With so much to learn and understand, and so many resources available, it can feel overwhelming just trying to figure out where to start. It doesn’t have to be that way. By approaching your needs step by step and asking for help, you will receive the guidance you need to make the right decisions for your child. 

Beyond resources, there are real services available to you and your child. We’ve covered some of these elsewhere, including special needs trusts. Here, let’s focus on services that can support your child’s education. In particular, we highlight the Individualized Education Program and 504 plans.

The Individualized Education Program

An Individualized Education Program, or IEP, is a document that describes your child’s specific needs as it relates to their education. Typically, an IEP will include information on: 

• Your child’s current academic achievement and performance
• The goals you and the school team think your child can accomplish
• The special education services to be provided.
• How to measure progress

You can help develop your child’s IEP, as this is your right by law. Your participation is highly valuable to the school team assigned to the IEP, as this will help them understand your insights and corners, and develop a plan to reach the learning goals that benefit your child. 

Does your child require special education services? Learn how to request an evaluation for special needs services. 

504 Plans

A 504 plan is a formal plan that schools develop to accommodate children with disabilities. For example, they may give your child more time to turn in an assignment or complete a test. They are different from IEPs in that they aren’t part of special education. Explore some tips about what goes into a good 504 plan.

Find the answers you need on special education services

FND has created an information hub that includes answers to questions we often hear from parents, including:

• What is special education? 
• Who is eligible?
• What happens during an evaluation for special education services?

Find the answers to these and dozens more questions about special education that matter to you as a parent.

Special Needs Planning includes special needs trusts, which allow people with physical and/or mental disabilities to receive income without affecting their eligibility to receive disability benefits.

As the parent of a child with special needs, consider the money you’ll need to pay for care and save for the future, and where you can go for financial assistance.  Ask who will care for your child if something happens to you or your spouse. Eparent.com helps guide you through these issues with its “Financial Planning Guide for Parents of a Child With Special Needs.”

In this guide, you’ll understand how to create a timeline of the financial expenses you’ll want to cover throughout different phases of your child’s life. It also addresses issues like transition planning, life insurance, and special needs trusts, which we look at in the next section.

Special Needs Trusts

Family Network on Disabilities (FND) offers full-service trust administration in Florida. As a reminder, Special Needs Trusts allows someone with a physical or mental disability to receive income without affecting their eligibility to receive disability benefits. This helps them maintain their quality of life by having the funds they need.

Our four areas of trust service expertise include:

• Individual Special Needs Trusts. These help a person with disabilities protect their assets while also ensuring they can receive public benefits.
• National Pooled Trusts. This is a kind of special needs trust that is established and administered by a not-for-profit organization. It has the same benefits, but different accounts are pooled together so you don’t have to set up and administer a separate trust.
• Settlement Protection Trusts. A Settlement Protection Trust, or SPT, places lawsuit settlement funds into a trust to keep them safe. This enables the beneficiary to pay their bills, plan for financial freedom, and make periodic investments designed to generate wealth. 
• Family Pooled Fund. As with National Pooled Trusts, the Family Pooled Fund gathers together funds from participants who contribute their own money for the benefit of a loved one with disabilities.

FND Trust Services is led by a highly experienced team that is dedicated to efficiency and transparency in our trust administration. Our approach enables us to help thousands of beneficiaries each year. FND Trust Services will:

• Help plan, establish, and maintain a trust
• Give beneficiaries a reliable point of contact
• Ensure beneficiaries have access to the funds they need, when they need them 

Learn more about our staff and their dedication to serving beneficiaries and their families. 

You can rely on us because we are fully transparent, and our system is designed to give beneficiaries access to their funds when they need them. To learn more about our trust services, call (727) 291-8046 or contact us online. 

There are a lot of resources available to people with disabilities and their families. Our mission is to make it easy to find, understand, and connect with the programs and services you need to care for and support your loved ones. Here we look at popular special education and healthcare programs.

Special Education

Every state has at least one Parent Training Information (PTI) center, whose services ensure that parents have the ability to prepare their children for school and help them lead productive, independent lives. 

Florida has three PTI programs that service three geographic regions of the state. These programs include POPIN, PSN, and PEN. They are all funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Each program provides free training and information to parents so they can make a positive impact in the lives of their children. Here are the full names of each program and how to find out more/ get in touch:

• POPIN, or Parents Offering Parents Information and Networking. POPIN helps families across the Florida Panhandle and the upper east coast of Florida. Find their latest updates, events, and services. 
• Parent Support Network. The program is the PTI center for Central and Northeast Florida. You can find more information at the PSN Facebook page. 
• Parent Education Network. PEN serves the southernmost counties in Florida. See the latest events they have scheduled. 

Each of these programs offers free training and information to families of students with disabilities.

FND is your resource for meeting the challenges that comes with having a disability. We are here to answer your questions and share the information you need to advocate for your child. Call us at (727) 523-1130 or toll free at (800) 825-5736. You may also share your needs with us online.

Health and mental health

Family Support, Training, Assistance, and Resources (Family STAR) is the Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F HRC) of Florida. It is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

This program helps families of children with special healthcare needs to make informed decisions about health care for their children, providing:

• Support
• Training
• Assistance
• Resources

Our goal in sharing this resource is for families to be effective partners in healthcare decision-making at all levels and report satisfaction with the services they receive. Connect with Family STAR on Facebook. Need help now? Click here to get Family STAR support.

Transitioning to adulthood

Moving from high school into the responsibilities of adulthood is a major life event. For someone with disabilities, it’s especially important to have sound, patient guidance to make this transition feel fulfilling. 

Some of the questions you may want to ask your child include:

• What hopes do you have for the future?
• What do you need to achieve your dreams?
• What kind of education do you hope to attain?

Our guide to Transition Planning for Students With Disabilities includes the information you need to take a methodical approach to helping your child prepare for adulthood:

• Why it’s important to get a head start on the planning process
• Checklists on what to do at each age of transition
• The importance of the Individualized Education Program

Save this resource today and review it as a family so that you can take a proactive role in giving your child the care, services, and support they need to enter adulthood with confidence.

As a parent, you want to give your child the best chance to thrive and be happy. This effort may be more challenging if your child has autism, but the good news is that there are many agencies and services you can rely on. 

Autism is a developmental disability that significantly affects verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction. It’s generally evident before age three and can adversely affect a child’s educational performance. Below, see some of the resources that help with educating children with autism and that empower you and your child’s teachers to support their emotional and developmental progress.

Supporting a child with autism

Children with autism need a lot of patience and support, and we think the Autism Navigator is an excellent tool for helping you provide that love and support. In particular, look at their Family Resources section, where you’ll learn about:

• Signs of autism in toddlers. We recommend their course, About Autism in Toddlers, which is a web-based series of slides and videos that you may complete at your own pace.
• Common treatments for children with autism. You’ll learn about behavioral and developmental approaches. The most common developmental approach is Speech and Language Therapy. The behavioral approach uses what is called Applied Behavior Analysis. 
• Resources for screening a child you think may have autism. Once resource we really like is babynavigator.com. This is an easy-to-navigate site where you can discover:
  • What autism looks like in toddlers
  • The importance of screening your child’s social communication activities
  • Early intervention resources if your child has autism

The sooner you verify that your child has autism and how it affects their life, the sooner you can improve their outcomes. 

Educating a child with autism

You’ll be an informed parent when you learn about the evidence-based practices that teachers follow and apply when teaching children with autism. You’ll also know what to expect from your child’s instructors and be able to have a dialogue with them on what is or isn’t working. 

For example: Did you know that the best practices for teaching children on the spectrum are based on applied behavior analysis? This process helps reinforce appropriate behavior and decrease challenging behavior. 

By knowing the key terms used by educators when helping students on the autism spectrum, you’ll be able to understand their approach and speak the same language. On this page, we’ve included a list of common terms, including:

• FAPE. This refers to free appropriate public education services that are provided at public expense. It’s defined by the Individual With Disabilities Education Act.
• IDEA. The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act was created to help state and local agencies provide special education and related services to children with disabilities.
• IEP. The Individualized Education Program is a document designed to meet your child’s unique educational needs.

Not sure where to start? Have questions about your child and autism? Contact us and let us know how we can help.

People with disabilities need help with their healthcare, education, finances, and moving into adulthood. Bookmark this resource page, as this is where you’ll find links to the programs, services, and information that will help people with disabilities – and the families that care for them — get the help they need to live fulfilling lives.

Resources for Adults With Disabilities

When you’re looking for information about adults with disabilities, FND has created or linked to a number of resource pages.  For this section, we’ve highlighted those we think will have the widest appeal.

Making the transition from youth to adulthood. This Social Security Administration page is part of its Red Book resources, and offers direction on:

• Job openings
• Career assistance
• How to manage and save your money
• Social services like childcare, housing, legal services, and transportation

The FDIC has a Youth Employment Resource Center, where you can help your child can learn skills that will serve them well into adulthood, including:

• How to open a bank account
• Creating a budget
• Saving for college

As you shop for a bank, use this FDIC banking checklist.

We’ve also gathered many education resources for those moving into adulthood. Some of these are for employers and how they can support employees with disabilities, but there are others helpful to those with disabilities and their families.

Find out what you need to know about your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) when you turn 18: 

If you’re new to the world of adult services for people with disabilities, we’ve created this explainer page, where we link to pages that explain: 

• Vocational Rehabilitation Agency.
• Service agencies that help people with intellectual disabilities or mental health concerns
• Independent living centers. 
• Other people to consider involving in transition planning.

Looking for a job? Learn how to find a federal job as someone with a disability.

Healthcare Resources

Having access to quality care is essential for most anyone with a disability. Fortunately, there are resources available to provide this care and essential information.

Family Support, Training, Assistance, and Resources (Family STAR) is the Family-to-Family Health Information Center (F2F HRC) of Florida. Learn about its purpose.

Florida’s Children’s Medical Services Managed Care Plan (CMS Plan) provides children with special healthcare needs a family-centered, comprehensive, and coordinated system of care.

This program serves children under age 21 whose chronic physical or developmental disabilities require preventive and ongoing care.

• Eligibility Requirements 
  • Must meet medical financial requirements
  • Under the age of 21
  • Must meet CMS physical screening requirements or have a physician attest to the child’s qualifying condition. To request a physical screening, please contact your local CMS office. You may ask for one at any time.

How to create a personal healthcare plan

There are seven steps to creating a personal healthcare plan for a child with special needs:

1. Contact past doctors and ask what health information you need for your personal health plan.

    

2. Ask for an authorization form for release of medical records.

    

3. Organize the papers chronologically

    

4. Transfer electronic information to a stored device

    

5. Bring the PHR to all health care visits

    

6. Create and carry a card or medical alert bracelet or necklace

    

7. The PHR is private information so remember to keep it confidential

Our goal in sharing these resources is for families to be effective partners in healthcare decision-making at all levels and report satisfaction with the services they receive.

Learning Resources

Students with disabilities often need personalized education, the kind that allows them to receive a customized learning experience so they can reach their full potential.

Find out what the top education experts say about personalized learning so that you can take an active role in your child’s education. Valuable information includes:

• Best practices for teaching students with disabilities
• What parents and families can do when their child receives personalized learning
• An overview of your rights as a high school student. This includes a right to all of the services named on your Individualized Education Program.
• Key special education terms you need to know

Never heard of an IEP or a 504 plan? Get a quick primer at our recent overview of Special Education Services. 

Here is a convenient side-by-side comparison of the purposes and benefits of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Both are designed to help the education experience for people with disabilities.

Learn how you can support and educate a child with autism spectrum disorder. If you have the time and interest, take a deeper dive into how educators approach teaching children with autism and discover evidence-based practices for successful instruction.

Keep in mind that there are dedicated groups throughout Florida that are devoted to advocating for your child’s education, healthcare, and financial security.

Special Needs Trusts

People with disabilities need financial guidance that is caring, competent, and transparent. That’s why we offer our FND Trust Services. Our services include four types of trusts including:

• National Pooled Trust
• Individual Special Needs Trust
• Family Pooled Trust
• Settlement Protection Trust

With each of these services, our goal is to make sure you have access to the funds you need, when you need them. Learn more about special needs planning and how each of the four trusts work.

In 1973, The Rehabilitation Act was put into place. Under this law, individuals with disabilities are defined as persons with a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities.

This brochure will help understand the Rehabilitation Act and how it can support increased access to employment and independence. In this brochure, we will cover:

• Eligibility
• Background behind the Rehabilitation Act
• Accessibility vs. Usability
• Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE)
• VR Services
• And more

To download the brochure, click the button below.

Dadvocates is a network of dads that promotes the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children with disabilities. This program is intended to help provide father-to-father support throughout Florida. We can provide your group with specific workshop topics or you can just meet for:

• Father-to-Father networking
• Community outings
• Information and resources
• Help with personal coping
• Sense of unity

What if your child was found to have extraordinary skills in a sport? Recruiters were telling you “your child could really be someone awesome in this sport.” Wouldn’t you do everything you could to make sure they got all the help they needed to be great? You would practice with them making sure they had the best coaches so they could become the best ball player ever. It is important that our children hear from us that “We believe in them and they can do it.” All parents want the best for their children.

But what if they have special challenges? Wouldn’t they need all the help we could give them? Wouldn’t it be even more important that they got all the coaching they needed? Wouldn’t it be even more important for them to hear their dad say, “I believe in you and you can do it?”

It is clear that no one has greater potential to speak into a child’s life and to help shape their identity than their father. If your child is struggling, you as their father can have one of the greatest impacts on their lives.

So how would I know if my child might need some extra help from me? Often times a pediatrician (child’s doctor), or the school may identify where your child might be struggling. They may recommend that your child be evaluated for a physical1 or developmental delay.

This is a good thing because if my child is struggling, the support of their dad will be crucial. Once we know of their challenge, we can begin to research and identify strategies that may help our child. If the evaluators turn out to be wrong, it just means that our child received extra help that they may not have actually needed. It is important that we err on the side of being overly cautious rather than taking a “wait and see” approach. Again, if we are wrong it just means that my child will get help to “kick a ball even sooner” than the other kids.

So, how do I know if my child may need to be evaluated? This brochure will list what a child should be able to do during the first two years of life. There is also information on how we can intervene to help them. Each child develops differently and your child may not be developing like this material is describing. That is why it is so important that we get evaluations if we are at all concerned with their development.

Click below to download our DADVOCATES brochure.

Greetings, and welcome to the world of Exceptional Student Education (ESE). As you participate in the ESE process, you will encounter unfamiliar languages and acronyms. The language is often referred to as Alphabet Soup. It may seem like a foreign language, but it

is really just a language of initials. Their initials and acronyms are used in meetings, and it is assumed that everyone is familiar with the meaning. As a parent or self-advocate, if you are in a meeting and this occurs feel free to ask,

What does that term mean?

This brochure was designed to assist you in understanding the most common language used inside the alphabet soup. It might be helpful for you to read and study the contents of this brochure and the resources on our website before you attend a meeting for your child or yourself.

Click below to download the brochure.

Moving into high school, on to college and into employment will cause your life to be quite busy. Your mind and your body can become stressed. So take time away from these busy things and make time for some fun! There are sports and activities that are designed specifically for you. In this section you will learn about different ways to make your life more enjoyable and meet new friends!

In this Tool Kit, You Will Learn About:

• Networking sites where people just like you come together to discuss social activities, disability activism and much more.
• Adaptive sports that exist for people with many different kinds of disabilities and about how you can become involved.
• The easiest ways to travel with a disability.

Click below to download the Tool Kit.