General Statement of Services: Independent resource center for the blind and visually impaired. Intergenerational peer counseling.

Client Eligibility: Blind or low vision

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: No application requirements

• Residential: Independent Supported Living, Group Home Living arrangement.
• Adult Day Activities: Adult Day Training Program – Med-Waiver or private pay.
• Children’s Services: CSC (Children’s Services Council) Respite Program – 20 hours per month one on one staff; After School Program for Middle and High School Students; Summer Camp (3 weeks): ages 6 –22.

Client Eligibility:

• Med-Waiver services: non-residential habilitation, residential habilitation, companion, respite, and personal care assistant.

• CSC (Children’s Services Council) Services: children ages 3 – 18 who do not have Med-Waiver services

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services:

• Med-waiver: have support coordinator contact ARC.

• Children’s Services Council: contact Gina Hansen at ARC, complete registration forms.

• Summer Camp: contact Gina Hansen at ARC.

• After School Program: contact Tracy Ghazel at ARC 284 – 8732.

General Statement of Services: Advocacy and independent living skills training

Client Eligibility: Must have a disability; Serves all ages

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: The individual needs to want services, documentation of a disability. Advocacy services may be requested for education on IEP or 504 Plan.

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General Statement of Services: Deaf Service Center is the only resource agency for people with hearing loss in the Treasure Coast (Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties). Services available include interpreting, ADA/IDEA Advocacy, Phones on Loan training and distribution, Hearing Aid Bank, Sign Language classes, emergency preparation, referral information.

Client Eligibility: No criteria for services except for Hearing Aid Bank client must show a financial need.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: No criteria

General Statement of Services: The Division of Blind Services provides information, guidance and counseling, training, adaptations, job placement and related supportive services. Transition services are provided for youth beginning at age 14 through their educational years. Youth are encouraged to try various work experiences to prepare them for eventual job placements in careers of their choice.

Client Eligibility: To be eligible youth must have a bilateral visual impairment, which may eventually result in an impediment to employment.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: None noted.

General Statement of Services: Provides services for individuals with developmental disabilities in their homes and community. Services provided are Supported Living Coaching, Residential Habilitation, Non-Residential Habilitation, Personal Care Assistance, Respite, Homemaker, Companion Services, Behavior Analysis, Specialized Mental Health Services, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy and Private Duty Nursing.

Client Eligibility: Children 0 –3 and Children over age 3 with only an "At Risk" diagnosis are not eligible. The individual is eligible under a primary disability of Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida or Prader-Willi Syndrome. In addition, the individual must have substantial functional limitations in three or more major life activities, including self care, learning, mobility, self-direction, understanding and use of language, or capacity for independent living.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, and psychological or psychosocial documentation with the diagnosis.

For diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Autism: a physician statement documenting the disability is needed.

Client Eligibility: Must have a mental or physical disability which hinders their ability to get or maintain employment

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Identification or Drivers License, Social Security Card (if applicable), Medicaid or Medicare Card (if applicable), information regarding medical and mental health (if applicable), medical records from the past one or two years.

General Statement of Services: Goodwill has many programs to work with persons with disabilities to become an integral part of local workforce and lead independent lives.

• Employment Services: Prevocational skill training, job search, placement, job coaching, follow along – includes supported employment.

• Deaf, Blind, Traumatic Brain Injury: Community reentry, social skill acquisition, cognitive training, prevocational training, and job search.

• Adult Day Training: Social skills, community living, prevocational, activities of daily living skills services for those clients identified as Mentally Handicapped, Cerebral Palsy, Autistic.

Client Eligibility: Any disability including homeless and those with economic disadvantages and barriers to employment. Goodwill offers a variety at service options focused on employability training and career development based on need.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Proof of disability (IEP and psychological report most current)

General Statement of Services: Assist customers by providing benefits counseling to enable them to understand how earning will effect benefits such as Social Security. Provide forms for reporting to various agencies as well as advocacy services.

Client Eligibility: Age: 14 –65 and receiving Social Security disability and interested in receiving information about benefits.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Current and past work information, if customer has been previously employed. No other information is required to apply.

General Statement of Services: Serves adults and families with or without a documented disability who need individualized education, employment and living arrangements to improve their quality of life and become active members in the community.

Client Eligibility: Meet eligibility requirements of Dept. of Children and Families, Developmental Services, Dept. of Labor, Vocational Rehabilitation, Blind Services, or Alcohol, Drug & Mental Health.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Must be referred to Tri-County TEC through one of the above agencies.

General Statement of Services: Student Disability Services at IRCC provides Academic Advisement, auxiliary aids, adaptive devices, test accommodations, academic adjustments and referral information to students with documented disabilities.

Client Eligibility: To be eligible youth must have a bilateral visual impairment, which may eventually result in an impediment to employment.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: None noted.

General Statement of Services: New Horizons – Stuart Outpatient serves people of all ages. Services include Biosocial Evaluations, Individual and Group Therapy, Substance Abuse Evaluations, Individual and Group Counseling, Adult and Children’s Case Management Services for seriously emotionally disturbed adults and children.

Client Eligibility: None. Willingness to receive services. Payment is on a sliding scale.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Proof of household income, address and any insurance information they may have.

Client Eligibility: Varies form program to program. Generally requires meeting an income guideline or being dislocated from a job.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Schedule appointment for initial visit. Nothing is required.

General Statement of Services: Cash benefits to disabled individuals. Also Medicare or Medicaid to disabled individuals, auxiliary and survivors benefits to students under age 19 who have a parent who is deceased or receives Social Security Retirement or Disability Benefits.

Client Eligibility: Disabled children may qualify for SSI. Children with a deceased parent or a parent receiving retirement or disability benefits may qualify for a monthly check.

What the client and/or parent needs to bring with them to apply for services: Parent should call the SSA 800 phone number (1-800-772-1213) to schedule an appointment. Necessary documentation will be discussed during the phone call.

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National Center on Secondary Education and Transition E-News
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Supplemental Security Income (Part 1 of 3): A Bridge to Work (March 2003)
NCSET Parent Brief
This parent brief is part 1 of a 3-part series on supplemental security income. This brief gives parents of youth with disabilities practical information about how youth can use Social Security work incentives to facilitate a gradual transition from dependence on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to partial or complete financial independence. Social Security work incentives allow a recipient of Supplemental Security Income to earn wages while maintaining SSI cash benefits and Medicaid. Background information, definitions, and specific financial criteria for using SSI work incentives are included.

Supplemental Security Income (Part 2 of 3): So You Have Decided to Apply (April 2003)
NCSET Parent Brief
This parent brief is part 2 of a 3-part series on supplemental security income. The brief is tailored for parents of youth with disabilities and provides a detailed description of the process for applying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The brief outlines four elements, including a) the process of making an appointment with a Social Security Administration representative, b) the specific steps in applying for benefits, c) criteria that the Social Security Administration uses to determine an applicant's eligibility, and d) information about the evaluation conducted if the Social Security Administration cannot initially make a decision about your child's eligibility.

Supplemental Security Income (Part 3 of 3): Your Right to Appeal (September 2003)
NCSET Parent Brief

Previous issues of E-News online can be found at http://www.ncset.org/enews/current.asp.