS THE NOVEMBER FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH ACTIVITIES. THIS INCLUDES COLLABORATING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND OBTAINING A PROCLAMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZING NOVEMBER AS FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH. FOR THIS REPORTING PERIOD, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT MONTH ACTIVITIES REACHED MORE THAN 7,000 FAMILIES AND PROFESSIONALS. WE ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOLS ON BEST PRACTICES TO AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGE FAMILIES.

ECAC CONTRACTED WITH NC DHHS VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION TO PROVIDE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES TO 36 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. STUDENTS RECEIVED TRAINING AND SUPPORT IN JOB EXPLORATION COUNSELING, WORKPLACE READINESS TRAINING, COUNSELING ON POSTSECONDARY OPTIONS, AND INSTRUCTION IN SELF-ADVOCACY, TO INCREASE THE DIVISIONS CAPACITY FOR REACHING AND SERVING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ACROSS NORTH CAROLINA.