Page 107 - North State Parent March 2022

NORTH STATE PARENT FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE SPRING/SUMMER 2022 SPECIAL NEEDS
a continuum of special education services
by employing highly qualified professionals, sharing special education knowledge and expertise, and providing professional devel- opment. 10140 Old Oregon Trail. mvjpa.com. (530) 223-1915
NCCDI Tehama County Head Start; Red Bluff. Focused on the mission of enriching children’s lives, empowering families, and engaging the community. Early Head Start and Head Start services, and counseling for individuals and families of all ages. nccdi. com. 220 Sycamore St., Ste. 200. (530) 529- 1500 or (877) 224-7772.
North Valley Services; Red Bluff. Programs & activities for persons with special needs ages 18 & older. Emphasizes independence and integration into the community. Functional, behavioral and employment skills develop- ment, transportation assistance, resource info and more. northvalleyservices.org. 11799 Highway 99W. (530) 527-0407.
Rough Rider Roundup; Redding. An inclu- sive, family-friendly outdoor event for the spe- cial needs community of Shasta County and the surrounding area. Rough Rider Roundup incorporates horse- and ranch-themed events into adaptable and accessible activities for children and adults of all ages and abilities. Registration required. roughriderroundup. com.21449 Roughout Road. (209) 256- 9640. Sensory friendly films. Prime Cinemas;
Red Bluff. 2nd Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m. Year-round for families of individuals with disabilities. Lights will be dimmed, trail-
ers limited and sound volume lowered. The films will also be open captioned. 400 S Main Street. Primeredbluff.com. (530) 529-5491. Shasta Head Start, Inc.; Redding. Shasta Head Start is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of young children, one family at a time. Opportunities for education, parenting support, and resources to families in Shasta, Siskiyou, and Trinity counties. Highly qualified staff provide full-day and part-day classes, nutritious meals, safe and inclusive environments, parent education and support, and curricula supporting kindergarten readiness. Free for qualifying families. shastaheadstart.org. 375 Lake Blvd., Ste. 100. (530) 241-1036.
Small Talk Pediatrics; Redding. Provides speech therapy services for children of all ages. Each therapist has a passion for speech therapy and understands the value of commu- nication in each persons’ life. 2526 Goodwater Avenue. (530) 226-8255. smalltalkpeds.com.
SISKIYOU COUNTY
Alyssa Araiza Wings of Angels. Redding. Committed to aiding families who have children suffering with pediatric cancer or life threatening illness by providing unique sup- port including groceries, gas, bills and other support. aawoa.com. (530) 378-2373. Siskiyou Early Head Start; Yreka. Com- prehensive child development services to low-income families in Siskiyou County. Par-
ent involvement is a key part of the program. Choose the Early Head Start option from the programs and services drop down menu. siskiyoucoe.net. 1 Childs Way. (530) 842-8493. Siskiyou Opportunity Center; Yreka and Mt.Shasta. Organization that helps individuals with developmental disabilities ages 18+ find meaningful employment. siskiyouoc.org. Mt. Shasta (530) 926-4698. Yreka (530) 842-4110.
DIVERSE ABILITY SWIM LESSONS
SHASTA COUNTY
Shasta Family YMCA; Redding. Offering swim lessons for youth with mental & physical disabilities Lessons help build confidence in the water and reinforce social skills through specially trained instructors and use of visual aids. First 3 lessons are free. $30/lesson. sfymca.org. 1155 N. Court St. (530) 246-9622.
EQUINE ASSISTED
LEARNING &
PSYCHOTHERAPY
Ananda Ranch. Provides girls & women a place to awaken their full potential. Found-
ed by Tricia Weldon PHD, MA., EAP, EAL, CTS. Tricia holdsLevelIIcertificationunderthe Equine Assisted Growth & Learning Associa- tion as an equine specialist & facilitator. She is also a Girls Circle certified facilitator & a trauma specialist/intervention & consultant. anandaranch.org. (530) 925-2567.
Grenada. 901 White Rock Rd.
Mt. Shasta. 1716 Pine Grove Dr.
Horse Encounters; Redding. Equine Assist- ed activity for special needs. An approach to learning life skills where participants and certified equine specialists team up with a horse to reach their goals. roughoutranch. org. 21449 Roughout Road. (209) 256- 9640. Stable Hands; Yreka. Improves the phys- ical, mental, emotional & social health of people living with disabilities through equine assisted activities & therapy. Ages 2 & up. Horses Helping Heroes veterans pro- gram (free). Scholarship program available. stablehands.org. (530) 842-3082.
Triple Creek Ranch; Shasta & Tehama County locations. Therapeutic horseback riding for individuals of all ages with physical, emotional & mental/learning disabilities. The unique relationship devel- oped with a horse can lead to increased confidence, patience, self-esteem & more. Also offers youth horsemanship activities. tcri.org. triplecrkranch@yahoo.com. (530) 527-9394.
What to Do if Your Child’s IEP Isn’t Being Followed
By Jennifer Arnold
If you are a parent of a child with special needs, you most likely know what an Individualized Edu- cational Plan (IEP) is. For those who aren’t familiar
with the term, an IEP is a legal document that defines a program of special education instruction and support services that kids need to make progress and thrive in a school setting. A common complaint among parents and caregivers of children who have special needs is that their IEP is not being followed.
Approach your child’s education team with concerns
There could be several reasons for a lapse in services, and the first step is always to approach your child’s edu- cational team with your concerns. A day or two without services due to unforeseen circumstances could be recti- fied with a note to the teacher. However, a recurring and long-term loss of services may call for more formal action.
Once an IEP is accepted, the school legally must pro- vide all the services described in that plan right away, unless there is a stipulation in the IEP that some services are to start later. When IEP services are not delivered as written, steps can be taken to enforce the IEP and obtain compensatory services to make up for the lost services.
Document everything and keep the documentation
First, make sure everything is clearly defined in the IEP. If you find that part or all of the IEP is not being fol-
lowed, the first step is to document everything — even something that seems trivial because it could turn into an ongoing problem. Keep all the documentation with your IEP paperwork.
When communicating with the school about IEP is- sues, be specific and factual and focus on what the child has not received. For example, “Per their IEP, they are sup- posed to be able to go to a quiet room to do testing, but according to them, that did not happen for last Tuesday’s test.”
Next, request an IEP meeting
If documentation alone doesn’t prompt the school to correct the issue, you can request an IEP meeting. First, submit the request in writing, stating why you want the meeting and citing specific examples. Then, bring all of your documentation to the meeting.
Consider finding an advocate to go with you
If things get to this point, it is very easy for parents and caregivers to become angry and frustrated. If this is the case, you may want to consider finding an advo- cate to go with you to the meeting or at least give you some tips on communicating your concerns effectively in person. You can find a special education advocate by contacting Disability Rights California or Rowell Family Empowerment Center.
If you’re still not satisfied with the results of the meet- ing, or if the IEP services are still not resolved afterward, there are a couple of other avenues to pursue.
More steps you may need to take
Contact the California State Department of Education to file a special education complaint. There are instruc- tions on how to file a complaint on their FAQ page. You can also consult a special education attorney, but keep in mind that the closest attorneys specializing in this area are located in the Sacramento and San Francisco area.
Less popular but sometimes necessary options are to transfer to another school district or homeschool and pay privately for outside services. In the end, all families must choose what is right for them and, most important- ly, what is right for their child.
Be prepared, stay organized and know your rights
Even if your child isn’t having issues with their IEP, it helps to be prepared. Keep a specific notebook or binder with the IEP and related paperwork so you can stay orga- nized. In any IEP meeting, don’t sign anything unless you are completely comfortable with it. You have the right to refuse and the right to request adjustments to the IEP be- fore signing it.
For information on filing a special education com- plaint, visit cde.ca.gov/
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