Hints for Being an Engaged Father

Hints for being engaged dads. Even though my girls are 16 and 10, they still love to have Jeff read to them. “The impact that engaged fathers have on significantly reducing at-risk-behavior in their children has been well documented. Additionally, fathers who are physically and emotionally engaged lead to

Top 10 Ways a Judge Can Influence a Child Under IDEA in Court

Joe Tulman, Professor of Law at the UDC David A Clark School of Law, makes these recommendations on 10 Things a Judge in Delinquency or Criminal Court Can Do Under IDEA Regarding People with Education Related Disabilities Gather relevant stakeholders and clearly divide what should be handled by whom. Ensure the child is evaluated for…

Truancy: Door to Criminal Justice System

“Research has … shown that the minute a youth sets foot in detention or lockup, he or she has a 50 percent chance of entering the criminal justice system as an adult.”  – Robert Listenbee, administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. University of Tennessee law professor Dean Rivkin argues that prosecuted…

Amanda Alexander To Be Honored in DC as Angel in Adoption

Senator David Perdue Honors Amanda Smith Alexander as an Angel in Adoption™ To Be Recognized at National Event in Washington, D.C. Congratulations to Amanda Alexander!  Amanda will be awarded the 2015 Angels In Adoption awardee for outstanding advocacy in adoption issues.  It has been  a privilege to walk alongside Bryan and Amanda through the last…

Why You Should NOT Welcome My Special Needs Child to Your Church

“The truth is, I wish you would welcome my special needs child to your church, but for many, there is a work to be done first. Please check your heart and the heart of your church. There are families slipping through the cracks…90% of special needs families to be exact. The Church has a great…

Federal Support for Inclusive Early Childhood Programs

“The “Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs,” released jointly by the Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on September 14, 2015, states that all young children with disabilities should have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, where they are provided with individualized and appropriate…

Individual Education Account (IEA) – Voucher Option for Education of Students with Disabilities

The “Individualized Education Act”, adopted by the General Assembly in 2015 per Public Chapter 431, creates the Individualized Education Account Program and related accounts (IEA) for eligible students with disabilities to use for educational purposes. The program provides options for parents and students to choose the education opportunities that best meet their own unique needs…

Turning Life’s Lemons into Lemonade: On Display

“Summer.  For special needs families it’s not just a season of humidity but a season of humility.  God always uses summer to once again reiterate how much I need Him every second of every day to walk this journey out. I’m slowly learning to embrace this season because I know God is working in me, but…