Donna Drumm becomes member of Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)

Thanks to my fellow attorney colleagues who practice with special needs children in K-12, I was introduced to the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates. This month I was accepted as a member. It is my intention to share my knowledge of seeking accommodations for college and graduate students.

"COPAA is a community that works to increase the quality and quantity of advocate and attorney representation; and, through that vehicle,

Achieve Better Outcomes for the Families We Serve

We believe the key to accessing individualized, effective educational programs is assuring that students with disabilities and their parents are equal members of the educational team." (from COPAA's website home page)

Advocate for students with disabilities transitioning to college and the workforce

Thanks to the Westchester Women's Bar Association's presentation for parents, special needs attorneys and advocates on understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act and discussing strategies for educating parents and students on advocating in college and the workplace.

Once a special needs child enters college, the accommodations they can receive in college are completely different. The child, since they are now 18, must advocate for themselves by contacting the college's disabilities office and follow the college's procedures. The procedures to gain reasonable accommodations change from college to college. Services their parents did not pay for in K-12, may incur additional expenses. Consider researching prospective college or universities breadth of services they offer for special needs students or disabled students as part of your college admission journey. Many colleges have the reasonable accommodations requests procedures on their websites. If they do not, call the admissions department to ask to speak to a representative of their disabilities office.

When the young adult goes into the workforce, they may seek accommodations (under Title I of the ADA), at any time during the hiring and interview process. Any qualified individual can seek reasonable accommodations for their disability. Timing of asking for the accommodation is a personal decision and many factors should be weighed.

Please contact me if you are a parent or advocate for a young person entering college in need of accommodations, I can help!