Easter Seals Disability Services

Social & Support Services Help Those in Need

Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio's social work staff is well-versed in the multitude of community resources available to persons with disabilities and other types of needs.  In addition to linking families to theses resources, guidance is provided to families and individuals regarding their rights and in how to advocate for themselves. 

Contact us for more information.

SOS (Supporting Our Siblings)

"SOS" is a special place for very special brothers and sisters. It is a fun place where brothers and sisters of children with special needs can meet each other. "SOS" is sponsored by Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio and the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio. We welcome siblings of children with any type of disability or special need.

What we will do:

• Meet other kids who have brothers and sisters with disabilities
• Talk about the good and not-so-good parts of having a brother or sister with special needs
• Get answers to questions
• Play...Eat...Hang out...Have fun!

Recommended Ages:
8 - 13 years old

Location:
Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio
3830 Trueman Ct.
Hilliard, OH 43026

Cost:
Cost of the program for the entire five-week session is $80 which covers snacks and materials (or $20 per individual meeting). A multi-child discount is available for siblings of the same family - $65 for each additional child (or $15 per individual meeting). Saturday sessions are $40 each; additional children in the same family are $30 each.

Contact Deb Luciano at Easter Seals, 614-228-5523, for more information on the cost of this program, other funding options, and to register.

If you would like to contribute toward a scholarship to enable a child to enroll in "SOS" who might not otherwise be able to attend, please contact Deb Luciano at 614-228-5523.

To learn more about the Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio, please visit http://www.dsaco.net/.

Families and IDEA - Important Opportunity May 19th

The U.S. Department of Education is holding an event on "Family Engagement and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act". The webinar will take place on Thursday, May 19, 2011 at 1 p.m. EST. The webinar will focus on the Department of Education's commitment to family involvement, particularly for families of children with disabilities or at risk. The webinar will also focus on the resources that the Department provides to help families understand the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, their rights under IDEA and how to work with schools to improve their children's future. Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs, will be the featured speaker.
 
Click here to register for the webinar, then click on "Public Sessions" (second option in the red ribbon on top).  For more information please contact Carrie Jasper at Carrie.Jasper@ed.gov.

P.L.A.N.E.O. Working to Give a Voice to the Voiceless
This summer, Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) has partnered with the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio to form a support group for Hispanic immigrants who have children with disabilities. The Program Manager for Family and Children Services, Diana Sierra, says that over the years, CRIS has seen a real need for a support group for these parents. Not only do they have to deal with the stress of having a child with disabilities, but also the stresses of being an immigrant—limited English skills, finding work, integrating into the community, and learning how to cope without family nearby, just to name a few.

The name the members have chosen for this group is P.L.A.N.E.O., Padres Latinos Asociados por los Niños con Necesidades Especiales de Ohio. The intent of forming this group is to give parents who have children with disabilities a space where they can be surrounded by people who have had similar experiences and to show parents that they are not alone in this struggle. 

The aims of P.L.A.N.E.O. are four-fold: 1) parent-to-parent support, 2) information sharing about resources available to disabled children and their families, 3) to build parent’s confidence and comfort level in raising their child, 4) advocacy for better services for children with special needs. The long-term goal of the group is to apply for a grant that would fund a Community Parent Resource Center that would provide a formal space for these parents and give a voice to families that have children with disabilities.   

If you are interested in attending P.L.A.N.E.O., it is an open group that Latino parents who have children with special needs can join at any time.  Meetings are conducted in Spanish.  The group meets the first and third Thursdays of each month, except November and December, from 10:00-12:00. The meetings are held at Easter Seals Central and Southeast Ohio, which is located at 3830 Trueman Court Hilliard, Ohio 43026.  Contact Deb Luciano at (614) 228-5523 for more information.  

Community Resources
Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities:  The mission of the OCECD is to endorse and promote efforts to provide appropriate quality education of children and youth with disabilities. They do so in the belief that all children have a right to a meaningful and relevant education. This belief affirms the dignity of each child or youth with disabilities, whose needs are unique and whose needs must be met equally and appropriately.

Learn more about the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities.

CRIS (Community Refugee and Immigration Service) is an independent non-profit agency serving refugees, asylees and immigrants in central Ohio. Among local community-based organizations, CRIS is the largest agency providing services to immigrants in Central Ohio and is the agency providing the most extensive services to immigrant populations in our area.  Those services include immigration legal services and interpretation and translation.

Learn more about CRIS.

Spanish Web Site
Visit Our New Spanish Web Site: Easter Seals is excited to launch its first Spanish web site. Visit the Spanish web site to learn more about disability services and resources available at the national level.
Visite nuestro sitio del “web” en espanol. Easter Seals brinda su primero sitio del “web” en espanol. Visite el sitio del “web” en espanol para aprender mas de servicios y recursos disponibles al nivel nacional.

Summer News
The Columbus Franklin County Community Action Agency is assisting eligible households pay for summer cooling.  This program applies to electric utilities only and is available form June 1 through August 31. 

Who is eligible:

• Seniors 60 and over
• Medical households (physician documentation stating that an air conditioner will benefit the health of a household member)
• If you meet the above requirement you must be income eligible
• You may receive a payment up to $175

What to bring:

• Medical statement saying household will benefit from an air conditioner on letterhead or a prescription form.
• Picture ID
• SS Cards for everyone 2 years and over
• 90 days income for everyone 18 years and older
• Current utility bills

How to apply:

Schedule an appointment by calling 614-917-2444. Located at 1808 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43203.