Special Needs Community Resource List

This resource list was compiled
by Carol Kaczander, director of the
Jewish Information Service, an
information and referral service run
under the auspices of the Planning
Department of the Jewish Welfare
Federation, 967-4357 Voice,
976-0460 TDD. This list is in no way
a complete listing of available
services and may not cover all of
the services provided by the
agency, but is meant to be a
starting place for some of the most
common needs of the community.
Many of the areas overlap. Many
organizations provide advocacy as
part of their service. This list
includes mostly not-for-profit
organizations.

LEARNING DISABILITIES

The public schools service children with
a learning disability. Most local schools have
a teacher(s) in the school. Programs are
designed on an individual basis. Some
children may spend the entire day in the
room set aside for this specialty and some
may spend a minimal amount of time there.
There are private clinics specializing in
helping persons with learning disabilities.
These can be found in the Yellow Pages. Be
sure to do careful research.
College students are also eligible for
supplemental services. These services may
or may not have a charge. The campuses at
Oakland Community College provide these
services free of charge. Each campus has its
own coordinator for students with special
needs (physical impairment, visual and deaf
or hearing impaired as well as learning
disabled).

Oakland Community College,
Orchard Ridge Campus
27055 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Cindy Scharg 471-7734

Madonna College
36600 Schoolcraft
Livonia, MI 48150
Michael Meidrum
591-5129 voice: 591-1203 TDD

Colleges and universities across the
country also provide assistance. For free
brochures on what to look for when choosing
a school or more information about higher
education and adult training for people with
handicaps, contact:

Health Resource Center
One Dupont Circle, Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20036-1193
Rhona C. Hartman
1-800-544-3294 voice and TDD

Michigan Rehabilitation Services
25900 Greenfield, Suite 303
Oak Park, MI 48237
David Halter
968-5003 Voice,
338-0444 Voice or TDD (Pontiac)
Eligibility criteria to receive services from
Michigan Rehabilitation Services are (1) You
must have a physical or mental disability
(including a learning disability) that results in
a substantial handicap to employment and
(2) there must be a reasonable chance you
will become employed if rehabilitation
services are provided.
A client will receive a thorough
evaluation to determine appropriate
treatment, taking into consideration interest
and abilities. Using the evaluation, the
counselor and client develop an

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FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1991

Individualized Written Rehabilitation Program.
The client receives the specific services they
will need to become employable and the
client and counselor work together to find a
job. Some services are free of charge and
others are on a sliding scale.

RELIGIOUS SPECIAL EDUCATION

PTACH
25311 Ronald Ct.
Oak Park, MI 48237
Bette Josephs
399-6281
PTACH stands for Parents for Torah for
All Children. Currently there are two resource
rooms in a local day school program. The 24
students using the program have a learning
disability. The amount of time that each
student spends in the resource room varies
with the needs of each student. All the
students spend some time in typical classes.
The program is designed to allow students to
remain in a day school program. There is
also one "self-contained" classroom that
operates on an after-school basis. PTACH is
self-funded for staff and materials.

Agency for Jewish Education
21550 W. 12 Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48076
Bayla Landsman
354-1050
There are no restrictions regarding the
type of disability a student might have to be
included in this program. Typically, students
are school age, but, currently, there is one
class for adults. Programs are designed to
meet the needs of the student. A class might
be on an individual basis. There are after
school and Sunday programs.

Temple Beth El
7400 Telegraph
Birmingham, MI
Rose Werney
851-1100
Temple Beth El offers a Saturday school
program for students with special needs.
Students have a wide variety of challenges
and three classrooms offer a wide age range
for classes. Students participate in a multi-
sensory approach to their Judaic education
and have the opportunity to participate in
Shabbat services.

Temple Emanu-El
14450 W. 10 Mile Road
Oak Park, MI 48237
Dottie Dressler
967-4020
Temple Emanu-El offers an Enhanced
Learning Program for students that might
experience some hurdles in learning a
language. The program is a pull-out program,
done within school time. Students usually
spend 15-20 minutes with support staff.
Likewise, there is intensive support for
students learning so rapidly they need
enrichment.

Spina Bifida Association of
Southeastern Michigan
P.O. Box 26181
Fraser, MI 48026
Mary. Ellen Gleeson
423-3200
Dues from the Spina Bifida Association
are $5 annually. They have a monthly parent
support group that brings in speakers. The
subjects cover areas of interest to clients and
parents. There is a newsletter that keeps
members up to date on medical technology,
new developments and discoveries, and
coming events. The Association has fund-
raisers. Families can get a yearly supplement
of $500 for diapers, catheters, braces,
wheelchairs, etc., to cover costs that
insurance or Children's Special Health Care

doesn't provide. There is a one weekend
summer camp program and an annual
national conference.

The National Multiple Sclerosis
Society of Michigan
26111 Evergreen, Suite 100
Southfield, MI 48076
Patricia McDonald
350-0020
The Multiple Sclerosis Society has
ongoing programs in several areas. They
have information and do referral about the
disease, available community resources for
problems, legal advice, etc. There is a
friendly listening program for people who just
need to talk: The listeners are trained. There

is an outreach program for people without
support. The MS Society has a loan program
for durable medical equipment.
Support groups are available and there
are 8-week counseling groups run by a
therapist. The topics are chosen by the
needs of the clients.

Kenny R.E.H.A.B.
21700 Northwestern Highway, Suite 1140
Southfield, MI 48075
Franklin Hazard
560-8180
Kenny R.E.H.A.B. will assist anyone with
a mobility impairment. They will help locate
and fund, if necessary, the proper aid to
ease mobility. These include crutches, canes,
wheelchairs, ramps, lifts, etc. Kenny does
information and referral for resources for
assistive devices in the home, adaptive
clothing, or making the home barrier free.
They offer workshops on all aspects of life
with mobility impairments.
The Kenny R.E.H.A.B. newsletter keeps
the public informed about legislation, self-
empowerment, and issues relevant to the
public. The cause of the mobility impairment
is not related to receiving service. There are
offices throughout the state.

happening in the legislature that affects their
constituency. They keep families aware of
new and creative programing, conferences,
and the latest drug information. MAEDC is
interested in the well-being of the entire child
and lets families know about other resources
for help.

The Oakland County Association
for Retarded Citizens
690 E. Maple Road
Birmingham, MI 48009
Sharon Connelly
ARC/OC provides advocacy for persons
with Developmental Disabilities. They will
assist with or attend IEPC's. They have
information regarding estate planning and
offer workshops dealing with life and long
range issues for families that have a child
with disabilities. The ARC helps families
making community placements, helps
homeless people with housing assistance,
and runs support groups for families. They
publish a newsletter to keep people aware of
groups, events, legislation, and course
offerings of interest.

United Cerebral Palsy Association
of Metropolitan Detroit
17000 W. 8 Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48075
Elmer L. Cerano
557-5070
UCP will do advocacy for persons with
any disability. They have a parent training
program that empowers parents in the
special education process. UCP also
presents the "Kids on the Block" puppets.
The National_Organization does research on
the causes of cerebral palsy. They are
concerned with technology to assist persons
with cerebral palsy. They are concerned with
technology to assist persons with cerebral
palsy. UCP also monitors the legislative
process.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Special Education services are available
for students from birth to age 26. Services
may include orientation and mobility training.
There is an infant and toddler home-based
program with a teacher consultant coming in

ADVOCACY

Michigan Protection and Advocacy
109 West Michigan Avenue, Suite 900 -
Lansing, MI 48933
Elizabeth Bauer
1-800-292-5923 Voice or TDD
Michigan Protection and Advocacy is a
program mandated by the Federal
Government. The areas they cover are
Special Education, Developmental Disabilities
and Mental Health. Michigan P&A has free
brochures on their services, and what rights
a client has in certain circumstances. In
certain areas they will assist a person in self
advocacy. They sponsor the Michigan Self-
Help Clearing House to support and
encourage a self-help response to mental
health and disability related concerns.

The Michigan Association for
Emotionally Disturbed Children
24133 Northwestern Highway, Suite 103
Southfield, MI 48075
Sam Davis
356-2566
Michigan Association for Emotionally
Disturbed Children (MAEDC) assists families
with support groups and Individual
Educational Planning Committees (IEPC's).
They monitor psychiatric hospitals and what's

United Wag

for Southeastern Michigan

to the home. There is a pre-school program.
Most students receive services at the local
school with support from a teacher
consultant. Oakland Schools provide
specialists in the area of awareness and
mobility. Most students graduate at the
typical time. Contact your local special
education director of Oakland Schools at
858-2121.
Michigan Commission for the Blind
1200 6th Street
Detroit, MI 48226
256-1524
Shig Toda

Michigan Commission for the Blind
offers vocational rehabilitation for people who
are legally blind. They offer a Youth Low
Vision Program designed to work with teen-
agers in school who are legally blind. The
commission will buy special low vision
equipment. There is a Business Enterprise
Program to establish a business opportunity