Project PROMPT
Project PROMPT (Parents Reaching Out Model For Parent Training) is the parent training and information center for the State of Louisiana. Our staff and volunteers assist parents in securing a free, appropriate public education for their children with disabilities.
Project PROMPT provides information and training to parents of children with disabilities on the rights & responsibilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and related federal and state laws.
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Family Empowerment Forum
The Empowerment Forum is an annual gathering of families and individuals living in the community to learn self-advocacy and community living options and opportunities.
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Point of Information and Referral
Once a family is referred to Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities to be determined eligible for services they are referred to Families Helping Families. Our office contacts the family and places them on our mailing lists. We then address the support issues that need to be dealt with. We pursue community resources and refer to other local agencies and collaborative work to resolve crisis.
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State Department of Education
This contract allows us to bring a nationally known speaker to our area to keep parents and educators on the cutting edge of the trends. The focus changes yearly based upon the need of the community. In the 2005-2006 school year our emphasis will be on the re-authorization of IDEA, the new IEP format and other educational changes.
We are a part of the transition teams in many of our 12 parishes and will continue to assist parents and schools in the transition planning process.
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Education & Support of those with Dual Diagnoses
This program focuses on helping troubled students remain in their community school. Personnel attend ISC meetings, Evaluation & IEP meetings, assisting parents in coordination of services for their children with mental illness primarily emphasizing school attendance and program design.
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Early Childhood Support and Services
ECSS is a local integrated comprehensive system of prevention & care for young children, age birth to age five. It is a coordinated group of community supports & services promoting optimal functioning of these young children & their families. These children, who have been identified at risk, receive interventions that involved coordinated screening, evaluation, referral, & treatment. Staffings are done monthly and normally serve a minimum of 6 families at each meeting.
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Children?s Special Health Services Parent Liaisons
The Parent Liaisons attend clinics & are available to parents to provide emotional support, orientation material, information on available services, referrals, and/or transition planning.
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Families Can?t Wait
A family centered hospital based support program for families of children with medical concerns.
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LIFE - Louisiana Individual and Family Empowerment
The LIFE Project promotes collaboration between self-advocates, families & the state agencies that have traditionally provided services to people with disabilities. The overall purpose of the project is to empower self-advocates & families to provide the leadership needed to bring about critical changes in policies & procedures.
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Early Steps
The Early Steps Parent Liaison is depended upon to coordinate activities related to the support of parents and families served by Louisiana?s early intervention program for infants & toddlers with special needs.
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Louisiana State Improvement Grant
The primary purpose is to improve Louisiana?s service system in ways that better meet the needs of all students by improving special education services within the context of general reform initiatives. Families Helping Families role in this is arranging for and hosting a series of workshops to educate parents, of both regular education and special education on the special education laws and how to work with the system to assure they are meeting the needs of the child.
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Community Housing Assistance Network
This project enables us to start a grassroots effort to affect systems change ensuring individuals with disabilities have access to community housing options.
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Peer to Peer
The Peer to Peer Support Program is designed to give support to families of children with disabilities, chronic or terminal illness, prematurity or rare disorders. New families are ?matched? to a trained volunteer Support Parent.
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Lending Library
FHF maintains an extensive lending library of books, videos, and magazines that parents and professionals check out in library fashion.
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Equipment Library
Through donations from parents, FHF maintains a storage building with various pieces of equipment commonly used by individuals with disabilities. Families may borrow what they need at no cost.
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Myre Crecink Memorial Discretionary Fund
There are limited funds available to assist families in times of crisis. Common items that are provided through this fund include: diapers, formula, food boxes and gas cards for medical trips to New Orleans, Little Rock or Memphis.
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LaCAN - Louisiana Citizens for Action NOW
LaCAN is a statewide grassroots network of individuals & families who have worked together since 1998 advocating for a service system that supports individuals with disabilities to live in their own homes, rather than having to move to a facility to receive needed services. Specifically, they have advocated for implementation of Louisiana?s Community & Family Support System Plan.
Regional LaCAN teams include parents, individuals with disabilities, & advocates for individualized supports. Team members are linked by telephone tree and the internet to mobilize when communication with state policymakers is necessary.
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Parent Stipend
This program provides funding for parents and/or individuals with disabilities to attend workshops, conferences, and trainings. Expenses for childcare, mileage, hotel, and registrations are included.
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Faith Based Awareness
This is our program that provides information, education and support to area churches wishing to become involved in outreach to individuals with disabilities.
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Bullying
We have 2 programs that deal with the hot topic of bullying. One is geared for groups like Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, parents or other interested parties. The other is designed to help teacher in the classroom teach their children about bullying and how to handle a bullying situation.
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Health and Hygiene Happening
In collaboration with the ULM School of Nursing, we are able to offer trainings on various topics that are pertinent to the individuals we serve. Classes have included Hygiene for Men and A Visit with the Doctor for women. These classes are ever evolving and are altered to meet the present need.
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