Autism Family Services, LLC

We offer educational advocacy services to assist parents and caregivers with obtaining an appropriate educational program for their child with autism or other disabilities. Services provided include:

a. Obtaining child’s educational records, if needed;
b. Reviewing and analyzing child’s records and educational program;
c. Learning about parents’ concerns regarding child and the services currently offered or denied by his/her school;
d. Directing parents to information about special education law and relevant educational issues;
e. Helping parents to identify/assess alternatives for child, including whether there may be a need for additional evaluation;
f. Helping parents to participate in child’s education and to support/educate parents to advocate for child to the best of
their abilities
g. With parents’ written permission, conferring with child’s evaluators, school staff, and other professionals with whom
parents are working;
h. Accompanying parents to meetings with school officials, such as Planning and Placement Team (PPT) meetings,
Section 504 meetings, and mediation hearings;
i. Assisting parents with drafting/editing letters needed to document questions and concerns about child’s education;
j. Assisting parents with identifying additional resources for support and information.

Autism Family Services offers educational advocacy services that focus on remediation of the core deficits of autism through the child’s school program. Emphasis is on helping parents advocate for goals, environments, levels of support, and teaching methods that help the child improve his or her ability to think and problem solve in a more typical manner, rather than just learning specific skills or improving behaviors. We believe that targeting improvements in information processing capability, rather than just behaviors, is essential in preparing the child for meaningful long-term quality of life outcomes such as employment, independent living, financial independence, and close, mutually satisfying relationships. We employ principles from Dr. Steven Gutstein’s Relationship Development Intervention® (RDI®) program to:

-Determine levels of support appropriate for the child

-Determine appropriate educational environment for the child

-Determine appropriate IEP goals and objectives to increase the child’s real-world social competence, ability to handle change, think and problem solve flexibly, and motivation and ability to use teachers and more experienced peers as reference points for learning.

-Train and coach school personnel and parents in teaching methods that further these purposes.

We provide a free one hour consultation to discuss your child’s needs and whether our services can assist you. Please click here if you wish to schedule an appointment.

Please note that provision of these educational advocacy services does not constitute an RDI® program for the child. RDI® is a parent-centered, home-based program and, as such, school programs, while an important consideration in an RDI® program, are not the core of the program. Parents wishing to employ RDI® principles across all the child’s environments are encouraged to explore our RDI® program services. Introductory group classes are available periodically, or parents may begin individualized RDI® programs at any time. Please click here for more information on our RDI® Program services.