This article discusses a home-centered approach to the use of assistive technology for children with disabilities, reviewing the literature on children's home environments, self-determination, family systems, and the physical and social environment. Suggestions are provided for professionals working with families to identify and provide assistive…

The article examines effects of implementation of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986, Part H, Handicapped Infants and Toddlers, including goals and expectations for family support, a comprehensive family support program, and assessment and service options. (DB)

Describes the Family-Centered Program Rating Scale (FamPRS), a 59-item instrument with parallel forms for family members and service providers to rate satisfaction with and importance of various early-intervention program characteristics. An example of using the instrument to improve family-centered practice is detailed. (DB)

This article describes the successful Ohio Early Start program, which is designed to prevent later developmental problems in infants and toddlers. The program was coordinated with the existing early intervention program and other efforts to ensure a comprehensive, community-based and family friendly network of child development health and…

The PACER Center is advocating for greater involvement of parents whose children have become involved in the juvenile justice system. Coalition for Juvenile Justice reported in January 2004 that of the 300,000 to 600,000 juveniles who cycle through detention facilities after arrest awaiting legal action, more than half are under 16 years of age…

Early Head Start (EHS) is a comprehensive, two-generation program that provides services to low income families with children under the age of 3 years. As part of their mandate, staff members of EHS programs collaborate with other service providers in their local communities, including Part C and childcare providers. The incidence of disabilities…

In this study, the authors compared the self-reported needs of and sources of supports for African American and European American caregivers of young children with disabilities living in urban and rural areas. One hundred twenty caregivers of young children in one state's early intervention (EI) system responded to two instruments, the…

This public awareness package is designed to help crisis nursery and respite care programs for families with special needs children to increase the visibility of the programs' services, increase use of their services by families, enhance collaboration with other agencies, and assist with fund-raising efforts. It describes the advantages and uses…

This brochure presents an overview of the eight trial Family Support Programs in Illinois which attempt to meet needs of families of children with disabilities in order to enable such children to remain with their families and avoid institutional placements. Principles of family support are listed, including its focus on whole families and meeting…

This report is one of three resulting from a 50-state survey on the development of family policies through the implementation of Public Law 99-457 (Part H) and focuses on the selection of case managers, qualifications and training of case managers, vehicles to monitor and supervise case managers, and financing the case management system. Among…

This report describes the recent efforts of Michigan's Division of Services to Crippled Children (DSCC) to assist families with handicapped children to develop their full potential for health, education, and self-support through the removal of physical, social, psychological, and economic barriers. DSCC functions are carried out at the local,…

The manual is intended as a guide for initiating outreach projects for families of handicapped children. The manual is organized in four parts, covering the following topics: (1) the general organization of a family outreach project; (2) the development, content, administration and scoring of the Family Interview Schedule designed to examine…

The manual is intended to help students and professionals in allied health fields find resources for helping disabled students and adults and their families. The first and largest section is a directory of organizations classified according to 15 topics, including advocacy, alcoholism, blindness and visual impairment, child abuse, learning…

This policy brief is the fifth of a series of analyses of Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) data by CLASP (Center for Law and Social Policy). It describes the picture for Head Start and Early Head Start children, families, and programs in the 2002-2003 program year. In this brief, "Head Start" refers to all Head Start programs, including…

The article discusses the conceptual and procedural mandates of the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), required under Public Law 99-457, as both a bold radical step taken by the federal government and as a logical extension of current service delivery practices serving disabled children. (Author/DB)