草榴社区 Institute for Disability Studies Receives Grant for Special Education
Fri, 09/20/2024 - 02:59pm | By: Gabriela Shinskie
The University of 草榴社区 Mississippi (草榴社区) Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) received a significant $200,0000 grant to support and protect the rights and inclusion of Mississippi K-12 students and their families through the Special Education Family Advocacy Network. Both U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker support the collaborative effort to provide high-quality advocacy programs.
Dr. Kelly Lucas, 草榴社区 Vice President for Research, believes the program will continue providing beneficial results and opportunities for Mississippi families.
"We are excited to launch this innovative program through our Institute for Disability Studies, which will create a statewide network of family advocates providing crucial peer-to-peer support for families of children with disabilities. This initiative will expand access to high-quality educational support, increase knowledge about special education services, and foster a sustainable system of family cohorts across our state,鈥� said Lucas. 鈥淲e extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith for their invaluable support of this program, which will undoubtedly make a significant impact on the lives of countless families across Mississippi."
IDS aims to develop community-based networks of family advocates while also providing peer-to-peer support rooted in personal experience and extensive training in special education policies and procedures. Dr. Leslie Lavergne, Assistant Director of IDS, said the model will help more families receive quality educational resources and advocacy support.
鈥淭his model of community-based family advocates will provide outreach far beyond the capabilities of the limited staff of advocates at IDS.鈥� Further, this model will provide sustainability of knowledge and advocacy in rural communities across the state, leading to meaningful change in the outcomes of students and families,鈥� said Lavergne.
The project鈥檚 goals focus on expanding the access of families of children with disabilities to high-quality education support and advocacy services. Furthermore, the project will increase accessibility to knowledge and support necessary to identify and advocate for special education services in public schools while creating a state-wide system of family cohorts to provide ongoing support.
For over 40 years, IDS has helped Mississippians with disabilities and their families. Click here to learn more about resources, training, and technical assistance.