Advocacy program brochure

Chester County

Advocacy

Advocacy The Arc’s Advocacy work assures people with disabilities are afforded their full rights and have access to services and benefits. It has the following focused areas of support:

Education Advocacy which supports parents of school-age children through their 21st birthday in navigating the special education system; and Systems Advocacy which supports individuals seeking support with assistance in navigating the extremely complicated systems to maximize the support they are eligible for and need.

Additionally, The Arc’s Advocacy work also includes Training resource connections and Legislative collaboration to reduce barriers and promote equal rights, full inclusion and support the health and welfare of those with disabilities and their families living and working in Chester County and the surrounding communities.

610-696-8090, ext. 234

Education Advocacy All children and students from ages five through 21 years old who are eligible can access The Arc of Chester County’s Education Advocacy services.

A trained education advocate will provide services to help parents, guardians, and students develop a plan of action for obtaining a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to ensure that students make meaningful progress on their educational goals.

Systems Advocacy The Arc of Chester County offers Systems Advocacy to help families and self-advocates understand and navigate the mental health/ intellectual and developmental disability (including autism) service systems.

Arc advocates safeguard individual rights, empower individuals, and promote self-determination and inclusion.

Trained professionals provide the following supports: • Provide resource connections and referrals • Help parents plan for their adult child’s future an effectively participate in planning meetings • Accompany self-advocates and families to meetings as needed • Provide ongoing support for self-advocates who have limited family involvement • Initiate, promote, and support individual and county-wide self-determination and self-advocacy efforts • Support self-advocates to attend local meetings to stay informed about systems changes and upcoming events • Monitor progress made in the areas of inclusion, self-determination, employment, home, and community supports, and recreation • Actively promote system change and improvement through county, state, and national advocacy • Provide one-to-one support and mentoring services

Training Series The Arc of Chester County’s Advocacy Program offers a series of 8-10 free trainings called, Chat n Chews, each Spring and Fall that cover a variety of topics which empower people to learn about education and systems advocacy. These trainings feature a variety of expert speakers on disability topics. These free trainings take place virtually and in our West Chester office as well as other locations throughout Chester County.

Legislative Involvement The Arc of Chester County’s Advocates work on issues relevant to people with disabilities in Chester County and the surrounding communities with the goal of achieving an everyday life for individuals with disabilities and their families. They do this through multiple government and legislative affairs meetings and attendance at the disability rallies in Harrisburg annually.

The Arc strives be a valuable liaison between local legislators and the public, sharing important information on issues that affect individuals with disablities and their families. info@arcofchestercounty.org

The Arc of Chester County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of others to help close the funding gap between what individuals with disabilities and their families need and what public sources fund.

Donations, no matter the size, are greatly needed and appreciated.

To donate, please visit: arcofchestercounty.org

For more information, please call the Director of Advocacy: 610-696-8090, ext. 234

900 Lawrence Drive West Chester, PA 19380

610-696-8090

arcofchestercounty.org A leading provider of a lifetime of programs and services for individuals with disabilities and their families.