Resources for People with Disabilities
and Their Families

Web Sites

Information and Referral

www.nhhelpline.org
New Hampshire Helpline
nhhelpline.org offers online assistance through its searchable database of NH health & human services as well as local links and resources on individual New Hampshire County Pages.

www.nichcy.org
The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
NICHCY is the national information and referral center that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other professionals. Its special focus is children and youth (birth to age 22). NICHCY provides information and makes referrals in areas related to: Specific disabilities, early intervention, special education and related services, individualized education programs, family issues, disability organizations, professional associations, education rights, transition to adult life and more.

Education & Early Intervention

www.childrenwithdisabilities.ncjrs.org
A collaborative effort of several Federal programs
The Children With Disabilities Web site offers families, service providers, and other interested individuals information about advocacy, education, employment, health, housing, recreation, technical assistance, and transportation covering a broad array of developmental, physical, and emotional disabilities. The Web site includes extensive links to federal, state and national resources.

www.cdc.gov/ncbddd
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
This division of the Centers for Disease Control provides national leadership for preventing birth defects and developmental disabilities and improving the health, wellness and quality of life of people with disabilities. This Web site discusses healthy, pregnancy, birth defects, developmental disabilities, living with a disability, and information for health professionals

www.ed.gov./offices/OSERS/OSEP
Office of Special Education Program
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts. This site describes OSEP’s activities in the areas of legislation, research, grant programs and state compliance activities.

www.cec.sped.org
Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.

www.zerotothree.org
National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families
ZERO TO THREE is a leading resource on the first three years of life -- a national non-profit charitable organization whose aim is to strengthen and support families, practitioners and communities to promote the healthy development of babies. The site includes an extensive list of information resources. toddlers

Family Support

www.dhhs.state.nh.us/DHHS/DFA/default.htm
Department of Health and Human Services Office of Family Services
Assistance Handbook
The Assistance Handbook is a listing of critical resources for people in need, including food assistance, shelters for the homeless and for battered women, nutrition education, legal assistance, fuel assistance, social services, and more.

www.plan.ca/index.htm
Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network
PLAN is a registered non-profit charity created by and for families who have a relative with a disability. The organization has two main functions. 1) to help families plan a good life for their relative with a disability both now and in the future; and 2) to ensure a safe and secure future by fulfilling the wishes of parents after they die or are otherwise unable to.

www.gsgs.org
Granite State Guardianship Services
A Division of Tri-County Community Action Program, Inc.
Granite State Guardianship Services has served over five hundred individuals throughout the state, providing guardianship, protective and fiduciary services to incapacitated residents of New Hampshire.

Government Agencies & Benefits Programs

www.nhdds.org
New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Services System
This Web site includes project summaries, the System’s strategic plan and a contact directory for the area agencies.

www.dhhs.state.nh.us
Department of Health and Human Services
The NH Department of Health and Human Services’ first responsibility is to promote and protect the health, safety, and well-being of New Hampshire’s citizens. It is also charged under RSA 126-A-4 with providing a comprehensive and coordinated system of health and human services as needed to carry out that responsibility. This Web site includes directories and information about the Department’s programs and services.

www.ssa.gov
Social Security Administration
The official Web site of the Social Security Administration includes detailed information about for Social Security disability benefits.

www.ssa.gov/work
Social Security Administration Office of Employment Support Programs
Office of Employment Support Programs helps people with disabilities who want to go to work. This Web site includes information targeted to five different audiences: Youth with Disabilities, Employers, Social Security Beneficiaries and their families, Service Providers and Advocates.

www.state.nh.us/disability/caphomepage.html
State of New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on Disability
Client Assistance Program
The Client Assistance Program helps people who have applied for services from the New Hampshire Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and are having trouble getting services. The Program staff provides information, advises clients of their rights and responsibilities, investigates complaints, helps resolve problems with the vocational plan and represents clients at administrative reviews and fair hearings.

Inclusion

www.inclusionresearch.org
Inclusion Research Institute
The primary purpose of the Inclusion Research Institute (IRI) is to develop, research, and disseminate educational, therapeutic, and technological innovations that enable persons of all ages, including individuals with disabilities or other disadvantages, to be independent, productive and included in schools, communities, and places of employment.

www.iod.unh.edu
Institute on Disability
The mission of the Institute on Disability is to promote the full inclusion of people with disabilities in their communities. The Institute on Disability (IOD) at the University of New Hampshire was established in 1987 to provide a University-based focus for the improvement of knowledge, policy, and practice related to the economic and social participation of persons with disabilities in New Hampshire. This Web site includes a good Links section to other New Hampshire and national sites.

Publications & Information Directories

www.makoa.org
Jim Lubin’s disABILITY Information and Resources
This award winning Web site, created and maintained by a quadriplegic, provides a gateway to a wealth of on-line information. The extensive lists of links cover topics ranging from adaptive equipment to housing, employment and caregiver resources to athletic competition and travel.

www.nhchallenge.org
The New Hampshire Challenge
This federally recognized nonprofit serving the state of New Hampshire publishes a statewide quarterly newspaper for families who have members with disabilities. The publication is mailed to 7,000 households in New Hampshire (90% of the circulation), Massachusetts and Maine. The New Hampshire Challenge is also distributed to public libraries and organizations that serve families.

www.qualitymall.org
Quality Mall
Quality Mall is a place to find lots of free information about person-centered supports for people with developmental disabilities. Each of the “Mall stores” offers information products that help people with developmental disabilities live, work and participate in our communities and improve the quality of their supports. Quality Mall was developed by the Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration (RTC/ICI), the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services (NASDDDS), and Human Services Research Institute (HSRI). It receives its primary funding is through a grant from the federal Administration on Developmental Disabilities.

Advocacy

www.nhddc.com
New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council
The New Hampshire Developmental Disabilities Council is a federally funded, state agency responsible for conducting and implementing a statewide plan for improving the quality of the lives of people with disabilities. This Web site includes information about the Council’s activities and links to other on-line resources

www.gsil.org
Granite State Independent Living
GSIL is a private, non-profit organization committed to equality of opportunity for all people with disabilities. In 1980, we began with a small group of people with disabilities who wanted to control their own destinies and make their own life choices. Since then, GSIL has grown into a statewide information, advocacy, and direct services organization run by and for people with disabilities.

www.peoplefirstofnh.org
People First of NH
People First of NH, New Hampshire’s statewide self-advocacy organization, is a group of people working together to help each other take charge of their lives. This is being done by learning how to make decisions and choices in life in order to be more independent. It also means learning our rights and responsibilities. Members each other and gain confidence to speak out about what we believe in. This site includes a page of links to other online self-advocacy sites.

www.self-determination.com
Center for Self-Determination
The Center for Self-Determination is not a place; it’s a collaborative of individuals and organizations committed to the principles of self-determination. The purpose of the collaborative is to change the nature of the support and service system for individuals with disabilities, using the principles of self-determination to help all persons create the lives they want, connected to and with their communities. The site includes a link to the New Hampshire Office of Self-Determination.

Disability Specific Sites

www.thearc.org
The Arc
The Arc is the national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities and their families. It is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for people with mental retardation and their families. The association also fosters research and education regarding the prevention of mental retardation in infants and young children. The Arc’s Web site is an online resource designed to provide easy access to facts, contacts, and news updates.

www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/international_sites.html
University of Delaware
Aspergers & autism information
Excellent list of links to sites about autism and Asperger Syndrome

www.hunnybee.com.au/autism/autismsupport1.html
Autism Support
This privately published site includes an excellent list information resources about autism.

www.bianh.org
Brain Injury Association of NH
The mission of the Brain Injury Association of New Hampshire is to improve the quality of life for survivors of brain injury and their families, and to support prevention programs. The site includes an extensive directory of resources for survivors of brain injury and their families.

www.rarediseases.org
National Organization for Rare Disorders
Since 1983, NORD has work toward the prevention, treatment, and cure of rare “orphan” diseases. This Web site includes a database of information about more than 1,100 rare diseases.