Advocacy Resources

These web sites discuss legal, legislative and educational issues regarding the deaf and hard of hearing.

Family Voices
http://www.familyvoices.org/
Family Voices is a national, grassroots clearinghouse for information and education on the health care of children with special health needs. It advocates for health care services that are family-centered, community-based, comprehensive, coordinated and culturally competent for all children with special health care needs; promotes the inclusion of all families as decision makers; and supports essential partnerships between families and professionals. A contact person is listed for each state as well as available state resources.

Cochlear Implant Association
http://www.cici.org/advocacy.html
Provides information on being an effective advocate.

Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE)
http://www.fape.org/newsline/spanish/evaluacion.html
This project is a partnership that aims to improve the educational outcomes for children with disabilities. It links families, advocates, and self-advocates to information about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Listen-Up
http://www.listen-up.org/rights/rights.htm#advocate
Offers a variety of links on advocacy, including tips, self-advocacy, a self-help tutorial for parents, and more.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
http://www.copaa.net/
This independent, nonprofit, tax-exempt organization of attorneys, advocates and parents was established to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities.

American Society for Deaf Children
http://www.deafchildren.org/services/parentconnect.html
The Parents Connect Network provides e-mail communication that makes it possible to inform legislators of parents' perspectives rapidly and efficiently. When issues concerning deaf children are being decided, an email will be sent informing you about the issue and who needs to receive a letter from you.

Hard of Hearing Advocates
http://www.hohadvocates.org/
A non-profit foundation run by volunteers dedicated to helping the hard of hearing. The web site covers a variety of topics including information on assistive hearing devices, educational issues, digital hearing aids, legal issues, a message board and more.