Advocacy
Training Opportunities
Partners in Policymaking - Advocacy training program for parents and self-advocates. Teri Barker, 1-800-846-4464, www.vaboard.orgYouth Leadership Forum - Empowers young people with disabilities to further develop their leadership skills. Teri Barker, 1-800-846-4464,
www.vaboard.orgPartnership for People with Disabilities. Various training opportunities for parents and self-advocates. Dana Yarbrough, 804-828-0352, dyarbrough@vcu.edu
Parent Education and Advocacy Training Center - Provide easy-to-understand, research-based information and training. Cathy Healy, 1-800-869-6782, www.peatc.org
Legal
Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy - Advocacy and legal representation for persons with disabilities. 1-800-552-3962, www.vopa.state.va.usLegal Aid Justice Center (Just Children) - Provides free legal services on non-criminal matters to income eligible persons in our service areas. Andrew Block, 1-434-977-0553, www.justice4all.org
Center for Special Education Advocacy - Maintains a list of advocates and attorneys across Virginia. www.virginialac.org
University of Richmond Disability Law Center - Law students represent children and parents seeking appropriate special education and community-based services mandated by both federal and state law.
Adrienne Volenik, 804-289-8921, http://law.richmond.edu/clinic/disability.phpWrightslaw - website about special education law and advocacy, with thousands of articles, cases, and free resources. www.wrightslaw.com
Policy
Virginia Board for People with Disabilities - serves as Virginia's Developmental Disabilities (DD) Planning Council. Heidi Lawyer,
1-800-846-4464, www.vaboard.orgVoice of Virginia’s Children - Children is a statewide, privately funded, non-partisan awareness and advocacy organization that builds support for practical public policies to improve the lives of children. Margaret Nimmo Crowe, 804-649-0184, www.vakids.org
Arc of Virginia – Policy development to benefit people with intellectual disabilities in Virginia. Jamie Tosclair, 804-649-8481, www.arcofva.org
General
Parent to Parent of Virginia - Dana Yarbrough, 804-795-1481, www.ptpofva.comParent Education and Advocacy Training Center – Provide easy-to-understand, research-based information and training. Cathy Healy, 1-800-869-6782, www.peatc.org
Federation of Families - Focus on the mental, emotional or behavioral wellness of children/youth and their families. Children deserve the necessary services and resources, enabling them to achieve their full potential Vicki Hardy-Murrell, 1-866-798-2363, www.mhav.orgwww.easyaccess.org