Advocacy and Services in Westchester and Putnam

Many New York City parents know that Advocates for Children and other nonprofit organizations provide excellent, free or low cost help for families struggling with school related issues. But we want to make sure that parents in Westchester and Putnam Counties are aware of an agency with offices in both locations that offers similar services to families in these suburbs north of New York City. The Educational Advocacy Program is a Program of the Westchester Independent Living Center (WILC) and its satellite office, Putnam Independent Living Services (PILS). Some of the services offered include:

• Providing direct and indirect advocacy for parents of students with a wide array of special needs, including special education and transition to life beyond high school. This assistance is free and available in both English and Spanish.
• Training parents to become "Lay Advocates"  to help other parents navigate the special education system
• They also have an email newsletter with useful information on current workshops and programs, as well as links to information about benefits, educational policy, and community news. 

Watch for news about my presentation on Life After High School for Students with Disabilities and Their Families, scheduled for some time in May (postponed from April 30th) at the Westchester location.