Chattanooga
Autism Center
IEP/504 Mentoring and Support
DISCLAIMER: The CAC has compiled lists of autism-related resources in our region to help you save time searching for them on the web. This list of service providers is for informational purposes only and being listed does not constitute the endorsement of the CAC.
If you would like us to add a resource or update a resource, contact us at 423-531-6961 opt. 0 or email info@chattanoogaautismcenter.org
The Arc of Tennessee
The Arc of Tennessee provides one-on-one mentoring for parents who are navigating the special education system. They help parents understand, develop, and revise their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans, communicate better with schools, and become their child's advocate.
Phone: (615) 248-5878 (ext. 306)
Services include:
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Teacher Support & Training, Attend and assist during Individualized Education Plans, Behavior Support Plans, and Parent Support & Training Services
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Supervise and serve as a liaison for job placements, professional growth & development of ABA behavior specialist, RBTs, & BCBAs
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Weekly small groups for children & adolescents that need better social communication and emotional skills.
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ABA Staffing & Training, Parent Support Training, Social Group Services
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Location: 715 Peachtree Street North East, Suite 100-200-#3895
Atlanta, GA 30308
Website: https://clihumanservices.com/
Email: info@clihumanservices.com
Phone: 770-580-4116
They connect families with each other, community resources, experienced parent mentors, tools to navigate complex systems in healthcare and insurance and more. They train families, by empowering them to advocate for the needs of their child and to lead in their local communities and beyond. They serve families and children across all diagnoses and all ages.
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Website: https://www.familyvoicestn.org/
Email: Molly_a@tndisability.org
Office/Cell: 256-702-0606
Link to Video: https://youtu.be/gJ2fH9WpCvM?feature=shared
Georgia Parent Mentor Resources
Deidre Stewart is the Parent Mentor for Dade County Schools in GA. Parent mentors serve parents of special needs children. Call or email if you have questions about IEPs or 504s and other issues.
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Website: https://www.dadecountyschools.org/Page/3784
Phone: 706-657-8253 ext 40343
Email: deidrestewart@dadecs.org
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Michal Jones is the Parent Mentor for Walker County Schools in GA. Parent mentors serve parents of special needs children. Call or email if you have questions about IEPs or 504s and other issues.
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Phone: 706-375-9900
Email: michaljones@walkerschools.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ParentMentor4WalkerCountySchoolsGA/
District Advocates support Hamilton County students and families through the difficulty of navigating student-related incidents where school-level mediations have been unsuccessful and/or additional assistance is needed. Their goal is for students and families to feel heard and supported. Advocates work with families to develop a resolution that enables students to be successfully restored to their enrolled school and fosters a community in which students thrive.
When to contact an advocate: Parent Flow Chart and Spanish Language Flow Chart
The website below gives more information including the names of the advocates.
District Advocate Website: https://www.hcde.org/district/department_
Email: hcscommunications@hcde.org
Location: 3074 Hickory Valley Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37421
Phone: 423-498-7020
If you have questions about IEP's, 504 Plans, RTI, supports, modifications, accommodations, services, consider joining this Facebook Group. This group posts updates about special educational issues. Its moderator and others work to answer questions from parents about special education rights.
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Web address: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iep504caregivermentoring/
The State of TN allows some students to opt out of the public schools and get funds to use to pay for resources or some private school. To qualify, a student must have had an IEP for one year. Parents can then opt out of the public school system and apply for IEA funds. Parents should call and find out more details and amounts provided per year and other criteria.
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Website: https://www.tn.gov/education/iea.html
Phone: (615) 253-3781
When you look at your child’s IEP (or IFSP or 504 plan), what do you see? Do you see a cohesive document that reflects your child’s strengths, needs, goals, and supports to accomplish them? Or do you see a pile of papers with a bunch of acronyms that only partially makes sense? If your response is the last one, let LifeLine, Inc. help! LifeLine, Inc. offers IEP consultations to help families learn about their child’s IEP. Call today for a line-by-line review of your child’s documents.
SERVICES: Training on IDEA law, one on one meetings with parents to mentor them on navigating through the special education system, prepare parents for IEP meetings to support them in their advocacy efforts, outreach through newsletter and other community activities. Other services include training classes for churches on how to develop a special needs ministry, ParentLink project, or a Community Parent Resource Center.
Set up a consultation by clicking HERE!
Website: www.lifelinefamilies.org
Email: Lisa Mattheiss at lisa.mattheiss@lifelinefamilies.org
Office: (423) 622-4007
Cell: (423) 645-0504
Services:
- Help families work with early intervention and education systems so you can be equal partners in decision makking
- Supporting families in navigating Georgia's health systems, so you can be active partners with your health care providers.
- Providing much needed assistance when you may be the most vulnerable and scared, so you can build your confidence skills.
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Website: https://www.p2pga.org/
Phone: (800) 229-2038 or (770)-451-5484
Email: info@p2pga.org
Parents can apply for funding if they decide to opt out of the services provided by the public schools. Students must have attended one year of Georgia K-12 public school to qualify OR have attended a Georgia special needs preschool or received related services under an IEP. If a student does not meet this one year requirement, they may be eligible under a waiver for students with medical/behavioral needs, for military dependents or those adopted from foster care.
Website: https://www.georgiaspecialneeds.com/
For more details, and to learn about scholarship amounts and other facts, contact them through their website:
STEP is Tennessee's federally-funded Parent Training and Information Center. STEP assists parents in understanding their special education rights and empowers them to be advocates for their child's education and IEP/504 plans. STEP offers one-on-one assistance to parents by answering questions about their child's specific needs or concerns and the IEP/504 plan with strategies to prepare for meetings. Go to tnstep.info for special education related information, webinars, and online training. All services are free for families.
Parent Manual
https://tnstep.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Parent-Manual-July-9-2021.pdf
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Library
https://tnstep.info/information-library/
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Website: tnstep.info/get-support/ and for Spanish: tnstep.info/espanol/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/steptn/
Phone: (800) 280-7837 or (423) 638-5819 direct line for assistance in East TN
Contact STEP: https://tnstep.info/general-contact-2/
System of Care Across Tennessee (SOCAT) offers care coordination using a wraparound approach for children, young adults, and their families. SOCAT trains parents on special education rights and helps them with IEP and 504 Plan creation and maintenance . Their Eastern Tennessee office is in Knoxville but they travel.
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Phone: (615) 532-6700
Email: soc.tacenter@tn.gov
Website: http://socacrosstn.org/services/
TN Voices is a statewide and national source of referral, support, and advocacy for families and the systems that serve them. They have a large section of parent training options! TNV has reached more than 50,000 parents / caregivers, family members, and professionals.
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Examples of parent training include:
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Common Sense Parenting
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Parent 2 Parent Advocacy Training
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Family Support Specialist Competency Course
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Strengthening Families
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Nurturing Parenting
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Youth Mental Health First Aid Training
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Early Childhood Trainings
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Phone: (800)-670-9882
Email: tvc@tnvoices.org
Website: https://tnvoices.org/
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