1. Resources for Children with Disabilities
Alice Rosenthal, Esq.
Senior Staff Attorney

2. Section 504
What Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance
Who ALL people with a disability that impairs one or more major life activities
Protections: Reasonable Accommodations
Medical accommodations (diabetes, asthma)
Testing accommodations (extended time, large print, assistive technology)
Physical modifications (ramp, elevator)
Education plans
Physical or Mental Impairment that substantially limits* one or more major life activities, such as:
walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, caring for oneself
Record of impairment or regarded as having a disability

3. Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA)
What Ensures students with a disability are provided Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) tailored to their individual needs Who Covers students identified as having one of 13 classifying disabilities that impacts their learning Protections Provides special education services in school to allow the child to receive education benefit or access to an education (speech, OT, PT, counseling, tutoring, etc)
Autism
Deaf-blindness
Deafness
Developmental delay (3-5 years only)
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Intellectual disability (mental retardation)
Multiple disabilities
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairments, e.g., ADHD
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairments, incl. blindness

4. Supplemental Security Income
What Federal social safety net program providing supplemental income to adults or families of children with disabilities Who Aged, blind, and disabled people who have little or no income. Criteria is different for adults (18+) and children Protections Provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, shelter and disability related needs
Autism
Deaf-blindness
Deafness
Developmental delay (3-5 years only)
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Intellectual disability (mental retardation)
Multiple disabilities
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairments, e.g., ADHD
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairments, incl. blindness

5. Supplemental Security Income
Three step process
Is the child working?
Does the child have a condition that results in marked and severe functional limitations?
Is the disability expected to last at least 12 months or result in death?
Does the child’s impairment
Meet the requirements of a listed impairment
Medically equal a listed impairment
Cause functional limitations that are functionally equivalent to the listing
Autism
Deaf-blindness
Deafness
Developmental delay (3-5 years only)
Emotional disturbance
Hearing impairment
Intellectual disability (mental retardation)
Multiple disabilities
Orthopedic impairment
Other health impairments, e.g., ADHD
Specific learning disability
Speech or language impairment
Traumatic brain injury
Visual impairments, incl. blindness

6. Supplemental Security Income

7. Listing Examples - ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Manifested by developmentally inappropriate degrees of inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. The required level of severity for these disorders is met when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied: A. Medically documented findings of all of the following: 1. Marked inattention; and 2. Marked impulsiveness; and 3. Marked hyperactivity; and

8. Listing Examples - ADHD
B. For older infants and toddlers (age 1 to attainment of age 3), resulting in at least one of the appropriate age-group criteria in paragraph B1 of ; or, for children (age 3 to attainment of age 18), resulting in at least two of the appropriate age-group criteria in paragraph B2 of
Source: 20 CFR §404 Subpt. B, App. 1

9. Supplemental Security Income
Application If approved, benefits begin. If denied, Appeal (w/in 60 days) = Request for Reconsideration Appeal (w/in 60 days) = Request for Administrative Hearing Appeal (w/in 60 days) = Appeals Council Review Federal Court

10. How does this apply to your work?

11. Services for People with Disabilities
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Department of Social Services (DSS)
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DHMAS)
Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)

12. Resources
211 Infoline
Disability Rights CT (Office of Protection and Advocacy)
U.S. Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
Statewide Legal Services (SLS)
CT Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC)
CT Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities (CHRO)
CT Office of the Child Advocate (OCA)

13. Devon Age 14 Diagnosis – severe Sickle Cell Disease
Frequent hospitalizations
Academics – good student
Career Goal – politician

14. Dena Age 8 Diagnosis – ADHD, XYY Syndrome, seizures
Regularly attends school, but struggling academically
Mom has difficulty making ends meet because she needs to be available for Dena

15. Denise Age 18 Diagnosed intellectually disabled
Recently returned to CT from Florida
Was in DCF care for years
Not enrolled in school, not receiving supports or services

16. Darcy Age 10 Chronic persistent asthma Regularly adheres to treatment
Continual trips to the ED for acute attacks
Extremely poor school attendance, failing grades
Lives in public housing with wall to wall carpets

17. Alice Rosenthal, Esq. Center for Children’s Advocacy Medical-Legal Partnership arosenthal@cca-ct.org