Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC): A federally funded information system that provides information on support components, a variety of services and products of education-related issues. Excellent site for information on the rights and responsibilities of parents of children with disabilities. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~eric_rec/
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System (NECTAS): A coalition that provides responsive technical assistance to the programs supported under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for infants and toddlers with disabilities (Part H of IDEA) and for preschoolers with disabilities (Section 619-Part B of IDEA) in all states and participating jurisdictions, and to the projects funded by Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) under the Early Education Program for Children with Disabilities (EEPCD). Excellent site for resources relating to providing services to young children with disabilities and their families. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.nectas.unc.edu
The National Information Center for Children and Youths with Disabilities (NICHCY): A national information and referral service that provides information on disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other professionals with a special focus on children and youth (birth to age 22). Excellent site for publications on early intervention services. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.nichcy.org
PACER Center: A nonprofit organization that provide workshops, individual assistance and disseminates materials to help parents become informed and effective representatives for their children with disabilities in early childhood, school-age and vocational settings. Excellent site for publications on support services. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.pacer.org
Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ): An agency that conducts research designed to improve the quality of health care, reduce its cost, and broaden access to essential services. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.ahcpr.gov/
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): A group of pediatricians that provide advocacy for children and youth; public education, research, professional education, and advocacy for pediatricians. Excellent site for up-to-date information on the state children's health insurance programs. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.aap.org
American Medical Association (AMA): A organization of medical professionals that serve physicians and their patients by setting up and promoting ethical, educational, and clinical standards for the medical profession and advocacy in improving public health. Excellent site for stories and reports relating to managed care. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.ama-assn.org
Children's Defense Fund (CDF): A national organization that provide advocacy work for the needs of the poor, minority children and children with disabilities. Excellent site for current legislative activities on health care and child care issues. Updated daily. URL: http://www.childrensdefense.org
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS): An agency that protects the health of all Americans and provides essential human services, especially for those who are least able to themselves. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.hhs.gov
DisAbility and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. URL: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dh/
Families USA : A national organization that advocates for high quality, affordable health and long term care for everyone. Excellent site for information on state children's health insurance programs and managed care. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.familiesusa.org
Family Voices: Families and Friends Speaking on Behalf of Children with Special Health Care Needs . “Until Family Voices was formed, there was no national organization that spoke for all children with special health needs. Family Voices believes that children with special health needs face common problems caused by fundamental inadequacies in our health care system. Family Voices does not support any specific health care reform plan. Instead, the role of Family Voices is to advocate for the inclusion of a set of basic principles in every health care reform proposal.” URL: http://www.familyvoices.org/
Health Care Finance Administration (HCFA): Federal agency that administers the Medicare, Medicaid, and Child Health Insurance Programs. Updated weekly. URL: http://cms.hhs.gov
Healthfinder: A gateway on consumer health and human services information website from the U.S. Government. Excellent site for current articles relating to managed care and long term care. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.healthfinder.gov
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): An agency that helps provide health resources for medically underserved populations. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.hrsa.gov/
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: An institute that focuses on health policy, reproductive health, HIV policy, and health. Excellent site for current stories on managed care. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.kff.org
Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program: ILRU in conjunction with The National Rehabilitation Hospital Research Center (NRH-RC) provide national leadership on the major health service and health policy issues facing consumers with disabilities in managed care arrangements. Excellent site for current policy issues relating to managed care. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.ilru.org/mgdcare
MCARE: A national clearinghouse on managed care and long-term care services and supports for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Excellent site for current stories on managed care and long term care. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.mcare.net
National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP): This website provides detailed information to state policymakers, to state program administrators, and to others concerned with issues related to managed care and disabilities. It is sponsored by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Excellent site for current activities in each of the states regarding managed care and disabilities. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.nashp.org/
National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities: “The National Association for the Education of African American Children with Learning Disabilities (NAEAACLD) was founded in 1999 for the purpose of increasing awareness and promoting an understanding of the specific issues facing African American children. The organization's mission is to link information and resources provided by an established network of individuals and organizations experienced in minority research and special education with parents, educators, and others responsible for providing a quality education for all students.” URL: http://www.charityadvantage.com/aacld/ParentNetwork.asp
National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE), FAPE: Improving Educational Outcomes for Children with Disabilities : “The Families and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) helps to ensure that the changes made in IDEA are understood by families and advocates and are put into practice at local and state levels. FAPE is one of four projects funded by the U.S. Department of Education to reach parents, administrators, service providers, and policymakers nationwide with information about implementing IDEA '97.” URL: http://www.ncpie.org/DisabilitiesEducation/
National Governors' Association (NGA): A bipartisan organization provides a forum for Governors to exchange views and experiences. Also provides assistance in solving state-focused problems, information on state innovations and practices, and bipartisan forum for Governors to establish, influence, and implement policy on national issues. Excellent site for information on state children's health insurance programs. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.nga.org
National Health Law Program, Inc. (NHeLP): National public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for the employed, and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Excellent site for current information and stories on managed care. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.healthlaw.org
National Institute of Mental Health, Learning Disabilities. URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/learndis.htm
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF): An institute that focuses on Americans who have access to basic health care at reasonable cost; to improve the way services are organized and provided to people with chronic health conditions; and to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse - tobacco, alcohol, and unlawful drugs. Excellent site for information on long term care issues. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.rwjf.org
American Psychiatric Association (APA): National medical specialty society whose physician members specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses and substance use disorders. Excellent site for reports relating to mental health. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.psych.org
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law: A nonprofit legal advocacy organization for people with mental illness and mental retardation. Excellent site for current information on the Mental Health Parity Act, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to psychiatric disabilities, mental health care, and legislative activities. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.bazelon.org
Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN): A national one-stop source of information and resources on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services for mental illness. Excellent site for current articles on children with mental illness and health care reform. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.mentalhealth.org
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI): A national grassroots, self-help support and advocacy organization for individuals with severe mental illness. Excellent site for current legislative activities relating to mental illness. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.nami.org
National Mental Health Association (NMHA): A national advocacy organization that is dedicated to addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. Excellent site for current information on the Mental Health Parity Act and health care reform. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.nmha.org
The Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law: comprehensive source information on disability law. Excellent site for information on Supreme Court actions. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.abanet.org/disability
National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC): This organization is a library and information center on disability and rehabilitation. It has been funded since 1979 by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education. Excellent site for obtaining videotapes, journal articles, research reports, books and more on the subjects relating to disabilities. Updated monthly. URL: http://www.naric.com/
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR): Provides leadership and support for a comprehensive program of research related to the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR
Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): Provides information, training, and technical assistance to business leaders, organized labor, rehabilitation and service providers, advocacy organizations, families and individuals with disabilities. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.dol.gov/odep/welcome.html
Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA): Resna is an association for the advancement of rehabilitation and assistive technologies. Updated every Monday. URL: http://www.resna.org
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA): Overseas programs that help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to obtain employment through such supports as counseling, medical, job training, and other individualized services. Updated weekly to monthly. URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/RSA
The National Rehabilitation Association (NRA): An organization that provides opportunities through knowledge and diversity for professionals in the fields of rehabilitation. Excellent site for up-to-date information on what is happening in Congress relating to the Rehabilitation Act. Updated weekly. URL: http://www.nationalrehab.org