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POCKET GUIDE TO FEDERAL

Produced by the:

CLEARINGHOUSE ON DISABILITY INFORMATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

ROOM 3132 SWITZER BUILDING

WASHINGTON, DC 20202-2524 1993

FOREWORD

For more than eighteen years, the POCKET GUIDE TO FEDERAL

HELP FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES has been one of the most

widely distributed publications produced by the U.S. Department

of Education and its predecessor, the Office of Education in

the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Since its

inception in 1980, the Department of Education has committed

itself to ensuring that all individuals with disabilities

achieve their full potential as productive, fully-contributing

members of our society. The publication of this booklet is part

of this continuing effort.

Written for people with disabilities, their families, and

service providers, this publication contains information on

government-wide benefits and services for which individuals

with disabilities may be eligible. As we publish this new

edition, it is our sincere hope that it will reach the wide and

varied audience for which it is intended, and that it will

increase awareness and provide useful information.

Knowledge is often the first step toward empowerment. We

believe that the information contained in this POCKET GUIDE

will begin to empower those who read it with the knowledge they

need to achieve independence, which is not a privilege in our

country, but every person's right.

The Clearinghouse on Disability Information

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROGRAMS FOR SPECIFIC DISABILITY GROUPS

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

EDUCATION

EMPLOYMENT

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

CIVIL RIGHTS

HOUSING

TAX BENEFITS

TRANSPORTATION

THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

PREFACE

This booklet is meant to make you, an individual with

disabilities, or the parent/guardian of a child with

disabilities, aware of the principal government services for

which you or your child may be eligible. This revised edition

describes benefits applicable specifically to those who are

blind, deaf, or developmentally disabled. These persons are

also eligible for the general benefits as outlined in this

booklet.

Because so much of the federal contribution to services

for individuals with disabilities is made to states -- and the

states determine how to spend the money, within certain

guidelines -- it would be impossible to pinpoint exactly what

you will find in your own state or locality. What we have tried

to outline for you in this guide is the general scope of

federal support for services to individuals with disabilities.

Included are the names and addresses of the various federal

agencies that can steer you to their state and/or local

counterpart offices. You may also wish to contact us for a

listing of key agencies in your state. These agencies should be

your starting point for exploring the services available to you

where you live. Write to the Federal Headquarters if you are

unable to reach your state service agencies directly.

States and localities may provide services which are

financed out of their own resources. These are not discussed in

this guide. To find out about any of these special programs,

contact an information and referral center in your vicinity to

help put you in touch with the array of services for which you

may qualify.

We hope this guide will alert you to the variety of

services which may be of benefit to you and that it will get

you started on the road to contacting those that are pertinent

to your needs. Every time you call a state or local agency, we

suggest that you ask for the names of other people or agencies

that might also be helpful. You may accumulate a number of

useful and helpful contacts in this way.

VETERANS

If you are a veteran with disabilities and want to know

about the many programs available to you, apply to your nearest

Department of Veterans Affairs field office, or write to:

Department of Veterans Affairs

Washington, DC 20420

PROGRAMS FOR LOW INCOME, INDIAN, OR ELDERLY POPULATIONS

If you are an American Indian, a person over 65, or a

person with little or no income, you may qualify for additional

programs based on factors other than your disability. For leads

on tracking these down, call your local welfare office, your

local public housing authority, or your Indian tribal housing

authority. If you are elderly, you may be eligible for special

nutrition programs such as Meals on Wheels, or for other

special services. The federal government provides funds for

area resource centers for the aging, usually listed in the

Yellow Pages under "Aged" or "Elderly" or "Social Services."

A WORD OF ADVICE

Use this booklet to help you track down the appropriate

agencies nearest you. Remember, not every service is available

and not every person can be helped 100 percent. Keep in mind

that every year new programs begin and some old ones end,

particularly at the state and local levels. Keep in touch with

your contacts and stay as aware as you can, through reading and

talking to knowledgeable people about what is happening in the

area of services to individuals with disabilities. There are

many excellent voluntary organizations, as well as state,

local, and federal offices that can help you. Numerous

newsletters are produced by groups of and for individuals with

disabilities.

We hope you will take advantage of all these avenues and

that your search for assistance will be a fruitful one.

PROGRAMS FOR SPECIFIC DISABILITY GROUPS

Special programs and benefits for blind and deaf

individuals are listed in the appropriate section (e.g.,

vocational rehabilitation or education). Since the Program for

Developmental Disabilities encompasses medical assistance, job

training, and social and other services, and is administered by

a special state agency, it is described below.

PROGRAMS FOR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS

The developmental disabilities (DD) program makes use of

existing services in health, welfare, education, and

rehabilitation to provide for the long-range needs of people

with developmental disabilities. These disabilities are defined

as severe, chronic disabilities attributable to mental or

physical impairment, which are manifested before age 22, result

in substantial functional limitations in several areas of life,

and require services over an extended period.

Availability of services will vary in all communities, and

services can include diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of

the disabling c

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