AASK AMERICA/Aid to Adoption of Special Kids 657 Mission Street Suite 601 San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 543-2275 (800) 232-2751 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Prospective adoptive parents, adoption agencies. The Organization: Aid to Adoption of Special Kids helps to place older children, minority children, and emotionally, mentally, and physically handicapped children in permanent adoptive homes. AASK is a licensed adoption agency. It serves the national adoption scene by acting as an intermediary between adoption agencies and parents seeking to adopt "special kids." AASK AMERICA is headquartered in San Francisco with offices throughout the United States and serves all 50 States. No fees are charged to families. AASK has offices that are licensed in California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Information Services: AASK offices maintain files of available children, referred by caseworkers of adoption agencies throughout the United States, and a registry of families seeking to adopt difficult-to-place children. When AASK can match a request of adoptive parents with a specific child listed in its files, the parents are referred to the appropriate adoption agency. Individual requests for information on the availability and needs of adoptable handicapped children, financial resources available to adoptive families, and proper adoption procedures are answered by phone or letter. AASK offices in California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico provide placement, recruitment, supervision, and postadoption services as licensed adoption agencies. AASK Midwest, in Ohio, is an exchange and provides matching and parent support services. Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped (ADH) 211 East Chicago Avenue Suite 1616 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 440-2660 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, dentists, dental hygienists, and allied professionals. The Organization: The Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped (ADH) is an organization of dentists, dental hygienists, and allied professionals. ADH provides educational services to professionals and information and referrals to handicapped persons seeking dental treatment. The organization also acts as an advocate for improved dental treatment, research, and legislation for disabled people. Information Services: Information on preventive dentistry for disabled people is available to the lay person. For the professional, ADH publishes a bimonthly journal, and it sponsors an annual continuing education course on improved dental methods and treatment for special patients. ADH maintains a referral directory of dentists who treat people with disabilities. Accent on Information (AOI) P.O. Box 700 Bloomington, IL 61702 (309) 378-2961 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, physical therapists. The Organization: Founded in 1972, Accent on Information (AOI) is a computerized retrieval system containing information on products and devices that assist physically disabled persons and other how-to information in such areas as eating, bathing, grooming, clothing, furniture, home management, toilet care, sexuality, mobility, and written and oral communication. The citations in this data base, which number 7,000, give two types of information: (1) references to publications on topics covered, including sources; and (2) brief descriptions of equipment and devices with addresses of manufacturers marketing the products. Information Services: For a nominal charge, a search of the AOI system is made on the requestor's topic. The requestor receives up to 50 of the most recent citations for each search. The Buyer's Guide, which grew out of AOI's information retrieval system, lists equipment and devices that assist disabled persons in daily living activities. Manufacturers that market these products are also listed. Other publications available from AOI include titles on devices and techniques for persons with the use of only one hand, ideas for making your home accessible, clothing, attendant care, sexuality, bowel management for persons with spinal cord injuries, wheelchairs, and accessories. The Accent On Living magazine, issued quarterly, contains information on products, techniques, and money saving ideas for disabled persons; true life stories; and other practical and inspirational articles. Access/Abilities P.O. Box 458 Mill Valley, CA 94942 (415) 388-3250 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: People with disabilities, their families, friends, and service providers, as well as publicly and privately funded facilities, employers, travel-related businesses, and leisure/recreation services. The Organization: Access/Abilities is a consulting, problem-solving firm dedicated to finding resources for a better life beyond functionality and independence, as well as to providing accessibility and awareness training services. The aim of Access/Abilities is to provide resources for a better life, not just for a disability. Local as well as national and international resources are available. If Access/Abilities doesn't have the information needed, it will get it, if it is at all possible. Information Services: Access/Abilities is "one-stop shopping" for people having physical impairments, with a databank of information about accessible travel opportunities, aids and appliances, sports and recreation programs, good-looking clothing that really fits, shopping and other customized services, and social services. Access/Abilities offers consulting services concerning architectural barriers and accessibility in the built environment, providing needs assessments and ideas for access solutions in many different types of facilities, including arts facilities, restaurants, commercial areas and publicly funded buildings. Access/Abilities also offer sensitivity and awareness training regarding accessibility and disability issues. Services are provided on a fee-for-service and/or contract basis and vary according to the type of service provided. Special payment arrangements can be made. No individual will be refused service due to inability to pay. Accreditation Council on Services for People With Developmental Disabilities (ACDD) 8100 Professional Place Suite 204 Landover, MD 20785 (301) 459-3191 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, and other developmental disabilities. Users Served: Consumers, parents, professionals, agency personnel. The Organization: As the national, independent, voluntary accrediting body for agencies serving persons with developmental disabilities, the Accreditation Council develops standards for services; assesses, on request, the compliance of agencies with the standards; and awards accreditation to agencies found to be in substantial compliance with the standards. It also offers workshops and consultation to help agencies implement accreditation standards and prepare for accreditation survey and to assist both service consumers and service providers in using the accreditation process to help to improve services. Established in 1969 as a component of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, the council was reorganized as an independent, not-for-profit corporation in 1979. Its sponsoring organizations include the major developmental disability consumer, advocacy, and professional groups. Information Services: The council responds to questions about its accreditation process, interprets its standards, and provides information concerning requirements for quality services. The Standards for Services for People With Developmental Disabilities are available for purchase. The council also publishes several quality enhancement guides. Adaptive Environments Center 374 Congress Street Suite 301 Boston, MA 02110 (617) 695-1225 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Physical, sensory, and mental disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, therapists, caseworkers, physicians, architects, engineers, developers, government agencies, and private corporations. The Organization: The Adaptive Environments Center, a nonprofit organization, offers consultation, workshops, courses, conferences, and resource materials on accessible and adaptive design and accessibility legislation, standards, and guidelines. The center's library contains a comprehensive collection of materials on accessible design. The center is funded through public and private contracts and grants. Information Services: The center's publications, for which there is a charge, include A Consumer's Guide to Home Adaptation (obtained through AEC) and Design for Access: A Guidebook for Designing Barrier Free State and County Buildings and Access Improvements Workbook (obtained through the State House Bookstore). The library is open to the public. Administration on Aging (AoA) Department of Health and Human Services 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 (202) 619-0641 Disabilities Served: Aging, including aged disabled. Users Served: Older persons and the general public. The Organization: The Administration on Aging (AoA), created by the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1965, is the only Federal agency devoted exclusively to the concerns and potential of older Americans. Help for the elderly under the OAA is provided through programs administered by AoA, together with its 10 regional offices and 57 State and territorial units on aging, approximately 670 area agencies on aging, and Indian tribes. AoA's primary goals, as envisioned by the act, are to (a) support a national network of State and area agencies on aging and Indian tribes in their efforts to reach out to older persons residing in communities across the Nation; (b) develop and oversee a comprehensive and coordinated system of supportive services and opportunities to meet the social and human service needs of the elderly; (c) serve as an advocate on behalf of older people. AoA allocates funds to the State agencies on aging to administer and support a wide range of community-based supportive and nutrition services and other activities, including services in the home, services and opportunities in the community, access services, and services to individuals in long-term care institutions. Also, AoA supports improvements in quality of life and services for older people through research and training grants. Results of these studies are made available to professional organizations and the public. Information Services: AoA has information about its programs and connects inquirers with State and area agencies on aging for information about local services. Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) Office of Human Development Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Room 329D HHH Building 200 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 (202) 245-2890 Disabilities Served: Developmental disabilities, meaning a severe chronic disability that: (a) is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental and physical impairments; (b) is manifested before the person attains age 22; (c) is likely to continue indefinitely; (d) results in substantial functional limitation in three or more of the following areas of major life activity: self-care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency; and (e) reflects the person's need for a combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary, or generic care, treatment, or other services which are of lifelong or extended duration and are individually planned and coordinated. Users Served: Planning, advocacy, and service agencies and facilities; universities; project grantees. The Organization: The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) is responsible for administering the provisions of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1990, which call for increased independence, productivity, community integration, interdependence, and inclusion of persons with developmental disabilities. The ADD administers four major program areas: (1) the Basic State Grant program for States to plan and advocate for services for persons with developmental disabilities and their families; (2) the protection and advocacy system by which States protect the legal and human rights of persons with developmental disabilities; (3) the university-affiliated program by which university-based projects provide interdisciplinary training, demonstrate exemplary services and technical assistance, and disseminate information that increase and support the independence, productivity, and integration of persons with developmental disabilities; and (4) the projects of national significance program, which supports development of national and State policies to enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities through such activities as data collection and analysis, technical assistance, educating policymakers, Federal interagency activities, and the enhancement of minority participation in public and private sector initiatives in the field of developmental disabilities. Information Services: Information available from ADD relates to the programs it administers and is geared to officials of training and service agencies and facilities. Specific information regarding State services may be obtained from individual State agencies that operate developmental disabilities programs. For the names and addresses of specific State agencies, contact the ADD. Adventures in Movement (AIM) for the Handicapped, Inc. 945 Danbury Road Dayton, OH 45420 (513) 294-4611 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: Adventures in Movement (AIM) for the Handicapped was founded in 1958 to promote the teaching of movement using the AIM method, a series of rhythmical exercises involving gross and fine motor movements. The purpose of the method is to improve muscle control and coordination and thereby enhance self-image. The program can be adapted for instruction to all handicapped persons and all age groups. The organization's major activity is the training of classroom teachers and volunteers in the AIM method. Workshops are planned to meet the particular needs of sponsoring groups. Information Services: Brochures describe the AIM method and the organization's workshops. A handbook, Adventures in Movement for the Handicapped, illustrates the exercises used in AIM classes. Maybe Tomorrow, a film of the AIM method in actual classroom use, is available for rent or purchase. The organization will provide a list of school systems with AIM programs upon request. For further information, contact the Education Department of AIM. The AIM Water Program transposes the AIM method to the water, where exercise and movement, rather than actual swimming instruction, are emphasized. An annual newsletter informs interested parties about developments within the organization. There is no charge for information or services. Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America (ALL) 1030 15th Street, NW Suite 468 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 775-8261 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, professionals. The Organization: The Affiliated Leadership League of and for the Blind of America (ALL) is a coalition of over 80 national, regional, State, and local membership organizations that serve people who are blind. The primary function of the coalition is advocacy; it testifies before congressional committees and advises Federal agencies and national private organizations on the needs and rights of blind persons. ALL's main interests are legislation, regulation, and judicial action affecting Federal programs serving blind and visually impaired people. Information Services: A national delegate assembly is held annually, which contains seminars on information pertinent to blind people. An annual legislative seminar is also held to instruct members on lobbying techniques and issues affecting blind persons. Task forces are established periodically to study major issues. AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) P.O. Box 6421 Rockville, MD 20850 (800) 874-2572 (800) 243-7012 (TTY/TDD) Disabilities Served: HIV infection. Users Served: Individuals infected with HIV, their families, friends, physicians, and health care professionals. The Organization: The AIDS Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS) is a Public Health Service project provided collaboratively by the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Library of Medicine. Information Services: ACTIS provides up-to-date information on clinical trials that evaluate experimental drugs and other therapies for adults and children at all stages of HIV infection--from patients who are HIV-positive with no symptoms to those with various symptoms of AIDS. Through the service, physicians, health care practitioners, individuals infected with HIV, and their families and friends can receive free up-to-date information about more than 250 federally and privately sponsored HIV and AIDS clinical trials and personalized assistance from English- and Spanish-speaking health specialists. Callers can receive this information over the telephone; also available, upon request, are searches of the clinical trials data base. The information can also be accessed directly through two online data bases, AIDSTRIALS and AIDSDRUGS, available through the National Library of Medicine. Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. P.O. Box 862 Midtown Station New York, NY 10018 (212) 302-7240 (800) 344-2666 (United States Only) Meeting Information (800) 442-4525 (Canada Only) Meeting Information Disabilities Served: Lives affected by problem drinkers. Users Served: The relatives and friends of alcoholics including younger family members through the Alateen program. The Organization: Al-Anon is a self-help, spiritual program of recovery based upon the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Thirty-one thousand groups meet worldwide to recover from the family disease of alcoholism. Al-Anon also serves Alateen, a program for younger family members who have been affected by someone else's drinking. Members recover by attending meetings, reading literature, and talking to each other on a one-to-one basis. Meetings do not include counseling or therapy; rather, they are based upon members' firsthand experience in applying the principles of the Al-Anon/Alateen program to their daily lives. Groups meet in public and private facilities which usually have handicap access; literature available in braille, audio cassette tape, and large type for visually impaired (write for catalog). Information Services: General information is available to the public and professionals as per request by calling or writing Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. Meeting information for the United States and Canada is available Monday-Friday for those considering membership or for current members, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Eastern Time. Local Al-Anon Information Service/Intergroup offices address and telephone number contact data is available by calling or writing. Al-Anon/Alateen serves anyone whose life has been affected by a problem drinker. Alcohol and Drug Problems Association of North America (ADPA) 1400 Eye Street, NW Suite 1275 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 289-6755 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Professionals and advocates in the field of alcohol and drug abuse prevention, intervention and treatment. The Organization: The Alcohol & Drug Problems Association of North America (ADPA) was established to confront the problem of addiction and to minimize its consequences on the physical and social health of the Nation. ADPA accomplishes this by serving as a policy advocate for those measures that offer a positive impact on addiction problems. ADPA also provides a forum and opportunity of professionals and advocates in the field to join together to improve the quality of prevention and treatment services. Information Services: ADPA provides timely communications to members of the latest events, new programs, and policy developments through the bi-monthly newsletter, The Professional. ADPA also publishes the Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education. Reduced subscription fees are available to members. ADPA also conducts an annual national Women's Issues Conference, May 5-8, 1991, Portland, Oregon, and a national annual conference, October 18-21, 1991, Atlanta, Georgia. Alcoholism and Drug Treatment Addiction Center The McDonald Center for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Department of Behavioral Medicine Scripps Memorial Hospital 9888 Genesee Avenue La Jolla, CA 92037 (619) 458-4300 Disabilities Served: All physical handicaps. Users Served: Adults and adolescents who are chemically dependent (alcohol and other drugs) or have an eating disorder, adults with chronic pain, and adults with mental health disorders. The Organization: Scripps Memorial Hospital is a nonprofit tertiary care facility. The Department of Behavioral Medicine is a system of centers of excellence. The McDonald Center for Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Treatment, the Mental Health Center, and the Pain Center are located on the campus of Scripps Memorial Hospital. Using a multidisciplinary approach under the direction of a competent medical staff, inpatient and outpatient treatment services are available in all centers. A long-term treatment center is available for chemically dependent adolescents, ages 11 to 17. Information Services: Numerous services are available to the public, many at no charge: educational programs for individuals, community and professional organizations, businesses, and schools; confidential assessments for chemical dependency, mental health disorders, eating disorders, and chronic pain; cassettes and videotapes; written materials. Referrals to community-based treatment programs, 12-step support groups, and private physicians and therapists are provided to all callers not appropriate for the treatment services at Scripps Memorial Hospital's Department of Behavioral Medicine. Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf 3417 Volta Place, NW Washington, DC 20007 (202) 337-5220 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, professionals, general public. The Organization: The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, founded in 1890, is committed to the idea that hearing-impaired children should be afforded the opportunity to develop spoken communication through the effective use of amplified residual hearing and speechreading skills. The association's Children's Rights Program advocates educational options for deaf children and provides consultant services for families pursuing their legal rights. Through this program, volunteers throughout the country serve as knowledgeable local resources for hearing-impaired children and their families. Special divisions within the association's membership are Oral Deaf Adults Section, International Parent's Organization, and International Organization for the Education of the Hearing Impaired. Information Services: The association publishes a journal, Volta Review, an annual monograph, and a newsletter. It also publishes a variety of books and audiovisual materials concerning the psychological, social, and educational implementations of hearing loss. The association sponsors regional conferences and a biennial convention. The association maintains a library of works of both historical and current importance in the field of deafness. A lending library of current materials is available to members. The association disseminates printed materials and answers inquiries from hearing-impaired persons, their families, professionals, and the general public. Alzheimer's Disease Association 70 East Lake Street Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 853-3060 (800) 621-0379 (Outside Illinois) (800) 572-6037 (In Illinois) Disabilities Served: Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The Alzheimer's Association was founded in 1980 to heighten public awareness of this degenerative brain disorder, provide support for patients and their families, and aid research efforts. Currently, the Alzheimer's Association network includes over 200 chapters and affiliates across the country, representing over 1,000 family support groups. The Alzheimer's Association's board of directors is composed of business leaders, health professionals, and family members. Additionally, The Association's Medical and Scientific Advisory Board consults and monitors issues related to Alzheimer's disease. The major goals of the Alzheimer's Association include (1) supporting research into causes, treatment, cures, and prevention; (2) providing family support through local chapters, affiliates and family support groups; (3) stimulating education and public awareness for both professionals and the general public on Alzheimer's disease; and (4) advocating for legislation that responds to the needs of patients and family members at Federal, State and local levels. In addition to its public awareness and advocacy activities, the national office administers research grant programs to initiate new investigations into the cause(s), treatment and cure of Alzheimer's disease. Information Services: The Alzheimer's Association serves as a clearinghouse for information on Alzheimer's disease. The association publishes a quarterly newsletter which covers organizational news at the national and chapter/affiliate levels, research developments, medical issues, and other items of general interest. As part of its educational efforts, the association sponsors a month-long public awareness campaign for National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month each November, utilizing radio, television and print media. The Alzheimer's Association chapters, affiliates and support groups offer the most direct link to assistance for patients and families. Support groups are moderated by health care professionals and experienced caregivers and provide a forum for sharing information, answering questions, giving recommendations for patient care options, and offering a sympathetic ear to family problems. Major chapter/affiliate activities include family help programs, such as information-sharing meetings, telephone "helplines," and public awareness campaigns. Many chapters and affiliates publish literature aimed at particular caregiving issues and serve as the local resources for national Alzheimer's Association information. Some also provide speakers' bureaus. A nationwide 24-hour hotline provides information and links families who need assistance with nearby chapters and affiliates. American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) 1910 Byrd Avenue Suite 118 P.O. Box 11086 Richmond, VA 23230 (804) 282-0036 Disabilities Served: Persons with neuro-developmental disabilities. Users Served: Health care professionals, physicians, rehabilitation specialists. The Organization: The goal of the Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM) is to foster and stimulate professional education, research, and interest in cerebral palsy and related disorders, and to correlate all aspects of this endeavor for the welfare of those involved. Information Services: Membership in the Academy includes a monthly subscription to Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, the newsletter, and reduced fees at all educational offerings. The Annual Meeting includes symposia, free papers, posters, and instructional courses. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) 3615 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20016 (202) 966-7300 Disabilities Served: Primarily child and adolescent mental illness, including children with mental retardation and chronic physical illnesses. Users Served: Child and adolescent psychiatrists, mental health professionals, educators, child care providers, parents. The Organization: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) is a professional membership organization, established in 1953, representing 4,600 child and adolescent psychiatrists. AACAP members actively research, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders affecting children and adolescents and their families, and the academy supports this work through a variety of programs including government liaison, national public information, and medical education. American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) 717 Pendleton Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-7118 Disabilities Served: Any condition that requires an orthotist's or prosthetist's care, i.e., replacement of missing limbs with a prosthesis or the use of bracing for the body. Users Served: Orthotists and prosthetists certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC). The Organization: The American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) is a nonprofit association composed exclusively of individuals who have met the educational requirements of and have been awarded practitioner accreditation by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC). Membership in the academy signifies a personal commitment to advancing the prosthetic/orthotic profession and to enhancing the quality of care provided to disabled individuals served through education and professional development. Information Services: AAOP distributes publications that deal in scientific research and general areas of orthotics and prosthetics to its membership. The academy's newsletter, entitled Focus, reports on the academy's activities, orthotics and prosthetics research, educational programs, and governmental relations programs. This newsletter is an unscheduled publication. A magazine published by the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), Almanac, is another publication received by membership. It is the largest circulation of any magazine for orthotics and prosthetics and is available only to members of the AAOP and AOPA. The Journal of Prosthetists and Orthotists (JPO) is a quarterly scientific journal published by the AAOP and AOPA. The academy holds an annual meeting and scientific symposium each year and four continuing education conferences. All conferences include in-depth lectures on the latest techniques and newest developments in the orthotics and prosthetics profession. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) One Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-4444 Disabilities Served: Disorders of the ears, nose, throat, head, and neck. Users Served: Physicians, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) is a nonprofit association in its 95th year. It has more than 9,000 members who are otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons. Its primary goals are to advance the science and art of medicine related to otolaryngology and to provide education services for the specialty. Information Services: The academy publishes more than 30 patient education leaflets on topics related to the specialty. Single copies are free to the public. Geographic referral lists of its members are also available upon request. Its national public service campaign THROUGH WITH CHEW provides information about the hazards of smokeless tobacco. It also is a cosponsor of "Better Hearing and Speech Month," a national public awareness campaign. To keep its members up to date on new research and clinical findings, numerous monographs, a monthly scientific journal and newsletter, home study courses, self-assessment examinations, video medical education programs, etc., are available. At its annual meeting, more than 400 instruction courses, 1 to 3 hours in length, are presented in addition to plenary sessions, posters, and scientific and technical exhibits. American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) 5700 Old Orchard Road First Floor Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 966-9510 Disabilities Served: Chronic pain syndrome. Users Served: Physicians specializing in pain medicine. The Organization: The American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) is the official organization representing physicians active in the field of pain medicine in the United States. Our mission is to enhance the practice of pain medicine in the United States by promoting a socioeconomic and political climate conducive to the practice of pain medicine in an effective and efficient manner and to assure comprehensive quality medical care by physicians specializing in pain medicine to patients in need of such service. The academy is the only physicians' pain medicine organization to be recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA), holding a seat in the AMA House of Delegates. AAPM is an associate member of the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and maintains liaison with the American Pain Society (APS), a national chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Information Services: AAPM publishes a quarterly journal, Clinical Journal of Pain , which contains clinical articles, research information, articles concerning socioeconomic issues, and news. It holds an annual meeting and refresher course, and offers regional sessions that focus on topics in pain medicine and practice. American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) 122 South Michigan Avenue Suite 1300 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 922-9366 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Physicians in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The Organization: Founded in 1938 by members of the American Congress of Physical Therapy, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation's (AAPM&R) mission is to maximize quality of life; minimize the incidence and prevalence of impairments, disability, and handicaps; promote societal health; and enhance the understanding and the development of physiatry. The academy serves its members and their patients, other health professionals, and society. The academy seeks to achieve excellence in physiatric practice, education, and research through the activities of its organization and members. The academy's Washington Counsel interacts with congressional staff, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), NIH, and health care provider and consumer organizations to impart and articulate the physiatrists' viewpoint while identifying and monitoring legislation affecting the specialty. The academy conducts CME-approved courses at its Annual Scientific Assembly (held each year in late October/early November) and develops and publishes the Self-Directed Medical Knowledge Program, providing the definitive continuing education curriculum for PM&R. The program includes the Study Guide, separate annual Self-Assessment Examinations for residents and practitioners, and courses specifically related to Study Guide topics during the Annual Scientific Assembly. Information Services: The academy offers the following publications: the Physiatrist newsletter, published 10 times annually; Spectrum brochure; membership brochure; Annual Assembly program; monthly scientific journal, the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, published in conjunction with the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine; Study Guide. Information services are intended primarily for members, and there is a nominal charge for materials to cover costs. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) 1900 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091 (703) 476-3400 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Teachers and professionals in physical education, health education, sports, recreation, and dance. The Organization: The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) is a nonprofit association of professionals concerned with improving programs in schools and communities in the areas of physical education, sports, health education, recreation, and dance. The American Alliance provides members with opportunities and materials for professional growth through information on the latest issues, trends, technologies, and legislative developments. Information Services: The American Alliance issues several publications dealing with planning, organizing, and conducting physical education, recreation, sports, and related programs for disabled persons. Periodicals of general interest include The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (published nine times per year), Health Education (published bimonthly), and Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. The annual national AAHPERD convention includes numerous sessions and in-depth conferences on topics dealing with research methods and new developments in the fields of adapted physical education, therapeutic recreation, and related specialties. American Amputee Foundation, Inc. (AAF) P.O. Box 250218 Little Rock, AR 72225 (501) 666-2523 Disabilities Served: Amputations. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, attorneys, physical therapists, occupational therapists, prosthetists. The Organization: The American Amputee Foundation, Inc., (AAF) provides peer support to amputees and their families. Through chapters in 31 States, AAF offers counseling, information and referral, direct financial aid in the form of grants and low interest loans, rehabilitation coordination, and hospital visitation. The foundation distributes educational and self-help material to amputee consumers. AAF has developed a 3 1/2-day peer counseling training program, certified by the University of Arkansas. Information Services: AAF provides a variety of publications for amputees and their families, including self-help guides, a quarterly newsletter, Ability magazine, and a medical data directory on services for amputees throughout the United States. A videotape, One Step at a Time, is also available. Referrals are made for services for amputees nationwide, including recreation, rehabilitation, medical facilities, and prosthetics, for which a computerized system of equipment and certified prosthetists has been developed. AAF provides technical assistance in developing outreach chapters in other States, including local affiliates. American Anorexia/Bulimia Association, Inc. 418 East 76th Street New York, NY 10021 (212) 734-1114 Disabilities Served: Anorexia/bulimia. Users Served: Individuals with anorexia/bulimia and their families. The Organization: The American Anorexia/Bulimia Association is a nonprofit organization. While the organization does not subscribe to any one particular type of treatment, its philosophy is that eating disorders are psychological problems that require therapeutic intervention. The organization acts as a nationwide referral service consisting of self-help groups, organizations, inpatient and outpatient treatment centers, and individual professionals specializing in this field. Information Services: The American Anorexia/Bulimia Association offers communication workshops and a quarterly newsletter. American Art Therapy Association (AATA) 1202 Allanson Road Mundelein, IL 60060 (708) 949-6064 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Art therapists. The Organization: The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) was established to improve the standards of art therapy training and practice and to widen employment opportunities for art therapists. Art therapy provides the opportunity for nonverbal expression and communication. AATA approves graduate-level training programs in art therapy and registers professional art therapists. Information Services: Literature on standards of registration, a list of university training programs, and bibliographies of professional literature are available from the association. AATA publishes a professional journal, a newsletter, and the proceedings of its annual meetings, which may be purchased. Audiovisual materials depict art therapists working with different populations, such as mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and elderly individuals. Professionals and students are referred to local art therapy associations and professional contacts working in specific areas of the field. American Association for Continuity of Care (AACC) 720 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21230 (301) 837-1600 Disabilities Served: Variety of conditions resulting in functional impairment of a patient/client that has some effect on his or her ability to be independent or conditions that require ongoing medical/social intervention. Users Served: Health care professionals. The Organization: The American Association for Continuity of Care (AACC) was founded in 1982 by a group of multidisciplinary health care professionals from around the United States. AACC is committed to promoting continuity of care within the health care system. The organization promotes the concept that every patient has the right to quality, coordinated discharge planning; the philosophy that continuity of care is a holistic approach that is centered on the patient and family; the belief that continuity of care encompasses the preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, custodial, medical, and nonmedical needs of patients, etc. American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD) 5999 Stevenson Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 823-9800 Disabilities Served: Mental health. Users Served: Counselors and human development specialists. The Organization: The American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD) is a 58,000 member nonprofit association for counselors and human development professionals. Founded in 1913 and formally established in 1952 as the American Personnel and Guidance Association, its mission is to promote health; remove barriers to human development; support informed legislation and social policy; demand high standards of professional preparation, practice, and ethical conduct; encourage research; publish professional literature; and provide continuing educational opportunities that are consistent with maintaining professional licensure or certification at the State and/or national level. AACD is organized by 16 divisions, 4 regions, and 56 chapters in the States and territories. There is a European branch, and members are located in 50 other nations. Information Services: Division journals, major textbooks, a flagship journal, and a newspaper are published on a monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis. American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT) P.O. Box 27177 Philadelphia, PA 19118 (215) 242-4450 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: The American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT) approves academic programs in music therapy and certifies professional music therapists. Information Services: Free information is available on music therapy as a career, academic program approval, and professional registration requirements. AAMT has a suggested reading list for music therapists. For university program administrators, the association publishes standards for educating students within those programs. AAMT holds one or two conferences per year, where professional papers are delivered on various aspects of music therapy. AAMT publishes a journal; an international report on music therapy worldwide; and a newsletter containing information about workshops, new publications in the field, and activities of AAMT. American Association for Rehabilitation Therapy, Inc. (AART) P.O. Box 93 North Little Rock, AR 72116 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Rehabilitation therapists and allied health professionals. The Organization: The philosophy of the American Association for Rehabilitation Therapy, Inc., (AART) is that rehabilitation should begin as soon as a patient enters the hospital. Members--occupational analysts, industrial rehabilitation therapists, education therapists, recreation therapists, and rehabilitation therapists--work mostly in hospital settings under medical supervision. AART offers national and regional education seminars devoted to these speciality areas. The association sponsors the American Certification Council for Medical Rehabilitation Therapists and Specialists, which certifies professionals working in these areas who meet specific educational and experience requirements and pass a national certification examination. Information Services: AART publishes brochures on careers and training in each of the specialty areas. It publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Rehab Bulletin, and a journal, The American Archives of Rehabilitation Therapy. American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) 11030 Ables Lane Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 243-2272 Disabilities Served: Respiratory conditions. Users Served: Respiratory therapists and technicians, pulmonary laboratory technicians, critical care nurses, physicians, students, emergency transport personnel. The Organization: Members of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) include professionals who provide health care to persons with lung disease, such as respiratory therapists, respiratory therapy technicians, pulmonary laboratory technicians, and critical care nurses. The association divides into several specialty sections (e.g., adult acute respiratory care, cardiopulmonary, education, management, perinatal-pediatrics, and continuing care, rehabilitation, and transport); and seminars and workshops are sponsored in these areas by the national and State affiliates. CRCE, AARC's Continuing Respiratory Care Education Program, assists educators and managers in the development of continuing education activities, accredits continuing education programs, and recognizes and documents membership participation in continuing education. Information Services: AARC provides information on professional training and career opportunities for respiratory therapists and publishes a list of approved schools of respiratory therapy. Information is provided to professionals on diagnostic evaluation and treatment of respiratory conditions and on equipment and special devices used in respiratory therapy. The association publishes continuing education materials for each specialty area. Monthly publications include a professional journal, Respiratory Care, and a feature magazine, AARC Times, about people working in the profession. Brochures and pamphlets are low cost. Prices and descriptions of professional books and manuals can be requested. American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) 500 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 661-1700 Disabilities Served: Diabetes. Users Served: Diabetes educators. The Organization: The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1974 to promote the growth of quality diabetes education for the diabetic consumer in the United States. Information Services: Publications include a bimonthly journal, The Diabetes Educator, and a monthly newsletter to the membership. Other publications include Diabetes Education: A Core Curriculum for Health Professionals, Healthy Eating for Healthy Growing - Children's Coloring Book, Patient Education Handout Sheets, Studies of the Patient Perspective Viewpoint: Nutrition, and AADE Reference Manual for Evaluation of Diabetes Education Programs. Price lists and description of various memberships offered by the AADE are available upon request. American Association of Disability Communicators (AADC) c/o National Easter Seal Society 70 East Lake Street Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 726-6200 (Voice) (312) 726-4258 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, editors, writers, and public relations people concerned with disability. The Organization: The American Association of Disability Communicators (AADC) was founded in 1983 with the support of the President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped and the National Organization on Disability. Its purpose is to identify disability as a major, ongoing priority in American society by improving media relations and media access for all disability communicators in nonprofit agencies, advocacy groups, independent living centers, and government. AADC is also actively involved in encouraging job opportunities for disabled people in the media and in professional disability communications. The association serves as a national resource for disability communicators, providing materials, unique information and opportunities for the exchange of ideas. AADC offers special mailings and technical expertise to member organizations and organizes media and disability workshops. Referrals are made to a network of disabled people working in the media, including writers, broadcasters, editors, and reporters. In 1989, administration of AADC was absorbed by the National Easter Seal Society. Information Services: AADC publishes a quarterly newsletter, which covers developments and information about new ideas and programs concerning disability communications and spotlights disabled people working in the media. American Association of Homes for the Aging (AAHA) 901 E Street, NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 783-AAHA Disabilities Served: Frail elderly. Users Served: Administrators, staff and residents of nursing homes, continuing care retirement communities, other related health and housing facilities, and elderly persons in the community at large. The Organization: The American Association of Homes for the Aging (AAHA) is a national nonprofit organization representing and promoting the interests of its constituents through advocacy, education, professional development, research, and services. Some issues of concern include long-term financing, nursing home quality of care, nursing home reform, housing reform to increase the availability of affordable housing for the low- and middle-income elderly, Federal housing budgets, and regulation of continuing care retirement communities. AAHA enhances its members' ability to meet the social, health, environmental, and quality of living needs of the individuals and communities they serve. Information Services: AAHA offers a broad array of reference materials on aging, long-term care, housing, continuing care retirement communities, and Alzheimer's disease. The association's newsletter, AAHA Provider News, is a monthly publication for members providing readers with a digest of AAHA's public policy activity and alerting them to recent developments and current opinion in the field of aging. Along with reports on trends in long-term health care and housing, AAHA Provider News also offers "Job Mart", which lists job opportunities nationwide in the not-for-profit aging services field. AAHA publishes a directory of members and several publications of interest to housing and nursing home managers and also offers instructional videotapes and educational cassettes. AAHA's national annual meeting and exposition features an extensive program of educational seminars that mirror AAHA's interest in the changing needs of older adults. Topics deal with care and services, management and planning, public policy, and trends and innovations. American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) 1 Davis Boulevard Suite 302 Tampa, FL 33606 (813) 251-0725 (800) 749-2257 Disabilities Served: Dialysis and transplant patients, their families, and health care professionals. The Organization: The American Association of Kidney Patients (AAKP) is the voluntary, patient organization, which for over 20 years has been dedicated to helping renal patients and their families deal with the physical and emotional impact of kidney disease. The programs offered by AAKP inform and inspire patients and their families to better understand their condition, adjust more readily to their circumstances, and resume more normal productive lives in their communities. Information Services: AAKP publishes several pamphlets dealing with the emotional and physical effects of renal disease. A twice yearly magazine and a quarterly newspaper for patients, their families, and health care professionals are also published. American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children (AAPSC) 1200-C Scottsville Road Suite 225 Rochester, NY 14624 (716) 235-6910 Disabilities Served: Mental and emotional disorders. Users Served: Child mental health professionals, organizations, and individuals. The Organization: The American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children (AAPSC) is a membership organization of psychiatric organizations offering treatment, research, and training and individual professionals specializing in the field of mental health. The association stresses high quality standards for clinical practice, training, and services among its goals. Toward those aims, AAPSC offers consultation to service providers on planning, development, evaluation, standards, accreditation, and financing of child mental health facilities. AAPSC supports and conducts research, represents the concerns of its membership before Congress and Federal agencies, and cooperates with other professional organizations in developing strategies to increase the impact of mental health considerations on the health planning process. A roster of available staff positions in the child mental health care field is maintained at the national office. Information Services: AAPSC's legislative activities and general information are reported in a bimonthly newsletter. The association publishes the results of its studies and papers in its journal, Child Psychiatry and Human Development. At the conference, short courses on aspects of child mental health care are offered for continuing education credits. AAPSC also provides referral services for emotionally disturbed children. American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (AASCIN) 75-20 Astoria Boulevard Jackson Heights, NY 11370 (718) 803-3782 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injured individuals. Users Served: Nurses, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (AASCIN) was established in 1983 as a nonprofit organization to help solve the many health problems associated with spinal cord injury. Its goals are (1) to advance, foster, encourage, promote and improve nursing care of spinal cord injured individuals; (2) to develop and promote education and research related to nursing care of persons with spinal cord injury and; (3) to recognize nurses whose careers are devoted to the problems of spinal cord injury and to promote the exchange of ideas between such persons. Its membership is national and totals approximately 1,600 persons. It provides funds for research, convenes an annual educational conference, and publishes educational materials. Information Services: AASCIN publishes a quarterly journal, SCI Nursing, and publications, Educational Guidelines for Professional Nursing Practice, Patient/Family Educational Manual, and provides applications for research program grants. American Association of University Affiliated Programs for Persons With Developmental Disabilities (AAUAP) 8605 Cameron Street Suite 406 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 588-8252 Disabilities Served: Developmental disabilities, chronic handicapping conditions. Users Served: Health, education, and social service professionals; developmentally disabled and chronically ill individuals. The Organization: The purpose of the American Association of University Affiliated Programs for Persons With Developmental Disabilities (AAUAP) is to provide a central office and focal point to the 50 University Affiliated Programs (UAPs) located across the Nation. UAP's meet the needs of developmentally disabled persons through the following services: (a) comprehensive and interdisciplinary training of a broad range of professionals and paraprofessional persons; (b) comprehensive and interdisciplinary screening, evaluation, treatment, planning, and educational programming; (c) technical assistance to generic and specialized agencies; and (d) dissemination of research findings. UAP's are located at or affiliated with leading colleges and universities across the country. The association also works with Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies dealing with developmental disabilities and with congressional committees and their staffs. Information Services: Lay and professional inquirers can request information on its member programs and the types of programs and services they provide. Publications include the quarterly AAUAP Network News, which contains reports on association activities and news relevant to the UAP network, to the Developmental Disabilities program, and to the Title V (Maternal and Child Health) program. Other publications include the Resource Guide to Organizations Concerned with Developmental Handicaps, published annually, technical reports on developmental disabilities and HIV infection; guidelines on developmental services for children and adults with HIV infection; and prevention matters. Brochures are available that describe the UAP Network and the Shared Communications and Assistance Network (SCAN) program. SCAN is a national electronic link for immediate, accurate communication in resources and services for disabled persons with State, local, and regional options. Services available include electronic mail, file transfer, bulletin boards, information and referral, and resource data bases. American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) 1719 Kalorama Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 387-1968 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation. Users Served: Professionals and others concerned about mental retardation. The Organization: The American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) is an organization of professionals working in the field of mental retardation. It was established in 1876 to improve services to people who are mentally retarded. The association has State/provincial chapters organized into 9 geographic areas and 18 divisions for specific professional disciplines. AAMR and each region and State unit hold annual conferences where workshops and seminars (some for continuing education credits) are offered on a variety of topics related to serving persons who are mentally retarded. Information Services: AAMR publishes two professional journals, The American Journal on Mental Retardation, devoted to research in the field, and Mental Retardation, devoted to program activities. A bimonthly newsletter, New & Notes, provides up-to-date information on current issues and models of service. The association's testing materials include the Adaptive Behavior Scales, a test to measure the abilities of people who are mentally retarded. Other publications include Classification in Mental Retardation, monographs, books, and other publications on social and legislative issues. Each region publishes its own newsletter. American Bar Association (ABA) 1800 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 331-2200 Disabilities Served: Developmental disabilities, mental illness, and physical disabilities. Users Served: Disability professionals and advocates. The Organization: The American Bar Association (ABA), a professional membership organization for lawyers, through its Commission on the Mentally Disabled, formulates policy on mental disability issues and monitors legal developments affecting mentally disabled, developmentally disabled, and physically disabled persons. Information Services: The ABA publishes the Mental and Physical Disability Law Reporter, which contains articles on important cases, decisions, laws, codes, and regulations affecting mentally disabled, developmentally disabled, and physically disabled individuals. Since 1980 the publication's base of interest has been broadened to include education and accessibility issues, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and other matters of interest to all disabled people. Since 1976 the Reporter has covered over 6,000 cases, and each year it covers 1000 new cases. The cases are summarized and indexed by over 200 subject matter topics. The Reporter is published six times per year and is available by subscription. Other major publications include Mental Disability Law: A Primer and A Model Regulating Board and Care Houses: Guidelines for States. American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) 717 Pendleton Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-7114 Disabilities Served: All amputees and handicapped individuals requiring prosthetic and orthotic treatment. Users Served: Orthotists, prosthetists, registered technicians, and accredited facilities. The Organization: The American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics, also known as ABC, is a credentialing body constituted to identify those orthotic and prosthetic practitioners qualified to render essential public health services in these disciplines. ABC conducts examinations to test the competency of these individuals engaged in the practice of orthotics/prosthetics who voluntarily apply for the examination. ABC also performs site inspections and evaluations of interested facilities. Those facilities deemed to be capable of offering quality orthotic/prosthetic patient care are accredited by ABC. Information Services: The American Board for Certification offers brochures on careers in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. Other publications include a yearly Registry listing all certified practitioners, accredited facilities, and registered technicians. The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Almanac, a monthly magazine, offers current information on ABC and happenings in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. American Burn Association Baltimore Regional Burn Center 4940 Eastern Avenue Baltimore, MD 21224 (800) 548-2876 Disabilities Served: Burn injuries. Users Served: Physicians, nurses, therapists, educators, health administrators, and other professionals with a demonstrated interest in burn injury. The Organization: The American Burn Association was founded in 1967, as an outgrowth of a series of annual seminars sponsored by leading institutions in the field of burn treatment. Standing committees are maintained in such areas as Burn Prevention, Organization and Delivery of Burn Care, and Education. It is an organization of health care professionals interested in the care of burned patients, education of burn team members, prevention of burn injuries, and research. The association's objectives are to stimulate and sponsor study and research in the treatment and prevention of burns, provide a forum for the presentation of such knowledge, foster training opportunities for individuals interested in burns, and encourage publications pertaining to these activities. Information Services: Association communications include a membership directory published every other year, three to four newsletters a year, and an annual directory of educational programs and materials. Members also receive the Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation, six issues a year. One task undertaken by the organization was the compilation of a list of approximately 210 hospitals in the United States and Canada entitled Burn Care Resources in North America. This is published every 2 years and receives many requests. American Camping Association (ACA) Bradford Woods 5000 State Road 67 North Martinsville, IN 46151 (317) 342-8456 Disabilities Served: All. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The American Camping Association (ACA) accredits camps throughout the country according to standards of health, safety, and program. An annual guide lists camps that mainstream physically disabled or mentally retarded children and others that serve children with epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, and learning disabilities and children, youths, and adults who are deaf, blind, and physically, emotionally or mentally handicapped. The primary focus of the association, however, is not only on services to the disabled. Information Services: Camping Magazine is the official journal of the association. The annual Guide to Accredited Camps lists all ACA camps around the country. An ACA publications catalog is updated annually containing titles of more than 400 books and pamphlets on various topics related to organized camping (including how to serve the handicapped through mainstreaming and special programs). American Cancer Society (ACS) National Office 1599 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30329 (800) ACS-2345 Disabilities Served: Cancer. Users Served: Persons with cancer, their families, and the general public. The Organization: The American Cancer Society (ACS) supports research into the causes and detection of cancer and educates primary care physicians and the public to recognize the signs of cancer. ACS offers a variety of research project grants to institutions and personnel in every aspect of cancer research. The society's public education programs emphasize the value of periodic checkups and cancer's seven warning signals and are carried out by ACS volunteers in homes, places of employment, community meetings, and through the media. Professional education programs, offered through literature and conferences, are designed to motivate the medical and allied professions to use the latest and best possible cancer detection, diagnostic, and patient management techniques. There is an American Cancer Society office in most metropolitan areas of the United States. To contact the organization call 1-800-ACS-2345. ACS provides direct services to the cancer patient. These services include Resources, Information and Guidance--providing referral to society services, community resources, and specific information about cancer; Home Care Items--supplying patients with a wide range of equipment, supplies, and gifts to enhance their care, comfort, and recreation; Transportation--assisting patients with the task of getting to and from medical and therapy appointments; Rehabilitation--assisting patients to return to their families, communities, and occupations through trained visitor and group programs such as (1) International Association of Laryngectomees, which offers speech training and moral support to the laryngectomy patient; (2) Reach to Recovery, which provides support to women with breast cancer; (3) Ostomy Rehabilitation Program, which gives support to those patients who have an ostomy; (4) CanSurmount and I Can Cope, which provide support to cancer patients and families not covered by other specific programs. All rehabilitation programs are medically directed and supervised. Patient Education helps patients and their families to better understand the disease and its management through group education programs like I Can Cope along with pamphlets, booklets, and audiovisual presentations. Information Services: The ACS reference library functions as a repository and clearinghouse of information on all aspects of cancer for physicians, nurses, and researchers. Printed materials on cancer safeguards, cancer detection, smoking, statistical information, and information on unproven methods of cancer detection and treatment are available for the lay public. The society publishes a variety of professional journals and publications. All materials are provided free of charge, and some information is available in Spanish. American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) P.O. Box 850 Rocklin, CA 95677 (916) 632-0922 Disabilities Served: Chronic pain. Users Served: Anyone with chronic pain. The Organization: The American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with 443 chapters in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Its purpose is to provide a support system for those suffering chronic pain through group activities, to get members out of the patient role and back to being a person. Very briefly, the suggested guidelines for the groups are the following: the group must be open to all persons suffering chronic pain, regardless of their race, creed, sex; each group must be led by a person with chronic pain; no professionals are permitted to do therapy of any kind during group meetings, which cannot be held in hospital facilities; and finally, groups should not be affiliated with any hospital or other such institution. The ACPA offers training in skills and attitudes that have proven effective in helping people deal with chronic pain. Members learn to use physician-approved stretching exercises, relaxation techniques, assertiveness training methods, sleep hygiene, nutrition, family involvement, and a better understanding of the feelings pain creates to live more fully. They learn to recognize limitations and to set realistic monthly goals for themselves. ACPA groups do not focus on physical pain but rather on developing in members a positive attitude and an enhanced perception of self-control. ACPA group members seek to exchange the passive role of patient for that of independent person whose pain is kept in a proper perspective. The group does not take the place of traditional medical treatment but works with the medical community to allow group members to take more responsibility for their own recoveries. Membership is an addition to, not a substitute for, medical and professional services the pain person may already have pursued. Information Services: The American Chronic Pain Association publishes a quarterly newsletter, The ACPA Chronicle. In addition, there is a 115-page Member's Workbook Manual, which enables anyone with chronic pain to gain a better understanding of the problem and provides techniques in pain management. The ACPA Leader's Manual provides chronic pain persons with the necessary information to organize and operate a self-help support group. Upon request, an information packet will be mailed to anyone who requests it. Association Management Center 5700 Old Orchard Road Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 965-2776 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Psychiatrists and other rehabilitation physicians as well as administrators, biomechanical engineers, occupational and physical therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, psychologists, rehabilitation nurses, respiratory and speech therapists, social workers, and vocational counselors. The Organization: Founded in 1923 as the American College of Radiology and Physiotherapy, the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary, professional and scientific association. Its members work together to promote and advance the art and science of rehabilitation medicine; to further interdisciplinary professionalism; to provide a forum at which all of the disciplines and professions concerned with rehabilitation of the handicapped and disabled may communicate; to support and actively advocate the interests of their patients, clients, and co-professionals; and to advance the education of all professionals and the general public toward an awareness of the needs, aspirations, and achievements of handicapped persons. An Annual Session is held each year in late October/early November for educational, social, and networking purposes. Information Services: In conjunction with the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the congress publishes the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a monthly scientific journal which includes articles of interdisciplinary interest written by rehabilitation professionals. A subscription is included in the membership dues. Information services are provided primarily for members, with nominal fees for most products. The congress also sponsors an annual essay contest for medical students, graduate students in rehabilitation medicine professions, interns, and residents. American Council of the Blind (ACB) 1155 15th Street, NW Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, students, teachers, professionals. The Organization: The American Council of the Blind (ACB) advocates legislation for the blind and other handicapped persons. Priority areas of advocacy include civil rights, social security and supplemental income, national health insurance, rehabilitation, eye research, technology, and others. The council has 21 special interest affiliates. These include the Randolph Sheppard Vendors of America, a parents' organization for visually impaired parents and parents of visually impaired children, an organization of guide dog users, and vocationally oriented organizations for professionals (e.g., blind lawyers, blind secretaries, and blind computer programmers). ACB's 51 State chapters monitor State laws affecting the blind. The national office offers free direct legal assistance to groups in discrimination and benefits cases and to individuals in precedent cases. The council operates "The Washington Connection," a legislative hotline offering updated information toll-free at (800) 424-8666, 8:00 - 12:00 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday. ACB also awards scholarships to blind postsecondary students. Information Services: The organization has information about agencies and schools for the blind, scholarships, electronic aids, legislation, and legal rights. It can often give advice about specific legal problems over the phone. If ACB is unable to give legal assistance, it will provide referrals to other possible sources. The Braille Forum, a free monthly magazine updating developments in legislation, education, technology, leisure activities, and employment is available in large print, braille, computer disc, or cassette. Affiliates and chapters also have newsletters. American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) National Rural Development Institute Western Washington University Miller Hall 359 Bellingham, WA 98225 (206) 676-3576 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Teachers, administrators, support personnel, parents. The Organization: The American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES), founded in May 1981, is a membership organization for persons interested in improving services for disabled students living in rural areas. ACRES has initiated a number of national projects to increase educational opportunities and to improve direct services for the handicapped and rural population. ACRES sponsors an annual national conference, and members participate in action task forces. Information Services: A brochure on ACRES is available upon request. Members receive a newsletter published several times a year, the Rural Special Education Quarterly journal, and discounts on other ACRES publications. The organization also offers rural job services by which persons seeking positions are linked with jobs available. In addition, ACRES has developed a data bank on the members of the organization, which serves as a means for linking professionals or other members specific interests and abilities. Members living in a particular geographic area can also be identified via this system. (Each member receives a membership resource book upon joining.) American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) 2000 Century Plaza Suite 108 (301) 997-4040 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Dance therapists. The Organization: The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) approves educational programs in dance therapy and registers professional dance therapists. Information Services: ADTA has free information on educational programs, guidelines for dance therapy training and internship, professional registration requirements, and regional professional contacts. The association publishes The American Journal of Dance Therapy (available at reduced rates to members), a newsletter, monographs, bibliographies and reports of conference proceedings, which are free to members and are available for a charge to nonmembers. ADTA sponsors annual educational workshops, and its regional chapters hold similar workshops throughout the year. Nonmembers are welcome to attend. American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) P.O. Box 251554 Little Rock, AR 72225 (501) 663-7074 Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Human service professionals, students. The Organization: The American Deafness and Rehabilitation Association (ADARA) is a network of professionals and community persons who are active in delivering services to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These areas include rehabilitation, mental health, education, social work, speech therapy, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, and others; students are included. ADARA offers opportunities for professional enrichment to its members and serves as a vehicle of communication through its forums, conferences, workshops, and publications. ADARA was formerly known as the Professional Rehabilitation Workers with the Adult Deaf (PRWAD). Information Services: ADARA gives referral service regarding careers, university programs, job opportunities, and general information. The national office provides this service free of charge to inquirers. Information regarding certain legislation, conferences, and workshops can also be obtained through the national office. The ADARA publishes the quarterly Journal of the American Deafness & Rehabilitation Association, a quarterly newsletter entitled The ADARA Update, and occasional special publications and monographs. The most recent monograph is At the Crossroads: A Celebration of Diversity. A publication list with a complete listing of all ADARA publications is available upon request from the national office. American Diabetes Association, Inc. (ADA) National Center 1660 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (800) 232-3472 Disabilities Served: Diabetes mellitus. Users Served: Persons with diabetes and their families or caretakers, physicians, dietitians, and diabetes educators. The Organization: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is a voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research and education. Founded in 1940 as a professional society, today's ADA is an internationally recognized association with over 800 State affiliates and chapters serving all people with diabetes, regardless of age, type of diabetes, or economic condition. Information Services: ADA conducts professional seminars, scientific meetings, and postgraduate courses for physicians and other health professionals. It publishes Diabetes, a monthly research journal, Diabetes Spectrum, a bimonthly clinical care journal, and Diabetes Care, a monthly journal for the clinician. For persons with diabetes, ADA publishes a variety of pamphlets, books, and cookbooks, including a monthly magazine, Forecast. The monthly magazine includes articles on recent research, nutrition information, and recipes and hints for living with diabetes. Affiliates and chapters may sponsor educational meetings, in-hospital orientations, weekend retreats, summer camping programs for children, and professional educational seminars. Some also serve as a referral source to appropriate direct care agencies. For more information about diabetes or becoming a member of ADA, contact your local ADA affiliate (number is in white pages of your phone book) or call the ADA National Center. American Epilepsy Society (AES) 638 Prospect Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 (203) 232-4825 Disabilities Served: Epilepsy. Users Served: Neuroscientists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, internists, pediatricians, clinical nurses specializing in epilepsy. The Organization: The American Epilepsy Society (AES) is a professional society of physicians, scientists, and other professionals concerned with the study, dissemination, and application of knowledge concerning epilepsy in all of its phases. Membership is limited to residents of North America. Active members receive the journal Epilepsia. Corresponding membership is available to those outside of North America. Information Services: The American Epilepsy Society publishes a newsletter two times a year, available to its membership. The society holds an annual meeting designed to update those professionals working in the field of epilepsy. The meeting consists of an annual course, an investigator's workshop, and a scientific program that also includes poster sessions and symposia. An awards program is available to clinical and basic science investigators. In addition, the society offers a junior investigator travel award, the William G. Lennox Award, and various fellowships and grant programs. American Federation of Teachers (AFT) AFT Teachers' Network for Education of the Handicapped 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 879-4460 Disabilities Served: All handicapping conditions for which mainstreaming is possible. Users Served: Teachers. The Organization: The AFT Teachers' Network for Education of the Handicapped, a program of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT, AFL-CIO), has as its goal to facilitate the ability of regular education teachers to work effectively with handicapped children. The network assists AFT locals in providing in-service training to regular education teachers with a focus on practical instructional techniques to use with the mainstreamed child. The program also assists other educational and community organizations by giving workshops and technical assistance. Information Services: The network responds to requests for information on mainstreaming handicapped children and has developed a series of pamphlets on mainstreaming children with specific disabilities. The pamphlets have information on the disabling condition, instructional techniques, and resource materials and organizations. There is a nominal charge for these publications. A film and video tape, The ACB's of Teaching the Learning Disabled Student, is available for rental or purchase. The film and its training manual have been developed as an inservice training module to enhance regular educators' efforts to teach learning disabled students more effectively. American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011 (212) 620-2000 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, professionals, local agencies and organizations, and the general public. The Organization: The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) was established in 1921 to help blind and visually impaired people acquire improved rehabilitation services and educational and employment opportunities and to aid those persons in daily living activities. Through its national, regional, and legislative offices, AFB provides legislative consultation to government agencies and advisory services to local agencies and schools involved in direct services. AFB conducts national and local surveys on psychosocial needs of blind people and technological research leading to the design of a variety of devices that help the blind person to lead an independent life. The foundation manufacturers (or adapts) and sells more than 400 such devices, including braille watches, measuring instruments, shop tools, and braille games for adults and children. AFB records and manufacturers about 500 talking books per year for the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. AFB's six regional offices provide a link between consumers and providers of services. They are located in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. Information Services: AFB publishes a variety of general interest pamphlets and films about blindness, deaf-blindness, visual impairments, eye disorders, braille, assisting the blind, activities of daily living, travel, rehabilitation, education, devices, dog guides, aging, recreation and leisure, technology, employment, and careers for people who wish to work with blind people. Single copies of these public education materials are free in print form; films may be rented or purchased. Priced publications are mainly for professionals and include materials on research, clinical practice, and instructional techniques in the areas of blindness, visual impairments, deaf-blindness, and other multihandicapped disabilities involving blindness. Listings of services such as The Directory of Agencies Serving the Visually Handicapped in the United States and the International Guide to Aids and Appliances for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons are also published by the foundation. A few publications are available in Spanish. Some are available in large print, braille, and cassette. The Journal of Visual Impairments and Blindness covers research and practice reports, book reviews, and legislative and organizational news and it is published in print, braille, and recorded form. Other regular publications include the Washington Report and AFB News, a quarterly newsletter. AFB's M.C. Migel Memorial Library contains more than 37,000 books, periodicals, and other publications on blindness. Its services are available to lay and professional people who may borrow materials in person or by mail. Requests for information are responded to with the organization's publications or with individual letters when required. AFB makes referrals to service facilities, local agencies, and other institutions, as appropriate. American Geriatrics Society (AGS) 770 Lexington Avenue Suite 300 New York, NY 10021 (212) 308-1414 Disabilities Served: Work to improve general medical care for older Americans. Users Served: Membership is primarily physician-oriented. The Organization: The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a medical society dedicated to geriatric medicine. Founded in 1942, the AGS was the first medical society in the United States to focus on improving the quality of health care for older persons. Since the society's inception, AGS membership has grown to over 6,000 health care professionals. Information Services: The society does not currently provide a formal information service for the general public. American Health Care Association (AHCA) 1201 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 842-4444 Disabilities Served: All disabilities (including aging) requiring long-term health care. Users Served: Personnel of long-term health care facilities. The Organization: The American Health Care Association (AHCA), founded in 1949, is a federation of licensed nursing homes and allied long-term health care facilities, including adult day care, mental health, and child care service. AHCA and its 50 affiliated State associations work to promote professional standards in long-term health care delivery. All AHCA members must be licensed by their State governments, as must be the administrators who manage them. AHCA represents its members on issues before Congress and Federal regulatory and executive agencies and offers a variety of professional and educational programs. Information Services: Upon receipt of a business-sized self-addressed, stamped envelope, AHCA sends free copies of its brochure Thinking About a Nursing Home? A catalog of the association's publications and materials on nursing home management training and community involvement may be purchased. American Hearing Research Foundation (AHRF) 55 East Washington Street Suite 2022 Chicago, IL 60602 (312) 726-9670 Disabilities Served: Hearing problems and balance disorders. Users Served: Hearing impaired, physicians, audiologists, hearing health professionals, general public. The Organization: The American Hearing Research Foundation (AHRF) is a not-for-profit organization that promotes, conducts, and supports medical research and education into the cause, prevention, and cure of deafness, impaired hearing, and balance disorders. The foundation also has a public information and referral system whereby anyone who calls or writes can obtain information on how and where to get medical or educational help. The foundation also provides research grants. Information Services: The American Hearing Research Foundation disseminates brochures on hearing health and research reports for medical specialists on specific hearing problems and balance disorders related to the inner ear. For information contact the AHRF at the above address. American Heart Association (AHA) 7320 Greenville Avenue Dallas, TX 75231 (214) 373-6300 Disabilities Served: Cardiovascular disorders and stroke, aphasia. Users Served: Persons with cardiovascular disorders, stroke patients, health care professionals. The Organization: The primary concern of the American Heart Association (AHA) is the reduction of disability and death due to cardiovascular diseases. To this end, the AHA (1) funds research on cardiovascular function and disease and stroke, (2) gathers information on all aspects of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and (3) disseminates the information to professionals and lay persons through its publications and the media. Information Services: AHA's 56 affiliates and 1,800 local organizations act as information and referral centers. Public education and community programs focus on the early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Topics include risk factors, early warning signs of heart attack and stroke, control of high blood pressure, rheumatic fever prevention, and cardiac and stroke rehabilitation. Also available to lay persons are directories of cardiac rehabilitation units. Professionals can obtain printed materials on successful rehabilitation programs and facilities, exercise testing and training, and standards for testing laboratories. Five journals are published for physicians and researchers. Publications are available from local affiliates (from the national office for foreign requestors). There is a nominal charge for materials ordered in bulk. Some information is available in Spanish. AHA holds professional continuing education seminars nationwide. Each AHA affiliate acts as a referral agency to direct services available in its locality, such as cardiac and stroke rehabilitation centers, dieticians, smoking cessation classes, and dieting workshops. For information, contact a local AHA office. American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) 9200 Wightman Road Suite 400 Gaithersburg, MD 20879 (301) 948-3010 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Horticultural therapists and other professionals. The Organization: The American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) acts as a consultant to institutions interested in establishing horticultural therapy programs. It also registers professional horticultural therapists and sponsors regional professional workshops in conjunction with its 11 regional chapters and with university programs. AHTA operates a job bank for members and nonmembers. Information Services: Information is available on careers in horticultural therapy. Special publications are printed periodically to offer a means of continuing education to professionals on such topics as innovative programs and funding agencies. AHTA has bibliographic and audiovisual materials for persons to use in the field or to start a program. It also maintains a speakers' bureau. Members receive a monthly newsletter. American Humane Association 63 Inverness Drive East Englewood, CO 80112 (303) 792-9900 Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, professionals. The Organization: The American Humane Association's National Hearing Dog Project focuses on the broad needs of all concerned with hearing dogs rather than on "hands on" dog training. A hearing dog is a working animal professionally trained to alert its deaf owner to the sounds important for daily home survival, thereby increasing personal safety, independence, and mobility. The purpose of the project is to provide the hearing-impaired individual, hearing dog programs, the media, schools, libraries, and the general public with the following resources and services: (1) information and referral; (2) national public awareness and advocacy programs; and (3) resources for program improvement, standardization, and networking. Information Services: The National Hearing Dog Project has produced a number of publications of interest to people who are hearing impaired and the general public. Materials available include a directory of hearing dog training centers, a legal rights handbook for hearing-impaired individuals and their dog guides, and legal access information. There is a charge for some publications. In 1989, the American Humane Association and the Delta Society joined forces to establish and operate a resource center on hearing dog information at Delta's Seattle-area office. For more information on hearing dog materials, please call (800) 869-6898 (Voice/TDD) or write the AHA/Delta Hearing Dog Resource Center, 321 Burnett Avenue South, Suite 303, Renton, WA 98055-2569. American Kidney Fund, Inc. 6110 Executive Boulevard Suite 1010 Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 881-3052 (800) 638-8299 Disabilities Served: Kidney patients. Users Served: Kidney patients, nephrology health professionals. The Organization: The American Kidney Fund is a national voluntary health organization providing direct financial assistance, comprehensive educational programs, research grants, and community service projects for the benefit of kidney patients. Information Services: The American Kidney Fund has an ongoing commitment to public and professional education. The goal of this program is to provide the general public with information on the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of kidney disease. In addition, the fund serves as an information resource for patients suffering from kidney disease, as well as for health care professionals. These goals are accomplished by distributing public education brochures, newsletters, and audiovisual materials. American Kinesiotherapy Association 259-08 148 Road Rosedale, NY 11422 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Kinesiotherapists. The Organization: American Kinesiotherapy Association recommends standards for certification of professionals and for training facilities. It offers a limited number of scholarships to students and funds professional research. Kinesiotherapy is the applied science of medically prescribed therapeutic exercise, education, and adapted physical activities to improve the quality of life and health of adults and children, by developing physical fitness, increasing functional mobility and independence, and improving psychosocial behavior. The kinesiotherapist evaluates, develops, implements, and modifies adapted exercise programs for disease, injury, congenital defects, and other functional disabilities. Information Services: The association is a source of information about education and training of kinesiotherapists. A publication list, available on request, includes titles of reprints, handbooks, and manuals on standards and practice in the field. These publications are available at a minimal charge. American Kinesiotherapy Association publishes a professional journal, which is clinical and research-oriented. American Leprosy Foundation Leonard Wood Memorial 11600 Nebel Street Suite 210 Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 984-1336 Disabilities Served: Hansen's disease (Leprosy). Users Served: Individuals with leprosy, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The Leonard Wood Memorial for the Eradication of Leprosy was founded in 1928. So named because of great strides made by a dedicated physician and then Governor-General of the Philippines, Leonard Wood. The purpose of this nonprofit, nongovernmental, and nonsectarian organization, is the eradication of leprosy through research. Secondarily, a great deal of training is done at the Leprosy Research Center in Cebu, Philippines. Information Services: The American Leprosy Foundation distributes general information about the disease, scientific research, and training programs. Additionally, inquiries for information regarding diagnosis and treatment are referred to the proper channels. American Leprosy Missions International (ALM International) 1 Alm Way Greenville, SC 29601 (800) 543-3131 (803) 271-7040 Disabilities Served: Disabilities arising from leprosy and other causes. Users Served: Private and public leprosy treatment centers and control programs in 23 nations; private and public associations of persons with disabilities. The Organization: American Leprosy Missions International (ALM International) is a nonprofit, nondenominational organization established in 1906 that assists in the support of antileprosy efforts around the world. ALM provides funds to public and private programs for diagnostic, medical, reconstructive surgical, rehabilitation, and occupational therapy services and for the struggle against stigma attaching to leprosy. It also provides training in administration of multidrug therapy and in rehabilitative procedures to health care professionals active in fighting leprosy in Third World nations. ALM's work with disabilities arising from leprosy has led it in recent years to provide services to people with disabilities arising from causes other than leprosy. The organization sponsors some research and disseminates technical and nontechnical information on its fields of operation. ALM is a member of the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Organizations (ILEP) and participates in the work of Rehabilitation International. Government is by a 24-member board of directors. Information Services: For lay readers, ALM provides free brochures on leprosy and disabilities' services. A quarterly newsletter, Word and Deed, is available free of charge, and television films for general audiences are available. For overseas professionals, ALM provides training manuals and visual aids to diagnosis and corrective measures for dropped foot, clawed hand, and other disabilities of hands, feet, and eyes, plus outlines for injury prevention to insensitive areas. American Library Association (ALA) Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 944-6780 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Librarians. The Organization: The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), is a professional organization for librarians serving communities and special populations such as blind, physically handicapped, deaf, and impaired elderly persons. ASCLA serves in an advisory capacity, helping its members to develop and evaluate policies and activities. ASCLA also sponsors programs at the ALA Annual Conference. Information Services: Standards and guidelines for libraries developing services for the blind and mentally retarded are available in print form. Special issues of the ASCLA journal that relate to library services to the handicapped are Bibliotherapy, Information Needs of Hearing Impaired People, and Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Other publications are available from ALA and ASCLA. The ASCLA publications list gives sources on library service to disabled persons and design of a barrier-free environment. Cassettes of some of ASCLA's conference programs are available. There is a charge for publications and cassettes. ASCLA publishes a quarterly newsletter, Interface, which includes articles, book reviews, news items, product evaluations, and news of conferences. The American Liver Foundation 1425 Pompton Avenue Cedar Grove, NJ 07009 (201) 256-2550 (800) 223-0179 Disabilities Served: Liver disease. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, general public. The Organization: The American Liver Foundation is a national voluntary health organization dedicated to finding cures to liver diseases with research, while sponsoring public and professional education programs and providing support groups for liver patients and their families. The foundation is committed to teaching people about the importance of their liver to their life. The American Liver Foundation has also developed substance abuse prevention programs for children and for corporate executives. There are chapters of the American Liver Foundation in 17 different States. The foundation provides research awards each year to encourage young physicians to continue their work in the field of liver research. Information Services: Printed materials, videotapes, reference materials, and physician referrals on liver disease are available to lay and medical persons. The American Liver Foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter for members of the foundation, and publishes a professional newsletter sent to primary care physicians three times a year. The American Liver Foundation also serves as custodian for liver transplant funds. For more information contact the American Liver Foundation at the above address. American Lung Association (ALA) 1740 Broadway New York, NY 10019 (212) 315-8700 Disabilities Served: Lung diseases. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, health care professionals. The Organization: The American Lung Association (ALA)--The Christmas Seal People--is the oldest nationwide voluntary health agency in the United States. Originally founded in 1904 to combat tuberculosis, today the association, its affiliated Lung Associations throughout the country, and its medical section, the American Thoracic Society, are dedicated to the conquest of lung disease and the promotion of lung health. It develops materials on smoking, air pollution, and occupational lung hazards. ALA's public health education and research programs are supported by donations to Christmas Seals and by other voluntary contributions. The American Thoracic Society, the medical section of the ALA, is a professional society of 10,000 physicians and scientists who specialize in pulmonary medicine and lung research. ALA provides seed grants for research and research training. Information Services: Printed materials, films and resource materials on emphysema, chronic bronchitis, air pollution, smoking and health, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other lung diseases are available free to lay and medical persons from local Lung Associations. Several pamphlets are available in Spanish. The American Thoracic Society publishes two monthly scientific journals on lung biology and disease, holds an annual scientific conference, and develops standards and guidelines for the diagnosis and management of lung diseases. Local and constituent Lung Associations maintain local directories of facilities and direct care providers and act as lung information and referral centers. For information contact the ALA at the above address or a local Lung Association listed in the telephone book. The American Narcolepsy Association (ANA) P.O. Box 1187 San Carlos, CA 94070 (415) 591-7979 Disabilities Served: Narcolepsy and other chronic sleep disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The American Narcolepsy Association (ANA) was established as a nonprofit organization in 1975 to help solve the many problems associated with narcolepsy and other chronic sleep disorders. Incorrect diagnosis and inappropriate and sometimes even dangerous treatment are common for this disorder. Narcolepsy exerts a crippling effect on learning, memory, attention, and motivation. The cause of narcolepsy is not clearly understood; it can strike anyone at any age and is estimated to afflict more than 250,000 persons, many undiagnosed. Members of ANA form self-help groups and hold meetings for mutual support. Information Services: ANA distributes information about narcolepsy to members, the medical profession, and the general public. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 1383 Piccard Drive P.O. Box 1725 Rockville, MD 20849 (301) 948-9626 Disabilities Served: All disabilities, and problems associated with aging. Users Served: Occupational therapists. The Organization: The American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) promotes quality occupational therapy (OT) services by providing accreditation of educational programs, certification of practitioners, professional development, public education, and advocacy on programs related to national health care issues. Information Services: Information is available to the general public about OT as a career and schools that offer professional programs in OT. A variety of print and audiovisual materials for the OT practitioner are published and sold by the organization. AOTA has professional information packets on 31 subject areas including adapted clothing and equipment, alcoholism, arthritis, cancer, substance abuse, older adults services, handicapped homemakers, mental health, and spinal cord injuries. These packets contain the names of OT resource persons who specialize in the particular field, special facilities, bibliographies of printed materials, and selected reprints. The association sponsors regional workshops on topics such as the elderly, vocational readiness, quality assurance, prosthetics, orthotics, OT and pediatrics, neurophysiological approaches to treatment, and reality orientation for the elderly. AOTA publishes a monthly professional journal, the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, a weekly, O.T. Week, and a Federal Report, available by subscription. Also available by subscription are quarterly newsletters published by AOTA's seven special interest sections: Administration and Management, Developmental Disabilities, Gerontology, Mental Health, Physical Disabilities, Sensory Integration, and Work Programs. The organization's State associations provide inquirers with referrals to local OT practitioners and facilities. The American Orthopaedic Association 222 South Prospect Avenue Park Ridge, IL 60068 (708) 698-1640 Disabilities Served: Orthopaedic disabilities. Users Served: Medical and other health care professionals. The Organization: The American Orthopaedic Association was founded in 1887. Its purpose is to furnish leadership and to foster advances in orthopaedic sciences and art. The goals and objectives of the organization are to provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge pertaining to the musculoskeletal system and the science of orthopaedics; promote continuing education by all available means including the annual meeting, conferences, workshops, and symposia sponsored by the association; support traveling fellowships; and encourage participation of its members in other educational programs. The organization also seeks to stimulate research, investigation, and teaching in the methods of preventing, correcting, and treating diseases of the musculoskeletal system that arise from congenital, developmental, inflammatory, neoplastic, degenerative, metabolic, traumatic, or other causes. Membership in The American Orthopaedic Association is achieved by those who have made significant contribution to education research and the practice of orthopaedic surgery. Information Services: In addition to the annual meeting, The American Orthopaedic Association supports varied educational programs. The ABC Exchange Fellowship began in 1948 and now is an established program in six English-speaking countries. In 1953, the association initiated the survey that resulted in the organization of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. The first Orthopaedic Residents' Conference was held in 1968 under the sponsorship of the association. The North American Traveling Fellowship program for the United States and Canada began in 1970. In addition, The American Orthopaedic Association sponsors an International Visiting Professorship and the Hatcher Fellowship in Orthopaedic Pathology. The Bristol-Myers Squibb/Zimmer Annual Award for distinguished achievement in Orthopaedic Research has been an annual award at the association meeting since 1988 and is based on an orthopaedic research grant program begun in 1983. In addition, there is an annual American Orthopaedic Association/Zimmer Resident Travel Award to the Annual Meeting. International communications are enhanced further by combined and joint meetings between the orthopaedic associations of various countries and The American Orthopaedic Association. American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) 717 Pendleton Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-7116 Disabilities Served: Musculoskeletal and orthopaedic conditions. Users Served: Manufacturers of orthotic and prosthetic devices and facilities that render orthotic and prosthetic patient care services. The Organization: The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) represents the interests of manufacturers of orthotic and prosthetic devices and facilities that render orthotic and prosthetic patient care services by interacting with government agencies and assisting in the preparation of Federal and State legislation. National and regional meetings are held to keep members of the profession abreast of technological advances and to discuss facility management. Information Services: A list of educational institutions that offer a curriculum in orthotics and/or prosthetics for students interested in entering the profession is available from the association. AOPA publishes a quarterly journal and a monthly news magazine, which emphasize professional, technical, and business topics. A listing of members is compiled annually. AOPA has published a Medicare Manual. Publications are free to members and available to nonmembers for purchase. American Pain Society (APS) 5700 Old Orchard Road First Floor Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 966-5595 Disabilities Served: Chronic pain syndrome. Users Served: Clinicians and researchers specializing in education, treatment, and professional practice of pain medicine. The Organization: The American Pain Society (APS), a national chapter of the International Association for the Study of Pain, is a multidisciplinary not-for-profit educational and scientific organization comprising clinicians and researchers. It's mission is to serve people in pain by advancing research, education, treatment, and professional practice. APS believes this goal can best be accomplished as a joint and interactive effort among basic scientists and health care professionals. Founded in 1979, APS has worldwide membership of more than 2,000 clinicians and researchers. It holds an annual scientific meeting featuring plenary sessions, workshops, symposia, posters and exhibits. Pain Update programs held in conjunction with the annual scientific meeting offer a series of in-depth half-day clinical sessions dealing with the latest in pain research and professional practice. Educational programs offer continuing education credits. Information Services: APS publishes a bimonthly newsletter featuring articles, organization news, and a calendar of events. Publications: The Directory of Pain Management Facilities provides a current listing of all pain facilities in the United States. Principles of Analgesic Use in the Treatment of Acute Pain and Chronic Cancer Pain: A Concise Guide to Medical Practice, 2nd Edition is a pocket-sized reference guide on drug selection, variations in dosage among patients, treatment of breakthrough pain, and minimization of side effects. American Paralysis Association (APA) 500 Morris Avenue Springfield, NJ 07081 (800) 225-0292 (201) 379-2690 (in New Jersey) Disabilities Served: Paralysis due to spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders. Users Served: Disabled individuals, their families and friends; physicians, physiatrists, and other professionals working in the field; researchers. The Organization: The American Paralysis Association (APA) is a chapter-based nonprofit agency, which encourages and supports research to find a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders. Since its inception in 1982, APA has invested just over $5.3 million in 122 annual research awards, 3 center grants, and 24 travel awards to 116 researchers in 72 institutions in 26 States and 6 foreign countries. In addition, the association maintains the APA Spinal Cord Injury HOTLINE, a 24-hour toll-free information and referral service to the spinal cord injury community. It provides information, support, and resources by directing callers to volunteers or participating spinal cord injury agencies and professionals. Information Services: APA publishes two newsletters: Walking Tomorrow reports on association and chapter activities, news of interest from the field (about advocacy issues, other organizations and individuals who impact the field of paralysis, etc.), and the latest updates on research. Progress in Research reports in-depth on APA-funded research, including new awards and progress and final reports on research in progress. It also covers news from the field and issues such as Federal funding of biomedical research, the use of animals in research, and many other pertinent topics of concern. In addition, the association has available an annual review (published biennially), and various other types of materials on paralysis cure research and the APA HOTLINE. American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) 60 Bay Street New York, NY 10301 (718) 981-8001 (800) 223-2732 Disabilities Served: Parkinson's disease. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals, and researchers. The Organization: The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) was founded for the purpose of providing information about the various services available to patients with Parkinson's disease and for making funds available for research. It subsidizes Parkinson's Disease Information and Referral Centers in 41 locations throughout the United States, which provide local referral services. The APDA awards research grants to scientists. In addition, each year $50,000 Research Fellowships are awarded to outstanding medical researchers for a 3-year period, to aid in finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. Information Services: APDA publishes seven pamphlets and a quarterly newsletter for Parkinson patients and their families. The seven pamphlets are (1) Basic Information About Parkinson's Disease, 4-page brochure (English); (2) Parkinson's Disease Handbook, 40-page booklet (English, Spanish, Italian); (3) Coping With Parkinson's Disease, 88-page booklet (English); (4) Home Exercises for Patients with Parkinson's Disease, 16-page booklet (English, Italian); (5) Equipment and Suggestions, 19-page booklet (English); (6) Speech Problems and Swallowing Problems in Parkinson's Disease, 17-page booklet (English); (7) How To Start a Parkinson's Disease Community Support Group, 42-page booklet (English). The newsletter provides up-to-date information about new treatments, medications, and research. The national APDA keeps updated lists of treatment centers and self-help groups across the country. For patients throughout the United States, the national APDA office and its information and referral centers can refer to local neurologists, equipment sources, home health care services, and social services. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) 1111 North Fairfax Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 684-2782 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities and developmental disabilities. Users Served: Physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, students, and the public. The Organization: The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) fosters the development and improvement of physical therapy services and education by (1) accrediting academic programs in physical therapy, (2) assisting in composing State certification examinations, and (3) offering continuing education courses and workshops in specialty areas (e.g., arthritis, central nervous system disorders, burn treatment, sports medicine, etc.) at the national and State levels. For its members, APTA provides research fellowships, insurance assistance, scholarships, and legislative support. APTA has 52 State chapters. Information Services: Free information is available about physical therapy as a career, accredited professional training programs, sources of financial assistance for students, and employment statistics. Pamphlets are available on subjects such as improving movement, good posture, and fitness. APTA publishes a newsletter, a monthly research journal, a bimonthly magazine on patient care, and booklets related to practice in the field. A publication list is available. APTA provides free bibliographies on such topics as geriatric exercises, handicapped children, holistic health, and stroke. Educational resource guides on such subjects as back care, burn care, stroke, diabetes, decubitus ulcer, Parkinson's disease, and cancer are available at a small charge. Further information may be obtained by contacting Information Services. American Printing House for the Blind (APH) 1839 Frankfort Avenue P.O. Box 6085 Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 895-2405 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, and teachers. The Organization: Chartered in 1858, the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is the oldest and largest publishing house for blind people in the world. Since 1879, congressional appropriations have supported publication of textbooks in braille, large print, or recorded format for all blind students under college age. In cooperation with the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, the Printing House produces braille recreational reading material and records, "Talking Books." APH also contracts with private agencies or individuals to publish books and periodicals for study or recreational reading by people who are blind. Other instructional materials produced include more than 300 special educational aids and tools. A research department conducts basic studies relevant to the education of blind people and applies this information to the design of new educational materials. The Printing House has established an electronic data base of volunteer-produced books, which coordinates the services of volunteers who produce a large number of special materials, to make interchange of these materials possible and avoid duplication. Requests for information about volunteer and commercially produced materials should be directed to APH - CARL (Central Automated Resource List). Information Services: Catalogs include braille publications, braille music, large type (textbooks, high interest/low vocabulary textbooks, cookbooks), educational aids, lists of print books for parents and professionals working with blind people; and brochures describing the Printing House. Many of these advertising materials are available in braille and on cassette. These materials are free of charge. APH offers two free newsletters. The APH Slate, available in large type and braille, is a general newsletter about APH people, products, and processes. The Micro Materials Update, available in large type and on cassette, features special computer products, both from APH and other vendors. American Psychiatric Association (APA) Division of Public Affairs 1400 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 682-6220 Disabilities Served: Mental illnesses/substance abuse. Users Served: Teachers, general public and mental health practitioners. The Organization: The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is a medical specialty society representing more than 37,000 psychiatrists nationwide. Its members share a common interest in the continuing study of psychiatry and the search for more effective ways to combat mental illnesses. As physicians, psychiatrists are concerned with the medical diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. The practice of psychiatry is based on strong programs of basic and applied research, which are gaining worldwide recognition and honor for their scientific excellence. The association's objectives include promoting the best interests of patients and those actually or potentially making use of mental health services; making psychiatric knowledge available to other practitioners of medicine, scientists, and the public; fostering the cooperation of all who are concerned with the various aspects of mental health and illness; improving the treatment, rehabilitation, and care of people who are emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded; promoting research, prevention of psychiatric disabilities, and professional education in psychiatry and allied fields. Information Services: The American Psychiatric Association has a set of 14 informational pamphlets entitled the Let's Talk Facts About... series which are written for the layperson. Twelve of the pamphlets discuss individual disorders, one is an overview of mental illness, and one is about choosing a psychiatrist. The APA has a library that contains a vast array of information about psychiatry. The library conducts literature searches for a fee. Additionally, the APA has resource packets geared toward specialty audiences. One is for educators and another for the clergy. Finally, the APA also has films on panic disorders, anxiety disorders, and depression. Each of the films is part of an educational kit, which is designed for the general public. For a catalogue of available materials, please contact the Division of Public Affairs. For local APA District Branches, check the phone book or call (202) 682-6220. American Red Cross National Headquarters 17th & D Streets, NW Washington, DC 20006 (202) 737-8309 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals. The Organization: The American Red Cross was established in 1881 by Clara Barton. Some of its areas of service are disaster services, military and social services, and health and safety services. Handicapped persons are given priority transportation, shelter, food, clothing, and medical assistance in case of disaster. Through slightly less than 3,000 local chapters, and depending on the needs of the local community, volunteers offer transportation services, hot meal programs, and assistance at community rehabilitation and recreation centers for handicapped persons. In addition to programs initiated at the local level, the national headquarters has designed programs for handicapped persons which are implemented by some chapters. An adapted aquatics program is available through many Red Cross chapters. The Red Cross trains swimming instructors to teach handicapped persons. Information Services: Books, manuals, and audiovisuals on adapted aquatics are available from chapters. Publications are available from local chapters, and some chapters publish their own materials. Charges are nominal, primarily to cover the cost of materials. A number of Red Cross publications have been translated into braille, large type, or tape editions through various national organizations and some local chapters. Some information is available in Spanish. Users should seek help and information from their local Red Cross chapters. American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) 5999 Stevenson Avenue Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 823-9800 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Rehabilitation counselors, researchers, administrators, and educators. The Organization: The American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA) is an organization of professional rehabilitation counselors who work in educational, health care, residential, private practice, community agency, government, and business/industry settings. The mission of the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association is to enhance the development of persons with disabilities throughout the life span and to promote excellence in the rehabilitation counseling profession. ARCA goals are (1) to promote the professionalism of rehabilitation counseling; (2) to promote the personal and professional development of rehabilitation counseling professionals; (3) to promote a developmental approach to rehabilitation counseling which will facilitate positive change and optimize human potential among the members' clientele; (4) to promote programs which proactively address human rights, societal trends, and social issues most relevant to the profession and react to the barriers that interfere with human rights and rehabilitation; (5) to promote public awareness of and support for the rehabilitation counseling profession; (6) to promote the advancement and dissemination of research and knowledge in rehabilitation counseling; (7) to promote and support public policy and legislation which enhances rehabilitation; (8) to promote, respect, and recognize the global interdependence among individuals, organizations, and societies; (9) to provide the organizational structure, membership, management, staff, facilities, and resources necessary to fulfill our mission. Much of ARCA's work is performed through nationwide committees. During 1990-1991, 11 task groups are examining ways in which the rehabilitation counseling profession can better serve persons with disabilities in specific topical areas. The American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD) is ARCA's parent organization. ARCA conducts workshops related to rehabilitation counseling at AACD's annual conference. ARCA supports and participates in AACD certification, licensure, and accreditation activities and is a member organization of other national groups with accreditation responsibilities in the rehabilitation field. Information Services: A brochure describing ARCA membership benefits is available upon request. A brochure describing rehabilitation counseling will also be available. A newsletter, the ARCA News, is published four times per year. It contains timely information on legislation, organization activities, professional developments, and items relevant to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. ARCA's journal, The Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, is also published four times per year and contains major professional articles relevant to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. Special issues devoted to single topics are sometimes published. Recent topics include Implementing Computers in the Rehabilitation Process and Career and Life Transition. Both the journal and newsletter are received by members as a membership benefit. In 1986, a special monograph was published through the AACD press, containing the findings of ARCA's task groups on such current areas as independent living, consumer involvement, supported employment, transition, sensory impairments, and others. A bibliography of doctoral dissertations in rehabilitation is also available. ARCA provides technical assistance to any organization concerned with the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The extent of such assistance depends on the specific request and ARCA's abilities in that area. American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) 814 Thayer Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 585-5400 (Voice) (301) 585-5401 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: Parents and professionals. The Organization: The American Society for Deaf Children (ASDC) is a membership organization. It acts as a clearinghouse for the exchange of information among parents of deaf children and between parents of children who are deaf and professionals. A "Key Network" of parents across the country contact and motivate others when action must be taken on important issues such as legislation. ASDC has approximately 100 affiliated groups in the United States, Canada, and other countries. Information Services: ASDC provides general information about deafness and raising deaf children to all inquirers. It refers new inquirers to other parents of deaf children in their own geographical areas, so that they can share their concerns and experiences. ASDC provides speakers to its affiliated groups for workshops and seminars. The organization also publishes a newsletter, available to members, which includes information about developments in education, legislation, and aids for deaf children. American Society of Handicapped Physicians (ASHP) 105 Morris Drive Bastrop, LA 71220 (318) 281-4436 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Physicians and allied health professionals. The Organization: The American Society of Handicapped Physicians (ASHP) was established by Spencer B. Lewis, MD, a blind physician, to assist the estimated 18,000 disabled physicians in the United States. Its goals include promoting unity, understanding, and camaraderie among handicapped physicians and their families; advocating for political and legislative action in medicine, government, and education; providing education and supportive services during the rehabilitation process of the disabled physician; and educating society through media exposure regarding the capabilities of handicapped persons in the medical field. Membership in this organization has grown rapidly since it came into being in 1982 and includes physicians in 46 States and a number of foreign countries. All age groups, medical specialties, and disabilities are represented. Information Services: ASHP publishes a quarterly newsletter, Synapse, and holds annual national conferences. Eventually this organization hopes to serve as a national clearinghouse for information on the varied needs and concerns of handicapped medical professionals. ASHP makes referrals in the areas of employment, medical education, residency programs, and hospital staff positions. Some information offered by the society is available on tape. American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) 444 East Algonquin Road Arlington Heights, IL 60005 (708) 228-9900 (800) 635-0635 (Plastic Surgeons Referral Service) Disabilities Served: Deformities caused by birth defect, disease, or trauma. Users Served: The public, plastic surgery patients, and plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. The Organization: Founded in 1931, the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) is made up of about 4,500 plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. ASPRS seeks to educate the public on the specialty of plastic surgery, and to assist individuals in selecting a properly trained physician. The society promotes high professional standards of care through scientific education and research coordinated by its Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation (PSEF). It also assists board-certified plastic surgeons in fulfilling their professional needs by acting as an advocate with the government and insurance industry, offering practice-management services and coordinating similar activities. Information Services: ASPRS offers a toll-free, 24-hour referral service (1-800-635-0635) to assist prospective patients in selecting a qualified plastic surgeon and to verify that a physician is certified in plastic surgery. The service also offers detailed educational brochures on various plastic surgery procedures. In conjunction with the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation, ASPRS publishes a monthly scientific journal, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and a monthly socioeconomic newspaper for members, Plastic Surgery News. For general information, contact ASPRS at the above address or phone the Communications Department at (708) 228-9900, ext. 349. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 10801 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 897-5700 (Voice/TDD) (800) 638-8255 Disabilities Served: Speech, language, and hearing disorders. Users Served: Consumers, speech-language pathologists, audiologists. The Organization: The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is a certifying body for professionals providing speech, language, and hearing services to the public, and it is an accrediting agency for college and university graduate school programs in speech-language pathology and audiology and for clinic and hospital programs that offer such services. The association conducts research in communication disorders and studies of community needs for direct services. Information Services: Public information brochures about communication disorders and roles of speech-language pathologists and audiologists are available from ASHA. ASHA has extensive career information in the areas of possible employment, university training programs, and certification requirements. Its publications include the Journal of Speech and Hearing Research; Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders; Language, Speech and Hearing Services in the Schools; Guide to Professional Services in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; and an ASHA Directory of Membership. A monthly magazine, ASHA, features organizational news, announcements of meetings, job openings, and research reports. Some publications are free to members, but all may be subscribed to or purchased by interested persons. Fifty State affiliates provide information about clinical services at the local level, and some publish their own newsletters. ASHA sponsors conferences, short courses, institutes, and workshops as part of its professional education program. An information and referral service for consumers is accessible via a toll-free HELPLINE (1-800-638-8255). American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) 250 East Superior Street Room 619 Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 908-3425 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injury. Users Served: Physicians, paraprofessionals. The Organization: The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) is a corporation organized for the following purposes: to augment and encourage knowledge and investigation of the causes, cure, and prevention of the spinal injury management; promote and exchange ideas between professionals in the field of spinal injury management; to support, coordinate, and encourage basic research in the field of management of spinal injury and related trauma; to develop teaching and educational material and provide specialized training for physicians and allied health personnel in the management of spinal injury; and to support and develop education of the profession and the laity in the prevention and proper management of spinal injury. The association sponsors an annual scientific/clinical meeting for physicians and other health care professionals involved in spinal cord injury and its management. Information Services: ASIA publishes the ASIA BULLETIN, three times annually. ASIA members automatically receive a subscription with dues. Other publications include Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI, Task Force Report on Spinal Cord Administration, Task Force Report on Training Guidelines for SCI Physicians, Guidelines for Facility Categorization and Standards of Care: SCI, Spinal Cord Injury Nursing Education - Suggested Content, and The Abstracts Digest from ASIA meeting proceedings. Ordering information and a price list can be obtained from ASIA. Taped proceedings (i.e., instructional courses) from the clinical meetings are available. American Tinnitus Association (ATA) P.O. Box 5 Portland, OR 97207 (503) 248-9985 Disabilities Served: Tinnitus. Users Served: People with tinnitus, health care professionals. The Organization: The American Tinnitus Association (ATA) was founded to conduct and support research and educational activities relating to the cure of tinnitus and other defects or diseases of the ear. Tinnitus is the subjective experience of hearing a sound, a ringing, or a noise when no such external physical sound is present. The ATA provides information and referral and counseling services to persons affected with tinnitus. Additionally, information and research support is provided for professionals in the field of tinnitus. While the ATA has no official chapters, it offers information and assistance to about 140 tinnitus self-help groups, across the country. Information Services: The ATA has available several brochures about tinnitus and the association. Tinnitus Today, a quarterly publication, includes timely articles and research reports about tinnitus. The ATA can provide a bibliography on tinnitus and statistical data on tinnitus patient characteristics, as well as public service announcements about this condition. Some material is available in Spanish. A $15 minimum annual donation is requested to receive the journal and stay current on the mailing list. Referrals for patients seeking help for tinnitus can be made to about 700 professionals in the United States and Canada. The ATA also sponsors workshop courses for hearing professionals. American Trauma Society (ATS) 1400 Mercantile Lane Suite 188 Landover, MD 20785 (301) 925-8811 (800) 556-7890 Disabilities Served: Persons disabled through injury. Users Served: Persons disabled through injury, physicians, nurses, health care professionals, institutions, general public. The Organization: The American Trauma Society (ATS) is a voluntary, nonprofit health organization dedicated to the prevention of trauma and the improvement of trauma care. As a prevention awareness/education association, it (1) strives to increase public awareness of the term "trauma" so that it becomes a household word, (2) initiates and coordinates national prevention programs aimed at reducing the incidence and severity of trauma, (3) promotes the use of trauma systems throughout the nation, and (4) develops and provides emergency medical training programs for the general public and health education professionals. ATS yearly conducts a national campaign on trauma awareness and assists its State divisions, institutional members, and other health groups throughout the Nation to hold community campaigns and to spread prevention/awareness messages. Information Services: ATS offers a catalog of trauma educational materials on safety and prevention topics. It produces a newsletter on association and trauma-related activities, distributes information on several national prevention campaigns besides its own, and acts as a referral for trauma information. American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam (AMVETS) 4647 Forbes Boulevard Lanham, MD 20706 (301) 459-9600 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Veterans with all types of disabilities. The Organization: The American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam (AMVETS) is a service organization for veterans, including disabled veterans. The organization operates at national, State, and local levels with 1,500 local posts across the country. Its main concerns for disabled veterans are veterans benefits--education, rehabilitation and employment, and legislation affecting the handicapped. A legislative staff in Washington keeps abreast of all new legislation affecting veterans and the handicapped and maintains a close liaison with Congress. Individual advocacy is provided nationwide through a network of service offices located at regional offices of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Information Services: Although AMVETS is a membership organization, information and direct services are available to any veteran, dependents, or survivors of veterans. AMVETS' primary effort is at the State and local levels, through service officers and accredited representatives. The officers and representatives offer counsel, information, and referrals in the areas of education, rehabilitation, and employment. They act as the veteran's initial contact in obtaining these benefits, and they refer him or her to the appropriate government agency. They will appeal individual cases before an agency such as the VA if a veteran fails to get his or her rightful benefits. At the post level, AMVETS members visit hospitalized veterans to provide whatever lay assistance they can for the patient's rehabilitation. Professional referrals and information about aids, equipment, and prosthetic devices can be obtained from most service officers and post representatives, but the emphasis of each local service varies. The AMVETS magazine includes reports on newly enacted and pending relevant legislation. For information, contact AMVETS at the above address or an AMVETS service office at a regional VA office. Amputee Shoe and Glove Exchange P.O. Box 27067 Houston, TX 77227 Disabilities Served: Amputation. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The Amputee Shoe and Glove Exchange provides a free service to facilitate the exchange of unneeded shoes and gloves among amputees. Information Services: The exchange maintains a list of amputees with information on their age, size, style preferences, and size needed. This information is sent to an amputee with similar tastes and the opposite side amputated. All mailings of shoes or gloves are between the amputees themselves. The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA) 21021 Ventura Boulevard Suite 321 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 (818) 340-7500 (800) 782-4747 (Patient Hotline) Disabilities Served: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Lou Gehrig's disease. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, physical therapists, speech therapists, neurological specialists. The Organization: The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA) was established in 1985 through the merger of the former National ALS Foundation and the ALS Society of America. ALSA was formed to help people with ALS live with the disease more effectively, to educate the public about the nature of ALS, and to foster medical research on its cause and cure. ALS is a progressive fatal disorder that attacks the body's nerves and muscles. ALSA carries on an extensive public information program nationwide to locate ALS patients and provide helpful information. Chapters nationwide support the psychological needs of families through peer counseling and make referrals to medical facilities for treatment and therapy for ALS patients. There are seven certified ALSA centers throughout the country providing a multidisciplinary team approach to provide a continuum of care as well as appropriate diagnostic capabilities. ALSA has funded millions in ALS research. In addition, the organization is actively involved in advocacy, working with other organizations concerned with neurological disorders to increase government-sponsored research. Information Services: Publications include Home Care for ALS Patients. A wide range of pamphlets includes information on patient-family services, health insurance plans, breathing exercises, communication systems and devices, emergency treatment and support systems, as well as reports and evaluations of current research. A quarterly publication, LINK, reports on current research developments, patient news, and activities of ALSA and its chapters. Professionals in the field, as well as patients and their families, are encouraged to use ALSA as a clearinghouse of information on the management of ALS. There is no charge for information. Apple Computer, Inc. Worldwide Disability Solutions Group Mail Stop 36SE 20525 Mariani Avenue Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 974-7910 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Teachers and professionals in special education and rehabilitation, parents of individuals who are disabled, individuals with disability. The Organization: Apple's Worldwide Disability Solutions Group has developed a wide variety of materials--in print, video and electronic form--that describe how personal computers can constructively influence the experience of being disabled. At Apple, energies are directed toward ensuring that the power and the promise of the microcomputer are as available to individuals with disability as to everyone else. Toward that end, the Worldwide Disability Solutions Group focuses on several broad goals: increasing awareness, providing access to information, creating a national network of partnerships, and developing accessible personal computers. Information Services: The information resources available include the SOLUTIONS DATABASE, Apple Computer Resources in Special Education and Rehabilitation, Independence Day , and SpecialNet. The SOLUTIONS DATABASE is a comprehensive data base that describes more than a thousand adaptive devices, software programs, and disability-related organizations, publications, and networks. The data base is available on AppleLink and SpecialNet. Apple Computer Resources in Special Education and Rehabilitation is a 400-page volume published annually. It represents a guide to Apple-compatible hardware and software products for individuals with disability. Independence Day was written primarily for individuals with a disability and for professionals in the fields of special education and rehabilitation. Through case studies and descriptions of selected adaptive products, Independence Day describes strategies and solutions for tailoring personal computers to meet individual needs and objectives. SpecialNet is the Nation's largest telecommunications service devoted to serving the needs of professionals in special education and rehabilitation. The Worldwide Disability Solutions Group maintains a bulletin board on SpecialNet. This bulletin board provides a convenient way to communicate directly with Apple's Worldwide Disability Solutions Group. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB) 1111 18th Street, NW Suite 501 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 653-7834 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons; Federal and State governments; building, construction, and design industries; and the general public. The Organization: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB) was created by Section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to enforce the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (P.L. 90-480), which requires that most buildings and facilities designed, constructed, or altered with the use of Federal funds since 1969 be accessible to handicapped persons. As the Federal agency established to monitor P.L. 90-480, the Board is responsible for ensuring that all waivers and modifications are consistent with the act and for ensuring that standards issued by other Federal agencies comply with the Board's minimum guidelines and requirements. The Board handles complaints about inaccessible facilities through its Executive Director. Only written complaints are accepted. The complainant's name is not disclosed without written consent. The Board may conduct investigations, hold public hearings, and issue orders to comply with the act. Among the Board's responsibilities is the planning for accessible transportation and housing for handicapped persons; this involves cooperation with other agencies, organizations, and individuals also working toward such goals. The Board is also responsible for exploring communication barriers and for making administrative and legislative recommendations. Under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the ATBCB has been given the responsibility for developing the minimum guidelines for accessible design of buildings and facilities and transportation vehicles. Information Services: Publications, available free of charge include Access America: The Architectural Barriers Act and You. The Board answers technical information questions through its technical services number (202) 653-7848 (Voice and TDD). Arthritis Foundation 1314 Spring Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30309 (404) 872-7100 Disabilities Served: Arthritis, rheumatic diseases. Users Served: Persons with arthritis and rheumatic diseases and their families, health care professionals. The Organization: The Arthritis Foundation is a national voluntary health association committed to supporting research to find the cure for and prevention of arthritis and to improve the quality of life for those affected by arthritis. Programs include support for scientific research, training specialists, public information and education, and help within the community for people who have rheumatic diseases. The 71 local chapters and divisions of the foundation provide basic information as well as assistance in locating treatment specialists, clinics, and other agencies to help with physical, financial, and emotional problems caused by arthritis. The chapters support a variety of local services, including information and education programs, support groups, exercise classes, arthritis clinics, home care programs, and rehabilitation services. Information Services: The foundation disseminates information about arthritis care to its chapters and to professionals in the arthritis treatment field. A variety of pamphlets are available from the foundation's local chapters, including information on specific forms of arthritis, various treatments, and solutions to physical and emotional problems associated with arthritis. Some materials are available in Spanish. Chapters maintain lists of medical and community services and make referrals upon request. The foundation holds national and regional scientific meetings and continuing community education programs to advise local physicians of the latest clinical advances. Artificial Language Laboratory (ALL) 405 Computer Center Michigan State University East Lansing, MI 48824 (517) 353-5399 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities, learning disabilities, speech and language disorders, visual impairment, hearing impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, educators, speech pathologists, physical therapists, manufacturers. The Organization: The Artificial Language Laboratory (ALL) is a multidisciplinary teaching and research center involved in basic and applied research in computer processing of formal linguistic structures. ALL's focus is on the development and application of technology for persons with severe communication limitations. Applied research includes customization of voice output communication systems. ALL also develops multilingual speech synthesis systems. The lab is a research and teaching facility located at and affiliated with Michigan State University. Information Services: The Artificial Language Laboratory publishes Communication Outlook, a quarterly magazine available through subscription. It contains information on communication aids, organizations, conferences, and first-person accounts by communication aid users. ALL also distributes reports that describe and explain technical developments, including switches, hardware, and software developed by the lab. Video cassette films describing ALL-built equipment and applications are available for rental. Technical assistance is provided to individuals who require specially built voice output communication aids. There is a charge for evaluations. Associated Services for the Blind (ASB) 919 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 627-0600 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairment, deaf-blindness. Users Served: Disabled persons, professional training schools, health care professionals. The Organization: Associated Services for the Blind (ASB) strives to support independence and self-determination of visually impaired people by providing needed equipment, materials, training, support, and education of the public. ASB provides braille, large type, and recordings of a variety of reading material to blind and partially sighted persons and transcribes printed materials on request from blind individuals. ASB also transcribes materials for government agencies, including the Library of Congress. Each fall, ASB offers a braille transcriber training program free to those who wish to do volunteer transcribing. Persons who successfully complete the course are certified by the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. ASB also provides training and consultation in the use of other advanced electronic aids and has available a limited subsidy program. The organization provides instruction for blind or visually impaired persons preparing to enter or re-enter the work force, for older persons with failing vision seeking to retain independence, and for blind persons desiring to update their skills. In addition, ASB teaches adaptive skills to newly blind individuals. ASB also provides counseling for visually impaired persons and their families and supportive services such as escort services, reader's services, volunteer visitors, and telephone companions. To improve public understanding of blindness, ASB provides educational and training programs to community organizations, agencies, professional students in social work and health care, and elementary and secondary school students. ASB also offers eye safety programs for the local community with an emphasis on Industrial Safety Programs. Information Services: More than 200 volunteers across the country transcribe textbooks, professional materials, music, and recreational materials. ASB regularly records certain magazines and journals and will fill individual requests for periodicals not available from other sources. Transcription Services has a minimal charge for materials. A list of recorded periodicals is available; periodicals must be subscribed to and are on a loan basis. ASB operates a retail store, Sense-Sations, which sells a variety of specialized items for blind and visually impaired persons. Purchases can be made in the store or by mail order. A catalog is available on request. ASB also operates a radio station, which broadcasts news and information to visually impaired persons in the Philadelphia area via special radio receivers. Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) 206 North Washington Street Suite 320 Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 548-1884 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Teachers and rehabilitation professionals. The Organization: The Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) is a membership organization of teachers and rehabilitators who work with blind and visually impaired children and adults. AER establishes professional standards and certifies professionals working in the field. Special interest groups of AER include teachers of the multihandicapped and deaf-blind children, orientation and mobility instructors, rehabilitation teachers, and 16 others. AER meets biennially and also holds regional meetings to conduct educational workshops in the specialized fields. Information Services: AER publishes a quarterly journal, a bimonthly newsletter, and a monthly job exchange newsletter. Association for Macular Diseases, Inc. (AMD) 210 East 64th Street New York, NY 10021 (212) 605-3719 Disabilities Served: Macular disease impairment to central vision, severely limiting eyesight. Users Served: Those suffering from macular degeneration, their families, and health care professionals working with them. The Organization: Association for Macular Diseases, Inc., (AMD) was established in 1978 as a not-for-profit organization to meet the needs of those suffering from this disabling eye condition about which little was known. They are a national support group for individuals, their relatives, and spouses who must adjust to the restrictions and changes brought about by macular disease. They maintain a members' hotline to disseminate information and to provide emotional support and practical suggestions when needed. The long-range goal is to establish an eye bank devoted exclusively to research on macular problems. Information Services: AMD publishes a quarterly newsletter to provide counsel, issue updates on medical advances as they occur, and keep the membership advised on newest developments in low vision aids. Procedural guidelines are available on forming local support groups, and informative booklets on macular degeneration are made available to members whenever they are published. Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) 5001 West Broad Street Suite 34 Richmond, VA 23230 (804) 282-3655 Disabilities Served: Individuals with severe disabilities covering all handicapping conditions. Users Served: Implementors and recipients of supported employment (SE). The Organization: The Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) is a nonprofit membership driven association formed to improve and expand integrated employment opportunities and services for persons with severe disabilities. To accomplish this mission, APSE will provide advocacy and information to the implementors and recipients of supported employment. The organization will address the issues and barriers that impede the growth and implementation of integrated employment services. APSE's goal is to promote national, State, and local policy development to improve supported employment practice and to educate the general public and the business community on the value of including people with severe disabilities as fully participating community members. Information Services: The Association for Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) disseminates a quarterly newsletter, The Advance. Topics discussed in The Advance include empowerment of SE workers, SE personnel competencies and training, ethics and quality service provision, transition from school to work and a myriad of other issues. APSE members will receive notices of policy updates as well as an opportunity to be involved with a national network of individuals involved in the development and implementation of supported employment. APSE sponsors an annual national conference to provide a forum for sharing and collectively improving SE practice and opportunities for persons with severe disabilities. The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps (TASH) 7010 Roosevelt Way, NE Seattle, WA 98115 (206) 523-8446 (Voice) (206) 524-6198 (TTD) Disabilities Served: Severe and profound disabilities. Users Served: Parents, teachers, medical personnel, researchers, speech pathologists, occupational, physical therapists, other professionals and paraprofessionals. The Organization: The Association for Persons With Severe Handicaps (TASH) was founded in 1974 and has grown to an international membership of over 9,000 including parents and professionals. TASH advocates comprehensive, high quality, integrated education and habilitative services; disseminates research findings and practical applications for education and habilitation; encourages effective use and sharing of experience and expertise; and supports those actively making the promise of quality education and services a reality. TASH chapters are being chartered at local levels to facilitate increased involvement in local concerns. TASH has chartered or is developing chapters in over 40 States. TASH chapters are also located in several Canadian provinces. New TASH chapters are continually being formed. A membership fee is charged. Information Services: TASH publishes a monthly newsletter and a quarterly journal containing articles on new research trends and practices in services to individuals experiencing severe and profound handicapping conditions. Books, papers, and reprints from past issues of the Journal and bibliographies are available on subjects such as vocational training, curricula, and working with families. A bibliography of special interest to parents of children with severe handicaps is available from TASH and includes reference materials on advocacy, recreation, and self-help skills development. Ongoing surveys include those on integrated public schools and parent needs. TASH has a parent-to-parent network of communication. By maintaining lists of parents whose children experience severe and profound handicaps and who are involved in local parental support and advocacy groups, TASH is able to put inquirers in touch with parents with similar concerns. TASH also maintains a register of professional contact people who are available for assistance on specific problems of education, training of personnel, etc. Referrals to direct service providers, including schools, clinics, and vocational rehabilitation services, are made by letter or phone. TASH also holds an annual conference. Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States (ARC) 2501 Avenue J Arlington, TX 76006 (817) 640-0204 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation and related disease. Users Served: Parents, professionals, people with disabilities, general public. The Organization: The Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States (ARC) is a volunteer organization solely devoted to improving the welfare of all children and adults with mental retardation and their families. The association also provides services to parents and other individuals, organizations, and communities for jointly meeting the needs of people with mental retardation. The ARC is essentially a grassroots organization formed in 1950 by a small group of parents and other concerned individuals. Today there are 160,000 members and 1,300 State and local chapters across the Nation. The ARC works to provide more than 6 million Americans who are mentally retarded and who may have other disabilities with services, including employment, training, education, independent living, and the opportunity to reach their greatest level of personal fulfillment and potential. The ARC also exists because people with mental retardation need help to ensure that their rights as citizens of this country are protected. Information Services: The ARC answers lay and professional inquiries about mental retardation. It publishes fact sheets, bibliographies, pamphlets, handbooks, and other materials on a variety of topics related to mental retardation, which can be obtained by writing for a publications list. The association also publishes six issues of The Arc newspaper annually and a bimonthly Government Report, both available by subscription. Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH) 7910 Woodmont Avenue Suite 300 Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 654-6549 Disabilities Served: Children with disabilities or chronic illnesses and hospitalization of children. Users Served: Health professionals and students, parents, teachers. The Organization: The Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the psychosocial well-being of children and families in health care settings. Membership includes health professionals and students in all disciplines as well as parents and teachers. Information Services: ACCH publications, for which there is a charge, include titles on chronic illness and hospitalized children. A newsletter, ACCH Network, reports on new developments and activities of national and local organizations related to family-centered care for children with special needs. ACCH also publishes a quarterly peer review journal, Children's Health Care. ACCH also holds an annual Parent Network Meeting for parents of children with disabilities and chronic illnesses as well as a general annual conference. Association of Birth Defect Children, Inc. (ABDC) 5400 Diplomat Circle Suite 270 Orlando, FL 32810 (407) 629-1466 Disabilities Served: Birth defects of all kinds, especially those caused by environmental agents. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, and health care professionals. The Organization: The Association of Birth Defect Children (ABDC), formerly the Association of Bendectin Children, was established in 1980 to provide information and support to families of children with birth defects of a nongenetic nature, caused by the mother's exposure to drugs, chemicals, radiation, and other environmental agents. Families of children with genetically caused birth defects are also included in the membership. ABDC is developing a birth defects registry, which contains demographic and medical history data from member families throughout the United States and Canada. Information Services: ABDC's inquiry response service is geared primarily to parents and people in the medical and health-related professions. It makes referrals to organizations working with specific birth defects. The association also publishes a quarterly newsletter. Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) 1027 Oakton Evanston, IL 60202 (312) 604-4192 (TDD) (312) 644-5510 (Voice) Disabilities Served: Late deafness. Users Served: People who share the experience of having become deaf rather than having been born deaf. The Organization: The Association of Late-Deafened Adults (ALDA) is an organization committed to advocate for, support, educate, and represent people who grew up as hearing individuals and became deaf as adults. ALDA is a membership organization, self-help support group, as well as a resource and information center for late-deafened people. Advocacy, self-help, support groups, social activities, outreach, newsletter, consultation, and communication are among the topics of primary focus and concern. Information Services: ALDA News is the newsletter of the Association of Late-Deafened Adults and is provided free to paid members of ALDA. Articles and submittals about late deafness are welcome. ALDA's third national convention will be held in Chicago, Oct. 23-27, this year, 1991; in Boston in 1992; and in Washington, DC, in 1993. "ALDA and the FAMILY" is the theme for this year. Association of Medical Rehabilitation Administrators (AMRA) 1733 Forest Hills Drive Vienna, WV 26105 (304) 485-5842 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Physicians involved in the broad problems of rehabilitation of the physically or mentally disabled; administrative officers of a service center, hospital, or agency treating or working with the physically, mentally, or emotionally disabled (may have such titles as director, administrator, coordinator, executive assistant, etc.); or educators responsible for the training and education of rehabilitation personnel, patients, or clients. The Organization: AMRA is a professional organization of administrators, physicians, department directors, and educators associated with rehabilitation facilities, programs, or agencies. Members are responsible for planning, organizing, and coordinating various comprehensive rehabilitation programs or may be involved in counseling, education, or direct care programs. AMRA was founded in 1953 to foster the concept of total rehabilitation for all disabled persons through unified and coordinated methods and to provide a means for professional training, growth, and advancement of directors, coordinators, and others in the field of rehabilitation. The Association of Medical Rehabilitation Administrators is the only national association that accredits individuals as Certified Rehabilitation Administrators, allowing them to use the initials, C.R.A., following their signatures. The organization provides its members linkage to a panel of experts for advice on daily professional concerns. It offers the opportunity to network with other professionals who are administratively responsible for medical rehabilitation programs. AMRA provides access to continuing education programs delivered via telephone to the worksite. Eight regional divisions have been established to provide representation of the membership within the executive board. Information Services: AMRA publishes an annual membership directory; a quarterly Newsletter, which covers association activities, reviews publications relevant to the field, etc.; and The Journal of Medical Rehabilitation Administrators, which showcases scholarly publications by members and others and deals with general management topics, editorials, interviews, facility information, etc. Association of Mental Health Administrators (AMHA) 60 Revere Drive Suite 500 Northbrook, IL 60062 (708) 480-9626 Disabilities Served: Mental health, mental retardation, developmental disabilities and addiction. Users Served: Administrators, health services. The Organization: The Association of Mental Health Administrators (AMHA) is a professional association for administrators of agencies and programs serving mentally ill, mentally retarded, developmentally disabled individuals as well as those with problems of alcohol and substance abuse. The major goals of AMHA are to promote excellence in administrative practices, to foster the professional growth of its members, and to provide recognition for noteworthy individual service in the field of mental health administration. The association confers the Certificate of Certified Mental Health Administrator to qualified active members. The certification process includes a written and oral review and covers various components including competency based assessments, continuing education, and professional development. Information Services: A 3-day annual meeting and educational conference is held every fall. Registration is open to members and nonmembers. The AMHA Bimonthly Newsletter reports on relevant legislative developments, new information sources and publications, organizational issues, personal notes about accomplishments of association members, and employment information. The Journal of Mental Health Administration, issued three times a year, publishes articles on new developments, innovations, and trends in the field of mental health management. Brochures about the association and certification are available. There is a charge for services and publications. Association of Radio Reading Services (ARRS) University of South Florida, WRB 209 Tampa, FL 33620 (813) 974-4193 Disabilities Served: Visual and physical handicaps, problems associated with aging. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The Association of Radio Reading Services (ARRS) was established in 1977 to promote the growth of such services throughout the country and to provide for the development and sharing of advanced technology and for a unified effort towards legislation supportive of Radio Reading Services. Radio Reading Services are independently operated broadcasts of news and information for visually and physically handicapped persons who cannot read printed materials for themselves. Broadcasts are presented by trained volunteers and include readings of newspapers, magazines, and books. Now on the air in more than 110 communities throughout the country, these services operate on a closed channel basis (an FM station simultaneously broadcasts the service along with its regular programming to designated listeners via special receivers) or on an open channel basis (local stations interrupt their regular programming for the service and no special receiver equipment is required). Information Services: ARRS publishes brochures on Radio Reading Services and how to establish them. Memos on issues affecting the broadcasts of special programs, such as regulations of the Federal Communications Commission or the Office of Telecommunications, are periodically distributed to member services. Information is available about possible funding sources and broadcast and receiver equipment. ARRS will provide onsite consultation or referrals to other consultants. A newsletter, Hearsay, is published quarterly. A Directory of Radio Reading Services in braille and large print is free of charge to ARRS members. Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) 5700 Old Orchard Road First Floor Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 966-3433 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Rehabilitation nurses. The Organization: The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) is an international organization of 7,500 professional rehabilitation nurses. Rehabilitation nurses provide comfort and therapy, promote health-conducive adjustments, support adaptive capabilities, and promote achievable independence for persons with potential or actual disability. ARN offers a wide range of professional activities that help develop the professional skills of rehabilitation nurses. We hold our annual educational conference in the fall; offer seminars on case management, nursing administration, and leadership; and several times each year conduct Rehabilitation Nursing: Directions for Practice, our basic rehabilitation nursing course. The Rehabilitation Nursing Foundation of ARN develops educational opportunities for rehabilitation nurses and promotes scientific research in the field. ARN publishes a bimonthly member newsletter, ARN News, and in alternating months publishes a professional journal, Rehabilitation Nursing, which has a circulation of 9,000. Information Services: ARN offers Rehabilitation Nurses Make a Difference, a career brochure on rehabilitation nursing. Association of Rehabilitation Programs in Data Processing (ARPDP) P.O. Box 2404 Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Disabilities Served: Severe physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The Association of Rehabilitation Programs in Data Processing (ARPDP) represents 31 programs across the country that train severely handicapped individuals as computer programmers. Graduates of these programs are placed in competitive employment. As of December 1984, 1,265 out of 1,500 students were successfully placed. Information Services: The association responds to inquiries concerning the specific needs of disabled programmers. Persons desiring detailed information are referred to the training program nearest them. The association publishes a quarterly newsletter, Viewpoint. Association of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Program Professionals (ASPP) c/o Massachusetts Center for SIDS Boston City Hospital 818 Harrison Avenue Boston, MA 02118 (617) 534-SIDS Disabilities Served: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Users Served: Families and others affected by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The Organization: The Association of SIDS Program Professionals (ASPP) is dedicated to representing professional SIDS counseling services at the State, national, and international levels. It advocates for continued development and expansion of SIDS and bereavement services; organizes activities that promote professional growth, develops practice standards, and links together practitioners working with SIDS families. Its membership includes persons or agencies engaged in the provision of professional SIDS information and counseling services. Information Services: ASPP developed and copyrighted Standards of Care to ensure that those affected by SIDS receive immediate, sensitive, humane care and accurate information. Association on Handicapped Student Service Programs in Post-Secondary Education (AHSSPPE) P.O. Box 2192 Columbus, OH 43221 (614) 488-4972 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Post-secondary education personnel. The Organization: The Association on Handicapped Student Service Programs in Post-Secondary Education (AHSSPPE) provides a vehicle to strengthen the professionalism, expertise, and competence of personnel working with post-secondary handicapped students. AHSSPPE has members throughout the United States and Canada representing residential and nonresidential campuses, 2- and 4-year institutions. The association sponsors a national conference each year. Information Services: AHSSPPE publishes a newsletter, the Alert, an annotated bibliography. Proceedings from its national conferences and quarterly bulletin, AHSSPPE, are also included in the Alert. Furthermore, an Employee Exchange is available to members. Telephone inquiries should be directed to Dr. Jane Jarrow, Executive Director. In addition to the above-mentioned newsletter, we also have publications for sale. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 305 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 265-0265 (800) 7-ASTHMA Disabilities Served: Asthma and allergic diseases. Users Served: Patients, parents, teachers, allergists, primary care physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, auxiliary health personnel. The Organization: Over 50 million Americans suffer from asthma and allergies, which are serious, costly, and may be life-threatening. The mission of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is twofold: (1) support research for improved treatments and, ultimately, a cure for asthma and allergic diseases, and (2) promote patient and public awareness of those diseases and how to control them. Information Services: AAFA sponsors a variety of research and educational programs in support of these goals. AAFA funds postgraduate study of the cause of asthma and allergies, including the annual Developing Investigator Award. AAFA sponsors a variety of patient-family education courses and conferences, publications, and audiovisual aids. Asthma Care Training for Kids (ACT), a self-management education course for children 7 to 11 and their parents, is offered nationwide. Pamphlets are available on allergy triggers and treatments and adult and childhood asthma management. AAFA publishes monthly patient newsletters and distributes videos, books, and self-help materials at discounted prices. Individual membership is $25 and entitles the member to additional discounts and an annual subscription to the newsletters. AAFA national office offers a toll-free telephone information line and responds to mail inquiries for general advice and resource and physician referrals. Health fairs, newsletters, community forums, and outreach programs are educational activities of the 10 chapters and 11 affiliate support groups of AAFA. AAFA works with government leaders and the media to inform the public of the needs of asthma and allergy patients and to promote policies to insure better health choices and an allergy-free environment for everyone. AT&T National Special Needs Center 2001 Route 46 Suite 310 Parsippany, NJ 07054 (800) 233-1222 (Voice) (800) 833-3232 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Hearing, speech, vision, and motion impairments. Users Served: Consumers, health professionals, educators, and businesses. The Organization: Formed in 1984, AT&T's National Special Needs Center has specially trained customer representatives who can recommend appropriate solutions to many communications needs. These range from specialized equipment such a TDD or artificial larynx to a speakerphone or cordless telephone for those with less severe hearing impairment or mobility limitations. Portable amplifiers, signaling devices, television decoders, and large button phones are examples of other products available. Service representatives also provide assistance with AT&T long-distance offerings ranging from billing inquiries to information about calling cards, long-distance gift certificates, and long-distance discounts for certified TDD users. AT&T also runs a special Operator Services for the Deaf center in Washington, DC to provide TDD assistance in making AT&T card calls, third-number billed calls, collect calls, person-to-person calls, or calls from hotels. These operators can be reached 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week at 1-800-855-1155. AT&T also has contracts with 10 States (as of March 1991) to provide Dual Party Relay Service for TDD users. Autism Society of America (ASA) 8601 Georgia Avenue Suite 503 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 565-0433 Disabilities Served: Autism. Users Served: Parents, teachers, professionals. The Organization: The Autism Society of America (ASA) is a charitable organization with the mission of providing as much information as possible about autism and about the various options, approaches, methods, and systems available to parents of autistic children, family members, and those professionals who work with them. ASA also advocates for the rights and needs of autistic individuals and their families. Members of ASA are affiliated with 160 local chapters in almost every State. The ASA national office receives written requests for specific information and referrals, which are answered by referral to appropriate ASA board members, ASA committee chairs, and our professional advisory board. Requests must be limited to brief descriptions of problems or information desired. Information Services: In addition, ASA sponsors an annual national conference and publishes a quarterly membership newsletter, The Advocate. Membership information and an application are enclosed. Also enclosed is a list of publications available through a mail-order bookstore operated by the Michigan Society for Autistic Citizens (ASA affiliate). Barrier Free Environments (BFE) P.O. Box 30634 Water Garden Highway 70 West Raleigh, NC 27622 (919) 782-7823 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, architects, builders, manufacturers, service providers. The Organization: Barrier Free Environments (BFE) is a design firm specializing exclusively in the design of products and buildings to be used by elderly and disabled people. Product designers, architects, interior designers, and housing designers in the organization practice "universal design," BFE's term for designing and consulting services to individuals, families, corporations, small business, and institutions on the following: home and building modifications for accessibility; design or redesign of consumer products and equipment for use by disabled and elderly people; appropriate selection of products and equipment for use by disabled and elderly people; market research, advertising literature design, content and media placement; training programs and seminars on access design, home modifications, products, and equipment for accessibility; and training assistance on issues relating to design for disabled and elderly people. Information Services: BFE has available publications on accessible housing design, accessible arts programming, barrier-free meetings, accessible designs, and product information. In addition, BFE offers onsite technical advice or design services on any aspect of making buildings and products to be used by people who are disabled and people who are elderly without increasing costs. Charges for services and products are available and negotiable. Better Hearing Institute (BHI) 5021B Backlick Road Annandale, VA 22003 (703) 642-0580 (800) EAR-WELL Disabilities Served: Hearing loss and deafness. Users Served: Americans with hearing problems, providers of medical help (ear doctors, audiologists, hearing instrument suppliers, etc.), and broadcast and print media that provide information to consumers. The Organization: Better Hearing Institute (BHI) is a nonprofit educational organization that implements national public information programs on hearing loss and available medical, surgical, hearing aid, and rehabilitation assistance for millions of American's with uncorrected hearing problems. Its award-winning series of television, radio, and print media public service messages include many celebrities who overcame hearing loss. Information Services: BHI maintains a toll-free "Hearing HelpLine" telephone service that provides information on hearing loss and hearing help to callers from anywhere in the United States. The institute also publishes a newsletter and brochures about specific types of hearing problems and available help; single complimentary copies are available on request by calling 1-800-EAR-WELL or writing BHI at P.O. Box 1840, Washington, DC 20013. Blind Children's Center (BCC) 4120 Marathon Street P.O. Box 29159 Los Angeles, CA 90029 (213) 664-2153 (800) 222-3566 (Outside California) (800) 222-3567 (California Only) Disabilities Served: Visually impaired (birth through 5 years). Users Served: Disabled children, parents, education, health care professionals. The Organization: The Blind Children's Center (BCC) offers a diversified program of educational and support services to meet the special needs of blind and partially sighted children (aged birth through 5 years), their parents, and siblings. Services include Infant Stimulation Program, Educational Preschool Program, Family Support Services, Interdisciplinary Assessment Service, Toll-free National Phone Line, Correspondence Program, and Publication and Research Program. Information Services: The center serves as a national information/referral service for professionals and parents of children who are blind or visually impaired. The BCC has published and distributes several booklets on topics of particular importance to parents/professionals working with visually impaired infants and preschoolers. Available are Heart to Heart, Learning to Play, Talk to Me, Talk to Me II, Move with Me, and Dancing Cheek to Cheek: Nurturing Beginning Play and Language. Blind Children's Fund 230 Central Street Auburndale, MA 02166 (617) 332-4014 Disabilities Served: Visual handicaps of preschool children. Users Served: Disabled children and their families, teachers, students. The Organization: The Blind Children's Fund, which was established in 1978, is a clearinghouse and information center for teachers, parents, and others concerned with the early development and education of visually handicapped preschool children and with the education of their families. As part of its efforts to increase worldwide awareness of the need for early services for preschool visually impaired children, the institute sponsored, with the Israeli Institute for Rehabilitation of the Disabled, the International Symposium on Visually Handicapped Infants and Young Children: Birth to 7, in Tel Aviv in June 1981. The Second International Symposium was held May 1983 in Aruba (South America). A Third International Symposium was held August 8, 1988, in Scotland under the auspices of ICEUH. Information Services: The institute makes available a variety of materials for parents and teachers. The parent packet includes bibliographies of books for children and parents and ideas for early home education. Teachers may obtain references to books on curriculum development and sources of information on visual impairments. The institute also provides referrals to teachers and parents on services, when available, and on professionals able to give assistance. In addition, students interested in the field of early intervention with visually handicapped children receive information on appropriate training centers. A newsletter and publications are available for a charge. Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) 477 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 371-8880 (800) 669-7079 Disabilities Served: Blindness. Users Served: Blinded veterans, their spouses, and children; health care professionals. The Organization: The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) is a membership organization for veterans blinded during or after their military service. Advocacy, assistance and fellowship are the goals of the organization. Direct services are based on the one-to-one principle that a blind veteran can most effectively motivate another blind veteran. BVA's Field Service Program is carried out by field representatives, themselves blind, who visit blind veterans who have not been rehabilitated. They recommend rehabilitation centers, offer counseling in the areas of compensation, pensions, schooling, and the use of prosthetic aids and equipment, and counsel the veteran's family. The Field Service Representatives try to convince employers, through public service advertising and direct contact, to give job opportunities to the blind veteran. BVA representatives assist the blind veteran by contacting prospective employers and helping him to prepare resume and job applications. They also offer counseling in job discrimination cases. BVA has 41 State groups, whose volunteer members help to provide the organization's direct service. Information Services: BVA publishes a bimonthly newsletter, the BVA BULLETIN, which is sent free to all blinded veterans for whom current addresses are available, whether or not they are BVA members. It is also sent to many professionals in the field of blindness. A tape cassette version of the BULLETIN is sent to all members and associate members. The newsletter contains news of association activities, legislative developments, human interest stories about blind veterans, and information about new aids and appliances. A brochure describing the BVA and its principal programs is available at no cost. Boy Scouts of America (BSA) Scouting for the Handicapped Service 1325 Walnut Hill Lane Irving, TX 75038 (214) 580-2000 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, schools, service clubs and community organizations. The Organization: In 1970 the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) established a handicapped service in its Relationships Division. A National Advisory Committee on Scouting for the Handicapped (NACOSH) was formed in 1974. In addition, more than 150 of the 413 local Scouting councils have established their own advisory committees on Scouting for the Handicapped. Scouting for the Handicapped is designed to include young handicapped people in regular units or in groups at schools and homes for handicapped youth, when inclusion in ongoing scouting activities is not possible. National voluntary organizations with expertise in specific handicapping conditions assist Scouting for the Handicapped in devising special programs and materials. Information Services: Audiovisual and print publications for scout leaders contain specific activities for disabled scouts and ways to involve disabled persons in regular scouting activities. Scouting manuals are available on persons who are mentally retarded, physically handicapped, deaf, emotionally disturbed, or visually impaired. For visually impaired scouts, a list of braille scouting books and their suppliers is available from the service. A general bibliography of reading for mentally retarded boys is also available. In addition, curriculum materials have been developed to supplement reading, writing, and math skills taught by classroom teachers. Scouting and the Learning Disabled - A Manual for Adult Leaders is also available for Scout Leaders. Some information is available in Spanish. Most information is provided free of charge, while for some there is a fee. Breaking New Ground Resource Center Purdue University 1146 Agricultural Engineering Building West Lafayette, IN 47907 (317) 494-5088 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled farmers and ranchers, their families, professionals, rural educators. The Organization: The Breaking New Ground project has been established to assist agricultural producers who are physically disabled and wish to remain active in their operations. The project conducts research on assistive technology that is appropriate for agricultural workplaces including hand controls, manlifts, and other modifications to agricultural equipment. Ever aware of the potential for accidents, the project is also involved in the evaluation of existing lifts, controls, and other modified farm equipment and buildings to determine effectiveness and insure safety. Other activities include development of a comprehensive resource center and assembly of a product information file. The project provides assistance with designing, organizing, and conducting State and regional workshops on rural assistive technology for producers and rehabilitation professionals. Information Services: Breaking New Ground, a quarterly newsletter, offers ideas on agricultural equipment modification for producers with physical handicaps and contains articles on disabled farmers who are continuing farming. Other publications include a bibliography concerning rural rehabilitation for agricultural producers and a manual on equipment, tools, machinery, and buildings adapted for ranchers and farmers with physical disabilities. Audiovisual programs on rehabilitation technology for agricultural producers are available. Charges for materials and services vary. The project provides information and referral services in response to specific requests from producers. Technical assistance on agricultural worksite modifications is also offered. BRS Information Technologies A Division of Maxwell Online, Inc. 800 Westpark Drive McLean, VA 22102 (703) 442-0900 (800) 955-0906 BRS Search Service delivers a complete library of approximately 150 data bases covering virtually every major discipline: health, medicine, pharmacology, the biosciences, science and technology, education, business and finance, the social sciences, and the humanities. Data bases include current and historical information from journal articles, books, dissertations, and government reports. Many data bases serve as comprehensive indexes to available literature while others include abstracts and complete text. BRS Search Service offers the flexibility of several access plans. Subscribers who have used online services before or know how much they expect to spend can enjoy substantial discounts with an Annual Commitment Plan. For those with little online experience or who cannot predict how much they will spend, the Open Access Plan provides the freedom to "pay as you go." Complete documentation is available on the use of the Search Service as is extensive documentation on each data base. In addition, BRS trains subscribers in major cities throughout the United States for all levels and types of searches and has a professional customer service staff available via toll-free telephone. Bulimia Anorexia Self Help/Behavior Adaptation Support and Healing (BASH) P.O. Box 39903 St. Louis, MO 63139 (800) 762-3334 (800) 227-4785 Disabilities Served: Eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, overweight, mood disorders, depression, mood swings, panic/anxiety, chemical imbalance, conduct disorders. Users Served: Individuals with eating or mood disorders, family members, schools, general public. The Organization: Bulimia Anorexia Self Help/Behavior Adaptation Support and Healing (BASH) is an organization that since its beginning in April 1981 has offered education and support, initially to those struggling with an eating disorder and their families. In 1985 BASH expanded to include mood disorders, which often accompany eating disorders. Today those struggling with the many issues involved with eating and/or mood disorders can find help through BASH. BASH also works to make information available to the general public to heighten awareness and understanding to these illnesses. Information Services: The organization offers BASH magazine, a monthly journal of eating and mood disorders; printed information (individual pieces as well as brochures and books); 30-minute docudrama Fight for Life (on 1/2-inch videotape); and phone assessment on request. The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation (CCCF) 1312 18th Street, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 659-5136 (800) 366-2223 Disabilities Served: Childhood/adolescent cancer. Users Served: Parents, teachers, medical and social service professionals who treat children/adolescents with cancer, long-term survivors, siblings, childhood cancer patients. The Organization: The Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation (CCCF) is an international organization of groups of parents who have or have had children with cancer. Believing that "it is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness," the organization works through its more than 400 chapters throughout the world to provide a variety of support services to families with a child cancer patient, including crisis lines, a parent-to-parent buddy system, and self-help groups. Individual chapters offer other services, which vary from group to group. The foundation helps new chapters form, links existing chapters, and provides information. Membership in Candlelighters is open to anyone interested in the control and cure of childhood cancer and in meeting the needs of families of children who have cancer, including professionals in medical and social service fields. The metropolitan Washington, DC chapter is a registered lobbyist. Information Services: CCCF offers referrals to local groups in 49 States; referrals to other resources; a quarterly newsletter for adults and a youth newsletter (both free); a bibliography and resources guide on all aspects of the disease (includes section on handicaps); an information clearinghouse, where searches of literature and electronic data bases are performed; an off-treatment survivors network for teens and older; and other services. CCCF also sponsors conferences and publishes proceedings. CCCF is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. It receives a grant from the American Cancer Society, Inc. The Caption Center 125 Western Avenue Boston, MA 02134 (617) 492-9225 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens. Users Served: Deaf and hard-of-hearing consumers, teachers, children and adult students learning to read, students learning English as a second language, older citizens, and organizations interested in captioning programs. The Organization: The Caption Center, a nonprofit service of the WGBH Educational Foundation, pioneered captions and first provided access to television for deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the early seventies. Today, The Caption Center provides captions for every segment of the entertainment industry including network, PBS, and cable programming, as well as home videos and music videos. The Caption Center also enjoys a long-held reputation of technical excellence and expertise in innovative software programs such as CC Jr., a software package that allows other captioning agencies, schools, and social service agencies to caption their own programs. Recent legislation that The Caption Center helped draft will bring caption technology into nearly every home. With a built-in decoder chip mandated in all televisions 13" or larger by July of 1993, there is great potential for the use of captioning as a learning tool to improve literacy and aid those struggling to learn English as a second language. Information Services: The Caption Center publishes various informational brochures on topics as varied as how to request more captioned television and home videos, guidance about getting local news captioned in your town, different captioning methods for meetings, and problem-solving tips to make the reception of captions trouble-free. The Caption Center also publishes a bimonthly newsletter, Caption Center News providing information about captioned shows, important events, and trends in the caption industry. Captioned Films/Video for the Deaf Program Modern Talking Picture Service, Inc. 5000 Park Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33709 (800) 237-6213 (Voice/TDD) (813) 541-7571 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairment. Users Served: Deaf and hearing-impaired persons and persons involved in the education of deaf and hearing-impaired persons. The Organization: The Captioned Films/Video for the Deaf Program provides captioned educational and entertainment films to deaf and hearing-impaired persons on a free loan basis. The program is operated by Modern Talking Picture Service, Inc., under a contract with the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. The educational captioned films collection numbers over 1,600 titles and covers a wide variety of topics, e.g., science, math, and computers. These films are used at residential and day schools for deaf and hearing-impaired students and in mainstreamed programs at all educational levels. The entertainment collection numbers about 1,800 titles and ranges from adult education and short subjects to feature-length films. These films are used throughout the deaf and hearing-impaired communities. Information Services: The services of the Captioned Films/Video for the Deaf Program are available only to approved, authorized users. Persons wishing to borrow films must apply to the program to open an account. Anyone involved in the education of deaf/hearing-impaired persons is eligible for an account to borrow educational films. Groups of three or more deaf individuals are eligible for an account to borrow entertainment films. Once an application is approved, the account holder receives information and catalogs and other distribution information. The program has 58 distribution depositories around the country. There is no charge to account holders for the processing of applications or for catalogs. The only cost involved in the service is the cost of return postage for films that have been borrowed. Postage for return of videos is prepaid. Care for Life (CFL) P.O. Box 14612 Chicago, IL 60614 (312) 880-4630 (312) 883-1018 Disabilities Served: Disabilities requiring prolonged use of life-sustaining technologies. Users Served: Persons with disabilities that include long-term respiratory insufficiency requiring mechanical support. The Organization: Care for Life (CFL) was founded in 1980 by concerned professionals and users of life-sustaining technologies to increase awareness about the issues facing persons with long-term requirements for medical technological support. The organization serves as a national resource and international networking organization to promote choice of options for persons who want to live in the community despite their need for medical technology. The focus of activities are documentation, education, and demonstration. The organization works in collaboration with others in an effort to improve the caring possibilities for life-supported individuals and their families. Information Services: CFL monitors the international, national, and regional experiences with community-based care for life-supported individuals. It conducts and disseminates information to all interested, in forms useful for their purpose. It provides access to resources and networks according to need. Carroll Center for the Blind 770 Centre Street Newton, MA 02158-2597 (617) 969-6200 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, professionals. The Organization: The Carroll Center for the Blind is a residential and commuter rehabilitation center for visually disabled persons. The center offers instruction in mobility, handwriting, braille, grooming and other activities of daily living, woodworking, and home mechanics and operates a low vision clinic where aids are prescribed and clients are instructed in their usage. Orientation and mobility specialists offer instruction in mobility to visually handicapped persons in local communities throughout Massachusetts. An Outdoor Enrichment Program expands recreational opportunities. New programs offered include CABLE, computer access training for adults, and BYTE, a summer computer camp for teenagers. Information Services: The center has developed some free materials, which it distributes nationally on request. Materials include general information for newly blinded persons, elderly blind and blind children; Sighted Guide, a manual on ways the sighted person can help blind people; and tips for restaurant employees on serving blind people. Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) Georgia Institute of Technology 490 Tenth Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30332 (404) 894-4960 (800) 726-9119 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Consumers and professionals in all areas. The Organization: Georgia Tech's Center for Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) is a nonprofit research and development center with a focus on providing technology-related services to persons with disabilities. Services are divided into several areas, including Rehabilitation Engineering and Product Development, Computer Applications, Information Resources, Instruction, and Service Provision. State funding provides that Georgia residents receive priority consideration, though out-of-state services can be arranged. CRT's service providers include professionals in architecture, biomechanical engineering, computers, counseling, electrical engineering, industrial design, machine work, mechanical engineering, occupational therapy, and robotics engineering, with the ability to pull in other Georgia Tech engineers and scientists as needed for individual projects. Information Services: CRT's TechKnowledge service is a clearinghouse for information pertaining to disability and technology. In addition to answering individual requests, CRT distributes packets of material in varying areas of current interest. A monthly newsletter reports on projects, research, and activities of the center and related programs in Georgia. The newsletter is available at no charge to interested parties. Center for Residential and Community Services University of Minnesota 207 Pattee Hall 150 Pillsbury Drive, SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612) 624-6328 Disabilities Served: Services for persons with developmental disabilities. Users Served: Professionals, Federal and State agency personnel. The Organization: The Center for Residential and Community Services is a survey and policy research center located in the Institute on Community Integration, of the University of Minnesota. Since 1976 the center has collected and disseminated national data on residential and related services for persons with developmental disabilities. The center has conducted many diverse studies, ranging from interview studies of large samples of individuals in residential settings to annual surveys of State agencies to maintain basic, up-to-date statistics on trends in the utilization of residential services in the United States. Frequently the center conducts policy surveys of State, local and private agencies regarding their utilization of and experience with specific Federal programs. In addition, the center has conducted a number of secondary analyses of data gathered in major Federal statistical programs with specific attention to sample members with developmental disabilities. The center operates primarily with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, especially the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, the Health Care Financing Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation. Project funding has also been obtained from the Office of Special Education Programs and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, both of the U.S. Department of Education. Information Services: Dissemination of information is primarily done through project reports, professional publications and direct response to requests for information. A complete listing of publications and prices is available upon request. Center for Special Education Technology The Council for Exceptional Children 1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091 (800) 873-8255 (703) 620-3660 SpecialNET ID: TECH.CENTER Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Education agencies, associations, universities, researchers, developers and trainers. The Organization: The Center for Special Education Technology at The Council for Exceptional Children is a national information center funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The Center's goals are to influence the quality and availability of the technology used in special education, and to promote the appropriate use of technology in the education of children with disabilities. To meet these goals, the Center serves as a proactive information resource that collects, synthesizes, and distributes the latest information on trends, resources, practices, and research efforts in the technology, disabilities, and education fields. The Center also serves to facilitate the exchange of information between the various key audiences in these fields, such as education agencies, associations, universities, researchers, developers and software publishers. Information Services: The Center's general information services emphasize trends and practices in the use of technology in special education as well as the growing number of resources available to technology users. Current information activities include: Tech Use Guides, which are two- to six- page summaries of important areas in the use of technology in special education. Resource Inventories, which list technology resources on a State or national basis. The Marketplace, which is geared toward publishers and provides information on vital marketing issues affecting special education technology products. A toll-free number (800) 873-8255, which is answered by an education specialist from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, and by a message machine at all other times including weekends. Because the field of special education technology is a broad and rapidly changing one, the Center has chosen specific areas on which to focus some of its efforts. By narrowing the focus, the Center can provide in-depth coverage of these "themes." Current theme activities include assistive technology, funding of technology products and services, technology training, technology integration, and technology for moderately handicapped students. Activities vary within each theme, but all activities are geared to filling information gaps and linking the latest research, practice, and products with appropriate audiences. Center on Human Policy 200 Huntington Hall Syracuse, NY 13244 (315) 443-3851 Disabilities Served: All disabilities, with an emphasis on developmental disabilities. Users Served: Parents, people with disabilities, service providers, policymakers, state and national organizations serving people with disabilities. The Organization: Since its establishment in 1971, the Center on Human Policy has been involved in research, consultation and training, the preparation and dissemination of information, and advocacy designed to promote the full participation of people with disabilities in society. The center's major externally funded activities include qualitative research studies of people with developmental disabilities and their families in the community; policy and organizational research, training, technical assistance and consultation in community integration for people with developmental disabilities; and information dissemination. Information Services: Over the years, center staff members and associates have written hundreds of articles and papers, dozens of book chapters, and many books emphasizing school and community integration, advocacy, and social relationships. The center maintains a current listing of publications by staff members and associates, which includes books, chapters, and articles published through the Research and Training Center on Community Integration. The center makes available a wide variety of informational resource packages, site visit reports, policy bulletins, training/media packages, papers and articles dealing with specific issues, evaluation studies, and advocacy reports. The Human Policy Press, another dissemination outlet, is an independent press started by the Center on Human Policy in 1974 to promote positive attitudes toward people with disabilities. The primary goal of the press is to improve society's literacy about disabilities by demonstrating that the greatest obstacles faced by people with disabilities are societally imposed. The press distributes posters, slides, videotapes, and books nationally and internationally. Center staff and associates are available to respond to individual requests for information and for consultation on community integration and related topics. These requests come from parents, people with disabilities, professionals, and policymakers. Charcot-Marie-Tooth International (CMT) 1 Springbank Drive St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 2K1 (416) 687-3630 Disabilities Served: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy, and peroneal muscular atrophy. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals, researchers. The Organization: Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease/Peroneal Muscular Atrophy International Association, Inc. (CMT International) was founded for the purpose of helping those with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease better cope on a day-to-day basis with this inherited, progressively debilitating, neuromuscular disorder. CMT International provides information about the disease, usually in the form of a bimonthly newsletter. Special pamphlets are also made up from time to time, and a CMT International brochure is also available. When possible, funds are made available for research on Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and primary research is often done through questionnaires in the CMT newsletter. The questionnaires go out to more than 2,000 members and act as a base for further research development, but priority is the person with the disease. Support groups are scattered throughout North America, England, New Zealand, and France. CMT International's head office maintains a list of advisors from which referrals are given to people desperate to find professionals interested in and knowledgeable about CMT. A yearly Sophie Abarbanel CMT Educational Assistance Award of $1,000 (Canadian) is awarded to a CMT person in financial need who wishes to further his or her secondary education. A biennial convention is held, usually in Canada, but in 1992 it will be held in England. Miniconferences organized by the head office are held periodically throughout the United States and Canada. Information Services: CMT International publishes an information brochure that goes out to professional offices and support groups as well as the CMT Newsletter, a six times yearly publication for persons with CMT, their families, and professionals. Pamphlets and booklets available are: (1) From the Knees Down, a 36-page booklet listing sources to find special shoes, slippers, orthotics, custom shoemakers, etc., for those who have problems finding proper foot coverings; (2) Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease as a Disabling Disorder, a reprint of a journal article by CMT International Executive Director, Linda Crabtree, from the Canadian Family Physician; (3) Bracing Available for the CMT Foot and Ankle, a 12-page compilation of past articles from the CMT Newsletter on orthotics for people with CMT; (4) The CMT Traveller, a pamphlet listing travel aid sources for people with disabling disorders. The organization also has a yearly index for the newsletter as well as all the CMT Newsletter back issues (more than 30). Copies of journal articles referring to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease are also offered. The newsletter provides up-to-date information about possible treatment, possible medications, genetic and medical research. It also gives experimental reports of how members of CMT International cope from day to day with their disability. The newsletter also stresses new orthotic implementation for legs, feet, arms, and hands as well as work that is being done on CMT breathing and anesthetics. Questions from people with CMT are answered by doctors serving as advisors with CMT International, and there is also a column for teenagers with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The executive director of CMT International has CMT and is also a rehabilitation counselor. She is available by phone, Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m. Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) 440 First Street, NW Suite 310 Washington, DC 20001 (202) 638-2952 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Child welfare professionals. The Organization: The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) is a federation of more than 630 public and private social service agencies in Canada and the United States. The member agencies provide a variety of child welfare services to children and their families. The agencies' services include, but are not limited to, foster care, counseling, day care, adoption, and services for unmarried parents. The league offers consultation to agencies on day-to-day and long-range problems in policy, program, and practice. It establishes standards, conducts research, holds research workshops and training conferences for professionals, and acts as an advocate for child welfare issues. Information Services: The league's Informational Resource Service provides information about child welfare services and related subjects. A publication catalog includes titles of more than 120 books on a variety of child welfare topics. Final reports on league studies are also available. CWLA publishes a professional journal, Child Welfare, as well as newsletters covering administrative, legislative, and parenting topics. Fees are charged for all publications. The Children's Campaign, founded in 1985, is made up of 45,000 individuals who advocate for children. Children's Brain Diseases Foundation 350 Parnassus Avenue Suite 900 San Francisco, CA 94117 (415) 566-5402 Disabilities Served: Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (Batten Disease). The Organization: The Children's Brain Diseases Foundation is a nonprofit organization. The foundation provides, upon evaluation of the proposal, funds to investigators to be used for direct research on Batten disease, a neurological, genetic, and fatal disease affecting children. The foundation also assists in sponsoring conferences throughout the world having to do with Batten disease. Information Services: Although the foundation does not have a regular publication, it does provide parents with information regarding Batten disease. Children's Hospice International (CHI) 700 Princess Street Suite 3 Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 684-0330 (800) 2-4-CHILD Disabilities Served: Children with life-threatening and chronic conditions. Users Served: Provides referrals and information to children with life-threatening conditions and their families. Provides education and training and technical assistance (conferences, etc.) to health care professionals and others involved in the provision of care to children with life-threatening conditions and their families. The Organization: Children's Hospice International (CHI) was founded in 1983 as a nonprofit organization to promote hospice support through pediatric care facilities; encourage the inclusion of children in existing and developing hospices and home care programs; and include the hospice perspectives in all areas of pediatric care, education, and the public arena. Information Services: CHI provides a support system and resource bank sharing expertise and information with health care professionals, families, and the network of organizations within the communities that offer hospice care to children with life-threatening conditions. Information includes referrals and publications. Choice Magazine Listening (CML) 85 Channel Drive P.O. Box 10 Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 883-8280 Disabilities Served: Visually impaired, disabled persons unable to read regular print. Users Served: Anyone unable to read regular print because of visual or physical handicap. The Organization: Choice Magazine Listening (CML), which has been in existence for over 25 years, provides a free, 8-hour bimonthly recorded anthology on 4-track cassettes containing unabridged articles, fiction, and poetry selected from over 100 leading print magazines. CML is the only project of the nonprofit Lucerna Fund. Information Services: CML provides a free 8-hour audio anthology bimonthly to eligible persons, as described above. CML provides on request free descriptive brochures and full CML information packets containing details on how to obtain the necessary 4-track cassette player from the Library of Congress Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped serving the geographical area in which the potential subscriber resides. Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information P.O. Box 1182 Washington, DC 20013 (703) 821-2086 Disabilities Served: Children who have been abused or neglected. Users Served: Professionals in the field of child maltreatment and the general public. The Organization: The Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect functions as the information component for the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN). Its goal is to provide information on child maltreatment issues to professionals and the general public. Information Services: The Clearinghouse disseminates information on all aspects of child abuse and neglect. The Clearinghouse has available statistical reports, bibliographies, NCCAN grant information, and public awareness materials. The Clearinghouse also maintains a data base of child abuse documents, audiovisual materials, national organizations, public awareness materials, and program directories. The Clearinghouse will provide a free catalog describing its products and services to requesters. Clearinghouse on Disability Information Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department of Education Room 3132 Switzer Building Washington, DC 20202 (202) 732-1241 (202) 732-1723 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: Created by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Clearinghouse responds to inquiries and researches and documents information operations serving the handicapped field on the national, State and local levels. Information Services: The Clearinghouse responds to inquiries on a wide range of topics. Information is especially strong in the areas of Federal funding for programs serving disabled people, Federal legislation affecting the handicapped community, and Federal programs benefiting people with handicapping conditions. The Clearinghouse is knowledgeable about who has information and refers inquirers to appropriate sources. The following publications are available free from the Clearinghouse: OSERS News in Print, a newsletter which focuses on Federal activities affecting people with disabilities and new developments in the information field; A Summary of Existing Legislation Affecting Persons With Disabilities, a history and description of all relevant laws; Educating Students with Learning Problems: A Shared Responsibility, a report by Assistant Secretary Madeleine Will describing what an OSERS Task Force perceived to be weaknesses in current approaches to the education of students with learning problems and strategies for correcting these weaknesses; Pocket Guide to Federal Help for Individuals With Disabilities, a summary of benefits and services available to qualified individuals. Cleft Palate Foundation 1218 Grandview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15211 (412) 481-1376 (800) 24-CLEFT Disabilities Served: Cleft lip/cleft palate and other craniofacial anomalies. Users Served: Parents and health care professionals. The Organization: Cleft Palate Foundation is the educational arm of the American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association. Information Services: The foundation provides information and referral to individuals with cleft lip and palate or other craniofacial anomalies. Referrals are made to local cleft palate/craniofacial teams for treatment and to parent support groups. Free information on various aspects of clefting is available. The foundation publishes a newsletter for $5.00/year. The toll-free number for individuals requesting information and referral is 1-800-24-CLEFT. The Clovernook Center - Opportunities for the Blind 7000 Hamilton Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45231 (513) 522-3860 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairments, multihandicapped blindness. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, counselors. The Organization: The Clovernook Center - Opportunities for the Blind provides rehabilitation, residential, and employment services for blind and visually handicapped persons aged 18 to 55. The work center provides employment in the Clovernook Printing House, where braille transcriptions of books, magazines, and other publications are produced. The work center also employs blind men and women in the manufacture of file folders under government contracts. Information Services: Information about the programs of the Clovernook Center is provided free to all inquirers. A fee schedule for services and products is available upon request from potential clients or referral sources. A list of braille publications produced by the Printing House includes information about where to obtain free braille subscriptions to magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Seventeen, and a variety of other publications. Braille calendars, writing paper, and a cookbook are available at nominal costs. The Clovernook Center publishes a newsletter, The Clovernook Perspective, which provides general information about the organization, describes its programs of service, and functions as an education tool. It is available in braille. The Printing House publishes TACTIC, a braille publication for blind people interested in computer technology. Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) 101 North Wilmot Road Suite 500 Tucson, AZ 85711 (602) 748-1212 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Medical, vocational and employment, developmental disabilities, mental health and alcohol and other drug treatment professionals; persons with disabilities; parents; teachers. The Organization: The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is the recognized accreditation authority for organizations serving people with physical, developmental, and mental disabilities. The commission has established standards for and accredits organizations that provide the following programs: comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation, spinal cord injury programs, chronic pain management programs, brain injury programs, outpatient medical rehabilitation, work hardening programs, infant and early childhood developmental programs, vocational evaluation, work adjustment, occupational skill training, job placement, work services, supported employment, industry-based programs, personal and social adjustment services, community living programs, respite programs, community mental health organizations, psychosocial rehabilitation programs, and alcoholism and other drug dependency rehabilitation programs. Information Services: Basic information about standards affecting all aspects of an organization's operation may be obtained from CARF's Standards Manual for Organizations Serving People with Disabilities. The Commission publishes separate pamphlets and booklets on program evaluation for a variety of specific programs. A list of accredited organizations is available upon request. Conference of Educational Administrators Serving the Deaf (CEASD) P.O. Box 5545 Tucson, AZ 84703 (602) 628-5261 Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Educational administrators serving deaf persons. The Organization: The Conference of Educational Administrators Serving the Deaf (CEASD) was founded to promote effective management of schools, programs, and agencies providing services to deaf people. Its standing committees have developed position papers on topics related to the administration of elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and residential schools for people who are deaf. Administrative workshops are held throughout the year on these topics. CEASD evaluated and accredits elementary and secondary school programs and certifies individuals who work in residential settings. Information Services: The CEASD selects, reviews, and evaluates captioned educational films. Actual distribution of captioned educational films and captioned general entertainment films is handled through Modern Talking Picture Service. The Conference and the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf jointly publish the American Annals of the Deaf, which includes a variety of articles relevant to deaf people and to professionals working with deaf people. Each April issue of the Annals is a Directory of Programs and Services for the Deaf in the United States, listing local education and rehabilitative services for deaf people, including deaf-blind people, in the United States and Canada. CEASD publishes the proceedings of its annual conference and copies of its administrative position papers. Members receive a newsletter. An extensive materials list of pamphlets and reprints from the Annals is available from the conference. Congress of Organizations of the Physically Handicapped (COPH) 16630 Beverly Avenue Tinley Park, IL 60477 (708) 532-3566 Disabilities Served: All physical disabilities. Users Served: Organizations of the physically disabled. The Organization: The Congress of Organizations of the Physically Handicapped (COPH) is an umbrella organization for about 50 organizations and associations of the physically handicapped. It serves these organizations by coordinating the joint activities of member organizations and by representing the legislative objectives of member organizations at the national and State levels. COPH does not provide any direct services to handicapped individuals nor does it have information on scholarships and other concerns. Information Services: COPH publishes a newspaper, the COPH Bulletin, with information on developments in rehabilitation research and on State and local legislation affecting physically disabled people. Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf, Inc. (CAID) Office of the President P.O. Box 2025 Austin, TX 78768 (512) 441-2225 Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Professionals working with deaf persons. The Organization: Members of the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf (CAID) include teachers and support personnel working in a variety of educational settings. Through biennial conferences and regional workshops, CAID promotes the exchange of information among professionals. Topics for workshops range from diagnostic tools to sex education to psycholinguistics. Through its membership in the Council of Education of the Deaf, CAID helps to formulate standards of professional certification and accreditation of educational programs. Information Services: CAID and the Conference of Educational Administrators Serving the Deaf jointly publish the American Annals of the Deaf, which include a variety of articles relevant to deaf people and to professionals working with deaf people. Each April issue of the Annals is a Directory of Programs and Services for the Deaf in the United States, listing local educational and rehabilitative services for deaf people, including deaf-blind people, in the United States and Canada. Reprints from the Annals and a materials list containing pamphlets of interest to teachers, students, and parents are available from CAID. The organization publishes a newsletter for members, The Advocate for Education of the Deaf, and proceedings from its conferences. Cooley's Anemia Foundation, Inc. 105 East 22nd Street Suite 911 New York, NY 10010 (212) 598-0911 (800) 221-3571 (800) 522-7222 (New York Only) Disabilities Served: Victims of Cooley's anemia (Thalassemia). Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: The Cooley's Anemia Foundation, Inc., is a national, nonprofit health organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of Cooley's anemia (Thalassemia) patients, advancing the treatment and cure for this fatal blood disease, and educating the medical profession and the public about Cooley's anemia. Information Services: The Cooley's Anemia Foundation conducts national programs that provide patient services, research and fellowships, legislative advocacy, and public awareness and education. In addition, it utilizes a national chapter network dedicated to decreasing the impact of the disease on patients and families. Cornelia deLange Syndrome Foundation (CdLS Foundation) 60 Dyer Avenue Collinsville, CT 06022 (203) 693-0159 (800) 753-2357 Disabilities Served: Cornelia deLange syndrome (CdLS). Users Served: Persons with the syndrome, parents, teachers, anyone interested in CdLS. The Organization: Established in 1977, the Cornelia deLange Syndrome Foundation's purpose is to increase awareness about CdLS, to encourage accurate and early diagnosis, and to enable families and professionals to make responsible decisions about planning for present and future care of affected children. CdLS is a collection of specific medical signs and symptoms of unknown cause resulting in mental retardation, distinctive physical characteristics, delayed psychomotor development, and feeding and behavior problems. The foundation serves as a support system for children affected by CdLS and their families. Support for research on CdLS is a continuing focus of the foundation. Information Services: The foundation publishes a directory of parents and interested persons and a pamphlet Facts About CdLS. Reaching Out, a bimonthly newsletter for families and friends of people with CdLS, reports on foundation activities, members' research developments, and treatment programs. A Spanish translation of the fact sheet is available. The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091 (703) 620-3660 Disabilities Served: All handicaps and gifted children. Users Served: Teachers, other professionals, and parents. The Organization: The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), a private, nonprofit membership organization, was established in 1922 to advance the education of exceptional children and youth, both handicapped and gifted. CEC Information Services acts as an information broker for teachers, administrators, students, parents, and others, serving as a comprehensive literature depository for English language materials. The ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children, housed at CEC, catalogs, indexes, and abstracts journal articles and research reports for inclusion in the ERIC data base. CEC has an in-house data base, Exceptional Child Education Resources (ECER), which began in 1969 as an abstract journal. This file contains documents entered into ERIC by the Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children (approximately 50 percent of ECER records) and special education materials not appropriate to the ERIC system, such as textbooks and doctoral dissertations in special education. ECER, which contains bibliographic data and abstracts on approximately 70,000 documents, has been searchable on-line since 1971. The CEC Department of Governmental Relations monitors and analyzes policies concerning exceptional children, conducts policy research in this area, and works to encourage policies favorable to the development of exceptional persons. The CEC Department of Professional Development sponsors an annual convention and numerous topical conferences, academies, symposia, and other training activities. In addition, CEC's 17 divisions, which focus on particular aspects of special education, are autonomous in developing professional programs and publications geared to meet the needs of division members. These divisions are (periodicals available to nonmembers by subscription are listed in parentheses): Council of Administrators of Special Education; Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (Behavioral Disorders); Division on Mental Retardation (Education and Training in Mental Retardation); Council for Educational Diagnostic Services (Diagnostique); Division on Career Development (Career Development for Exceptional Individuals*); Division for Children with Communication Disorders (Journal of Childhood Communication Disorders); Division for Early Childhood (Journal of Early Intervention); Division on the Physically Handicapped; Division for the Visually Handicapped; the Association for the Gifted (Journal for the Education of the Gifted); Teacher Education Division (Teacher Education and Special Education); Division for Learning Disabilities (Learning Disabilities Research and Practice); Technology and Media Division (Journal of Special Education Technology); Division for Research (Exceptionality); CEC Pioneers Division; Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners; Division of International Special Education and Services. An asterisk (*) indicates that subscriptions are available only to libraries. Information Services: Custom computer searches of the ECER, ERIC, and other education-oriented data bases are available from CEC for a charge. Reprints of previous searches on selected popular topics may also be ordered. CEC produces numerous publications on special education, awareness of handicapped people, child abuse, parent-professional cooperation, career and vocational education, severely handicapped children, and public policy. Bibliographies on topics of current interest are also available. In addition, subscriptions to the ECER journal, which appears quarterly, may be ordered. Original documents or microfiche copies of most ECER documents are retained in CEC's library, which also houses over 250 periodicals, the complete ERIC microfiche collection, and many reference materials. The library is open to the public Monday through Friday. CEC responds to thousands of requests each year from professionals, students, parents, and others. When appropriate, inquiries are referred to other organizations. Users are asked not to direct inquiries to both CEC and the ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children, since the two organizations share staff and resources in responding to requests. The ECER data base may be accessed directly through BRS Information Technologies and DIALOG. Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) 1400 North Drake Road Suite 218 Kalamazoo, MI 49007 (616) 381-9566 Disabilities Served: Visual impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents. The Organization: The Council of Citizens with Low Vision International (CCLVI) was founded in 1978 to meet the particular needs of partially sighted persons. The basic purpose of the organization is to help partially sighted persons to be more independent and thus less dependent on costly public and private services. Toward that goal, the objectives of CCLVI include (1) establishing the right of partially sighted persons to fully utilize remaining eyesight through aids, services, and technology; (2) providing a mechanism for individual expression of needs, preferences, and interests of partially sighted persons; (3) educating the public, professionals, and persons with low vision themselves as to their capabilities and special needs; (4) establishing outreach programs to ensure accessibility to services; (5) promoting research in various fields aimed at improving the lives of persons with usable residual vision; (6) supporting the development of pre-service professional training programs to establish and expand low vision services. The five State chapters and one local chapter of CCLVI conduct local programs based on specific needs in their respective areas. In addition to its annual conference with educational programs, CCLVI actively promotes relevant legislation, statewide and nationally, and advocates for adequate signs on public facilities. The council also provides scholarships for professionals who work in the field of low vision. CCLVI is an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind. Information Services: CCLVI offers several pamphlets describing the organization and its mission and a bibliography, Understanding Low Vision. A quarterly newsletters reports on resources, new developments, research, chapter news, and conferences. Materials are available in large print. A nominal membership fee is charged, which includes the newsletter subscription and a free subscription to the American Council of the Blind's magazine, The Braille Forum. CCLVI makes referrals to low vision services in local areas. Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street, NW P.O. Box 3776 Suite 401 Washington, DC 20007 (202) 638-4634 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: State rehabilitation agency directors. The Organization: The Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) is composed of the chief administrators of rehabilitation agencies in the States, the District of Columbia, and the United States territories. These agencies serve physically and mentally handicapped persons and are the State partners in the Federal-State program of vocational rehabilitation services provided under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In addition to providing a forum for discussion on relevant issues to its member administrators, the council serves as an advisory body to the Rehabilitation Services Administration and the National Rehabilitation Association. Information Services: CSAVR provides information to member agencies and to Federal agencies in coordinating rehabilitation services. It publishes a newsletter, CSAVR MEMORANDUM, which is issued on an as-needed basis. CSAVR also provides technical assistance to its members through its 12 standing committees. Information can be provided in braille, when needed. Council on Rehabilitation Education, Inc (CORE) P.O. Box 1680 Champaign, IL 61824 (217) 333-6688 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, health care professionals, educators, postsecondary institutional officers. The Organization: The Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE) seeks to provide effective delivery of rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities by stimulating and fostering continuing review and improvement of master's degree-level programs. CORE's accreditation process promotes self-improvement rather than outside censure. A further purpose of the accreditation is to meet the personnel needs of both private and public rehabilitation agencies by providing graduates who have been equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to help decrease dependence among persons with disabilities. CORE is involved in the development of standards for Rehabilitation Counselor Education (RCE) programs, the evaluation of compliance with established methods for RCE programs, and consultation for program development. CORE's membership is composed of persons appointed from five organizations. They are the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (NARF), National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE), and the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR). Information Services: Annual publications include a brochure listing the recognized master's degree programs in rehabilitation counselor education and a fact sheet that includes current membership and planned activities for the current year. Also available is the Accreditation Manual for Rehabilitation Counselor Education Programs (1979 and 1983 editions). CORE offers limited distribution of bibliographies on information related to accreditation and/or rehabilitation counselor education program development. Statistical data based on responses to individual questionnaires from all RCE programs since 1979 are available. The questionnaire respondent groups include faculty/students, graduates, and employers/supervisors. Distribution of statistical data must be authorized by the CORE research committee. There is a nominal charge for materials to cover reproduction costs. Courage Center 3915 Golden Valley Road Golden Valley, MN 55422 (612) 588-0811 (612) 520-0520 (Information Only) Disabilities Served: People with physical disabilities, including speech, hearing and vision impairments, and head injuries. Users Served: Parents, health professionals, and students. The Organization: Courage Center is a nonprofit organization providing rehabilitation and independent living services to people with physical disabilities and speech, hearing, and vision impairments. Some of the center's approximately 70 programs are offered locally and regionally; others are available nationally. The courage HANDI-HAM System, providing training, information, and radio equipment to disabled people interested in amateur radio, operates on an international level. Courage Residence, a transitional rehabilitation program, prepares disabled young adults for community living. The center also offers comprehensive medical services, physical restoration, speech and hearing services, counseling, and rehabilitation technology services. Courage Center's recreation program includes Camp Courage, a residential camp program for ages 8 and up, other camping experiences, and various competitive and recreational sports and physical education and wellness programs. The center's services are available based on a person's ability to pay. The center also offers a cost share program. Information Services: Brochures describing the Courage Center's programs are available at no charge. Requestors may also borrow a film, It Takes Courage, which documents the progress made by disabled people with the help of the center's services. The center publishes several newsletters, including the Courage News, published quarterly, and the quarterly Meeting Ground. General information may be requested by either writing or calling Courage Center's Information Center at (612) 520-0520. Crippled Children's Service Division of Maternal and Child Health Bureau of Health Care Delivery Assistance U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 5600 Fishers Lane Room 7-22 Rockville, MD 20857 (301) 443-2350 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, and health care professionals. The Organization: The Office for Maternal and Child Health provides block grants to States for direct medical and related services to children with handicapping conditions. Other funding activities include project grants for training, research grants for applied research programs, special project grants for projects of regional or national significance, hemophilia diagnostic and treatment centers, and genetic diseases testing and counseling services. Information Services: Since each State has its own plan for service tailored to constituents' needs, information about direct services can best be obtained from each State health agency. CRISP Information Services Branch Division of Research Grants National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-7543 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Health care professionals, researchers, general public. The Organization: The mission of the Information Services Branch in the Division of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) includes the operation of a large computer-based information system, Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP). CRISP was developed to facilitate the rapid dissemination of current scientific information on research projects supported through the various research grants and contracts programs of the Public Health Service or conducted intramurally by NIH and the National Institute of Mental Health. On the basis of applications or progress reports for extramural research and annual reports or project narratives for intramural research, awarded projects are indexed by NIH staff scientists. The file contains approximately 500,000 items, many of which report on research on disabling diseases and conditions, including the following: cerebral palsy, mental retardation, spina bifida and other congenital abnormalities, blindness, deafness, metabolic disorders, multiple sclerosis and other diseases of the nervous system, spinal cord injuries, amputation, mental illness, and all other major handicapping conditions. Information Services: CRISP will perform searches of the data base on single specific topics (e.g., sickle cell disease) or generic data (e.g., all research support on cancer). The computer printout includes information on the research area, disease, materials, and methods. For routine searches, there is no charge to government agencies, public interest groups, other nonprofit organizations, and individuals; profit-making organizations must pay for searches. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) 6931 Arlington Road Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 951-4422 (800) 344-4823 Disabilities Served: Cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic disease affecting pulmonary and digestive systems. Users Served: Persons with CF, general public, professionals, caregivers. The Organization: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) is a voluntary non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure and control for cystic fibrosis and to improving the quality of life for the 30,000 people with this disease. Cystic fibrosis is the most common genetic killer of children and young adults in the United States--as of yet there is no cure. It causes the body to produce thick, sticky mucus which clogs the lungs and interferes with digestion. Respiratory complication and infection caused by the mucus are the leading cause of death. Research supported by the foundation over the years has helped increase the life expectancy of children and young adults with CF. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation actively supports the advancement of medical science by finding a national network of research centers. The foundation's 120 CF care centers provide the latest in specialized care and state-of-the-art treatment and services for people with CF. Information Services: CFF publishes a newspaper, Commitment, twice yearly. In addition to the Annual Report, the following publications are also available: Alex: The Life of a Child, CFF Pharmacy (information on CFF discount pharmacy), Energy, Growth and CF Nutrition, Guide to CF for Parents and Children, Is an HMO Right for You, and factsheets. Deafness and Communicative Disorders Branch Rehabilitation Services Administration U.S. Department of Education 330 "C" Street, SW Switzer Building Washington, DC 20202 (202) 732-1401 (Voice) (202) 732-1330 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing loss, deaf-blindness, speech and language disorders. Users Served: Professionals in rehabilitation and related fields and disabled individuals. The Organization: The goal of the Deafness and Communicative Disorders Branch is the promotion of improved and expanded rehabilitation services for persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, speech impaired, and language disordered. A number of activities are involved in working toward this goal: leadership and liaison to national organizations, agencies and institutions concerned with deafness and communicative disorders; the development of policies and standards that improve State rehabilitation agencies' work with clients who are communicatively impaired; the review of services to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, and who have other communicative impairments by the State rehabilitation agencies; the provision of technical assistance to Rehabilitation Services Administration staff in both central and regional offices. The purpose of this assistance is to assure that the concerns and needs of individuals who are deaf are considered in all rehabilitation programs. Under the direction of the Office of Program Operations, the Branch manages the grant program for the training of sign language and oral interpreters for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind individuals and a grant program to enhance service delivery to severely disabled persons who are deaf. Dissemination of information is viewed as an integral part of the overall mission of the Branch. Information Services: The Branch responds to inquiries from State and private agencies, national organizations, and from the general public. The Deafness Research Foundation 9 East 38th Street New York, NY 10016 (212) 684-6556 (212) 684-6559 (TTY) (800) 535-DEAF Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: Researchers in the area of deafness. The Organization: The Deafness Research Foundation (DRF) was founded in 1958 to find support for new research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of deafness. DRF provides seed grants for ear research projects at hospitals, research laboratories, and universities in the United States and Canada. The Centurions of the DRF, an organization of physicians, audiologists, and researchers, contributes its membership dues to meet the basic administrative expenses of the DRF, thus making it possible for all public contributions to go directly into the funding of ear research. With the endorsement of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and the National Association of the Deaf, the DRF sponsors the National Temporal Bone Banks Program (NTBB) and seeks individual pledges of temporal bones to be used for research and physician training. Information Services: DRF publishes The Receiver, which reports current research and provides practical tips for dealing with specific ear diseases and hearing problems. Information about NTBB may be obtained from DRF or NTBB regional centers located in Boston, Minneapolis, Houston, and Los Angeles. Deafpride, Inc. 1350 Potomac Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 675-6700 (Voice/TTY) Disabilities Served: Deafness. Users Served: Deaf persons, their families, hospital personnel, and any personnel that come into contact with deaf persons. The Organization: Deafpride, Inc., is a nonprofit organization, which works for the human rights of deaf people and their families by bringing together deaf and hearing persons and providing opportunities for them to develop their potential as advocates. Deafpride assists groups to organize and work for change, in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States. Deafpride offers activities and programs in leadership/advocacy development; family life; bilingual studies/deaf culture; health services access; technical assistance, information, and referral; and sign language programs. The organization also provides interpreting services and conducts workshops and inservice training for health services consumers and providers. Deafpride can design programs, conferences, or workshops to meet the specific needs of a group or institution and can provide speakers and panelists from the deaf community. Information Services: Deafpride has produced a brochure describing its services and a booklet on access to medical services for deaf patients. The Advocate is Deafpride's quarterly newsletter, which covers news of the organization's activities and projects, conferences, resources, and other items of interest. Deafpride also publishes Perspectives and Options, a collection of position papers, as well as other policy/concept papers. There is a membership charge (includes newsletter subscription) and fees for training sessions, sign language classes, and interpreting services. Department of the Interior National Park Service P.O. Box 37127 Washington, DC 20013 (202) 343-4747 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families. The Organization: The National Park Service administers the Nation's national park system, including parks and natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas and facilities. In addition to its central office, the Park Service has 10 regional offices. Information Services: The Park Service accepts inquiries on all of its national park activities and facilities. Information on accessibility of park programs, facilities, and services should be acquired directly from the park or area you plan to visit. For general information on park areas and activities and a listing of park phone numbers, call Public Information on ((202) 343-4747. All information is free. The Special Programs and Populations Branch (202) 343-3674; TTY 343-3679) handles lay and professional inquiries on national park facilities for the handicapped. Also, the office offers technical assistance to service providers and deals with policies and procedures for all special groups. To obtain the addresses of regional offices, contact the National Park Service. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20420 (202) 233-2741 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled veterans and their families. The Organization: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a wide range of benefits to those who have served in the Armed Forces, their dependents, beneficiaries of deceased veterans, and dependent children of seriously disabled veterans. Two national offices administer programs of financial benefits and direct health care services for veterans: the Veterans Benefits Administration and the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration. The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) conducts an integrated program of veterans benefits through 58 regional offices. In addition to the benefits afforded veterans, such as funds for education, on-the-job training, home loans, insurance, and benefits provided by other Federal agencies, the service-disabled veteran is eligible for special benefits and services. These include disability compensation for injuries, disease or disabilities incurred while on active duty in the Armed Forces; dependency allowances for spouses and children of service-disabled veterans; medical care, including hospitalization, outpatient services, nursing services, and prosthetics and sensory aid services; and vocational counseling, rehabilitation, and training for certain disabled veterans. After completion of training, the VA will assist the veteran to find and hold a suitable job. Severely disabled veterans, including the blind, paraplegic, and amputees, may be entitled to specially adapted (wheelchair) homes, automobiles, or other means of conveyance, and assistance to live more independently in their community. The VA provides technical assistance in situations where a worksite or training site modification is needed to accommodate the veteran. The Veterans Health Services & Research Administration (VHSRA) provides health care to veterans in 172 medical centers, 356 outpatient clinics, 126 nursing homes, and 35 domiciliaries. The VA has also opened 195 veterans centers to assist Vietnam Era veterans with special problems related to that war. VHSRA offers medical, psychological, social, and vocational services to eligible veterans. Rehabilitation services for handicapped persons include rehabilitation medicine, blind rehabilitation, prosthetic and sensory aids service, spinal cord injury service, and audiology and speech pathology service. There are programs especially designed for handicapped individuals such as driver training, independent living, case management, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, and compensated work therapy. The Office of Research and Development administers intramural projects and programs in medical research. The Rehabilitation Research and Development Service conducts additional research on prosthetics, sensory aid devices, and other equipment for handicapped individuals. The Office of Academic Affairs conducts an extensive health manpower education and training program. Information Services: Information concerning benefits and services is available from VA field offices located in many cities throughout the 50 States. Each field office is staffed with benefits counselors who advise applicants and process applications for benefits. VA field offices provides assistance to veterans seeking to appeal claims decisions; this assistance is also provided by private veterans associations, some located in VA regional offices. Each State has a toll-free telephone service to VA regional offices. This service provides information about benefits as well as counseling assistance to nonambulatory persons who cannot apply for benefits in person. Information about specific rehabilitation programs may be obtained from a local medical center or by contacting the Rehabilitation Medicine Service at the national office. Libraries at VA medical centers can provide medical reference materials to medical personnel and other interested parties. Applications for medical service may be made to VA medical centers or any VA office with medical facilities. The publication Federal Benefits for Veterans and Dependents, which describes benefits, services, and eligibility requirements, and lists local offices and treatment facilities by State, is sold through the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT), VA Prosthetics R&D Center, located at 103 South Gay Street, Baltimore, MD 21202, maintains a reference collection on rehabilitative engineering. Organized more than 30 years ago, the collection contains books, periodicals, technical reports, reprints, patents, and audiovisuals. Materials cover a wide range of subject areas: prosthetics, orthotics, communication aids, mobility aids, driving aids, artificial eye and other cosmetic restorations, wheelchairs, mobility and reading aids for the blind and partially sighted, hearing aids, and surgical implants. The collection is available for use by all individuals but is primarily useful to the medical, allied health, and engineering professions. OTT is a source of information on new devices and techniques developed in the VA's rehabilitation engineering programs. Its main vehicle for dissemination of new research information is the semiannual Bulletin of Prosthetics Research. The bulletin includes scientific papers, progress reports on research projects, and abstracts of recent patents and publications. Bulletins may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. OTT provides copies of reference materials or individualized letters in response to clearly stated and specific inquiries for information. The Office of Information Resources Management is the principal data collection office of the VA. Statistics are available on disability compensation and the type and extent of disability for veterans with both service- and nonservice-connected handicapping conditions. While most of the statistics compiled by this office have not been published, data is readily available to requestors. The following information sheets have been published: Selected Compensation and Pension Data by State of Residence, Disability Compensation Data, and Disability and Death Pension Data. A special study on the disabled veterans of the Vietnam era is also available. All of the above are available from the Management Sciences Service (043B), Washington, DC 20420. The Annual Report of the Administrator, which may be obtained from the Analysis and Reports Service (202) 233-4239, includes statistical tables on the prevalence of disability among veterans. "Dial A Hearing Screening Test" (DAHST) Occupational Hearing Services P.O. Box 1880 Media, PA 19063 (800) 222-EARS (800) 345 EARS (Pennsylvania Only) (215) 359-1144 (Canada Only) Disabilities Served: Hearing impaired. Users Served: Anyone over the age of 10 years old. The Organization: "Dial A Hearing Screening Test" (DAHST) is a network of hearing health professionals. Local hearing health facilities in hospitals, universities, and ear, nose and throat specialists, audiologists, and hearing aid specialists provide their communities with a free hearing screening test by telephone. The goal of this hearing health awareness program is to educate about hearing loss and help people seek the help they need and to recognize their hearing loss sooner. There are currently over 200 "DAHST" programs operating throughout the United States and Canada. Information Services: Callers to the 800 Information Center will receive their local "DAHST" test number to call. Once the local call is placed, the two minute recording presents four tones for each ear, a full set of instructions, and a list of medical problems associated with hearing loss. If the caller fails to hear all eight tones, the caller is told that he or she fails the test and is encouraged to seek further testing. The local sponsor's name and office number is given prior to disconnecting the caller. This call is free. The 800 Center operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., EST. Dialog Information Services, Inc. 3460 Hillview Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94304 (800) 3-DIALOG (800) 334-2564 Dialog Information Services allows access to over 390 data bases, many of which are available only through DIALOG. The files containing information on various aspects of disabling conditions and services to handicapped individuals are listed in a table at the end of this section. Prices for data base searches vary and are based on computer connect time, use of data communications networks, and off-line printing of records. The DIALOG pricing schedule offers discounts based upon the quantity of work to be performed and contractual arrangements. All new subscribers receive a Database Catalog, which describes available files; a self-tutorial guide; and other materials to assist the beginning searcher. Searching DIALOG: The Complete Guide is available for purchase alone, or as part of a starter package, which includes training and up to $100 of free on-line connect time. DIRECT LINK for the Disabled, Inc. P.O. Box 1036 Solvang, CA 93464 (805) 688-1603 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Individuals with disabilities, their families or friends, professionals seeking services for their clients, and the general public. The Organization: DIRECT LINK for the Disabled, Inc., is a public benefit organization that provides information and resources for any disability-related question. Its mission is to improve the availability of health and human services information to meet the unique needs of disabled individuals and their families. Information Services: DIRECT LINK provides one-stop information and assistance for any disability-related question. It assists organizations working with disabled people and their families to find needed resources for their clients. Responses are given over the phone or with a printed report. Special care is taken to find the closest local organization that meets the specific need. Additional resources may also be provided, such as available national organizations, government offices, sources of funding, local referral agencies, and other appropriate materials. The LINKUP data base contains listings of over 11,000 organizations. Included are independent living centers, employment programs, support groups, device assessment centers, financial assistance programs, government offices, local affiliates of national organizations, community information centers, and agencies offering direct services to disabled people and their families. In addition, information packages about technology for disabled people; financial assistance; and notebooks of resources on head injury/coma, stroke, spinal cord injury or neuromuscular diseases are available at cost. DIRECT LINK is available by letter or phone. Organizations or individuals may contact DIRECT LINK for information or refer their clients directly. Turn-around time is usually one day. There is no charge to individuals; organizations are asked to reimburse for direct costs. Funding comes from donations and grants. Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) 2212 Sixth Street Berkeley, CA 94710 (415) 644-2555 (Voice/TDD) (415) 841-8645 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: People with disabilities and their families, including parents of children with disabilities; organizations and advocates concerned with disability rights, attorneys, legislators. The Organization: The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), founded in 1979, is a national nonprofit law and policy center, dedicated to furthering the civil rights of people with disabilities. Managed and directed by people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, DREDF has a home office in Berkeley, California, and a governmental affairs office in Washington, D.C. DREDF provides technical assistance, information and referral, and training to individuals and organizations on disability rights laws and policies; provides legal representation directly and as co-counsel and amicus in cases of disability-based discrimination; educates legislators and policy makers on issues affecting the rights of people with disabilities; trains law students through the Disability Clinical Legal Education Program. DREDF has worked on every piece of major disability civil rights legislation, and most disability civil rights cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, since 1979. DREDF was key to the effort to pass the landmark Americans With Disabilities Act and provides expert training to individuals, organizations, public entities, and businesses nationwide on that law. Information Services: DREDF offers concise and up-to-date information on disability civil rights to disability organizations, attorneys, Federal agencies, legislators, and their staffs. The Disability Rights News, published three times a year, is free on request. The News reports on DREDF activities and national legislative and regulatory activity affecting disability rights. Disability Statistics Program 1995 University Avenue Suite 215 Berkeley, CA 94704 (415) 644-9904 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Persons with disabilities, government agencies, disability organizations, researchers, rehabilitation professionals, health professionals, media, manufacturers, service providers, educators, general public, all other interested persons. The Organization: The Disability Statistics Program is a 3-year project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to develop and disseminate information on disability in the United States. The primary contract is with the Institute for Health and Aging, University of California, San Francisco. Collaborating on project planning and dissemination activities is the firm InfoUse, Berkeley, California. Through statistical analyses of national survey and program data bases, the Disability Statistics Program is developing and updating data on major aspects of disability in the United States, including demography, epidemiology and health status; health care use, costs, and coverage; employment and earnings; and social services, benefits, and activity. Research results are disseminated through reports, chart books, journal articles, the Disability Statistics Bulletin, and the Disability Statistics Information Service. Information Services: The Disability Statistics Program Service provides statistical information on a wide variety of topics concerning disability in the United States. The Information Service has the most recently published sources of statistical data on disability and can provide copies of published data tables. A newsletter, the Disability Statistics Bulletin, presents timely statistical information on disability in the United States free of charge to over 5,000 readers. Other publications include the Disability Statistics Report, in-depth reports of original research on national surveys and other data sources, and Disability Abstracts, short summaries of data on single disability-related topics. Disabled American Veterans (DAV) P.O. Box 14301 Cincinnati, OH 45250 (606) 441-7300 Disabilities Served: Service-connected disabilities of veterans of all wars. Users Served: Disabled veterans and their families. The Organization: The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) was formed following World War I as a self-help group for veterans with service-connected disabilities. The 1.1 million member nonprofit association exists solely to serve disabled veterans and their families. There are 51 State departments, 2,607 local chapters, and 1,925 auxiliary units across the country. The DAV advocates and monitors legislation affecting the entire range of benefits for service-connected disabled veterans, including disability compensation, health care, pension, employment, vocational rehabilitation, death benefits, etc. Expert counseling and claims representation are provided to disabled veterans and their families at no cost by 290 DAV National Service Officers (NSO's) located in 68 offices across the United States and Puerto Rico. DAV NSO's act as attorneys-in-fact, representing clients before the Veterans Administration, Social Security Administration, Labor Department, Health and Human Services, and other government agencies. Since 1973, the DAV has sent Field Service Units to rural and suburban areas to serve veterans and families living some distance from a DAV office. The DAV has several programs aimed at unique problems in specific groups of veterans. These include veterans of the Vietnam era, aging veterans, Native Americans, and incarcerated veterans and others. The DAV provides disaster and emergency relief for disabled veterans and scholarships for their children. It also advocates local employment programs and removal of architectural and other barriers to people who are handicapped. Information Services: A monthly news magazine covers veteran's benefits, including VA health care and veterans' legislation. It is also available on cassette. General inquiries concerning rights and benefits earned by disabled veterans should be sent to the above address. Requests for assistance with benefit claims should be sent to DAV National Service Department, 807 Maine Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20024. DAV services are provided at no cost to veterans and their families. Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control Centers for Disease Control 1600 Clifton Road Atlanta, GA 30333 Disabilities Served: Conditions resulting from birth defects or developmental disabilities. Users Served: Public health professionals. The Organization: The Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities is an operating unit within the Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control (CEHIC), one of the Centers within the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC is a part of the Public Health Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Information Services: The Division (1) conducts and disseminates findings of epidemiologic research, investigations, demonstrations, and programs directed toward determining the environmental, both naturally occurring and manmade, causes of selected adverse reproductive outcomes and perinatal and childhood diseases, including developmental disabilities; (2) establishes, and maintains systems of surveillance including registries for monitoring, evaluating, and disseminating information on these conditions; (3) develops and evaluates prevention strategies and provides training and technical assistance to States and localities in developing their surveillance and prevention programs for these conditions; (4) provides training in the epidemiology of these conditions for professionals from within and outside the United States; (5) works closely with international organizations in developing strategies and programs for reducing these conditions; (6) provides assistance to State and local health departments on community exposures to teratogenic, mutagenic, embryotoxic, or other environmental agents adversely interfering with normal growth and development. Dysautonomia Foundation, Inc. 20 East 46 Street Third Floor New York, NY 10017 (212) 949-6644 Disabilities Served: Familial dysautonomia. Users Served: Parents, physicians, familial dysautonomia patients. The Organization: Established in 1951 by parents of affected children, the Dysautonomia Foundation now has 16 chapters in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Israel, which raise funds for research into dysautonomia and provide information on this genetic disorder to the medical community and patients' families. The condition affects the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system and to a lesser extent the central nervous system, with a variety of symptoms. Confined to children of Eastern European Jewish ancestry, familial dysautonomia is a rare and often misdiagnosed disease; therefore education of pediatricians and parents in early detection and care is a primary concern. The foundation maintains a Dysautonomia Treatment and Evaluation Center at New York University Medical Center for the benefit of patients and their physicians. A national medical symposium on the disorder is held annually for research scientists, clinicians, and health professionals. Information Services: A variety of printed material is available without cost, including handbooks on nursing and family care of patients, reprints of articles from both professional and lay publications, bibliographies, fact sheets and brochures on the disease. Lists of local chapters, schools and camps familiar with the disorder, and names of physicians experienced in treating patients with the disorder can also be requested. Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of America (D.E.B.R.A.) 141 5th Avenue Suite 7S New York, NY 10010 (212) 995-2220 Disabilities Served: All forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Users Served: Parents, physicians, nurses, social workers, geneticists. The Organization: D.E.B.R.A. was established in 1979 by a small number of parents of children with EB to provide an information and support network for patients and their families. One of D.E.B.R.A.'s primary goals is to encourage and support research into the causes, treatment, and cure of this little understood genetic skin disorder, which leads to localized or widespread blistering. Referrals are made to physicians, surgeons, and other affected individuals. Information Services: The association responds to inquiries from patients, their families, and the general public, with information packets on the nature of EB, research information, and association activities. D.E.B.R.A.'s periodic newsletter (samples are free upon request) reports on research findings, local conferences, and workshops and gives practical problem-solving advice for patients and their family members. There is a suggested membership fee, but any donation is acceptable. Most materials are free. The association assists families in locating local sources of medical, social, and genetic counseling. The organization also sponsors seminars and workshops for EB families and health professionals. The EAR Foundation 2000 Church Street Box 111 Nashville, TN 37236 (615) 329-7807 (800) 545-HEAR (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Hearing and balance impaired. Users Served: Hearing and balance impaired persons and their families, hearing health professionals, young children. The Organization: The EAR Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization committed to the goal of better hearing and balance through public and professional education programs, support services, and applied research. The foundation's support programs include the nationwide Meniere's Network and the Young EARS Program. The Meniere's Network is a national network of patient-organized self-help groups, which allows the exchange of experiences and coping strategies associated with Meniere's disease. Young EARS is a program on hearing-health preservation designed to educate children, parents, and physicians about early detection and protecting the precious gift of hearing. The Minnie Pearl Scholarship Fund is a program sponsored by The EAR Foundation and Mrs. Henry Cannon, better known as country music entertainer Minnie Pearl. The scholarship is awarded annually to hearing-impaired students from all across the United States. The EAR Foundation also provides continuing medical education courses to medical hearing specialists across the United States, and publishes patient-oriented newsletters and various brochures and booklets. Information Services: The EAR Foundation publishes two newsletters--Otoscope and Steady. Otoscope is The EAR Foundation newsletter that covers medical development, patient coping strategies, communication methods, and information of general interest to the hearing-impaired patient. Steady is the newsletter on Meniere's disease that is sent quarterly to members of The Meniere's Network. The newsletter covers strategies for living with Meniere's disease, diet, stress, personal patient stories, and an update on the network of support groups. Other booklets include Meniere's Disease: Coping Skills, An Introduction to Meniere's Disease, A Dietary Guidebook for Meniere's Disease, and Four Questions to Ask About Your Child's Hearing. An Introduction to Meniere's Disease provides a general overview of the diagnosis, natural progression, and widely accepted medical and surgical alternatives of Meniere's disease. Meniere's Disease: Coping Skills covers ways in which families and friends, as well as Meniere's patients, can help each other cope with this lifestyle altering disease. A Dietary Guidebook for Meniere's Disease includes a discussion of sodium, caffeine, nicotine, potassium, and alcohol. Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) Central ERIC Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) U.S. Department of Education Washington, DC 20208 (202) 357-6289 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Teachers, administrators, researchers, students, general public. The Organization: Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a decentralized nationwide network, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and designed to collect educational documents and to make them available to teachers, administrators, researchers, students, and other interested persons. ERIC is made up of 16 Clearinghouses located across the country, each specializing in a particular subject area of education. The exact number of Clearinghouses has fluctuated over time in response to the shifting needs of the educational community. Central ERIC provides the funding for the Clearinghouses and documents processing operations, sets policies, and monitors the overall functioning of the information system. The Clearinghouses are responsible for collecting all relevant unpublished, non-copyrighted, or copyright-released materials of value in their subject areas. These include current research findings, project and technical reports, speeches and unpublished manuscripts, conference proceedings, and professional journal articles. At the Clearinghouses, these items are screened according to ERIC selection criteria, abstracted, and indexed. All of this information is entered in a central ERIC computer data base and announced in the ERIC reference publications. Information Services: All documents entered into the ERIC system are listed in the following periodicals: Resources in Education (RIE), a monthly abstract journal announcing recently completed research reports, descriptions of outstanding programs, and other documents of educational significance, indexed by subject, author, and institutional source. Cumulative semiannual indexes are available. RIE may be ordered from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE), a monthly guide to the periodical literature, with coverage of more than 700 major educational and education-related serial publications. It includes a main entry section with annotations and is indexed by subject, author, and journal title. Annual cumulative indexes are available. Subscriptions to CIJE are available from Oryx Press, 4041 North Central, Suite 700, Phoenix, AZ 85012. The ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS), operated by Computer Microfilm International Corporation, 3900 Wheeler Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22304, (703) 823-0500, produces microfiche and paper copies of most documents announced in RIE. Over 725 institutions and organizations, including many libraries, receive complete sets of ERIC documents on microfiche. Sources for items included in RIE, but not available from EDRS, are given in the RIE listing. Copies of articles from a majority of the journals regularly covered in CIJE are available through the reprint service operated by the University Microfilms International. In addition to searching the ERIC reference publications, which are available in many libraries, researchers may obtain custom searches of the ERIC data base. These are available from each Clearinghouse. (See entries for the following ERIC Clearinghouses: Adult, Career and Vocational Education; Counseling and Personnel Services; Elementary and Early Childhood Education; Handicapped and Gifted Children; Reading and Communication Skills; and Tests, Measurement, and Evaluation.) Searches may also be obtained from one of the libraries, agencies, and other organizations that have access to this file. There are advantages in contacting the ERIC Clearinghouse that has responsibility for processing documents in the inquirer's specific area of interest: (1) the information specialists at each Clearinghouse are knowledgeable about the contents of the data base in the Clearinghouse's subject area, and are therefore able to formulate effective search strategies; and (2) each Clearinghouse has a number of products in its subject area which it disseminates to its users, i.e., short bibliographies, resource lists, and newsletters. Access points for computerized ERIC searches are listed in the Directory of ERIC Information Service Providers, available at no charge from the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility, 2440 Research Blvd., Suite 400, Rockville, MD 20850. Some of these centers serve only specific user groups: others have no restrictions on clientele. Cost per search and turn-around time vary with each center. Authors of reports, speeches, papers, etc., who would like to have their material considered for national dissemination through ERIC may forward their contributions to the ERIC Processing and Reference Facility. Documents are forwarded to the proper Clearinghouse, screened, and if found appropriate, entered in to the ERIC system. The ERIC data base is available commercially through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and Orbit Information Services. Educational Testing Service (ETS) Test Collection Rosedale Road Princeton, NJ 08541 (609) 734-5686 Disabilities Served: Major types of disability. Users Served: Teachers, therapists, information specialists, graduate students. The Organization: The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is an educational measurement and research organization providing tests and related services for schools, colleges, and government agencies. The ETS Test Collection, an extensive library of tests and other measurement devices, contains materials on the testing of persons with disabilities. Information Services: Test Collection bibliographies are available, for a charge, in the following areas: blind and visually handicapped, deaf and hearing impaired, physically handicapped, brain damaged, mentally retarded, identification of learning disabilities, identification of emotionally disturbed persons, and vocational measures for the handicapped. In addition, Test Collection staff respond to specific inquiries. A newsletter is published quarterly to announce tests recently received, as well as to report on new reference sources in testing. In 1991, each issue of the newsletter will be 12 pages. A data base of 9,000 descriptions of tests is available through BRS Information Technologies. There are charges for the newsletter subscription and for computer searches. Educators Publishing Service, Inc. 75 Moulton Street Cambridge, MA 02238 (617) 547-6706 Disabilities Served: Learning disabilities. Users Served: Teachers, other professionals involved in education, parents, and students. The Organization: Educators Publishing Service, Inc., specializes in publishing materials for students in grades K-12. It has a particular focus on materials relevant to students with learning disabilities. Most of its publications are written by experienced educators. Information Services: Educators Publishing Service, Inc., publishes materials for classroom as well as for individual tutorial use in reading, spelling, vocabulary, word attack, listening and study skills, math, grammar, compositions, and handwriting and typing. It also publishes professional books about the nature and remediation of learning disabilities, as well as diagnostic tests and measures. Employment Standards Administration (ESA) and Employment and Training Administration (ETA) Department of Labor (DOL) 200 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20210 (202) 523-6666 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, and general public. The Organization: The Department of Labor (DOL) develops policy and implements legislation for all workers in the Nation. It is responsible for the enforcement of laws that protect the safety, health, job, and pension rights of workers. Each of DOL's 10 regional offices deals with issues affecting American handicapped workers and, within the Department's units, specialized services are being implemented for disabled individuals. The Employment Standards Administration (ESA) of DOL administers programs through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, which processes complaints of handicapped individuals in cases of employment discrimination by Federal contractors. Complaints can be filed personally or by an authorized representative of the complaintant, at any of the 10 DOL regional offices. DOL intervenes only when the cases cannot be handled locally. The Wage and Hour Division authorizes subminimum wages under the Fair Labor Standards Act to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment for handicapped individuals who would not be able to command the minimum wage. The Division of Special Minimum Wages administers the regulations governing the employment of handicapped clients in sheltered workshops, handicapped workers industry, and employment of patient workers based on their individual productivity. The Office of Worker's Compensation Programs administers three basic Federal workers' compensation laws, whereby Federal employees (if injured on the job) can apply for a continued salary and assistance with medical expenses. The Office also administers the Black Lung Act for coal mine workers. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of DOL includes the U.S. Employment Service (USES) . USES has had a program serving handicapped young people for many years. Agency goals for handicapped workers are equal opportunity for employment and equal pay in competition with other applicants; employment at the highest skills permitted by their occupational qualifications; satisfactory adjustment to their chosen occupations and work situations; and employment that will not endanger others or aggravate their own disabilities. Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) 4351 Garden City Drive Suite 406 Landover, MD 20785 (301) 459-3700 (800)-332-1000 (Patient Information & Referral) (800)-332-4050 (National Epilepsy Library) Disabilities Served: Epilepsy and seizure disorders. Users Served: Persons with epilepsy and their families, teachers, health care professionals. The Organization: The Epilepsy Foundation of America (EFA) is a national, voluntary organization dedicated to the prevention and control of epilepsy and its consequences and to helping persons with epilepsy, their families, and other concerned individuals overcome the problems associated with this condition. EFA and its 84 affiliated local groups provide a variety of services and programs for the person with epilepsy. EFA sponsors a number of special services such as (1) School Alert, designed to improve school environments for children with epilepsy by providing materials to help students, teachers, and other school personnel understand the condition better; (2) National Epilepsy Library, which provides information on the medical and psychosocial aspects of epilepsy to physicians and other professionals; (3) employment-related services in 50 local affiliates, including 13 Training and Placement Service sites; (4) Seed Grant Support and Training, designed to get promising research projects started and promising young scientists into the field of epilepsy research; (5) nationwide toll-free Information and Referral Service to patients, families, and interested persons. Information Services: EFA provides information on epilepsy and its consequences to any person or group requesting it. Areas include (1) information on epilepsy for the patient, his or her family, and friends; (2) educational material to individuals and groups dealing with people with seizure disorders; (3) information on employment, including vocational rehabilitation and training, rights, hiring and insurance regulations, special programs, and the particular needs of some people with epilepsy whose seizures are not fully controlled; (4) specific information on the rights of persons with epilepsy as guaranteed by Federal and State statutes; (5) housing information (mostly about discrimination and alternative living arrangements, such as group homes); (6) transportation information, including Federal and State driving regulations; (7) health service information, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and maintenance; (8) information on economic, social, and psychological services, such as disability benefits and supplemental security income, recreational services, and individual and group counseling programs; (9) information on the latest research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of seizures; and (10) information on Federal and State programs that affect people with epilepsy. Many local affiliates offer similar information services. Some are affiliated with epilepsy clinics or work closely with them. Information on local epilepsy clinics is available from EFA. EFA publishes pamphlets, bibliographies, reprints, books, cassettes, slides, films, and a newsletter. The newsletter, National Spokesman, is published 10 times a year, covering news and developments in research, legal issues, affiliate activities, national news, and self-help. Single copies of literature are provided free; there is a charge for bulk orders and rentals and sales charges for films and audiovisuals. A limited number of brochures have been prepared in braille. Brochures are available in Spanish; some affiliates offer materials in other languages as well. ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Personnel Services (CAPS) 2108 School of Education Building University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (313) 764-9492 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Professionals in counseling and personnel services. The Organization: The ERIC Clearinghouse for Counseling and Personnel Services (CAPS) focuses on resources for the professional counselor. Information relating to the continuing education of helping services personnel includes the following subject areas: counselor training, development, and evaluation; use of computers in counseling; student characteristics and environments; family living, divorce and separation; career and life planning; self-esteem; eating disorders, sex education; suicide, drug education and abuse; and special populations such as women, adolescents, older adults, teenage parents, minorities, runaways, unemployed youths, juvenile delinquents, dropouts, the aged, incarcerated, widowed and divorced, and handicapped. (Information on career education for disabled persons is available from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education). Information Services: CAPS offers an extensive publications brochure for counselors and other helping professionals. CAPS produces a variety of publications including monographs such as Comprehensive Guidance Programs that Work, Counseling Abused Children, and Counseling Young Students at Risk: Resources for Elementary Guidance Counseling. Digests, practically oriented two-page information sheets on numerous topics of interest to counselors are also available. For further information call or write the Clearinghouse. CAPS conducts national, State, and local workshops and conferences. CAPS puts out a variety of publications, including monographs on specific issues in the helping services, and Searchlights Plus, which are computer-produced bibliographies on topics of current interest. Counseling The Exceptional: Handicapped and Gifted, Searchlight 32+, contains an article on the state-of-the-art in counseling services for the handicapped and gifted persons and an annotated listing of over 150 references on the subject. Counseling Exceptional People describes practical counseling techniques to use with specific disabilities and giftedness. There is a nominal charge for CAPS publications. CAPS conducts national, State, and local workshops on topics of current interest. These workshops are also designed to familiarize participants with ERIC tools and materials. The CAPS Learning Resource Center, open to the public, houses the complete ERIC collection, as well as professional books, journals, newsletters, and magazines on helping services. The ERIC data base is available commercially through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and the System Development Corporation. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education College of Education University of Illinois 805 West Pennsylvania Avenue Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 333-1386 Disabilities Served: The Clearinghouse does not focus on information relating to handicaps. Material on mainstreaming does, however, fall within the scope of the Clearinghouse. Users Served: Teachers, researchers and other education professionals, childcare providers. The Organization: The ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education collects documents about child development and behavior from the prenatal period through age 12, day care, early childhood education, and general aspects of elementary education. Material on mainstreaming falls within the scope of the Clearinghouse. Specific curriculum areas and related fields (such as testing, counseling, and administration) are handled by other ERIC clearinghouses. Information Services: Resource lists, bibliographies, papers on topics of current interest, and a newsletter are available from the Clearinghouse. Referrals are made to other organizations when appropriate. There is a charge for ERIC searches and some publications. The ERIC data base is available on-line and CD-ROM through BRS Information Technologies, and DIALOG also provides ERIC data base on CD-ROM. ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children (ERIC/EC) Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) 1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091 (703) 620-3660 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Teachers, other education professionals, parents. The Organization: Housed at the Council for Exceptional Children, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Handicapped and Gifted Children processes documents on research, programs, evaluation methods, administration, services, teacher education, and curricula related to persons with disabilities and gifted children and youth. Information Services: Searches of the ERIC data base, Exceptional Child Education Resources (an in-house data base developed at CEC), and other files relevant to education may be ordered from the Clearinghouse. In addition, the Clearinghouse produces (1) digests and syntheses on topics of current interest and (2) books and monographs focusing on emerging trends or research analysis. There is a charge for computer searches and publications. Users are asked not to direct inquiries to both CEC and the Clearinghouse, since they would receive duplicate responses. The ERIC data base is available commercially through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and the System Development Corporation. ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills 150 Smith Research Center Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 855-5847 Users Served: Teachers, specialists in reading and communication skills. The Organization: The ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and Communication Skills collects, analyzes, and disseminates educational information on the language arts and related disciplines. The Clearinghouse is concerned with all dimensions of human communication, especially with the acquisition of functional competence in reading, writing, speaking, and listening at all educational levels and in all social contexts. Information Services: The Clearinghouse provides searches of the ERIC data base on subjects within the scope of the Clearinghouse. There is a charge for comprehensive searches and for all publications; sample searches, however, are free of charge. The ERIC data base is available commercially through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and the System Development Corporation. ERIC Clearinghouse on Tests, Measurement, and Evaluation American Institutes for Research Washington, DC 20007 (202) 342-5060 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Educational professionals. The Organization: The ERIC Clearinghouse on Tests, Measurement, and Evaluation processes documents in the following areas of interest: (1) tests or other measurement devices, (2) measurement or evaluation procedures and techniques, (3) research methodology, (4) human development (documents concerned only with infancy and early childhood are not within the scope of the Clearinghouse), and (5) learning theory in general. Documents on subject-referenced learning (i.e., mathematics or language) or learning patterns in specific populations (i.e., handicapped or disadvantaged) are handled by other ERIC Clearinghouses. Information Services: The Clearinghouse staff assists inquirers by providing information on the ERIC system, by assisting in the preparation of search strategies, and by searching the ERIC data base to prepare customized bibliographies. There is a charge for ERIC searches. The Clearinghouse has produced a number of publications on testing and evaluation, including measuring attitudes toward handicapped people and mainstreaming. There is a charge for bibliographies and for most other Clearinghouse publications. The ERIC data base is available commercially through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and the System Development Corporation. The Eterna International Foundation A Division of Medical Educational Social Service Association (MESSA) 27W560 Warrenville Road Warrenville, IL 60555 (708) 393-2930 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals. The Organization: The Eterna International Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that places special emphasis on providing services to professionals in the fields of medicine and education with an interest in handicapped persons, particularly children. Eterna is a Latin word meaning "forever." The motivating concept behind Eterna International is the enduring nature of worthwhile efforts directed toward improving the chances for the life, health, education, and emotional well-being of children. The foundation's major activities include (1) facilitating the collection and dissemination of information helpful to those in the service of handicapped children and families with special needs, (2) facilitating research aimed at benefiting individuals with handicaps and children and families with special needs, and (3) encouraging the adoption of newborns with handicaps and other medical management problems into families willing and able to care for them. Eterna International seeks to promote understanding between disciplines through a multidisciplinary approach, providing services such as seminars, conferences, publications, and media materials. The foundation sponsors annual conferences on pediatric social work and on parenting children with handicaps. Eterna International assists in the facilitation of clinical studies through the production and dissemination of surveys and inventories necessary for the research process. The work of Eterna International is conducted by hundreds of volunteer professionals from a wide range of fields interested in the welfare, health, and education of children with special needs. Professionals participate through editing professional publications, writing abstracts and reviews, translating, representing Eterna International in other professional organizations, and serving as representatives to facilitate collaborative studies. Information Services: Eterna International publishes pamphlets on neural tube defects and the legal rights of handicapped newborns. The organization publishes and disseminates numerous periodicals covering a variety of topics including spina bifida, pediatric social work, literature in medicine and psychology as it relates to special education, parenting studies, Down syndrome, the institutionalized child, comparative special education, international child development, and international pediatric chronic illness and disabilities. Books are available on spina bifida, sickle cell anemia, and childhood cancer. In addition, the foundation publishes a bibliography and curriculum materials on developmental pediatrics. There is a subscription fee for periodicals and a charge for most publications. Eye Bank Association of America, Inc. (EBAA) 1725 Eye Street, NW Suite 308 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 775-4999 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Ophthalmologists, eye researchers, and researchers of eye-related problems. The Organization: The main purpose of eye banks is to procure and distribute eye tissue for corneal transplantation and eye research. The Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA) was founded in 1961 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (AAO) for the purpose of promoting and standardizing eye banks. The EBAA has 98 eye bank members in 46 States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Members adhere to criteria set by the association's medical advisory committee. This committee also certifies technicians working in eye banks. Information Services: The EBAA informs its members on current issues in the greater transplantation arena and proposed Federal policies that may include eye banks under its jurisdiction. The association distributes promotional materials to its eye bank members intended to inform the public of the needs of eye banks. The EBAA answers inquiries from the public on how to donate eyes for corneal surgery and provides national statistics on eye banking and tissue supplied for corneal surgery and eye research. The EBAA publishes abstracts of scientific papers delivered at the annual meetings of the EBAA and the AAO, four eye banking manuals, and Foresight, a magazine. There is a charge for the eye banking manuals. Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) P.O. Box 1465 Highland Park, IL 60035 (708) 432-5551 Disabilities Served: Infantile progressive muscular atrophy (Werdnig-Hoffmann disease), benign congenital hypotonia (Oppenheim's disease), juvenile progressive spinal muscular atrophy (Kugalberg-Welander disease), adult progressive spinal muscular atrophy (Aran-Duchenne type). Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, physicians, allied health professionals, rehabilitation specialists. The Organization: Families of SMA is a nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of encouraging support to those with SMA and their families and raising funds to promote research into the causes and cures of spinal muscular atrophies. Funds are specifically directed to scientific research projects. newsletters, and networking. Information Services: Direction, a quarterly newsletter, offers information on daily living, education, research, and other resources. A videotape, Living With SMA, is also available. The Family Survival Project (FSP) 425 Bush Street Suite 500 San Francisco, CA 94108 (415) 434-3388 (800) 445-8106 (California Only) Disabilities Served: Adults with chronic brain disorders. Users Served: Cognitively impaired persons, family caregivers, teachers, and professionals. The Organization: The Family Survival Project (FSP) is a nonprofit organization founded to assist families of adults who have been stricken with chronic or progressive brain disorders (stroke, head injury, Alzheimer's disease, etc.). Its goals include public advocacy for those suffering financial and emotional distress, direct services of families (mostly in California), and the national distribution of information on the care of brain-damaged persons. Through its publications and national conferences, the FSP coordinates and provides specialized training for professionals, primary care givers, and other interested persons to help them understand current research activities and treatment approaches. Information Services: Information for families and professionals is available on FSP study results, workshop materials, and on adult brain disorders. Information on stroke and Alzheimer's disease is available in Spanish. Available publications include 20 fact sheets on brain disorders and caregiving issues, training manuals, directories, research reports, annual reports, and more. Please request a publications list. Information about new training activities, new publications, and other services is contained in Update, the FSP's quarterly newsletter. The FSP offers training workshops on patient management, diagnosis and treatment, long-term care, legal and financial issues, and other topics upon request on a fee basis. The project also maintains a speakers' bureau for media interviews, community groups, public hearings, etc. Technical assistance in establishing support groups, developing programs, and writing social policy is available to groups and organizations on a fee basis. Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, Inc. (FA) 66 Club Road Suite 390 Eugene, OR 97401 (503) 687-4658 Disabilities Served: Fanconi anemia. Users Served: Persons with Fanconi's anemia, their families, and medical professionals. The Organization: Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, Inc., is a nonprofit organization incorporated on February 27, 1989. Fanconi anemia is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which usually results in severe bone marrow failure. This bone marrow failure (acute aplastic anemia) typically is diagnosed between the ages of 3 and 12 years of age. The fund offers a variety of personnel support services to FA families. These services include medical referrals, family and victim support, and assistance in fundraising efforts. A life-threatening illness can be overwhelming and devastating to both patient and family. The fund offers information, services, and emotional support to those families. Information Services: The FA Family Newsletter is published semiannually by Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, Inc. This newsletter reports on recent research efforts, reprints letters from FA families, and lists FA families who are part of the support network. The Feingold Association of the United States (FAUS) P.O. Box 6550 Alexandria, VA 22306 (703) 768-FAUS (800) 321-FAUS Disabilities Served: Hyperactivity, ADD, learning disabilities, aspirin/salicylate sensitivity, food additive sensitivity. Users Served: Disabled persons, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The Feingold Association of the United States (FAUS) was established in 1976 as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of helping families of children with learning and/or behavior problems and chemically sensitive adults. The association shows parents how to determine if their child's disability is related to a sensitivity to certain foods or food additives. It is a volunteer organization supporting its members in implementing the Feingold Program and generating public awareness of the potential role of food and synthetic additives in behavior, learning, and health problems. Information Services: FAUS conducts food research with manufacturers to determine which brand name products are free of petroleum-based additives (food dyes, the preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ) and artificial flavorings. This information is published as Foodlist books. Membership materials also include the Feingold Handbook, Medication List, Foodlist updates, and a monthly newsletter. Volunteers throughout the country provide telephone support and assistance. A 21-minute videotape Impossible Kid? Possible Answers! describes the program and its scientific basis. Journal abstracts and two books--Why Your Child is Hyperactive and The Feingold Cookbook --are available through the association. The 52 Association for the Handicapped, Inc. 350 Fifth Avenue Suite 1829 New York, NY 10118 (212) 563-9797 Disabilities Served: Amputees, paraplegics, blind, and other physically handicapped individuals who use wheelchairs. Users Served: Volunteer and professionals in sports and therapeutic rehabilitation. The Organization: The 52 Association was founded in 1945 to offer post-therapeutic recreation and rehabilitation for physically injured veterans. In 1975, the association included physically limited civilians into its programs. The association owns and operates a 41-acre sports and recreation center in Ossining, New York, where more than 8,000 amputee, paraplegic, and blinded veterans participate in Confidence-through-Sports programs at this unique facility. Winter programs include amputee and blind Learn-to-Ski clinics nationwide. All programs are offered free of charge to participants. Information Services: The association provides an 11-minute videotape describing its Confidence-through-Sports programs to organizations, prostheticists, and therapeutic recreation organizations interested in the association's programs. Brochures and annual reports are also available. Foundation for Hospice and Homecare 519 C Street, NE Stanton Park Washington, DC 20002 (202) 547-6586 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Home health care professionals, paraprofessionals, and consumers. The Organization: The Foundation for Hospice and Homecare, established in 1978, promotes hospice and home care; establishes responsible standards of care; develops programs that assure the proper preparation of caregivers; conducts research on aging, health, and social policies; educates the public; and recognizes the achievements of those men and women who have spent their lives attempting to better our society. Information Services: The foundation, together with other national, State, and local health and welfare agencies, works to promote a better understanding of the benefits of homemaker home health services. A series of conferences and seminars are conducted each year to educate caregivers. Chief among these is the annual Leadership and Management Conference. An extensive catalog of educational materials for consumers and caregivers is prepared and distributed, including the Model Curriculum and Teaching Guide for the Instruction of the Homemaker Home Health Aide and free consumer guides, such as A Consumer's Guide to Hospice Care and All About Home Care. These provide the public with essential answers to basic questions regarding hospice and home care. Research related to AIDS, fact-finding forums, and compiling of statistical analyses of the hospice and home care industries are conducted on an ongoing basis. Individuals can contact the foundation for assistance in locating accredited homemaker home health aide services in their area. Foundation for Science and the Handicapped, Inc. (FSH) 1141 Iroquois Avenue Suite 114 Naperville, IL 60563 (708) 357-7908 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, counselors, rehabilitation professionals. The Organization: The Foundation for Science and the Handicapped (FSH) was established in 1977 by a group of disabled scientists. The foundation seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of the educational system for handicapped individuals, especially in the various areas of science. Major goals are to build a network that will support handicapped scientists throughout their lives and involve foundation members in advisory committees in academic institutions, government, and industry. The foundation works closely with the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Information Services: FSH acts as a clearinghouse for information on science, education, technology, and careers for handicapped persons. The foundation publishes a newsletter five to six times per year, reporting on varied news items of interest to disabled scientists and students. Free to members, it is also available on tape. A book ABLE SCIENTISTS - DISABLED PERSONS: Biographical Sketches by S. Phyllis Stearner, Ph.D., is also available through the foundation. It describes the lives and achievements of 27 disabled scientists and students of science who are overcoming obstacles imposed by their disabilities and are carrying on careers and studies in their chosen fields. The book serves as an inspiration to disabled students and their parents, teachers, and counselors. The foundation also maintains the Student Grant Program, through which $1,000 grants (three in 1990) are awarded to physically disabled students accepted by or attending a graduate university or professional school, majoring in an area of science, mathematics, medicine, or engineering. Information about membership and services can be obtained by writing the foundation at the above address. Gallaudet University 800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 651-5000 Disabilities Served: Hearing and related impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals, and the general public. The Organization: Established by an act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1864, Gallaudet remains the only accredited liberal arts university for the deaf in the world. The college offers bachelor degree programs in 50 subject areas, master's programs in 20, and Ph.D. degrees in three areas. Students with normal hearing are admitted as exchange or graduate students only. In addition to the University, a Division of Pre-College Programs, a Division of Graduate Studies and Research, a Division of College Relations, the National Center for Law and the Deaf, and the National Information Center on Deafness now offer a wide range of services and information in the field of hearing impairments. Gazette International Networking Institute (GINI) 4502 Maryland Avenue St. Louis, MO 63108 (314) 361-0475 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, respiratory therapists, social workers, nurses, rehabilitation counselors. The Organization: Gazette International Networking Institute (GINI) was created in 1983 as an umbrella agency to continue the publication of the Rehabilitation Gazette, an international journal for people with disabilities. Other objectives of the organization are to reach, inform, encourage, and dignify people with disabilities and to promote a positive attitude toward disabled individuals. GINI maintains an international clearinghouse for dissemination of information to disabled individuals and health care professionals, with special emphasis on polio survivors, ventilator-assisted living, spinal cord injury, and independent living. GINI also convenes international conferences on postpolio problems and independent living which bring together physicians and disabled individuals on an equal basis. Membership is also available in the International Polio Network through GINI for an annual fee. Information Services: Annually, GINI publishes the Rehabilitation Gazette, a biannual newsletter which is written by individuals with physical disabilities and focuses on independent living for physically disabled persons, especially polio survivors, spinal cord injured, ventilator users, and others with neuromuscular diseases and disabilities. The institute also publishes I.V.U.N. News for ventilator users, a biannual newsletter, which covers GINI activities, polio support groups, and items of interest for ventilator users. Other publications include Handbook on the Late Effects of Poliomyelitis for Physicians and Survivors, Proceedings, 2nd International Post-Polio Conference, 1983, and Proceedings, 3rd International Polio Independent Living Conference, 1985. There is a charge for most publications. Polio Network News, a quarterly newsletter containing information on or about polio and its late effects, is also available. Referrals are made to individuals with the same disability, physicians, hospitals, agencies, independent living centers, and libraries. Gesell Institute of Human Development 310 Prospect Street New Haven, CT 06511 (203) 777-3481 Disabilities Served: Learning and developmental disabilities. Users Served: Teachers, parents, health care professionals. Serves as a referral source to professionals outside the institute for visual handicaps, allergies and nutritional problems, mental and emotional disorders, speech and language problems. The Organization: Originally the Gesell Institute of Child Development, the institute changed its name in 1979 to Gesell Institute of Human Development. The institute advocates Gesell's philosophy of grouping schoolchildren according to behavioral maturation instead of chronological age. Workshops are offered around the country to train educators in the use of the Gesell Developmental Assessments and appropriate curriculum programs in the early childhood years. A clinical service for children 2 to 12 years of age is provided for developmental, psychological, and educational testing. Information Services: Brochures describing the services of the institute, application forms for evaluation, and a publication list of books written by staff members can be requested. Professionals, parents, handicapped persons and their families are welcome to inquire by phone or mail about services or to request referrals to local resources. While most information is free of charge, there is a nominal cost for publications. Fees for services vary. Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Services for Girls with Disabilities 830 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 940-7500 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Girls, ages 5 through 17. The Organization: Girl Scouting is open to all girls ages 5 through 17 (or kindergarten through grade 12). Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. does not have a separate program for girls with disabilities. The aim of its services for girls with disabilities is to make the troop and camp experience of girls with disabilities as much like that of other girls as possible. This is achieved by mainstreamed troop situations for girls with disabilities when the situation indicates this placement and by flexible adaption of program resources based on individual strengths of each girl in all situations. There are no "special" or different activities in Girl Scouting for girls with disabilities; regular activities such as camping, sports and recreation, arts, service, and learning skills are adapted to suit the abilities and limitations of individual girls. The Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is a private, nonprofit organization with a national headquarters and 333 Girl Scout Councils chartered by the National Board of Directors. Membership includes approximately 3,000,000. The overall aim of GSUSA is to inspire each girl to develop her own sense of values and sense of worth as an individual. Information Services: The Girl Scouts organization publishes various literature, including Girl Scout Leader Magazine. A publications and audiovisuals catalog is available, as is a new publication, Focus on Ability: Serving Girls with Special Needs. Goodwill Industries of America, Inc. (GIA) 9200 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 530-6500 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, vocational and rehabilitation specialists, employers. The Organization: Goodwill Industries of America, Inc. (GIA) is an international, nonprofit organization. The members of GIA are 178 community-based, autonomous organizations in the United States and Canada that use the Goodwill Industries name. Additionally, there are 44 affiliated members in 30 nations outside North America. Local Goodwill Industries organizations provide vocational evaluation, training, employment, and job placement services for disabled persons. Direction for each agency is provided by local volunteers, with programs designed by professional staff members to meet the needs of both the individual client and the community. Information Services: Manuals, statistical data, and other administrative information, as well as consultation, are available from the corporate office to assist local organizations or groups interested in establishing new Goodwill centers. Brochures explaining Goodwill services to employers and business contractors may be ordered. Greater Detroit Society for the Blind 4-Sights Network 16625 Grand River Avenue Detroit, MI 48227 (313) 272-3900 (Voice) (313) 272-7111 (Modem) Disabilities Served: Blind and visually impaired persons, blind and multiply impaired blind. Users Served: Blind and visually impaired persons, parents, teachers, rehabilitation counselors and other personnel, opthalmologists, optometrists, health professionals. The Organization: The 4-Sights Network is a national computer network for the blind focusing on education, rehabilitation, vocational information, and professional information. It is a service of the Greater Detroit Society for the Blind, a private nonprofit agency serving southeast Michigan, and a national audience via the 4-Sights Network. Information Services: 4-Sights focuses on collecting and disseminating information of concern to the blind and professionals interested in blindness. The network was created in 1985 and offers a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week resource. 4-Sights offers computer conferences on technology, low vision conditions, education, occupations, multiply handicapped blind resources, and others. It provides occupational information including the Occupational Information Library for the Blind (OILB), a compendium of 500 jobs successfully performed by the blind, and the Michigan Occupational Information System, a directory to occupations in which people with or without a disability are employed. Access to a technology publication otherwise available only in print is provided to serve the technology information needs of blind users. There is no online charge to use the system. The only cost at present is the phone call to Detroit. Group Health Association of America, Inc. (GHAA) 1129 Twentieth Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 778-3200 Disabilities Served: General disability. Users Served: Health care organizations. The Organization: Group Health Association of America, Inc., (GHAA) has represented the health maintenance organization (HMO) industry since 1959. Membership in GHAA is open to all prepaid health care organizations that meet the associations' standards for quality assurance, financial solvency, and comprehensiveness of benefits. GHAA's member plans represent all HMO models--IPA's, staff models, group models, mixed models, and networks. GHAA provides legislative representation, legal council, educational programs, research and analysis, library services, and publications. Information Services: The Group Health Institute, held annually for the past 40 years, highlights a yearly calendar of 25 educational programs that promote professional development in all disciplines in the field. GHAA's publications include a bimonthly magazine and biweekly newsletter. The library houses an extensive collection of works on prepaid managed care. Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. 371 East Jericho Turnpike Smithtown, NY 11787 (516) 265-2121 (800) 548-4337 Disabilities Served: Blindness. Users Served: People with all degrees of visual impairment from legal to total blindness (age 16 and up). The Organization: Established in 1946 as private nonprofit organization, the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc., furnishes guide dogs free of charge to qualified people who seek the independence, mobility, and companionship a guide dog provides. There is no charge for the dog, the dog's equipment, training, the student's training in residence, and comprehensive aftercare for graduates. Information Services: The Guideway is the official publication of the foundation (published quarterly). A variety of pamphlets and flyers are available, describing all programs (such as dog sponsorship and puppy walking). Also available are an 18-minute and a 7-minute color video cassette about the foundation. Audio cassettes are available for general information and one specifically to aid a blind applicant in the application process. Hadley School for the Blind 700 Elm Street Winnetka, IL 60093 (708) 446-8111 Disabilities Served: Blindness and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The Hadley School, which offers over 100 correspondence courses free for blind persons of all ages, was founded in 1920 by William A. Hadley, a blind high school teacher. Hadley now has offices in South America, Europe, India, Africa, and China. Courses are offered according to the locale and in the native language. Both credit and self-improvement courses are offered at no charge to blind or deaf-blind students through braille or cassettes. Hadley's school curriculum covers six course areas: academic, personal enrichment, compensatory and rehabilitation, technical education, vocational, and parent-child. Begun in 1984, the parent-child program helps sighted parents learn how to give their visually handicapped child hope and future success. One-to-one tutoring by correspondence or telephone supplements the lesson materials. Hadley courses are accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the National Home Study Council, and it is possible to earn a high school diploma by correspondence. Information Services: Catalog in large print, braille, or on cassette list secondary level and self-improvement courses ranging from career planning to classical Greek. Handicapped Educational Exchange (HEX) 11523 Charlton Drive Silver Spring, MD 20902 (301) 593-7033 (TDD & 300) (301) 593-7357 (300 & 1200) (301) 681-7372 (Voice) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons and health care professionals. The Organization: The Handicapped Educational Exchange (HEX) computer bulletin board is a clearinghouse for information on resources available to aid people who are disabled. It lists sources of hardware and computer software, conferences and seminars dealing with handicaps and special education, newsletters, user groups, etc. Callers can leave public or private messages to make announcements, ask questions, or exchange information. The HEX is available 24 hours a day at the computer numbers listed above. Information Services: HEX does not operate by mail; there are no publications, no catalogs, and no mailing list. There is also no charge although contributions toward operating expenses are welcome. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) East Highrise Building Room 793 6325 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21207 (301) 594-9732 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Elderly and disabled persons and those with low incomes. The Organization: The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was created in 1977 to oversee two major Federal medical assistance programs, medicare and medicaid. Medicare provides health insurance to persons over 65 and to disabled persons under 65 who meet the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requirements or who have permanent kidney failure. Medicaid is a Federal/State program that provides health care services to persons with low incomes. HCFA administers the Federal portion of the program. Disabled persons may be eligible for medicaid on the basis of their incomes. Because eligibility is determined by each State's program of public assistance (welfare) on the basis of broad Federal guidelines, there are geographic differences between eligibility requirements and types of service covered. Medicaid services are available in all States and in Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, District of Columbia, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Information Services: HCFA responds to inquiries from the general public. This includes basic information about medicare and medicaid. HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Corporation Two Perimeter Park South Birmingham, AL 35243 (205) 967-7116 (800) 768-0018 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord and head injuries, musculoskeletal trauma and orthopaedic conditions, sports and work-related injuries, stroke, arthritis, neurological and neuromuscular disabilities. Users Served: Patients with the above listed disabilities, including support services for their family members. The Organization: HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Corporation was established in 1984 to build a national rehabilitation network of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities that are capable of providing the full spectrum of medical rehabilitation services. All HEALTHSOUTH facilities offer comprehensive medical rehabilitation services; coordinated, interdisciplinary team approach; physician direction and supervision; top quality, highly-motivated rehabilitation professionals; state-of-the-art technology and techniques; and spacious, barrier-free physical environments. HEALTHSOUTH operates 52 locations in 21 States, with a network of 1,400 beds and employee base of 3,500. Since the company's founding, the comprehensive rehabilitation network has provided services to more than 100,000 patients and experienced more than a million outpatient visits. Information Services: HEALTHSOUTH publishes newsletters for medical professionals and is expanding its national, regional and local speakers' bureaus, to address medical/rehabilitation topics, current treatments, and technical innovations. Hearing Information Center 90 South Newtown Street Road Suite 14 Newtown Square, PA 19073 (800) 622-EARS Disabilities Served: Hearing loss and hearing disorders. Users Served: Hearing impaired and friends and family of hearing impaired. The Organization: The Hearing Information Center is sponsored by Sensor Medical Hearing Aids and Hearology Associates in an effort to increase hearing health awareness on a national level. All information and literature given to callers is generic and does not promote a specific product. Information Services: The Hearing Information Center provides free information and literature about hearing loss, hearing aids, hearing tests, and rehabilitation. Free local audiological and medical referral is given to those who request further help. Callers can also be directed to other support groups and organizations for assistance. The center keeps abreast of free hearing tests being offered in different cities and will direct callers when appropriate. Helen Keller International, Inc. (HKI) 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011 (212) 807-5800 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairment in selected third world countries. Users Served: Officials, government agencies and private voluntary agencies concerned with blindness, blindness prevention and sight restoration in developing countries. The Organization: Helen Keller International (HKI), founded in 1915 by Helen Keller and other Americans, assists governments in their efforts to prevent blindness; to educate children, with an emphasis on mainstreaming; and to rehabilitate blind adults so that they can live independently. HKI concentrates its efforts in developing nations with the goal of strengthening the ability of each country to establish indigenous programs. HKI is also engaged in operations research and intervention projects to control xerophthalmia, an eye disease caused by malnutrition and lack of vitamin A, and trachoma and other infectious eye diseases. The agency also helps establish surgical services that restore sight to people who are cataract-blind. HKI's blindness prevention projects are being integrated into primary health care programs wherever feasible. Information Services: HKI shares its expertise with officials and private voluntary agencies from nations everywhere who need information on the prevention of blindness, services for blind people, and the education of visually handicapped children. The Insight, published periodically, contains articles on HKI activities and overseas projects. Brochures on the organization's programs are available free of charge. Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) 111 Middle Neck Road Sands Point, NY 11050 (516) 944-8900 Disabilities Served: Deaf-blindness with accompanying disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, social workers, rehabilitation counselors, interpreters, and other professionals. The Organization: Operated by Helen Keller Services for the Blind, formerly the Industrial Home for the Blind, under an agreement with the Rehabilitation Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Education, the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC) was authorized by a 1967 Amendment to the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and is funded by annual congressional appropriations. Extensive evaluative and rehabilitative services are provided to deaf-blind youths and adults, 18 or older. Individualized prevocational training in orientation and mobility, communication and life skills, as well as in other areas, is conducted in a residential setting for up to 50 clients at a time, for periods ranging from several months to several years. A major effort is made to develop and assist in the appropriate placement of clients in work settings, when training is completed. Mobility and orientation to both work and residential settings are similarly provided. The Center conducts research in personal adjustment, education, and rehabilitation techniques and offers training in the field and at headquarters to new and prospective professionals who plan to work with the deaf-blind population. HKNC operates an extensive nationwide network of field services through its 10 regional offices and its many affiliated programs. The regional offices provide consultation and technical assistance to deaf-blind persons and their families and to public and private agencies in their regions. They locate, assist, and refer deaf-blind individuals to the most appropriate program for comprehensive services. The 10 offices, listed in the telephone directories, are found under "Helen Keller National Center" in Sands Point, New York; Prospect Park, Pennsylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Kansas City, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Boston, Massachusetts; and San Francisco, California. Information Services: Consultations and referrals may be requested from the national or regional offices. For information on direct services, contact the Supervisor, Direct Services, at the Sand Point address. A reference library at the Helen Keller National Center may be used by appointment. Rehabilitation activities of the Center are described in brochures; a periodical, NAT-CENT NEWS, published three times a year; and two captioned films, Raising the Curtain and The World at His Fingertips. The Center also publishes the Directory of Agencies Serving the Deaf-blind. Pamphlets, factsheets, bibliographies, indexes, and abstracts of articles on deaf-blindness and rehabilitation for professionals and laymen are available. Some information is available in braille. There is a charge for some materials. Application forms for referral to the Center may be obtained from the local regional office or from the Intake Coordinator, Helen Keller National Center at the above address. Hemochromatosis Research Foundation, Inc. (HRF) P.O. Box 8569 Albany, NY 12208 (518) 489-0972 Disabilities Served: Hemochromatosis (hereditary and acquired). Users Served: Patients with hemochromatosis and their families, physicians and nurses, blood banks, and genetic organizations. The Organization: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disorder in which there is an increased absorption of dietary iron above body needs. Since the body has no way of ridding itself of excess iron once absorbed except by blood loss, iron accumulates in the liver, heart, pancreas and other hormonal glands, and joints causing serious complications and, if undiagnosed and untreated, sometimes early death. Acquired hemochromatosis is secondary to a primary medical condition, such as chronic anemia and chronic liver disease. The goals of the Hemochromatosis Research Foundation, Inc., (HRF) include (1) increasing the awareness of the public and medical community of HH, its commonality, diagnosis and treatment; (2) encouraging routine use of screening tests by physicians; (3) promoting research aimed at identifying the genetic defect(s) causing the increased iron absorption and at understanding the toxic effects of iron; and (4) soliciting funds for screening, prevalence studies, and research. HRF refers patients and families to clinics, hospitals, and physicians, as necessary. Chapters of HRF are being formed in about 20 States. Information Services: HRF has produced booklets and videotapes for patients and the public on the nature of hemochromatosis, frequency, diagnosis, treatment, etc. and booklets for physicians that include additional information on treatment monitoring and a bibliography of medical journals. Booklets are available in braille through the Library of Congress, and the physician's booklet is available in Spanish. A quarterly newsletter, Hemochromatosis Awareness, provides an update on hereditary and acquired iron overload, through case presentation; articles; news of research developments; and a question and answer section. Information is free, but requests for booklets should be accompanied by a self-addressed and 52-cent stamped envelope. High Blood Pressure Information Center (HBPIC) National High Blood Pressure Education Program 120/80 National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-1809 Disabilities Served: High blood pressure (hypertension), high blood cholesterol, asthma, chronic smokers. Users Served: Cardiologists, specialists in internal medicine, family practice nurses, physicians' assistants, health educators, lay public. The Organization: The High Blood Pressure Information Center (HBPIC) is a service offered by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. The Information Center supports four major educational efforts: the National High Blood Pressure Education Program, the National Cholesterol Education Program, the National Blood Resource Education Program, and the NHLBI Smoking Education Program. As your source for the most current information on high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, and blood resources, the Information Center provides services to health professionals as well as the general public. The following products and services are available free of charge. Just pick up the telephone, drop the Center a card or letter, or pay the Center a visit. Information Services: Subject specialists at the HBPIC provide information in response to public and professional inquiries. Responses may include publications, bibliographies, program descriptions, referrals to other agencies or organizations, and specific answers to many questions on high blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking, as well as blood resource issues. Higher Education and Adult Training for People with Handicaps (HEATH) Resource Center National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Handicaps One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 939-9320 (Voice/TDD) (800) 544-3284 (Outside Washington, DC) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, allied health specialists, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, rehabilitation specialists. The Organization: The Higher Education and Adult Training for People with Handicaps (HEATH) Resource Center, which receives funding from Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, is a clearinghouse and information exchange center for resources on postsecondary education programs and handicapped persons. The HEATH Resource Center operates the National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Handicaps. Topics covered include educational support services, policies, procedures, adaptations, and opportunities on American campuses, vocational-technical schools, adult education programs, independent living centers, and other training entities after high school. The Center is a program of the American Council on Education. Another clearinghouse, National Information Center for Children and Youth with Handicaps, handles the concerns of younger disabled persons through secondary school. Information Services: The Center disseminates information on programs, publications, and persons with expertise in many areas of concern about education and training after high school for persons with handicaps. Factsheets and research papers are available on a variety of topics including access, computers, counseling, employment, financial aid, hearing impairment, learning disability, severely handicapped, testing in the classroom, and vocational rehabilitation. HEATH publishes a newsletter, Information from HEATH, three times a year which includes information about laws, regulations, court cases, campus highlights, new resources, and issues of general interest. A biannual resource directory contains an annotated listing of over 100 national organizations that can provide additional information on postsecondary education and handicapped individuals. There is no charge for HEATH publications and materials. All HEATH publications are available on cassette from the Regional Libraries of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped as well as by request to the HEATH Resource Center. Highway Research Information Service (HRIS) Transportation Research Board 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20418 (202) 334-3250 Disabilities Served: Primarily physical handicaps. Users Served: Transportation professionals. The Organization: Developed by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and the National Academy of Sciences, with financial support from the State highway and transportation departments and the Federal Highway Administration, the Highway Research Information Service (HRIS) is a computer-based information storage and retrieval system. This file contains bibliographic information, including abstracts on articles, books, reports, and summaries of ongoing research projects from more than 1,000 United States and foreign sources, among which are the National Technical Information Service and the U.S. Department of Transportation. There are more than 145,000 records in the file on administration, planning, design, forecasting, finance, user needs, law, safety, vehicles, and other topics. Materials on the transportation of disabled persons includes the design of buses and other vehicles that accommodate handicapped persons, transportation programs for special populations, and street crossing and signal systems. Information Services: Inquirers may obtain custom searches of the HRIS data base. Only material entered in the file since January 1970 is searched, unless the requestor asks that older material be included. The TRB staff also supplies referrals and supplemental material, including TRB publications. HRIS current awareness service provides monthly printouts of recent additions to the data base in standard subject areas and on custom-designed topics. In addition, HRIS publishes Highway Research Abstracts, formerly HRIS Abstracts, a quarterly publication containing informative abstracts of journal articles, research reports, and technical papers and announcements of bibliographies on United States and foreign research. There is a charge for HRIS searches and publications. The HRIS data base and other transportation-related material may be accessed through Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS), data base number 63, available from DIALOG. Housing for Elderly and Handicapped People Division 451 7th Street, SW Room 6116 Washington, DC 20410 (202) 708-2866 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, special interest groups, private nonprofit organizations. The Organization: The Housing for Elderly and Handicapped People Division administers the Section 811 Program - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities. This program provides capital advances to private, nonprofit organizations for the development of housing with supportive services for people who are physically disabled, developmentally disabled, or chronically mentally ill. Project rental assistance funds are also provided so that residents pay no more than 30 percent of their adjusted incomes for rent. Types of housing that may be developed include small group homes serving a maximum of 8 people and independent living facilities consisting of individual apartment units for no more than 20 people per facility. Information Services: The Division responds to inquiries and provides written information concerning the Section 811 program as well as other HUD programs that can be used by and for disabled people. HUD User P.O. Box 6091 Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 251-5154 (800) 245-2691 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, housing and community development professionals, general public. The Organization: Established in 1978, HUD User is an information service operated for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research (PD&R), Department of Housing and Urban Development, by Aspen Systems. PD&R is responsible for undertaking programs of research, testing, and demonstrations related to housing and community development. The HUD User data base contains bibliographic information, including abstracts, on PD&R reports and on studies conducted by PD&R contractors. Among the subject areas covered by the file are building technology, community development, economic development and public finance, and energy and utilities. Some of the material is on barrier-free access and the housing needs of elderly and handicapped persons. Information Services: Personalized searches of the HUD User data base are available; printouts contain information on how to obtain copies of documents. While most of the publications announced in the above periodicals and contained in the HUD User data base are geared to professionals, titles on energy conservation, housing needs, and other high interest areas are designed for lay persons. Copies of many documents may be obtained from HUD User. Others must be purchased from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 or the National Technical Information Service. There are document handling charges and charges for computerized literature searches. Prepayment is required. Human Growth Foundation (HGF) 7777 Leesburg Pike Suite 202S Falls Church, Virginia 22043 (703) 883-1773 (800) 451-6434 Disabilities Served: Growth disorders. Users Served: Families, pediatricians, pediatric endocrinologists, researchers in the field of growth disorders. The Organization: The members of the Human Growth Foundation (HGF) are parents of children with severe physical growth problems and physicians and scientists specializing in the field of growth disorders. The foundation supports research in pediatric endocrinology; sustains local chapters, which act as a support mechanism for families; and provides public education and advocacy related to growth disorders in children. Fifty-six local chapters of HGF provide opportunities for parents to share problems associated with their short-statured children. Information Services: The national and local organizations provide parent and public educational materials about growth problems. Pamphlets on specific growth disorders, such as Turner's syndrome; growth hormone deficiency; intrauterine growth retardation; and achondroplasia are available. Also offered are general brochures on problems in parenting a growth-retarded child, scientific development, and foundation information. HGF makes referrals to physicians who specialize in growth disorders. Human Resources Center 201 I.U. Willets Road West Albertson, NY 11507 (516) 747-5400 Disabilities Served: Persons with physical and health-related impairments; long-term mental illness; persons with neurological impairments, e.g., learning disabilities, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy; persons with sensory impairments, persons with developmental disabilities and other intellectual impairments, and rehabilitated substance abusers. User Served: Disabled persons, employers, parents, teachers, rehabilitation counselors, and administrators. The Organization: The Human Resources Center, founded in 1952 by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., a pioneer in the rehabilitation and special education fields, is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational, vocational, social, and recreational opportunities for persons with disabilities. The center's programs encompass work demonstration; vocational evaluation, job training and placement; academic, career, and adult education; and research and information dissemination. The center is composed of three coordinated units: (1) Human Resources School, which offers tuition-free education to over 230 severely disabled children; (2) the Research and Training Institute, which conducts research relating to severely disabled persons, initiates and develops demonstration projects in rehabilitation and professional training, and disseminates information and model programs nationally; and (3) Rehabilitation Services, which conducts programs of work evaluation, training, job development and career placement for persons with disabilities. In addition, the National Center on Employment of the Handicapped was established in 1977 on the campus of the Human Resources Center with the objective of enhancing employment opportunities for disabled persons through (1) conducting research in such areas as career education, independent living, job placement, and attitudes toward disabled persons; (2) giving seminars and conferences; (3) providing technical assistance; and (4) publishing monographs, textbooks, and multimedia training modules. The nucleus of the National Center on Employment of the Handicapped is the Industry-Labor Council, an outgrowth of the White House Conference on Handicapped Individuals. The Industry-Labor Council unites industry/labor and rehabilitation, directing efforts toward developing employment opportunities for the handicapped population through serving the needs of the employer community. The Council conducts seminars of interest to employers concerning awareness, affirmative action, and the medical and legal aspects of employing disabled workers. Technical assistance (consultations, literature distribution, onsite visits, and specialized training) is available to employers. A newsletter reports on the activities of the Council and its members. Information Services: Publications and training materials available from the center include titles on employment, placement, attitudes, driver education, and recreational boating. Recent publications include a handbook for professionals on vocational rehabilitation for learning disabled adults and a reference manual for managers responsible for implementing corporate affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs. For details, write to the Products Manager and request the Catalog of Publications. Any lay or professional person may request information from the center. Frequent inquirers include professionals in education and vocational rehabilitation, and members of business and industry. Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) 140 West 22nd Street 6th Floor New York, NY 10011 (212) 242-1968 Disabilities Served: Huntington's disease (HD). Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, physicians, physical therapists, social workers, and other health care professionals. The Organization: Organized in 1976 by families, professionals, and citizens concerned with Huntington's disease, the Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA) now has 110 chapters, branches, support groups, and area contacts. The society offers postdoctoral fellowships in HD. HDSA offers patients and families support services and referrals to local facilities and resources for assistance. Public awareness is another important activity of HDSA, which works to remove the stigma that has for centuries surrounded victims. HD patients often exhibit symptoms of chorea (dancelike muscular spasms) and pronounced personality change. The society also supports medical research by fundraising and collection of autopsy brain tissue for scientists who are working on HD. Information Services: Brochures explaining the inheritance and effects of the disease, a manual for medical professionals, a manual for social workers and psychologists who wish to lead support groups for HD family members, a booklet on clinical care (for physicians), reprints of articles about HD and the society, and a list of local chapters and representatives are available on request, along with membership information and a quarterly newsletter. Referrals can also be made to local medical and nursing home facilities. IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities P.O. Box 2150 Atlanta, GA 30301 (800) 426-2133 (Voice) (800) 284-9482 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Mobility, learning, hearing, speech, and vision disabilities. Users Served: Disabled individuals, health care professionals, agency directors, employers, educators. The Organization: IBM's National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities serves to help health care leaders, agency directors, policymakers, employers, educators, public officials and individuals learn how computers can enhance the quality of life for the disabled person in the school, home and workplace. While the center is unable to prescribe an assistive device or software, it does provide information on what technology is available. Resource guides on disabilities affecting hearing, learning, speech and language, mobility, and vision are provided; they list vendor and support group names, addresses, and descriptions. A demonstration center is maintained with equipment featuring this new technology. IBM offers a program in conjunction with participating community service organizations to make it easier for eligible persons with disabilities to purchase selected IBM Personal System/2 products at a discount. This program is described in the IBM Offering for Persons with Disabilities. Information Services: The center participates in conferences to promote awareness and to raise the level of understanding about disability issues. Marketing and technical support representatives in the center support the three IBM Independence Series of products for persons with special needs: IBM's Screen Reader, Phone Communicator, and Personal System/2 Speech Viewer. The center's 800 number, maintained 24 hours a day, provides general information and accepts requests for information. Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) P.O. Box 586 Oakland Mills Village Center Office Building 5865 Robert Oliver Place Suite 212 Columbia, MD 21045 (301) 730-8837 (301) 461-3127 Disabilities Served: Primary immune deficiencies. The Organization: Immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization, which supports research and education for the primary immune deficiency diseases. Information Services: The foundation has various publications on these diseases including a newsletter and a children's booklet. IDF periodically supports research grants, medical meetings, and physician training. IN TOUCH Networks, Inc. 15 West 65th Street New York, NY 10023 (212) 769-6270 Disabilities Served: Print impairment (blindness, visual impairments, and other disabilities that make reading ordinary printed material impossible). Users Served: Print disabled individuals, other radio reading services (who provide the program outside of the New York metropolitan area). The Organization: IN TOUCH Networks is a 24-hour satellite-delivered national radio reading service broadcasting the text of over 100 newspapers and magazines, including six in Spanish. In the New York City area, IN TOUCH is picked up by special closed circuit receivers provided to listeners free of charge along with a daily program guide in large type. Applications are available on request by phone or mail. Proof of handicap is required. Elsewhere, IN TOUCH programs reach listeners through a nationwide network of affiliates (radio reading services, cable systems, and hospitals), who receive the service from one of two communication satellites for local transmission. Information Services: The following audio cassette programs designed specifically for people with disabilities are available through the mail: The Assertive Consumer, The Assertive Job Seeker, and Habilidades Diarias (daily living skills in Spanish). Each comes with three separate cassettes and costs $15.00. Besides reading from newspapers and magazines, IN TOUCH includes a weekly half-hour of reading from mail order catalogs. A cassette of a current half-hour program can be requested for $5; subscriptions are available for 3 months at $60 or a full year at $200. Brochures describing IN TOUCH and listing the publications included in the reading service are available at no charge on request. Independent Living Research Utilization Program (ILRU) 3400 Bissonnet Suite 101 Houston, TX 77005 (713) 666-6244 (Voice) (713) 666-0643 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Independent living centers, State and Federal rehabilitation agencies, consumer groups of people with disabilities, medical rehabilitation facilities, and other organizations in the disability field. The Organization: The Independent Living Research Utilization Program (ILRU) is a national center for information, training, research, and technical assistance in independent living. Its goal is to expand the body of knowledge in independent living and to improve the utilization of results of research programs and demonstration projects in this field. It is a program of The Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, a nationally recognized, free-standing rehabilitation facility for persons with physical disabilities. Since ILRU was established in 1977, it has developed a variety of strategies for collecting, synthesizing, and disseminating information related to the field of independent living. ILRU staff--a majority of whom are people with disabilities--serve independent living centers, State rehabilitation agencies, Federal and regional rehabilitation agencies, consumer organizations, rehabilitation service providers, educational institutions, medical facilities, and other organizations involved in the field, both nationally and internationally. Information Services: A comprehensive directory of independent living centers and numerous publications addressing independent living issues are available. A price list may be obtained on request. Technical assistance and information and referral services are provided, preferably by mail. InfoUse Disability Statistics Program Information Service 1995 University Avenue Suite 215 Berkeley, CA 94704 (415) 644-9904 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Persons with disabilities, government agencies, disability organizations, researchers, rehabilitation professionals, health professionals, media, manufacturers, service providers, educators, general public, all other interested persons. The Organization: The Disability Statistics Program is a 3-year project funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) to develop and disseminate information on disability in the United States. The primary contract is with the Institute for Health & Aging, University of California, San Francisco. Collaborating on project planning and dissemination activities is the firm InfoUse, Berkeley, California. Through statistical analyses of national survey and program data bases, the Disability Statistics Program is developing and updating major aspects of disability in the United States, including demography, epidemiology, and health status; health care use, cost, and coverage; employment and earnings; and social services, benefits, and activity. Research results are disseminated through reports, chartbooks, journal articles, the Disability Statistics Bulletin, and the Disability Statistics Abstracts. Information Services: The Disability Statistics Program Information Service provides statistical information on a wide variety of topics concerning disability in the United States. The information service has the most recently published sources of statistical data on disability and can provide copies of published data tables. A newsletter, The Disability Statistics Bulletin, presents statistical information on disability in the United States free of charge to over 5,000 readers. Other publications include The Disability Statistics Report, in-depth reports of original research on national surveys and other data sources, and Disability Statistics Abstracts, short summaries of data on single disability-related topics. Institute for Child Behavior Research (ICBR) 4182 Adams Avenue San Diego, CA 92116 (619) 281-7165 Disabilities Served: Childhood behavior disorders, particularly autism. Users Served: Parents, teachers, physicians, researchers. The Organization: Founded in 1967, the Institute for Child Behavior Research (ICBR) conducts research on autism. Ongoing projects include investigation of adequate diagnostic methods, the study of biochemical defects in autistic children, vitamin B-6 as a treatment for autism, and operant conditioning (behavior modification) as a method of teaching autistic children. Information Services: The institute maintains a data base of detailed case studies of over 11,000 children from 37 countries. Information from these computerized files is available to researchers; a fee is charged for extensive searches. The institute has compiled a comprehensive "Diagnostic Check List for Behavior-Disturbed Children." Copies of these forms are free to institutions and private practitioners, upon request. A summary of the reports of 3,000 parents regarding the comparative effectiveness of drugs, psychotherapy, megavitamins, operant conditioning, and other forms of treatment has been published by the institute. A quarterly newsletter, The Autism Research Review International, informs researchers, physicians, educators, and parents of the latest research findings. Reprints of professional articles on autism and related disorders may be ordered from the institute's publications list of over 100 items. Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) 3501 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 (215) 386-0100 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Professors, researchers, students, clinicians. The Organization: The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) produces a full line of information services in the sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities. A major portion of the world's journal literature in the physical and social sciences is indexed according to (1) citations, based on the concept that an author's references to previously published materials indicate a subject relationship between the author's paper and earlier citations in the bibliography; (2) subject, by means of title words (with each significant word in the title serving as an index term); (3) source, allowing access to articles according to author; and (4) the organizational affiliation of the author. Information Services: The Index to Social Sciences & Human Proceedings (ISSHP), published quarterly and cumulated annually, is an index to individual papers presented at conferences. It provides full bibliographic information on approximately 20,000 papers each year in sociology, psychology, education, and other disciplines. Current Contents/Social & Behavioral Sciences is a weekly alerting service that reproduces the contents pages of over 1,300 journals and nearly 800 new, multi-authored books in virtually every social sciences discipline. It can be used to locate recently published articles on disabilities, rehabilitation, and special education. Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), published triannually and cumulated annually, is an index to leading international social sciences journals. It provides full bibliographic information from approximately 1,400 journals in sociology, psychology, education, public health, and other disciplines. International Association of Laryngectomees (IAL) c/o American Cancer Society (ACS) 1599 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30329 (404) 320-3333 Disabilities Served: Laryngectomy. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, professionals. The Organization: The International Association of Laryngectomees (IAL) (those whose larynxes have been surgically removed) is a coordinating organization of more than 300 laryngectomee clubs located in the United States and abroad. It is financially sponsored by the American Cancer Society. IAL club members are laryngectomees, spouses, speech pathologists, and speech therapists who provide rehabilitation (esophogeal speech training), motivation, and moral support to newly laryngectomized patients on a volunteer basis. Information Services: The IAL publishes brochures and fact sheets about speech training; speech devices; medical, nursing, and family care of the laryngectomee; psychological problems of the laryngectomee; first aid; and vocational adjustment problems. The IAL's major publications include (1) Annual Directory,which lists member clubs, meeting dates and places, availability of speech instruction, and sources of supplies--from stoma covers to artificial larynxes to medical, rehabilitation, and teaching films; (2) Laryngectomized Speaker's Source Book, which includes information on cancer of the larynx, problems faced by laryngectomees, speech of the laryngectomee, speaking tips, rehabilitation needs, and information about the IAL; and (3) Directory of Instructors of Alaryngeal Speech. A newsletter is published three times per year which reports on club activities. Most materials may be obtained from ACS national or local offices. The IAL refers inquiries to speech therapists but does not make medical referrals. The IAL holds an annual meeting and a speech institute in conjunction with it. International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services (IAPSRS) 5550 Sterrett Place Suite 214 Columbia, MD 21044 (301) 730-7190 Disabilities Served: Psychiatric disabilities. Users Served: Facilities and professionals serving psychiatrically disabled persons. The Organization: This organization was established in 1975 in response to increasing recognition of the need to upgrade community-oriented services for the psychiatrically disabled. As the community mental health center movement has gathered increased momentum, the importance of insuring adequate psychosocial rehabilitation services has assumed greater priority among planners, administrators, and service providers. The organization undertakes to establish improved communications among all levels of personnel active in this field. International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (IAPSRS) assists agencies and practitioners in program development, evaluation and follow-up, staff utilization and training, management and administration, and in promoting an understanding of the special needs of persons with psychiatric disabilities. Membership in IAPSRS is open to facilities that offer vocational, residential, social/recreational, or educational services to disabled adults and to professionals working in this area. Information Services: Membership in the IAPSRS includes a subscription to its newsletter and to the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal; current legislative updates; reduced rates for attending State and national conferences; substantial discounts on furniture, major appliances, vans, insurance, and so forth; and low-interest capitol funds. Top-notch training is available through the IAPSRS Learning Circuit. The International Center on Deafness (ICD) Gallaudet University 800 Florida Avenue, NE Ballard House Room 201 Washington, DC 20002 (202) 651-5585 Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: General public, deaf, and hard of hearing. The Organization: Gallaudet University has demonstrated its position as a world leader in the field of deafness and has earned a reputation for excellence. The International Center on Deafness (ICD) is the unit of the university that coordinates the international outreach efforts of the university. It is committed to the objectives of developing closer bonds among nations and drawing upon knowledge and resources of Gallaudet in upgrading educational, cultural, social, and vocational opportunities for deaf persons, their families, and professionals in the field of deafness in nations around the world through cooperative research, education, training, and outreach. The ICD also promotes a mutual sharing of academic programs at the school and university levels. Within the limits of resources, the ICD responds both to international requests and to Gallaudet-initiated programs in other countries. The International Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) National Office P.O. Box 40303 Overland Park, KS 66204 (913) 492-8755 Disabilities Served: People with learning disabilities. Users Served: Professionals involved in learning disabilities and remedial education. The Organization: The Council for Learning Disabilities (CLD) is a national professional organization dedicated solely to professionals working with the learning disabled. Our members include everyone from classroom teachers to diagnosticians to the top learning disability researchers in the country. Our purpose is to aid all learning disability professionals in the exchange of information. Other national organizations devote only a portion of their time and resources to learning disability-specific needs. At CLD, we are 100 percent committed to professionals in the field of learning disabilities. Teachers will find the very latest, most effective techniques for learning disabilities instruction. Diagnosticians will find the most up-to-date methods of assessing learning disabilities. Administrators get information on programming and laws pertaining to learning disabilities. In addition, researchers receive the benefits of the top professional journal in the field. Information Services: Annual membership is $35 for professionals and $25 for students. Membership includes: Subscription to Learning Disability Quarterly Subscription to Learning Disability Forum International conference on learning disabilities Numerous monographs, videotapes, and informational brochures available to members free or at cost. International Exchange of Experts and Information in Rehabilitation (IEEIR) Room 6 Hood House University of New Hampshire Durham, NH 03824 (603) 862-4190 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Rehabilitation specialists, physicians, other health care professionals. The Organization: Through the International Exchange of Experts and Information in Rehabilitation (IEEIR) Project, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to the World Rehabilitation Fund and subcontracted to the University of New Hampshire, fellowships are provided for United States' experts to study abroad at sites they select whose programs and practices meet a priority need for the rehabilitation community in the United States. In addition, foreign authors are commissioned to write monographs on topics that address United States' rehabilitation priorities. The monographs are distributed in the United States. Some authors are brought to this country to participate in meetings and seminars. The geographic locations for these exchanges include Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. Information Services: IEEIR provides programmatic descriptions of the International Exchange of Experts and Information in Rehabilitation. Monographs developed by foreign authors and fellowship reports are available. Requestors may obtain a list of titles; a fee is charged to cover postage, handling, and duplication costs. Tapes of monographs for visually impaired, learning disabled, and physically disabled persons can be made available through Recordings for the Blind. The newsletter, INTERCHANGE, is published three or four times per year, covering news on fellowships, monographs, seminars, conferences and other topics of interest in the rehabilitation field. International Federation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IFPMR) 600 University Avenue Suite 1160 Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5 (416) 586-5033 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: National societies of rehabilitation medicine. The Organization: The International Federation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IFPMR) was founded in 1951 in London, England, and membership is contributed by national societies of rehabilitation medicine from all countries. The objective of this organization is to promote the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, impairments, and disabilities with emphasis on physical medicine and rehabilitation; to promote an enhanced understanding of the implications and impact of disability and handicap throughout academic circles, health care systems, government agencies, and society as a whole; to expand the present concept of illness to also include impairments, disabilities; and to ensure that the medical practice of physical medicine and rehabilitation is a component of the education of undergraduate medical and other health students. Information Services: IFPMR has an International Scientific Conference every 4 years. International Polio Network (IPN) 4502 Maryland Avenue (314) 361-0475 Disabilities Served: Polio and the late effects of polio. Users Served: Survivors of polio, their families, and interested health professionals. The Organization: The International Polio Network seeks to reach and to inform the survivors of polio in the world through its network of people and publications. Because International Polio Network is connected to and networks with polio organizations and polio knowledgeable individuals around the world, questions are welcome. There is a modest fee for the publications. Gazette International Networking Institute (G.I.N.I.), the umbrella organization, sponsors periodic international polio and independent living conferences. Information Services: Polio Network News, published quarterly, contains updated information on the late effects of polio. G.I.N.I. also publishes an annual Post-Polio Directory which lists over 50 clinics, 100 health professionals, and 350 support groups. Also available is the Handbook on the Late Effects of Poliomyelitis for Physicians and Survivors. I.V.U.N. News, for ventilator users many of whom are polio survivors, is published biannually and contains the latest information on home mechanical ventilation. Rehabilitation Gazette, an international journal written by individuals with a disability for individuals with a disability, is published biannually and contains articles and resources pertinent to disability. International Rehabilitation Medicine Association (IRMA) 1333 Moursund Avenue Suite A-221 Houston, TX 77030 (713) 799-5086 Disabilities Served: General disabilities. Users Served: Physicians interested in the field of rehabilitation medicine. The organization: The International Rehabilitation Medicine Association (IRMA) is a society of physicians from all the specialities of medicine and surgery interested in promoting the art and science of medicine and the improvement of health through an understanding and utilization of rehabilitation medicine. The objectives of IRMA are to stimulate and promote the knowledge and use of rehabilitation medicine, rehabilitation medicine being defined as the application of medical skills to the diagnosis and management of disabling disease of whatever cause and affecting any system of the body. Information Services: IRMA publishes a quarterly newsletter, News and Views. Scientific monographs are also published twice a year and are on a variety of topics related to the field. A membership directory is also published every 4 years. International Rett Syndrome Association (IRSA) 8511 Rose Marie Drive Fort Washington, MD 20744 (301) 248-7031 Disabilities Served: Rett syndrome. Users Served: Families of children with Rett syndrome, teachers, therapists, physicians, and others interested in Rett syndrome. The Organization: The International Rett Syndrome Association (IRSA) aims to support and encourage efforts to determine the cause, treatment, and cure for Rett syndrome; to increase public awareness of Rett syndrome; and to provide information and emotional support to families of children with Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is a disorder that occurs only in females. It has been only recently recognized since publication of the first English language report in late 1983. Girls with Rett syndrome show apparent normal development from 6 to 18 months, then appear to arrest in development or regress in previously acquired skills. Cognitive function is in the severe to profound range of mental retardation. Girls lose purposeful use of their hands and replace it with stereotyped movements. Extensive laboratory investigations have not revealed a cause for Rett syndrome; but there is a suggestion that as the syndrome is confined to girls, a genetic basis involving one of the X chromosomes may be indicated. Information Services: The IRSA publishes a quarterly newsletter, which keeps parents and professionals informed of current research in the field and gives suggestions for care and management. A family network allows parents to make contact with other parents in their area and also allows parents to communicate with others whose child is at a similar stage of Rett syndrome as their own. The IRSA provides annual conferences and seminars and publishes a wide variety of information and care materials. International Society for the Study of Multiple Personality and Dissociation (ISSMP&D) 5700 Old Orchard Road First Floor Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 966-4322 Disabilities Served: Multiple personality and dissociative states (MPD). Users Served: Provides information about MPD to professional members and general public. The Organization: The International Society for the Study of Multiple Personality and Dissociative States (ISSMP&D) was formed to provide education about multiple personality and dissociative states to both professionals and the general public. ISSMP&D brings together professionals dedicated to the search for answers to improve the quality of life for all patients with MPD. The organization promotes research and training in the identification and treatment of these disorders and catalyzes international communication and cooperation among clinicians and investigators working in the field. Information Services: ISSMP&D holds one conference each year. Members receive a bimonthly newsletter and gain access to a variety of resources on the subject of MPD. Publications include a quarterly journal, Dissociation, Progress in the Dissociate Disorders. An annotated bibliography of literature pertaining to multiple personality and copies of Richard P. Kluft's Lessons, Making the Diagnosis of Multiple Personality Disorder (#23) and The Treatment of Multiple Personality Disorder: Current Concepts (#24), which were published in the series Directions in Psychiatry, are available through the ISSMP&D. Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 809 Allen Hall West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506 (800) 526-7234 (United States Only) (800) 526-4698 (West Virginia Only) (800) 526-2262 (Canada Only) Disabilities Served: All disabilities or functional limitations. Users Served: Persons with disabilities and their families, social service and health professionals, and employers. The Organization: Established in 1983, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), as a service of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, is an information network and consulting resource to enable qualified workers with disabilities to be hired or retained. It brings together information from many sources about practical ways of making accommodations for employees and applicants with disabilities. Information Services: Callers can discuss their concerns and information needs with JAN's Human Factors Consultants and get immediate suggestions on solutions to accommodation problems. JAN offers comprehensive information on methods and available equipment that have proven effective for a wide range of accommodations. Included will be names and addresses and phone numbers of appropriate resources. You can make personal contacts for additional insights. Information can be provided by phone or mail and is available at no cost to the caller. Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, MD 21230 (800) 638-7518 (301) 659-9314 Disabilities Served: Blindness, deaf-blindness, low vision. Users Served: Legally blind job seekers, employers, job placement professionals, family and friends assisting job seekers. The Organization: Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB) is a joint project of the National Federation of the Blind, a nationwide self-help group, and the U.S. Department of Labor. JOB services are meant to be used in addition to services that exist locally. Its goal is to increase the chances of legally blind individuals to obtain a full-time nonsubsidized job. JOB is well informed about the jobs blind people are doing, the methods blind people are using, and about positions that are open. Over 100 blind adults per year using JOB services have obtained such jobs in a wide variety of fields. A partial list includes administrator, electronics assembler, chaplain, broadcaster, childcare assistant, computer programmer, cosmetologist, elementary school teacher, dog groomer, equal employment officer, research analyst, medical transcriptionist, nutrition education coordinator, pharmacist, and janitor. Information Services: All services are free. The JOB Recorded Bulletin, containing articles and job listings, is available eight times per year on cassette. JOB offers over 40 publications, most on cassette, with instruction on job hunting and specific information on jobs blind people are presently doing. Through its nationwide contacts, JOB will research answers to any question concerning blindness and jobs. Questions are frequently received concerning new technology, techniques of blindness, reasonable accommodation, training opportunities, and recommendations for educating employers about the capabilities of blind workers. As a unique service, JOB offers introduction to blind peers throughout the United States who are engaged in the same profession or a similar profession as the blind JOB applicant. Seminars for applicants and employers occur periodically on both the State and national levels. Employers interested in locating qualified blind applicants are invited to send job openings to JOB. Employers with questions about blind job applicants or newly blind employees are invited to call JOB for information. A free packet of information is available upon request. John Tracy Clinic 806 West Adams Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 748-5481 Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, and deaf-blindness. Users Served: Preschool deaf and deaf-blind children, parents, teachers, audiologists, physicians. The Organization: The John Tracy Clinic is an educational center for hearing-impaired preschool children and their parents. The clinic's prime concerns are the support and training of parents of young hearing-impaired children in helping their children build listening and language skills. Parents may visit or write the clinic for information, encouragement, and training in raising a hearing-impaired child and in helping the child acquire language, speechreading, and speech skills. Clinic services are available to hearing-impaired children and their parents and include consultation services for the audiological and developmental evaluation of deaf children; parent classes in child development, parent feelings, and communication skills; parent support groups for parents; a demonstration nursery school where children and parents are enrolled; summer sessions for parents, hearing-impaired children, and siblings; graduate teacher education program; and referrals for appropriate educational needs of preschool hearing-impaired children and their parents. Information Services: Correspondence courses for parents of preschool deaf and deaf-blind children are offered by the clinic. They emphasize parents' feelings, communication, child development, and family relationships. They are available in English and Spanish. The clinic makes available the following educational materials: Bound copies of the correspondence courses Vocabulary List; My Child helps to explain your child's deafness to others; Getting Your Baby Ready To Talk, a home study plan for infant language development, designed for use with high risk" infants whose language development may be inhibited; and Play It By Ear, a compilation of auditory training games for parents and teachers of young deaf children. In addition, the clinic publishes a bulletin two times a year. All services of the John Tracy Clinic are given free of charge to hearing-impaired children and their parents. Educational materials are available for a charge as a convenience to professionals. Joseph Bulova School 40-24 62nd Street Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 424-2929 Disabilities Served: All physical and emotional disabilities. Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: The Joseph Bulova School was founded in 1945 to serve returning disabled veterans. Since 1950, the school has accepted disabled civilians and, more recently, nondisabled persons, although 80 percent of its graduates are disabled. The school offers watchmaking, watch repair, digital electronics, and jewelry repair on an individualized basis to students. In addition to vocational training and rehabilitation, some job counseling and placement services are offered. Residential students receive health services, counseling, and recreation. Financial aid for tuition and living expenses is available to qualifying students. Information Services: The Bulova School provides free brochures about its services to any interested persons. A film about the school, To Live On, is available on loan. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation 1350 New York Avenue, NW Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 393-1250 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation. Users Served: Organizations for mentally retarded persons, universities, and the general public. The Organization: Established in 1946, the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation's purpose is to improve the quality of life for mentally retarded persons and to raise public awareness of medical ethical problems. To these ends the foundation has funded research and clinical treatment centers at nine universities, instituted two centers for the study of medical ethics at Georgetown University and Harvard, underwritten fellowships in medical and nursing education for postgraduate study of medical ethics, developed programs in values education for teens, and created recreational programs including internships, family play programs, and the international Special Olympics Program for mentally retarded persons. Proposals for innovative demonstration models from agencies or individuals are considered for funding. Extensive public awareness campaigns are carried on through the media to improve understanding and acceptance of this population. Information Services: Brochures describing the Special Olympics Program and the Community of Caring Schools Program for adolescents are available from the foundation office. Films on the Special Olympics are available for TV or group use. A group of films on medical ethics produced for education of health and other professionals includes such titles as Who Should Survive, The Right to Let Die, Bertha, and Becky: The Value of a Life. There is a small rental or purchase fee charged for films; other information is free. "Just Say No" International 1777 North California Boulevard Suite 210 Walnut Creek, CA 94596 (800) 258-2766 (415) 939-6666 "Just Say No" International provides direction to the over 12,000 "Just Say No" registered clubs in the United States and seven foreign countries. "Just Say No" clubs are groups of children 7 to 14 years of age who pledge to lead tobacco-, alcohol-, and drug-free lives. Club members apply what they learn to peers, family, and the community through outreach and service projects. Services of "Just Say No" International include training, technical support, club books and materials, fundsharing, and sponsorship of national events like the "Just Say No" Back-to-School Month (October) and "Just Say No" Week (2nd week in May). All services and materials are free of cost, except club leader training and the Club Book. "Just Say No" International is funded almost entirely through individual and corporate contributions. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time. Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDF International) 432 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 (212) 889-7575 Disabilities Served: Diabetes mellitus. Users Served: Persons with diabetes, their parents and families, researchers, teachers. The Organization: The primary objective of Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International (JDF International) is to support and fund research on the treatment and cure of diabetes. JDF International awards grants for specific research projects in diabetes and related areas. It underwrites international scientific meetings and medical student workshops. It sponsors national media campaigns to inform the public about diabetes and to raise funds for research. Its 138 local chapters provide parent-to-parent counseling and self-help groups for newly diagnosed diabetics and their families. JDF International also has 10 international affiliates. Information Services: Countdown magazine with the latest information on diabetes research and treatment is published quarterly for members. JDF International publishes pamphlets about diabetes, which are available to the public. Titles include: JDF and You: The search for a Cure Helping Research Find a Cure What You Should Know About Diabetes Information About Insulin Your Child Has Diabetes A Child with Diabetes Is In Your Care Monitoring Your Blood Sugar Pregnancy and Diabetes Dental Care and Diabetes Foot Care and Diabetes Low Blood Sugar Emergencies Diet, Exercise and Diabetes Diabetes and Your Heart Diabetes and Your Eyes Diabetes and Kidney Disease Diabetes and Nerve Disease Living with Diabetes Oral Medications and Type II Diabetes Local chapters hold public education meetings, maintain Speakers Bureau, and provide referral to medical specialists and educational programs offered by hospitals and health departments. Some chapters have an information hotline. Klippel-Trenaunay Support Group 4610 Wooddale Avenue Edina, MN 55424 (612) 925-2596 Disabilities Served: Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. Users Served: Parents, adults, and children with Klippel-Trenaunay, and professionals. The Organization: The Klippel-Trenaunay Support Group exists to act as a support group for patients, parents, and families; to act as a clearinghouse for correspondence between members; and to maintain a file of current medical literature, pertaining to Klippel-Trenaunay, available to members and to professionals. Information Services: A newsletter is disseminated quarterly to facilitate correspondence among group members and to update members on new information about Klippel-Trenaunay and various treatment modalities, etc. A roster of member families is maintained. Informational pamphlets and literature are available to professionals and new members. Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) 4156 Library Road Pittsburgh, PA 15234 (412) 341-1515 (412) 341-8077 Disabilities Served: All learning disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers. The Organization: The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) is a membership organization for professionals, adults with learning disabilities, and parents of children with learning disabilities. The national LDA office provides general information about learning disabilities, while the 800 local chapters provide referrals to physicians and treatment centers. One of the prime functions of the national LDA is the advocacy of educational and rehabilitative legislation affecting learning disabled persons. The LDA has conducted its own research into the link between juvenile delinquency and learning disabilities. With its State affiliates, LDA works directly with school systems on early identification and diagnosis, as well as remediation in resource and special classroom situations. Direct services, such as parent counseling, nursery school, and day camps are provided by many of the local chapters; no direct services are available at the national level. Information Services: Through State and national conferences, the LDA distributes information on new technology for teaching learning disabled persons. For these meetings, LDA gathers outstanding professionals to speak and answer questions concerning the nature of learning disabilities and the education available to learning disabled persons. Pamphlets and scientific reprints are available at no cost. National lists of colleges, private schools, and summer camps with facilities for learning disabled persons are compiled and updated by the national organization. The LDA newsletter covers clinical advancements and legislative developments affecting learning disabled persons. A bibliography of more than 400 professional and lay publications on learning disabilities is available from the national office. Learning How, Inc./OpportunityPlus P.O. Box 35481 Charlotte, NC 28235 (704) 376-4735 Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons 18 years and older. The Organization: Learning How, Inc., serves all people by sharing educational programs and services. The national headquarters serves as an informational clearinghouse for people who are physically disabled in their communities to join the work force and to educate local employers on how to utilize disabled people. OpportunityPlus, a newly established employment placement agency for people who are disabled, is a pilot program of the national headquarters of Learning How. With its successful operation in Charlotte, North Carolina, this program will be shared with any community in the United States that may be interested in establishing a prototype agency for disabled people. Information Services: OpportunityPlus, a brochure describing the organization, is available upon request. In addition a newsletter, The Mentor, is in the process of being developed by this newly formed organization. Leukemia Society of America 733 Third Avenue New York, NY 10017 (212) 573-8484 Disabilities Served: Leukemia, the lymphomas, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, physicians, nurses, social workers. The Organization: The objectives of the Leukemia Society of America are to find cures for leukemia, the lymphomas, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease, and to provide supplementary financial assistance to persons afflicted with those diseases. Research funds are provided to individuals investigating aspects of leukemia and related diseases. The society's 57 chapters administer patient aid programs, whereby outpatients can receive up to $750 per year for drugs, radiation treatments, transfusions of blood and certain blood components with related services, and transportation. A family support group program for patients, their families, and friends is available free of charge in many chapter areas. Information Services: The society publishes pamphlets about leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, myelomas, and the lymphomas. Some information is available in Spanish. Audiovisual materials on what leukemia is and how persons may be affected by it are available to schools and community groups. Videotapes and audiotapes from symposia are available to the professional. They deal with therapy and treatment of leukemia and virology, immunology, and differentiation. For the professional, chapters also offer symposia in conjunction with the local medical facilities which emphasize new developments in treatment and maintenance. LINC Resources, Inc. Information Center for Special Education Media and Materials 4820 Indianola Avenue Columbus, OH 43214 (800) 772-7372 (614) 885-5599 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Teachers, administrators, librarians, publishers, researchers, developers, parents, interested citizens. The Organization: LINC Resources, Inc., is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve the resource information needs of the education community. To accomplish this broad mandate, LINC (1) develops data bases on educational media, materials, technologies, and related resource information; (2) disseminates resource information through print media, computer diskettes, and electronic networks; (3) provides publication and marketing assistance to educational researchers, product developers, and authors; and (4) conducts conferences and workshops on the design, development, publication, and use of educational resources. LINC's information, research, consulting, and technical assistance services are sponsored by a variety of education agencies, organizations, and private corporations. Information Services: LINC's professional staff responds to information requests through the use of mail, telephone, and computer-based information networks. Staff are in touch with thousands of educators nationwide through computer networks such as SpecialNet, CompuServe, Bitnet, and LINC's own bulletin board, which provides direct access to LINC's data bases. Since 1977, LINC has operated a national information clearinghouse on special education media and materials with funding provided by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The current contract provides free data base search services to help requestors locate special education materials and professional training media; in addition, free marketing and legal information is provided to researchers, developers, and publishers of new special education products. Meetings are conducted that bring together the major audiences served by LINC, and staff prepare and disseminate reports summarizing research-based instructional methods that are incorporated into educational media and materials. LINC Notes, a monthly newsletter covering new products and trends in the education and special education marketplace, is disseminated to publishers and educators on a subscription basis. Little People of America (LPA) P.O. Box 9897 Washington, DC 20016 (301) 589-0730 Disabilities Served: Dwarfism. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, professionals. The Organization: Little People of America (LPA) was established in 1957. It is a nationwide organization for dwarfs and their families that provides fellowship, the exchange of ideas, solutions to the problems unique to the little person, and moral support. A special membership division provides opportunities for information exchange and group support to parents of dwarfed children. Twelve district directors coordinate local activities, regional and local meetings, and informal gatherings sponsored by over 40 local chapters throughout the country. LPA conducts national meetings annually. LPA works closely with adoption agencies throughout the United States, to place dwarfed children in the homes of dwarfed parents. In 1968, LPA established a foundation to raise funds for vocational training of little people. Medical and scientific research on the causes and possible treatment of dwarfism is also provided by the organization. Information Services: LPA publishes a bimonthly organizational newsletter, LP Today. Also, LPA distributes printed material on equipment and aids, clothing, and social and vocational adjustments. Some brochures are available in Spanish. My Child Is a Dwarf is a pamphlet of special interest to parents. Materials are free to members; there is a mailing charge for nonmembers. LPA's medical board is used as a referral network to respond to medically-related inquiries; general inquiries are sent to district directors for responses. Lowe's Syndrome Association (LSA) 222 Lincoln Street West Lafayette, IN 47906 (317) 743-3634 Disabilities Served: Lowe's syndrome. Users Served: Parents and family members, friends, physicians, physical, occupational and vision therapists, genetic counselors, social service professionals, educators. The Organization: Established in 1983, the Lowe's Syndrome Association (LSA) is an international, voluntary, nonprofit organization composed of parents, medical and educational professionals, friends, relatives, and others interested in Lowe's syndrome. This rare genetic condition affects males and results in multiple handicaps, including congenital cataracts, glaucoma, intellectual impairment, poor muscle tone, kidney problems, and others. The goals of the LSA are to foster communication among affected families, provide medical and educational information, promote a better understanding of this condition and the potential of individuals affected by it, and encourage and support research. The LSA sponsors international conferences every 2 to 3 years. Information Services: The LSA provides pamphlets about Lowe's syndrome and the association and a publications list to anyone who inquires. The organization also publishes a newsletter, On the Beam, which is sent to all members three times per year. The newsletter contains letters from parents and pictures of their children, medical and educational articles, recommended resources, news of the association, and other items of interest. A membership fee is charged, which includes a subscription to the newsletter. Membership is free for parents who cannot afford the fee. The LSA will refer parents and medical professionals to doctors who are experienced with Lowe's syndrome. Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. 4 Research Place Suite 180 Rockville, MD 20850 (301) 670-9292 (800) 558-0121 Disabilities Served: Systemic lupus erythematosus. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals. The Organization: Incorporated in 1977, the Lupus Foundation of America is a federation of 100 local chapters and 65 foreign associates. Chapters vary in size and scope of activities; some offer educational programs to nursing schools, hospital staffs, and other organizations, while others fund fellowships and research grants to physicians who specialize in treatment of lupus. Many chapters conduct monthly open meetings with physicians, and publish newsletters and articles to alert physicians as well as the public to the symptoms of this often misdiagnosed disease. Information Services: Bibliographies for professionals and patients, article reprints, and pamphlets explaining the disease are available. Some information is free; a nominal charge is made for selected pamphlets and books. Information is available in Spanish and the book The Sun is My Enemy is translated into Chinese. LUPUS News, a national paper, is published quarterly and includes information about the disease, research developments, and more. All of the large and most small chapters also publish papers six to ten times per year, focusing on information of local concern in addition to the broader topics of medical and research news. Many local chapters maintain a list of physicians who treat lupus in their area. Information and lists of local chapters may be requested from the foundation. Mainstream, Inc. 1030 15th Street, NW Suite 1010 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 898-1400 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Employers, disability service providers, Federal agencies, persons with disabilities. The Organization: Mainstream, Inc., is a private, nonprofit organization with a national focus on moving greater numbers of persons with disabilities into the workplace. Founded in 1975, Mainstream provides information services, training and technical assistance--through newsletters and publications, seminars and an annual conference, and onsite consultations--to employers and Federal agencies as well as other organizations providing employment services to individuals with disabilities. Mainstream also operates Project LINK, a placement program for job-ready applicants with disabilities in Washington, DC, and in Dallas, Texas. Information Services: Mainstream produces numerous publications, reference guides, and manuals on all aspects of employing persons with disabilities. A bimonthly newsletter, In The Mainstream, reports on programs, methods, organizations, and resources effective in moving people with disabilities into the workplace; it also reports on and analyzes important legal issues, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Contact Mainstream for its publications list. The Mainstream Information Network also answers individual questions--in writing or over the telephone--on the spectrum of employment issues affecting persons with disabilities. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (MOD) 1275 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10605 (914) 428-7100 Disabilities Served: Congenital defects and genetic disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, and physicians. The Organization: The mission of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation (MOD) is to prevent birth defects and infant mortality through programs of community services, advocacy, research, and education. The Campaign for Healthier Babies, announced in late 1989, represents the continuing evolution of the foundation's efforts to care for mothers and babies. The campaign is rooted in the belief that the best way to prevent birth defects now is to use the knowledge gained from research to promote healthy pregnancies and healthy births. March of Dimes Public Health Education materials are targeted to students, school personnel, parents, health professionals, adults of childbearing age, pregnant women, and people in the workplace, to give them information about and help them understand birth defects and related newborn health problems. Topics include pre-pregnancy, prenatal care, teenage pregnancy, lifestyle behaviors/risk factors, genetic and other birth defects. Spanish-language materials are also available. Information Services: The March of Dimes funds programs through schools, churches, hospitals, and other institutions to inform and motivate prospective parents and the general public to do all they can to protect maternal and newborn health. Materials include educational series, curricula, filmstrips, printed materials, films, documentaries for television, and public service announcements. Through its Professional Education Publication Program, the March of Dimes transmits the latest scientific findings--in original articles and journal reprints--on birth defects to schools of medicine and nursing, university hospitals, medical centers, physicians, nurses and other health professionals. Also included in the publications program are (1) the International Directory of Genetic Services, a listing of medical centers that provide genetic counseling; (2) the Birth Defects Atlas and Compendium, which standardizes names and descriptions of 1,005 congenital anomalies, in four languages; and (3) Genetics in Practice, a quarterly newsletter for health professionals. The March of Dimes operates the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, which gathers data on the incidence of birth defects in the State, through a grant from the California Department of Health. The March of Dimes has 134 chapters geographically placed throughout the United States. Requests for information can be directed to your local chapter (consult your local telephone directory) or to the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation at the above address. Materials Development Center (MDC) Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute School of Education and Human Services University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI 54751 (715) 232-1342 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Vocational evaluators, adjustment specialists, rehabilitation facility managers, administrators, state VR agency personnel, private industry rehabilitation personnel, and independent living personnel. The Organization: The Materials Development Center (MDC) is a national central source for the collection, development, publication, and dissemination of information and materials in the area of vocational evaluation, work adjustment, facility management, independent living, and job placement. The Center monitors needs of professionals in these areas and publishes materials that meet those needs. MDC publications are listed in the free MDC catalog. Information Services: The Work Sample Manual Clearinghouse Catalog, available upon request, describes MDC's work sample manuals, designed to assess the ability to perform various types of mechanical and clerical tasks. The approximate cost of assessment tools is given. Maternal and Child Health Bureau Division of Services for Children With Special Health Needs Health Resources and Services Administration U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 5600 Fishers Lane Room 9-48 Rockville, MD 20857 (301) 443-2350 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Children with special health needs and their families. The Organization: The Maternal and Child Health Bureau provides block grants to the States to provide and to promote family-centered, community-based, coordinated care for children with special health needs, and to facilitate the development of community-based systems of services for these children and their families. Other funding activities include project grants for training; research grants for applied research programs; special project grants for projects of regional and national significance; hemophilia diagnostic and treatment centers; genetic diseases testing and counseling services; and funding for Pediatric AIDS Health Care Demonstration Projects, grants dealing with national issues affecting women, children, and youth and their families who are at risk of HIV infection; and funding for one National Pediatric HIV Resource Center. Information Services: Information concerning one of the State block programs may be obtained from the individual State health agency. Information concerning any of the project grant programs may be obtained by calling or writing the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Mental Health Law Project (MHLP) 1101 15th Street, NW Suite 1212 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5730 Disabilities Served: Mental and emotional disorders and developmental disabilities. Users Served: Attorneys, disability organizations (parent/professional/ client groups). The Organization: Formed in 1972 as a nonprofit public organization, the Mental Health Law Project (MHLP) is dedicated to laws reform advocacy on behalf of people labeled mentally or developmentally disabled. Test case litigation is used to define, establish, and implement the rights of such persons. Landmark judicial decisions are followed with policy advocacy at the Federal level. Priority issues are preventing neglect and abuse of institutionalized mentally disabled people and generating adequate health and mental health care, education, housing, vocational and supportive services for mentally disabled people living in the community. Mental Health Law Project (MHLP) also devotes some resources to protecting the civil rights of persons subject to civil commitment or procedures (e.g., ECT, psychotropic drugs). Regional training conferences on mental disability law have been cosponsored with the Practicing Law Institute. Advice on legal strategies for clients appearing before administrative agencies and legislative bodies is available; when appropriate, MHLP will represent protection and advocacy organizations before Federal agencies. Information Services: MHLP offers backup assistance to attorneys and other advocates representing mentally handicapped clients. These services include model pleadings, legal citations and technical references, discussion of strategies, and comments on pleadings, draft legislation/regulations, assistance in using experts, provision of articles, memoranda, bibliographies, etc. In answer to inquiries from professionals and other interested persons, MHLP supplies general information about legal rights and makes referrals to attorneys. Publications include Legal Rights of Mentally Disabled Persons, a three-volume course book which includes technical information about mental health and retardation issues, case law, and legal analysis; and other books and reprints of articles by staff attorneys. MHLP's Action Line is a bimonthly newsletter, which offers a succinct overview of Federal legislative, administrative and judicial developments affecting mentally disabled people. Action Line is available with a contribution of $25 or more per year to MHLP. MHLP's ALERT is a newsletter published occasionally to cover emerging issues that affect mentally disabled people, sent to all who request inclusion on the mailing list. Also published biennially is the MHLP Summary of Activities, which reports on current litigation and issues of concern. A nominal fee for duplication and mailing costs is charged for legal papers, bibliographies, and other information. Mental Health Materials Center P.O. Box 304 Bronxville, NY 10708 (914) 337-6596 Users Served: National professional associations, State agencies at the governmental and nonprofit levels as well as the National Institutes of Mental Health, Drug Abuse and Alcohol and Alcoholism and the U.S. Department of Education, University Presses, etc. The Organization: Since its founding in 1953, one of the primary purposes of the Mental Health Materials Center has been to provide services to agencies in the fields of health and mental health that will facilitate the maximum outreach of their publishing activities. In carrying out these responsibilities, it offers expertise in developing and marketing such publications. Information Services: Further information on the Mental Health Materials Center is available upon request. Mobility International USA (MIUSA) P.O. Box 3551 Eugene, OR 97403 (503) 343-1284 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, recreation therapists, travel agents. The Organization: Mobility International USA (MIUSA), a nonprofit membership organization for disabled people and other interested persons, is affiliated with Mobility International, an organization founded in London to help integrate disabled persons into international educational exchange programs and travel. MIUSA works to expand opportunities for disabled people in these areas through advocacy, international conferences, international work camps, workshops, and development and distribution of new publications, in addition to conducting international educational exchange programs. Information Services: MIUSA members receive information and referral services in the areas of travel and placement in international work camps and educational exchange programs. A quarterly newsletter, Over the Rainbow, is available to members. MIUSA also publishes A World of Options for the 1990's: A Guide to International Educational Exchange, Community Service and Travel for Persons with Disabilities, A New Manual for Integrating Persons With Disabilities into International Educational Exchange Programs, and You Want to Go Where? A Guide to China, For Travelers with Disabilities and Anyone Interested in Disability Issues. Videotapes available are Looking Back, Looking Forward, interviews with exchange participants, and Mi Case es Su Casa, videotape of the Costa Rican exchange. The newsletter and books can be obtained on cassette; there is limited information available in Spanish. Specific information on program opportunities is limited to members only, but publications, the audiovisuals, and workshops are available to the public. MIUSA offers a variety of international exchange experiences each year. Contact MIUSA for more information. Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) 3561 East Sunrise Drive Tucson, AZ 85718 (602) 529-2000 Disabilities Served: Muscular dystrophy and related neuromuscular disorders. Users Served: Individuals with neuromuscular diseases and their families. The Organization: The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) supports research into 40 neuromuscular disorders. It also provides medical care and other direct services to people with neuromuscular disorders through 230 clinics and some 160 local chapters. MDA clinics provide diagnosis, physical therapy, medical care, and counseling. Upon prescription, MDA chapters provide payment for services including physical, occupational, and respiratory therapies selected; durable medical equipment; transportation; and flu shots. The chapters also sponsor recreational activities, such as summer camps, picnics, and outings. Some chapters organize self-help groups for people with neuromuscular diseases. Information Services: MDA publishes brochures and audiovisual materials about neuromuscular diseases. Its quarterly magazine covers progress in research, legislation, and various MDA-supported programs. Publications are free and available from MDA's national office or its chapters, many of which publish additional informative materials. Local chapters hold patient seminars, which focus on available community, financial, educational, and psychological programs. They also hold professional seminars on diagnosis, clinical management, and research. Myasthenia Gravis Foundation (MGF) 53 West Jackson Suite 1352 Chicago, IL 60604 (312)427-6252 (800) 541-5454 Disabilities Served: Myasthenia gravis. Users Served: Myasthenia gravis patients, their families and friends, medical professionals, and the public. The Organization: The Myasthenia Gravis Foundation (MGF) is a nonprofit organization concerned with improving the lives of all people affected by myasthenia gravis. The foundation achieves its mission through programs of research, education, information, patient services, and fundraising. Information Services: The foundation issues publications for patients and medical professionals treating patients (Physician's Manual, A Manual for the Nurse). Literature is sent to patients. Over 50 chapters and branches provide support group meetings and counseling, seminars, patient literature, and assistance. Annual scientific sessions presenting current research and an international symposium are sponsored every 5 years. Public service television and radio spots are also produced and distributed. Most chapters publish newsletters for patients and families. The Foundation has a Medical Advisory Board and a Nurses Advisory Board. Publications include Physician's Manual, Practical Guide to Myasthenia Gravis, A Manual for the Nurse, Myasthenia Gravis Foundation. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) P.O. Box 9999 Van Nuys, CA 91409 (818) 780-3951 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Anyone with the desire to stop using drugs. The Organization: Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is an international organization of recovering drug addicts who meet with one another regularly to help each other recover from the effects of addiction on their lives. By providing mutual support and practicing the principles of Narcotics Anonymous' program of recovery, NA members learn to live drug-free. Currently there are in excess of 20,000 weekly meetings internationally. There are no dues or fees required for services and NA declines all outside contributions. Information Services: Narcotics Anonymous World Service Office publishes a catalog that includes a variety of NA copyrighted recovery literature written in several languages, in braille, and on audio tape. Other publications include a fellowship periodical called The NA Way, an international meeting in print; a Narcotics Anonymous Directory, which provides contact information for local NA communities; the Meeting by Mail, a newsletter for addicts seeking recovery who are isolated from NA; and Reaching Out, a newsletter for addicts seeking recovery while in hospitals or other institutions. National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) 232 Madison Avenue Suite 907 New York, NY 10016 (212) 779-8080 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Facilities and agencies that serve blind individuals. The Organization: The National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Blind and Visually Handicapped (NAC) establishes and maintains accreditation standards for agencies and schools that specialize in serving blind children and adults. The council accredits organizations that meet its standards and reviews services and management periodically to assure continued worthiness for accredited status. Information Services: NAC provides information about its standards, which is published in the form of self-study and evaluation guides. They encompass the following subjects: governing structure and function, personnel administration and volunteer service, accounting, physical facilities, public relations and fund raising, orientation and mobility, social work and recreation, rehabilitation centers, vocational services, workshops, production of reading materials, low vision services and education services of schools for the blind. Print copies may be purchased from NAC; braille and recorded copies are available from the Library of Congress. Free periodicals are The Standard-Bearer (includes a semiannual list of accredited members and an annual list of sponsors and supporters) and the Annual Report. Periodicals are available in print and on cassette. National Addison's Disease Foundation (NADF) 505 Northern Boulevard Suite 200 Great Neck, NY 11021 (516) 487- 4992 Disabilities Served: Addison's disease. Users Served: Individuals with Addison's disease (primary adrenal insufficiency) and their families. The Organization: The National Addison's Disease Foundation (NADF) was founded in 1985. The NADF is dedicated to serving the needs of Addisonians, and their families, especially through education, support groups, and ultimately research. Information Services: The NADF newsletter is published semiannually. Information is also available upon request on the subject of Addison's disease. The organization also coordinates regional meetings on a wide range of issues relating to Addison's disease. National Adoption Center 1218 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 925-0200 Disabilities Served: Developmental disabilities and social and environmental deprivation. Users Served: Disabled children with special needs. The Organization: The mission of the National Adoption Center is to promote adoption opportunities for children with special needs. These include children with emotional, physical, or developmental disabilities or groups of siblings who need homes together. Many of the children are older and come from minority cultures. The center does not determine where children will be placed but works cooperatively with adoption agencies around the country on the children's behalf. The center operates a computer-based exchange that allows it to "match" a child from one part of the country with a family from another. The center maintains an information and referral service on adoption and related issues, conducts professional training, and does extensive recruitment for adoptive families. The Federal Government estimates that there are approximately 35,000 "legally free" children in the country who wait for permanent families. Information Services: The center, partially federally funded, welcomes inquiries from people who want to know more about adoption, in particular, from families who want to explore the possibilities of adopting a special needs child. National AIDS Hotline American Society Health Association P.O. Box 13827 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709 (800) 342-2437 Disabilities Served: HIV Infection/AIDS. Users Served: People who need information about HIV infection or AIDS. The Organization: The National AIDS Hotline is a toll-free service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The Hotline provides callers with confidential information and referrals and can arrange for the mailing of free written materials. Callers to the National AIDS Hotline number, 1-800-342-AIDS (342-2437), are able to speak with information specialists who can answer their questions about HIV infection and AIDS and provide appropriate referrals to meet their individual needs. Information specialists use a computerized system to access the referral data base of approximately 10,000 local and national organizations. All services of the National AIDS Hotline are free and confidential. Callers who want general information about HIV infection or AIDS, or who may have very sensitive or personal questions, are able to speak with specially trained staff who will listen to their concerns and provide information and referral services that meet their individual needs. Spanish speaking callers may call 1-800-344-SIDA (344-7432) between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. Eastern Time to speak with native Spanish-speaking information specialists. This service is available 7 days a week. A recorded message, in Spanish, with basic information about HIV infection and prevention is available between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Eastern Time. Deaf callers who have access to a TTY (teletypewriter) machine may dial 1-800-AIDS-TTY (243-7889) to reach information specialists who are skilled in English and American Sign Language (ASL). The TTY/TDD lines are staffed between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. During the weekend, and between the hours of 10 p.m. and 10 a.m. weekdays, callers receive a prerecorded message informing them about HIV infection, AIDS, and methods to reduce the risk of transmission. Information Services: Free publications, brochures, and posters are available. National AIDS Information Clearinghouse P.O. Box 6003 Rockville, MD 20850 (800) 458-5231 (800) 243-7012 (TTY/TDD) Disabilities Served: Persons with HIV or AIDS, special health needs, visual impairments, and hearing impairments. Users Served: The National AIDS Information Clearinghouse's services are aimed primarily at professionals, including public health professionals, educators, social service workers, attorneys, employers, and human resource managers. These professionals work in a variety of settings, including State AIDS programs, community-based organizations, AIDS service organizations, businesses, and associations. The Organization: The National AIDS Information Clearinghouse is the Centers for Disease Control's primary reference, referral, and publications distribution service for HIV and AIDS information. The Clearinghouse acquires, organizes, reviews, updates, and distributes this information. Information Services: Through the Clearinghouse you can identify organizations, clinics, hospitals, extended-care facilities, public health departments, commercial enterprises, and religious groups that offer HIV- and AIDS-related services; locate hard-to-find educational materials, brochures, pamphlets, State reports, posters, and audiovisuals and learn how to obtain copies; order multiple or single copies of key publications on HIV infection and AIDS; locate sources of funding for both community-based and HIV and other AIDS service organizations; and receive personalized assistance from bilingual health specialists who speak English, Spanish, French, and Korean. National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) 2101 Wilson Boulevard Suite 302 Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 524-7600 (800) 950-NAMI Disabilities Served: Mental illness. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families. The Organization: The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) was founded in 1979 by independent self-help organizations concerned with seriously mentally ill individuals in institutions and in the community. The organization promotes public education on mental illness; consumer advocacy at the local, State, and national levels; legislation and funding to improve services for chronically ill people; and research into causes, better treatments, and possible cures of serious mental illness. NAMI promotes quality treatment, rehabilitation, and support services, and encourages mental health professionals to be more responsive to seriously mentally ill persons and their families. Its affiliates offer emotional support, practical guidance, and information on mental illness and local services. Some affiliates maintain libraries. Information Services: The national office coordinates and disseminates information and materials to affiliates. Membership applications are available from NAMI or local affiliates. A bimonthly newsletter is published. A toll-free number for nonmembers seeking information on mental illness and local support groups is available: 1-800-950-NAMI. National Alliance of Blind Students 1155 15th Street NW Suite 720 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 467-5081 (800) 424-8666 Disabilities Served: Visual impairment. Users Served: Primarily college students in any field of study; also includes recent college graduates, high school students, parents, teachers, and rehabilitation professionals. The Organization: The National Alliance of Blind Student (NABS) is a national organization of blind students who have a vested interest in education and integration of blind and visually impaired students on college campuses. NABS is involved in legislation and policymaking related to rehabilitation programs, financial aid, equal access to classes, provision of alternative textbooks and new technologies. NABS has a scholarship fund which was set aside in 1990. As an affiliate member of the American Council of the Blind, NABS members are entitled to services at the national level including national legislative lobbyist, free legal advise in issues related to blindness, and information about the civil rights of blind students. Information Services: The Student Advocate is the newsletter produced quarterly by the National Alliance of Blind Students. The Student Advocate serves as a link for college students across the United States. Brochures are available by writing the above address. NABS members meet on an annual basis to exchange information at their national meeting in conjunction with the national meeting of the American Council of the Blind. As an affiliate member of the American Council of the Blind, members receive the bimonthly newsletter, The Braille Forum and access to the toll-free telephone service. National Amputation Foundation (NAF) 12-45 150th Street Whitestone, NY 11357 (718) 767-0596 Disabilities Served: Amputation. Users Served: Amputees. The Organization: The National Amputation Foundation (NAF) was established to help the amputee adjust to his or her handicap by encouraging integration into the general community. To this end, NAF offers volunteer assistance to new amputees in hospitals; monthly social meetings focusing on topics of concern to the amputee, such as legal rights, benefits, and employment; and training in the use of prosthetics. Information Services: NAF provides information on veterans' benefits and refers the amputee to possible sources of financial aid, legal assistance, and employment services. The foundation has a reference library on amputation and materials are available for loan to any interested person. A monthly newsletter, The AMP, covers the highlights of NAF meetings. National Anorexic Aid Society (NAAS) 1925 East Dublin Granville Road Columbus, OH 43229 (614) 431-1112 Disabilities Served: Psychological dysfunctions focusing on eating disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Anorexic Aid Society (NAAS) provides information, education, and referral services to professional treatment providers, individuals with eating disorders as well as their families, and friends. NAAS is a nonprofit organization established in 1977 for the purpose of education and prevention of eating disorders. It is affiliated with the Center for the Treatment of Eating Disorders, a Harding outpatient service that offers specialized treatment for persons with eating disorders. In addition, NAAS conducts and promotes applied research in the area of eating disorders. NAAS sponsors four support groups in the Columbus, Ohio, area for individuals with eating disorders and for family members and friends. Information Services: NAAS sponsors an annual National Conference on Eating Disorders in the Columbus, Ohio, area. It offers an international treatment referral directory and support group registry. In addition, NAAS has a Speakers Bureau that provides professional seminars throughout the United States, as well as, presentations to community organizations, schools, and universities. NAAS offers support group information packets and eating disorder information packets to approximately 150 people around the United States each month. It sends a quarterly newsletter for members of NAAS and has published a curriculum plan for teachers and professionals called The Psychology of Eating Disorders: A Lesson Plan for Grade 7 - 12. National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse Box AMS 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 495-4484 Disabilities Served: Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, systemic lupus erythematosus, scoliosis, scleroderma, sports injuries, and approximately 600 other rheumatic, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases. Users Served: Physicians, nurses, occupational and physical therapists, librarians, researchers, educators, members of the media, patients and their families. The Organization: The National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Information Clearinghouse is a service of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Established in 1978, the Clearinghouse is a national resource center for information about professional, patient, and public education materials; community demonstration programs; and Federal programs related to rheumatic, musculoskeletal, and skin diseases. Information Services: The Clearinghouse maintains the Combined Health Information Database (CHID), an online computerized data base available to the public via BRS Information Technologies. Bibliographies, catalogs, directories, and factsheets, as well as a biannual newsletter, are compiled and distributed. The National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations, Inc. 1319 F Street Suite 601 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 347-2080 Disabilities Served: Interested in provision of human services to individuals having all handicaps. Users Served: National voluntary health and human service organizations. The Organization: The National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations, Inc., is an association of national voluntary human service organizations that work together to advance the mission of each agency and the human service sector as a whole. Information Services: The National Assembly has numerous professional development groups serving executives, boards, and staffs of nonprofit health and human service organizations. The Assembly issues numerous publications, including A Study in Excellence: Management in the Nonprofit Human Services and A Community Collaboration Manual. The assembly also puts on a number of conferences, including in April of 1991 on compliance and implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) 31582 Coast Highway Suite B South Laguna, CA 92677 (714) 499-3889 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Educators, public health professionals, therapists, preventionists, addiction specialists, recovering children of alcoholics. The Organization: The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) is a growing nonprofit association concerned with prevention and reduction of the incidence of alcoholism and drug abuse related problems in children of alcoholics and other drug abusers. Information Services: NACoA offers a school package targeting elementary schoolchildren, It's Elementary. Included in this package are a resource folder, a Marvel comic book, six different Marvel character posters, Its Elementary..., and Children of Alcoholics: Meeting the Needs. NACoA also offers two (2) guides, COA's Meeting the Needs of the Young COA in the School Setting by Morehouse/Scola and It's Elementary, Meeting the Needs of High Risk Youth in the School Setting. The association publishes a quarterly newsletter, NACoA Network, and sponsors an annual convention. It also offers training seminars for school systems--professional and nonprofessional. National Association for Hearing and Speech Action (NAHSA) 10801 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 897-8682 (Voice and TDD) (800) 638-8255 (Voice and TDD) Disabilities Served: Speech, language, and hearing impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, physicians. The Organization: The National Association for Hearing and Speech Action (NAHSA) is committed to encouraging quality services for persons with special hearing, speech, and language needs; increasing public understanding of communication problems; and stimulating consumer advocacy. NAHSA is the consumer affiliate of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Information Services: NAHSA contributes financially to the programs of ASHA's Consumer Affairs Division. These programs include informational brochures and packets on a broad range of speech, language and hearing disorders; a toll-free telephone number (800-638-8255) for consumer assistance and referral; and, a consumer newsletter, Let's Talk, published eight times a year. National Association for Home Care (NAHC) 519 C Street, NE Stanton Park Washington, DC 20002 (202) 547-7424 Disabilities Served: Anyone in need of home care and hospice services. Users Served: Home care and hospice providers, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Association for Home Care (NAHC) is the trade association that represents the Nation's home health agencies, hospices, and homemaker home health aide organizations. Its members are primarily corporations or other organizational entities. These organizations provide health care and supportive services to needy and infirm people in their own homes. NAHC also accommodates individual memberships. In addition to serving as the voice of the home care community before Congress, the regulatory agencies, and the media, NAHC provides the following services to its members: educational opportunities; meetings; insurance benefits; information services; and legislative, regulatory, and legal assistance. Information Services: NAHC produces several publications relating to home care and hospice, including a monthly magazine called Caring; a quarterly magazine, Caring People; a monthly newspaper, Homecare News; a weekly "hot sheet" of regulatory and legislative issues, NAHC Report; and a bi-monthly hospice newsletter, Hospice Forum. NAHC also publishes research, regulatory, and legislative papers. National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) 505 Eleventh Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 543-6864 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Music therapists, students, health professionals, personnel at facilities. The Organization: The National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) promotes the development of music as therapy by (1) approving university curricula for music therapy programs, (2) approving clinical facilities for training music therapists, (3) registering professional music therapists, and (4) providing technical assistance in the field of music therapy. The association has eight regional chapters. Information Services: Free publications of NAMT include brochures about music therapy as a career. Other publications of the association, such as Effectiveness of Music Therapy Procedures, Handbook of Music Psychology, Job Listings, Grants Resource Guide, and Music Therapy Perspectives, are sold. A quarterly journal that contains reports of original investigations and theoretical papers pertaining to music therapy is free to members; subscriptions are sold to nonmembers. A bimonthly newsletter contains information on conferences, government relations news, basic music therapy information, and other items of interest. Additional membership materials may also be purchased by nonmembers. Interested consumers are referred to music therapists or to facilities that employ music therapists. Referral services for job placements, internship sites, and colleges and universities are available to members and students. National Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) 2180 Linway Drive Beloit, WI 53511 (800) 562-6265 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairment, blindness or visual impairment with multisensory and/or multihandicapping conditions. Users Served: Parents of blind or visually handicapped children, associates, professionals, groups, and agencies. The Organization: The National Association for Parents of the Visually Impaired (NAPVI) promotes and provides information through workshops and publications that help parents meet the unique needs of their visually impaired child. Other goals include promoting the development of State and local organizations of, by, and for parents of visually impaired children; increase public awareness about visually impaired people so they are accepted by society; and foster communication and coordination of services among Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations involved with visually impaired people. Information Services: NAPVI offers a quarterly newsletter, printed materials, books, audiotapes, video tapes, parent networking, eye conditions information, information about groups and agencies. National Association for Sickle Cell Disease, Inc. (NASCD) 3345 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1106 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 736-5455 (800) 421-8453 Disabilities Served: Sickle cell disease (including sickle cell anemia, hemoglobin C, and thalassemia). Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, physicians, nurses, social workers, students, general public. The Organization: The National Association for Sickle Cell Disease (NASCD) is an organization of 80 community sickle cell programs located throughout the United States. The national office has an extensive public and professional education program about sickle cell disease, its variants, and sickle cell trait. The organization provides leadership on a national level to create awareness in all circles of the negative impact of sickle cell anemia on the health, economic, social, and educational well-being of the individual and his/her family and to create awareness of the requirements for resolution of the problem. The national office provides support for research, conducts an apprenticeship program, and provides scholarships for high school seniors. NASCD provides technical assistance to its affiliates and to groups interested in setting up community sickle cell programs. Affiliates conduct a variety of services, depending on the particular needs of the communities they serve. Services may include sickle cell screening, counseling to parents who possess the sickle cell trait and to patients with sickle cell disease, blood banks, tutoring, vocational rehabilitation, transportation services, babysitting, etc. The national office and its affiliates provide training to genetic counselors in how to counsel persons with sickle cell trait. Information Services: NASCD's information is directed to lay persons, physicians and other professionals, and sickle cell program administrators and volunteers. Lay materials include factsheets, audiovisuals, color prints, and brochures about sickle cell trait and anemia, thalassemia, and hemoglobin C. A Home Study Kit for Families includes printed materials, cassettes, games, and other learning devices to help parents and other family members cope with the problems of the child or the family members. Professional materials include reprints of articles for pediatricians and genetic counselors and a variety of manuals on the establishment of sickle cell programs, laboratory procedures for detection of the disease, and guidelines for legislation. NASCD's scientific advisory board contributes news on the latest research developments in sickle cell disease to the organization's newsletter, Sickle Cell News, published quarterly. Materials are available to all persons for a nominal fee and/or free of charge. The National Association for the Craniofacially Handicapped P.O. Box 11082 Chattanooga, TN 37401 (615) 266-1632 Disabilities Served: Craniofacial handicaps. Users Served: Children and adults throughout the United States who have severe craniofacial disfigurement as a result of birth, accident, or disease. The Organization: FACES is a voluntary, nonprofit organization that furnishes travel expenses for a client and one family member, as they travel from their home to a comprehensive medical center for reconstructive facial surgery. Travel expenses include food, travel, lodging, parking, and tolls. Clients are accepted on the basis of medical and financial need. Surgical reconstructive procedures often span a number of years, and FACES attempts to continue assistance for as long as is necessary to rebuild the face. FACES acts as advocate for people who are craniofacially disfigured in the social, medical, and political communities. The association provides networking and support systems among families who share craniofacial problems. Information Services: FACES publishes a newsletter several times a year that describes craniofacial syndromes and problems, medical treatments for them, and the many activities of the association. FACES furnishes information about craniofacial centers and other resources and publishes a brochure that further details the scope of the organization. All materials are furnished free of charge. National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) 110 Prince Street Kingston, NY 12401 (914) 331-4336 (800) 331-5362 Disabilities Served: Mental illness and mental retardation. Users Served: Professionals and parents. The Organization: The National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD) is a national organization designed to educate the professional community, support parents, and advocate for resources for persons who have psychiatric disorders and mental retardation. Information Services: NADD publishes a newsletter, has available audio cassettes and bibliographies, distributes brochures, sponsors regional and national conferences, and offers referral services. National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH) 22 West 21st Street New York, NY 10010 (212) 889-3141 Disabilities Served: Partial visioned. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals, and businesses. The Organization: The National Association for Visually Handicapped (NAVH) provides information, referral, and direct services. Direct services include (1) offering a free loan library of large print books by mail; (2) offering a wide variety of visual aids in visual aids rooms in New York and San Francisco; (3) serving as advocate for the partially seeing population to Federal, State, and local government agencies; (4) offering adult and senior self-help groups in New York and San Francisco; (5) offering counsel and guidance to adults with partial vision and their families, to families and children with partial vision, and to all professionals and paraprofessionals who work with people with partial vision. Information Services: NAVH acts as a clearinghouse of information for all services available to partially seeing persons from Federal, State, and local government agencies and from private sources. NAVH publishes materials not available elsewhere, concerning the problems encountered by people with partial vision. The organization publishes two newsletters in large print, one for children and one for adults. The national office provides information and referral services worldwide to any inquirer outside of the 13 Western States (includes Alaska and Hawaii). Those 13 States are served by NAVH, 3201 Balboa Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, (415) 221-3201. Information on commercially available large print reading material and various visual aids is also disseminated. Most information is provided in large print. Most printed material is free of charge, although a nominal contribution is requested for some items. National Association of Activity Therapy and Rehabilitation Programs (NAATRP) Carlyle Center for Mental Health 6902 Chicago Road Warren, MI 48092 (313) 264-8875 Disabilities Served: Primarily mental illness. Users Served: Therapists (occupational, recreational, music, dance, etc.), rehabilitation and education specialists. The Organization: The National Association of Activity Therapy and Rehabilitation Programs (NAATRP) is an organization for professionals involved in occupational, recreational, music, dance, and similar therapies, and rehabilitation, educational and related fields. The association holds an annual meeting. Its regional divisions offer other meetings and activities. Information Services: The association publishes an informal newsletter for members 10 times a year as a forum for the exchange of ideas. National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) P.O. Box 7 Highland Park, IL 60035 (708) 831-3438 Disabilities Served: Eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. Users Served: Anyone suffering or interested in eating disorders, primarily anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, health professionals, and educators. The Organization: The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) is an educational and self-help organization dedicated to alleviating the problems of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. It was started in response to the isolation and desperation of anorexics and their families. The group has reached national/international status through the success of its programs and has provided important aid to tens of thousands of victims and their families. ANAD seeks to serve the entire eating disorders field. Services include a national hotline; help and information for thousands of eating disordered victims, families, schools, and health professionals each year; a referral list to anorexics/bulimics of 2,000 therapists, hospitals, and clinics treating eating disorders; training seminars and conferences for health professionals; early detection, education, and prevention; self-help support groups serving hundreds of communities nationwide and in 10 foreign countries; a national newsletter; research; fighting job and insurance discrimination; a clearinghouse; and consumer advocacy. All ANAD services are free. Information Services: ANAD provides informational packets upon request. A newsletter is also published on a quarterly basis. This newsletter provides encouragement and stories of those in recovery as well as articles from health professionals. National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals (NAPPH) 1319 F Street, NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 393-6700 Disabilities Served: Member hospitals serve all handicaps. Users Served: Providers of hospital and hospital-based services. The Organization: The National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals (NAPPH) was formed in 1933 as a voluntary organization designed to work as an advocate for the advancement of interests of the Nation's non-governmental hospitals and the patients they serve, to promote high quality care and treatment for mentally ill people, and to promote cost-effective and efficient operation of the hospitals that provide those services. NAPPH's member hospitals are located throughout the United States. All populations--child, adolescent, young adult, adult, and geriatric--and all mental illnesses are treated in NAPPH facilities. All members are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), are licensed by their States, have medical direction under a psychiatrist, and are active treatment hospitals. Information Services: NAPPH publishes a quarterly clinical journal, The Psychiatric Hospital, which reports on clinical and administrative issues in hospital care. In addition, the association provides other publications, workshops, and materials designed for clinicians, employers, insurers, and consumers. A free Resource Catalog is available. In addition to hospital memberships, there is a category of individual memberships available to those not affiliated with members or potential members. National Association of Private Residential Resources (NAPRR) 4200 Evergreen Lane Suite 315 Annandale, VA 22003 (703) 642-6614 Disabilities Served: Members of NAPRR provide residential services to people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, and other developmental disabilities. Users Served: Providers of private residential services, parents, professionals, advocates. The Organization: The National Association of Private Residential Resources (NAPRR) was founded in 1970 to improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities and their families by coordinating the efforts of providers of private residential services. Active membership is open to any State or locally approved/licensed agency serving primarily people with developmental disabilities. Associate membership is available to any interested person, organization, or facility not qualifying for full membership. The association offers group directors and officers insurance protection for eligible member agencies. Information Services: NAPRR conducts conferences, workshops, and studies and issues bulletins and a monthly newsletter, LINKS, to keep its members informed of current legislation and regulations, safety and access standards, funding sources, Social Security benefits, the rights of people with disabilities and their parents, staff development techniques, and topics of current interest. The newsletter is free to members; subscriptions are available for a charge to those not eligible for membership. NAPRR News & Notes is a monthly in-house communication, which informs members of resources available to them, changes in applicable rules, and more. The Executives' Notebook provides board members with ongoing information about association activities. National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Children (NAPSEC) 1522 K Street, NW Suite 1032 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 408-3338 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Administrators of private special education schools, parents, professionals. The Organization: The National Association of Private Schools for Exceptional Children (NAPSEC) was founded in 1971 by a group of private special educators. It provides a national voice for private facilities regarding policies and programs affecting exceptional students and is dedicated to encouraging cooperation among educational facilities serving exceptional students. NAPSEC makes known to parents and to public and private referral sources the services of each of its member schools, so that all may work toward the best match of students and programs. Membership in NAPSEC is divided into two categories, regular and affiliate. Regular membership is open to private facilities serving exceptional children in an educational/therapeutic setting; affiliation is open to organizations, agencies, or individuals concerned with private special education but not eligible for regular membership. Information Services: NAPSEC provides a free referral service to member schools serving all categories of exceptionality and located throughout the country. A Directory of Membership includes type of school, services offered, and population served. THE NAPSEC NEWS is a newsletter published four times per year which includes information on national issues and updates on NAPSEC activities. The National Issues Service provides up-to-the minute briefings on major legislative issues affecting the private special education community. National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc. (NAPAS) 900 Second Street, NE Suite 211 Washington, DC 20002 (202) 408-9514 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Developmental disabilities, mental illness, disabilities of clients or applicants of programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act. Users Served: Protection and advocacy programs in every State of the United States and territory; other national disability organizations and associations; and individuals for information and referral. The Organization: The National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems, Inc., (NAPAS) is a nonprofit association of protection and advocacy programs: Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PADD), Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Mental Illness Residing in Institutions (PAMII), and the Client Assistance Program (CAP) which serves clients or nonclients of vocational rehabilitation services. P&A and CAP activities include (1) investigating, negotiating, or mediating solutions to problems expressed by persons with developmental disabilities, persons with mental illness or applicants/clients of programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act, their families or agency representatives; (2) providing technical assistance to attorneys, government agencies, and service providers; (3) providing legal counsel and litigation services to persons in this population and groups who are unable to attain adequate or appropriate legal services in their communities; and (4) training advocates, consumers, volunteers, professionals, and others. NAPAS provides members with support in these and other areas via technical assistance and training activities. Information Services: NAPAS has issued numerous publications on topics such as advocacy, coalition building, fair housing, HIV education, liability, and legal advocacy, developmental disabilities, individual rights, the Client Assistance Program, and vocational rehabilitation. Publication list and order form available. The newsletter, The Update, reports on activities of members, court decisions, and legislation. It is published three times a year and is available to nonmembers who express an interest in receiving it. Nonmembers pay an annual fee. The annual NAPAS conference includes numerous sessions and in-depth workshops on topics dealing with rights, special education, litigation, social security, nursing home reform, community services, access, vocational rehabilitation, minority and cultural issues and new developments from court decisions, technology, recent legislation and subsequent regulations, implementation, and enforcement. National Association of Rehabilitation Agencies (NARA) 1600 Wilson Boulevard Suite 905 Arlington, VA 22209 (703) 525-1191 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language-hearing therapists, rehabilitation professionals. The Organization: The National Association of Rehabilitation Agencies (NARA) was founded in 1978. The purpose of NARA is to foster interest in and provide for the growth of medicare certified rehabilitation agencies and to educate and support those agencies in their efforts to provide the highest possible level of patient care, service, and business success, while meeting the rehabilitation needs of the public. Information Services: NARA News is the association's official publication, and Legislative Alerts are also issued with timely legislative and regulatory information. A spring convention in Washington, DC, focuses on legislative and regulatory issues while a fall convention focuses on management issues and business practices for agency owners and administrators. National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (NARF) P.O. Box 17675 Washington, DC 20041 (703) 648-9300 Disabilities Served: All. Users Served: Rehabilitation facilities, professionals and providers. The Organization: The membership of the National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (NARF) is made up of institutions that offer rehabilitation services. The purpose of the association is to strengthen rehabilitation services to persons who are disabled by representing the interests of these providers' services to the Federal Government and by providing field services and technical assistance to members. State chapters work with NARF to improve facilities at the State and local levels, through various representative committees (e.g., vocational, medical and residential). Information Services: NARF has information about Federal legislation affecting rehabilitation facilities and persons with disabilities. NARF holds meetings and training seminars in various locations throughout the year on subjects related to the management, operation, and issues of rehabilitation facilities. NARF publishes periodicals, bulletins, and newsletters for rehabilitation service administrators, including funding information for rehabilitation programs and the Rehabilitation Review, a weekly analysis of issues for rehabilitation facility professionals. Sample copies are provided free of charge. National Association of Rehabilitation Instructors Department of Rehabilitation Services Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center Fishersville, VA 22939 (703) 332-7700 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Physical therapists, occupational speech and visual therapists, special education instructors, vocational rehabilitation instructors, home health nurses. The Organization: The National Association of Rehabilitation Instructors works to increase the understanding of instructors' roles in the total rehabilitation process. Members not only advocate but they teach their students to advocate for persons with disabilities. Membership services include national representation/advocacy, an annual national convention, State and regional conferences, division seminars, publications, professional divisions, etc. Information Services: The association publishes The Bulletin. National Association of Rehabilitation Secretaries (NARS) 633 South Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22310 (703) 836-0850 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Persons engaged in secretarial, clerical, and support professions related in any way to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. The Organization: The National Association of Rehabilitation Secretaries (NARS) is a division of the National Rehabilitation Association. NARS is an association of secretarial support staff with the majority of the members employed in direct support of vocational rehabilitation supervisors, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and other staff whose main purpose is to promote the awareness of persons with disabilities and the vocational rehabilitation of these persons. NARS Newsletter, published approximately three times a year, includes articles on rehabilitation and information of interest to the secretarial support staff. NARS is a national organization with divisions in almost every State. NARS is willing to assist in developing divisions in the States that do not have one. In order to become a member of NARS, a person must first be a member of the National Rehabilitation Association. Persons outside the field of rehabilitation who wish to promote awareness of persons with disabilities are invited to become members. NARS meets in conjunction with the annual NRA conference, and State divisions meet annually in conjunction with the State meetings. Training programs are included at national and State meetings. NARS promotes other activities of concern to persons with disabilities. National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) 1800 Diagonal Road Suite 320 Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 519-3800 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users served: SEA and LEA personnel and parents. The Organization: The National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) is a nonprofit corporation founded and operating for the purpose of ensuring the effective provision of educational and support services necessary to maximize each exceptional child's educational development as well as economic and social opportunities. Its membership is comprised of State educational agency personnel who have statewide responsibility for the education of exceptional children. NASDSE believes that through the strengthening of SEA special education units, a major contribution can be made to the accomplishment of the association mission. NASDSE is dedicated to ensuring the direct and active participation of its members in the association's operations. Information Services: Information services include: SpecialNet, Counterpoint, and Liaison Bulletin. National Association of State Mental Retardation Program Directors, Inc. (NASMRPD) 113 Oronoco Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 683-4202 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Users Served: Service providers, state mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) directors and staffs, legislators and staffs. The Organization: The membership of the National Association of State Mental Retardation Program Directors, Inc. (NASMRPD) consists of 53 State/territorial mental retardation (MR) program directors. NASMRPD facilitates the exchange of information among members on effective methods of providing care and treatment for people who are mentally retarded, and it represents the views of its members before Congress and Federal agencies. Information Services: NASMRPD collects information about available services and model service programs for mentally retarded and developmentally disabled (DD) persons in each State. Areas of information include but are not limited to education, employment programs, public and private residential and day programs, foster care, early diagnosis and screening programs, recreation, and staff training programs. NASMRPD has Federal and State legislative information in all areas affecting the MR field, including health, education, welfare, Social Security, housing, employment, and transportation issues. Anyone may request information, but because of staff limitations, priority is given to members' requests. The Association publishes two monthly newsletters, one focusing on innovative programs throughout the country, New Directions; the other on Federal legislative and administrative developments affecting the mentally retarded, Capitol Capsule. It also publishes special reports analyzing legislation and other issues related to the MR/DD population. In addition, NASMRPD publishes a periodic series of reports called the Federal Funding Inquiry on Federal legislative, administrative and judicial issues and activities of interest to State MR/DD officials, and service providers. National and regional meetings, featuring seminars on specific service-need categories, are held primarily for directors and staff of State MR programs, but anyone may attend. The association operates an electronic communication network (currently for members only) which carries announcements of interest to MR/DD directors and staffs. National Association of the Deaf (NAD) 814 Thayer Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 587-1788 (Voice) (301) 587-1789 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing loss. Users Served: Disabled persons, teachers, health professionals. The Organization: The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) is a consumer-oriented organization for professionals and lay persons. It recommends and promotes legislation on behalf of deaf people in areas of education, rehabilitation, legal rights for the provision of interpreters, and captioned television. NAD screens and evaluates general entertainment motion pictures, and recommends films to be captioned. Information Services: NAD has information on where to find programs and services for the deaf, including schools, camps, interpreters, homes for the aged deaf, devices to assist deaf persons, hearing-ear dogs, and individual professional providers from medical specialists to speech therapists. Information regarding legislation and legal rights of the deaf is also available. The organization offers a series of workshops (held at its biennial conference), for professionals and lay persons on such topics as legal concerns of the deaf, orientation to deafness, leadership training for deaf persons, and the need for and implementation of mental health services for the deaf. A wide variety of books, audiovisual materials, and merchandise relating to deafness and sign language is available for sale from the NAD Publishing Division. NAD publishes periodicals for general audiences: The Deaf American, a magazine highlighting the achievements of deaf individuals; The Broadcaster, a newspaper covering legislative and legal issues. General information is available free from the organization. National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) 600 Twelve Oaks Center 15500 Wayzata Boulevard Wayzata, MN 55391 (612) 473-7666 Disabilities Served: Hereditary ataxia and related conditions. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, health care professionals. The Organization: The National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) was established in 1957 to serve patients, identify persons at risk, educate the public and the medical community, and stimulate research. Eleven chapters throughout the country offer genetic counseling and moral support to affected families, make referrals to medical and other direct service providers, and raise funds for research grants. Clinics are offered in Minneapolis and elsewhere in the country where diagnosis and other information services are available from professionals experienced in work with this neurological disorder. Information Services: Free booklets, brochures, and factsheets are available on hereditary ataxia, spastic paraplegia, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, hereditary tremor, and Friedreich's ataxia. A quarterly newsletter, Generations, contains reports on NAF activities, chapters, research, advice for patients, and information on additional resources. It is free to members. Membership information may also be requested. National Audiovisual Center 8700 Edgeworth Drive Capitol Heights, MD 20743 (301) 763-1896 (800) 638-1300 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Public. The Organization: The National Audiovisual Center is the central information and distribution source for more than 8,000 videos, slide sets, and films produced by the U.S. Government. Subjects in the collection span a variety of subjects. Disability-related programs include "Implementing the American with Disabilities Act," produced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The National Audiovisual Center assures that you will have easy access to all the materials available in its collections at the lowest price possible. The center operates on a self-sustaining basis, not at taxpayer expense. Information Services: The National Audiovisual Center publishes numerous catalogs and sales brochures in various subject areas that are available on request. The Customer Services Staff has online data base capability to respond to telephone and written inquiries about U.S. Government audiovisuals, and can be reached between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. National Autism Hotline Prichard Building 605 9th Street P.O. Box 507 Huntington, WV 25710 (304) 525-8014 Disabilities Served: Autism, mental retardation, developmental disabilities. Users Served: Parents, teachers, speech therapists, doctors, directors of special education, advocacy agencies, students. The Organization: The National Autism Hotline, which was established in 1979, is a project of the Autism Services Center, a nonprofit organization that provides consultation, training, and advocacy services to parents and professionals in the field of autism. There is a charge for the center's direct service contracts; however, the telephone services are free. Information Services: The hotline offers comprehensive information services on autism to parents and professionals. In response to both telephone and letter inquiries, the project gives out information on autism; makes referrals for medical, residential, and educational services; assists parents and professionals in their advocacy activities; and gives technical assistance on autism to protection and advocacy systems and other agencies. Copies of articles are sent to requestors in areas such as education, rights, the language of autistic children, and research. National Braille Association, Inc. (NBA) 1290 University Avenue Rochester, NY 14607 (716) 473-0900 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairment. Users Served: Volunteers and professionals who prepare reading matter for the blind; print-handicapped readers. The Organization: The National Braille Association, Inc., (NBA) was formed to unite volunteers and professional workers for visually impaired people in one national organization to develop, provide, and coordinate volunteer services in the production and distribution of reading materials in braille and large print and on tape. NBA is unique in that it is an international organization with no local units. Its thousands of members work through philanthropic, religious, and service groups in their own communities. NBA provides continuing education for members and nonmembers through its national conferences, regional meetings and continuing education seminars conducted by NBA skills specialists. NBA publications are used by volunteers and agencies throughout the country to train transcribers in advanced braille codes. NBA also serves as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas and suggestions for improvement of transcription techniques. NBA's Braille Materials Production Center is a central source for braille readers. Over 1,800 book titles (including music scores) supply college students, professionals, and other adults with technical and nontechnical materials for school, work, and recreation. The collection is continuously updated with book titles transcribed by certified braillists. Personal items of general interest that are helpful in work, recreation, and daily living are also transcribed by certified braillists. NBA's Disk Output Service enables transcribers and braille readers to send 5 1/4- inch disks, compatible with its personal computer systems, to NBA for output in braille form. This service is not restricted to NBA-assigned materials. Information Services: The NBA Bulletin is published four times a year in print and braille and on cassette tape. It contains skills columns and articles about new materials and equipment, braille code changes, and activities of outstanding individuals and groups. A subscription to the Bulletin is included in the cost of membership. NBA also publishes manuals and guidelines for transcribing procedures, format, and uniform standards, which are available free or at reduced prices to members. Catalogs of the braille collection of textbook titles, music, general interest, and standard technical tables are available upon request. National Burn Victim Foundation (NBVF) 308 Main Street Orange, NJ 07050 (201) 731-3112 Disabilities Served: Burn injury survivors. Users Served: Medical professionals, criminal justice personnel, child welfare workers, social workers. The Organization: The National Burn Victim Foundation (NBVF) is a nonprofit agency providing advocacy and services to burn victims and their families free of charge. On a national basis the NBVF is a resource for burn-related information and referrals. Programs include a support system for disaster response, evaluation service for child burns suspected of being the result of abuse/neglect, community burn prevention education, and commitment to finding new methods of burn treatment. Professional seminars on child abuse evaluation are conducted several times a year. Information Services: The NBVF issues a quarterly newsletter, Update, which reports on the activities and programs of the National Burn Victim Foundation and on new methods of treating burn victims. It is available free of charge to those requesting to be on the mailing list. Membership in the NBVF is available at various levels. Contact our NBVF for further information. The NBVF offers brochures and pamphlets on its programs and services and on burn prevention on request. A fee is required for large numbers of the brochures to cover costs. National Captioning Institute, Inc. (NCI) 5203 Leesburg Pike Suite 1500 Falls Church, VA 22041 (703) 998-2400 (Voice or TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers. The Organization: The National Captioning Institute (NCI) is a nonprofit organization, which captions television programs for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, cable stations, commercial advertisers, home video distributors, syndicators, and independent producers. ABC and PBS played major roles in developing the captioning system. The institute's primary goal is to increase the number of captioned programs available and to expand the audience benefiting from the service. Closed captioning converts the television program dialogue into subtitles that are shown on the viewer's television screen. The captions are encoded and transmitted by the broadcaster on a part of the television signal that does not ordinarily carry picture information. Unlike "open captions," which are seen by all viewers, "closed captions" are seen only on television sets equipped with a special device. The equipment needed to receive closed captions is sold in over 1,000 retail outlets and in 5 major catalogs: Sears, Roebuck and Company, J.C. Penney, Service Merchandise, Best Products, and the AT & T special needs catalog. As of fall 1990, there are over 400 hours of closed captioned programming on network, syndicated, pay, and basic cable broadcast per week. In addition there are 2,000 home video titles available. Further increases in the number of captioned programs will depend largely on the demand by television viewers for the special equipment. Over 300,000 units are already in use. Information Services: NCI's Public Relations Department provides information on the history of the captioning project and the institute's activities. NCI has two publications: CAPTION, a newsletter for viewers, and the NCI MARKETING MEMO, an update sheet for producers and sponsors. National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH) 38th and R Streets, NW Washington, DC 20057 (202) 625-8400 Disabilities Served: Maternal and child health, including genetic disorders. Users Served: Health professionals, educators, general public. The Organization: The National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH) was established in 1982. The center is a major link between sources of information/services and professionals in areas of maternal and child health, including genetics. The NCEMCH network includes nurses; social workers; pediatricians; obstetricians; geneticists; genetic counselors; health administrators; educators; volunteer organizations; Federal, State, and local agencies; professional societies; and public and private foundations. Information Services: In addition to its resource network, NCEMCH provides a variety of services aimed toward facilitating the development and exchange of maternal and child health information. The center provides assistance in the development and evaluation of new materials and educational programs and collects and disseminates information about available materials, programs, and research. The center also offers conference assistance, including planning, support services and editing of conference materials for publication. NCEMCH maintains a resource center of books, journals, articles, teaching manuals, brochures, factsheets, and educational materials. Organized by subject area, the resource center contains publications, audiovisual descriptions and information geared to the consumer/patient, professionals, and associations/organizations. Examples of NCEMCH publications include bibliographies on prenatal care and the social and psychological aspects of genetic disorders; newsletters targeted to specific professional groups; and directories of resources and services covering Federal resources in maternal and child health, voluntary organizations, clinical genetics service centers, and others. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Centers for Disease Control Public Health Service U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 6525 Belcrest Road Hyattsville, MD 20782 (301) 436-8500 Disabilities Served: All handicapping conditions. Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) is the only Federal agency established specifically to collect and disseminate data on health in the United States. The Center designs and maintains national data collection systems, conducts research in statistical and survey methodology, and cooperates with other agencies in the United States and in foreign countries to increase the availability and usefulness of health data. Through its survey and inventories, the Center produces and disseminates data on illness and disability, including prevalence and impact. Data has been collected on a number of handicapping conditions; data on the prevalence of most conditions includes some indicators of severity and impact. Also collected is data on the supply and use of health services. Information Services: The primary information service of NCHS is distribution of its statistical data through published reports, which include the following: The Vital and Health Statistics Series contains data on program and collection procedures, evaluation and methods research, and analytical studies. This series includes publications on (1) the Health Interview Survey, which gives statistics on illness, disability, accidental injuries, and the use of hospital, medical, dental, and other services; and (2) the Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which provides data from direct examination, testing, and measurement of national samples which is used to calculate distributions of the population with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics. Reports in the above series contain data on disability statistics on impairments involving vision, hearing, speech, paralysis, absence of extremities, and orthopedic conditions. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics is a publication series begun in 1976 as the means for early release of selected findings from the health and demographic surveys of NCHS. Most of these releases are followed by detailed reports in the Vital and Health Statistics Series. The Catalog of Publications of the National Center for Health Statistics is an index to the Vital and Health Statistics Series and Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics according to demographic and socioeconomic variables. Single copies of Advance Data releases and the Catalog of Publications are available free of charge from the Center. Information on the availability of reports from The Vital and Health Statistics Series may be obtained by telephoning NCHS at (301) 436-8500. National Center for Law and the Deaf (NCLD) 800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 651-5373 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness/hearing impairment. Users Served: People who are deaf, hearing impaired, people interested in law, and deaf people. The Organization: The National Center for Law and the Deaf (NCLD) was established to develop and provide a variety of legal services to the deaf community, including representation, counseling, information, and education. NCLD is working to end injustices and discrimination against deaf people nationwide and to establish and enforce the legal rights. On request, the NCLD will assist groups who are concerned with national and local legislation. Examples are interpreter laws and mental health legislation. The NCLD also works with administrative agencies. Examples are making television accessible and reducing TDD rates. Information Services: Publications from NCLD cover a wide variety of subject areas including education, TDD's, P.L. 94-142, interpreters, hospital care, employment, clinic reports, model policies, law enforcement, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, court decisions, etc. Educational workshops for deaf consumers, lawyers, and service providers are also available. For an updated list of publications contact NCLD. National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) 99 Park Avenue New York, NY 10016 (212) 687-7211 Disabilities Served: Learning disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, pediatricians, therapists, and psychologists. The Organization: Between 10 to 15 percent of the United States population is learning disabled (LD). The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), a voluntary not-for-profit organization, helps those affected with this "hidden handicap" to live self-sufficient, productive and fulfilling lives. Many of those in need are children. NCLD provides resources and national referrals to parents and to a wide range of volunteers and professionals who touch the lives of learning disabled persons. NCLD's publications and promotional efforts, seminars, and legislative advocacy increase public awareness and understanding of learning disabilities in this country and abroad. Since 1978 NCLD has been the primary national, private source of funding for programs assisting people who are learning disabled. Innovative grant-related activity has helped develop community programs for LD persons all over the United States. Model projects have been replicated by State Education Departments, the juvenile justice system, and over 200 public library systems. NCLD resources are also provided for American families overseas in the military and Foreign Service, through the Family Liaison office, U.S. Department of State. Information Services: For further information call or write to the National Center for Learning Disabilities. National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE) 1995 University Avenue Suite 375 Berkeley, CA 94704 (800) 762-4093 (415) 642-4004 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Vocational students, educators, researchers, employers, and policymakers. The Organization: The National Center for Research in Vocational Education (NCRVE) was established by the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act to conduct applied research and development in vocational education. The Center's mission is to invigorate vocational education so it can give citizens of all ages the skills they need for successful long-term employment. The Center believes that its clients--all students and all educators, employers, policymakers, and researchers--are better served by a vision which integrates theory and practice, the "academic" and the "vocational." The Center views vocational education as work-related education that takes place in classrooms and in the workplace, accessible to both teenagers and mature workers. The Center's goal is to make this new vision of work-related education a reality. The Center, located at the University of California at Berkeley, functions with the assistance of five subcontractors: Columbia University, the RAND Corporation, the University of Illinois, the University of Minnesota, and Virginia Tech. Of particular interest to handicapped clients is the Technical Assistance for Special Populations Program (TASPP) at the University of Illinois (217/333-0807), whose goal is to provide professionals and policymakers with an array of services to improve vocational education programs for special needs youth and adults. Information Services: NCRVE provides research reports and other publications (for a free publications catalog, call the Center's Materials Distribution Service at 800/637-7652); CenterWork, a bimonthly newsletter; ADVOCNET, an electronic communications network; Resources in Vocational Education (RIVE), a bibliographic data base of vocational education program improvement projects; Vocational Education Curriculum Materials (VECM), a bibliographic data base of vocational education curriculum materials; Data Update, a quarterly bulletin providing information about the Center's data library; national forums on leadership development (University of Minnesota); inservice activities for vocational educators (Virginia Tech); TASPP Bulletin and TASPP Briefs, publications of TASPP (University of Illinois), providing resource and referral services to persons involved in vocational education with special needs populations. National Center for Stuttering (NCS) 200 East 33rd Street New York, NY 10017 (800) 221-2483 Disabilities Served: Stuttering. Users Served: Persons who stutter, parents of young stutterers, speech professionals. The Organization: The National Center for Stuttering (NCS) was established in 1975 to provide help to people who stutter, utilizing a new method of treatment that addresses the physical cause of stuttering. Up to that time, treatment had always been focused on the symptoms of the problem, as opposed to the basic physical cause. Dr. Martin F. Schwartz, the originator of this method, called the air-flow technique, discovered the physical cause of this disorder during his research in the field of cleft palate. He subsequently developed the air-flow technique which is designed to subtract tension from the vocal cords. In anticipation of speaking, stutterers focus their tension on the vocal cords causing them to go into spasm (laryngeal spasms). The learned behaviors that stutterers use to extricate themselves from this spasm are what we call "stuttering." The center now trains professionals in this method and also has a one-year treatment program for people who stutter. Information Services: Brochures are available to the public and books on the air-flow technique can be purchased through the center. Parents of children just beginning to stutter may call for suggestions on how to handle the problem and maximize the possibility of outgrowth. Professionals may receive information on the center's 6-month training programs. National Center for Youth with Disability (NCYD) Box 721 - UMHC Harvard Street at East River Road Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612) 626-2825 (800) 333-6293 (612) 624-3939 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Chronic illness and developmental disability. Users Served: Adolescents and young adults, parents, social service providers, health professionals, and educators. The Organization: The National Center for Youth with Disability (NCYD) is an information and resource center focusing on adolescents with chronic illnesses or disabilities and the issues that surround their transition to adult life. NCYD's mission is to raise awareness of the needs of youth with disabilities; foster coordination and collaboration among agencies, professionals, parents and youth in the planning and provision of services; and promote awareness of and responsiveness to the health and social needs of youth with disabilities. A collaborative project of the Society for Adolescent Medicine and the University of Minnesota's Adolescent Health Program NCYD is supported by a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Divisions of Services for Children with Special Health Needs, Department of Health and Human Services. Information Services: An information specialist is available to answer questions, provide referrals to other resources, and/or search the National Resource Library, a computerized data base. The library contains abstracts of current literature relating to adolescents and disability or chronic illness, information on model programs from throughout the country, training and education resources, and a file of technical consultants with expertise in the area of youth with chronic illness or disabilities. NCYD publications include Connections, a quarterly newsletter that is distributed without charge or subscription fee, and CYDLINE Review's, a series of annotated bibliographies on special topics for professionals, educators, parents and youth. Current topics include an introductory guide for youth and parents, an introduction for professionals, decision-making skills (health, education and vocational choices), issues for school personnel, transition from pediatric to adult health care, substance use by youth with disabilities, international issues, and sexual issues. Additional topics are added periodically. National Chronic Pain Outreach Association, Inc. (NCPOA) 7979 Old Georgetown Road Suite 100 Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 652-4948 Disabilities Served: Chronic pain. Users Served: People with chronic pain, their family members, and health care professionals who treat people with chronic pain. The Organization: The National Chronic Pain Outreach Association, Inc. (NCPOA) is a nonprofit tax-exempt organization dedicated to lessening the suffering caused by chronic pain by educating pain sufferers, family members, and health care professionals about chronic pain and its management. Information Services: NCPOA offers an extensive list of publications, books, cassette tapes, and videotapes on chronic pain topics at low cost. It publishes a quarterly newsletter, Lifeline, which is available at no charge to members. It also publishes a guide for people wishing to start chronic pain support groups for a nominal fee. The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (OSAP) Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration U.S. Department of Health and Human Services P.O. Box 2345 Rockville, MD 20852 (800) SAY-NO-TO (800) 729-6686 (Voice) (800) 487-4889 (TDD) Disabilities Served: A public information service available to all Americans. Users Served: Parents, educators, students, librarians, health professionals, businessmen, community leaders, government agencies, researchers, deaf and disabled people, Spanish speakers. The Organization: The National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) was established as the information component for OSAP in 1986, according to congressional mandate set forth in the 1986 Anti-Drug Abuse Act, Public Law 100-690. NCADI is the hub of the Federal Government's effort to collect and disseminate information about prevention programs and research involving alcohol and other drug use. Information Services: NCADI handles nearly 20,000 requests for information about alcohol and other drugs every month. In response, NCADI Information Specialists fill orders for publications and videos from an inventory of over 900 free materials developed by Federal agencies. Callers may also be referred to appropriate resources or provided with statistical information. The NCADI staff routinely searches for research information in the in-house Information About Drug Abuse (IDA) data base, which has more than 15,000 references. Publications, information, and assistance are also available in Spanish. Prevention Pipeline, NCADI's bimonthly information publication, contains the latest information in the field and is available at a low yearly subscription rate The Clearinghouse also coordinates the Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource (RADAR) Network consisting of prevention information centers in every State and providing support for local efforts. There is no charge for most of NCADI's services or publications. National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) King Street Station I 1800 Diagonal Road Suite 320 Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 519-3800 Information Center c/o Council for Exceptional Children 1920 Association Drive Reston, VA 22091 (703) 264-9474 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. (The Clearinghouse is designed to disseminate information on needs for special education and related services personnel and to increase awareness of careers in special education.) Users Served: The information and services of the Clearinghouse are useful for all persons who are concerned with recruiting and retaining more qualified men and women into education especially into special education and related services. Information is disseminated on a national basis to, for example, potential personnel; faculty and staff at institutions of higher education; administrators at local, State, and national levels; related services personnel; parents; and students. The Organization: The National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education is jointly operated by the National Association of State Directors of Special Education (NASDSE) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and is supported through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). We are one of three Clearinghouses mandated by Congress to provide specialized information about education for children, youth, and adults with disabilities. Information Services: The Clearinghouse collects and distributes a wide variety of materials, including factsheets, bibliographies and reading lists, studies and survey reports, on such topics as analysis of supply and demand and the variables that influence them (such as attrition, certification, local district practices); career opportunities in special education and related services, location of training programs, and sources of financial aid; successful programs used by districts, States, and higher education institutions to recruit students to special education and to retain them after they start to practice; techniques for attracting students to special education careers; personnel preparation programs for special education and related services; networking and collaboration techniques used among local and State education agencies; and profiles of accreditation and certification standards in special education and related services professions. Contact the Clearinghouse Information Center at the CEC address for a complete listing of available products. National Clearing House of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCHRTM) Oklahoma State University 816 West 6th Street Stillwater, OK 74078 (405) 624-7650 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Rehabilitation personnel, educators of rehabilitation counselors, and professionals in related fields. The Organization: The National Clearing House of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCHRTM), located at Oklahoma State University, is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education, to disseminate information on rehabilitation with primary concentration on training materials for use by educators of rehabilitation counselors. Personnel working in the areas of staff development, inservice training, and continuing education are also served by the NCHRTM. NCHRTM houses a collection of "fugitive" materials and information not generally found in traditional libraries. The reference collection contains about 3,000 titles in hard copy or microfiche format, back issues of major journals in the rehabilitation field, and various types of audiovisuals. Information Services: NCHRTM has a collection of 8,500 documents and audiovisual resources to distribute to requestors in the rehabilitation field. Microfiche or copies of other publications in the collection can be made for a cost recovery fee. An annotated bibliographic newsletter, NCHRTM Memorandum, on publications available from the NCHRTM and other sources is published quarterly. NCHRTM helps inquirers identify publications relevant to their information needs. Services are available primarily to professionals who have training interests in rehabilitation and related fields. National Cleft Palate Association 1218 Grandview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15211 (412) 481-1376 (800) 24-CLEFT Disabilities Served: Cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial anomalies. Users Served: Parents of children with clefts and other craniofacial anomalies and patients with same. The Organization: The National Cleft Palate Association is a national organization of parents of children with clefts and other craniofacial anomalies and patients. They convene an annual parent patient conference with workshops and general sessions on such subjects as insurance coverage, self-esteem, preparing your child for hospital stay, etc. The association provides consultation on starting and maintaining a support group. Information Services: See Cleft Palate Foundation for information and brochures. National Consumers League (NCL) 815 15th Street, NW Suite 516 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 639-8140 Disabilities Served: Diseases that require long-term care, AIDS, visual impairment. Users Served: All consumers. The Organization: The National Consumers League (NCL) is America's pioneer consumer group. NCL was founded in 1899 to organize consumer pressure to fight economic injustice. In its 92nd year, the league continues to serve consumers as a nonprofit, membership advocacy organization. Its three-pronged approach of research, education, and advocacy has made NCL an effective representative and source of information for consumers and workers. Information Services: NCL publishes a consumer newsletter, The NCL Bulletin, six times a year. This provides consumer information on a wide range of issues, from health and safety, food, and drugs to privacy, telecommunications, and consumer fraud. The league also publishes consumer guides on home health care, hospice care, life care communities, and HMO's. Other publications include: The Garbage Problem: Effective Solutions for Consumers and The Earth's Future Is In Your Grocery Cart, brochures offering tips on recycling and waste reduction; Swindlers Are Calling, offering advice on how to avoid becoming the victim of a scam; When Medications Don't Mix: Preventing Drug Interactions, Food and Drug Interactions, and A Guide to Warning Labels on Nonprescription Medications, brochures to help people who are on medication reduce the risk of problems; and Whose Business Is It Anyway?, a report on privacy in the workplace. Publications for women include AIDS: Women at Risk and Pap Test: Assuring Your Good Health. Calling or writing the NCL office is a way for consumers to learn to resolve consumer problems and receive valuable information. National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) 12 West 21st Street New York, NY 10010 (212) 206-6770 Disabilities Served: Alcoholism, and drug addictions. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, physicians, law enforcement personnel, television and radio researchers. The Organization: The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) is a national nonprofit organization combating alcoholism, other drug addictions, and related problems through its national office, 200 State and local affiliates, and thousands of volunteers in communities throughout America. Founded in 1944, NCADD focuses on education to prevention and treatment of affected individuals and their families. NCADD provides education about alcoholism and other drug addictions as treatable diseases; offers prevention programs for schools, organizations, and communities; dispenses medical/scientific information; answers questions from the public, legislative bodies and the media; and distributes a variety of publications. NCADD also offers information and referral services to children, teenagers, and adults seeking treatment for alcoholism, other drug dependencies, and related problems. Information Services: The council publishes periodicals, brochures, and factsheets related to alcoholism and other drug dependencies. A publication list, which includes the prices for those materials, is available upon request. National Council on Communicative Disorders (NCCD) 10801 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 (301) 897-5700 Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments, speech and language disorders. Users Served: Speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The Organization: The National Council on Communicative Disorders (NCCD) is a council of 28 national organizations representing persons with communication disorders and professionals who provide services to them. The council provides information to Congress, government agencies, and the public on issues relating to communicative disorders and seeks to encourage research in speech, language, and hearing. One of the goals of the organization is to foster closer liaison with the private sector by recognizing individuals and/or corporations whose efforts benefit persons. To this end, the NCCD sponsors an annual awards presentation with communication disorders. National Council on Disability 800 Independence Avenue, SW Suite 814 Washington, DC 20591 (202) 267-3846 (Voice) (202) 267-3232 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: People with disabilities and their families, Federal and State governments, researchers, professionals, and the general public. The Organization: The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent Federal agency comprised of 15 members appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The NCD was initially established in 1978 as an advisory board within the Department of Education (P.L. 95-602) and transformed into an independent Federal agency by the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-221). The NCD originated and developed the first draft of the Americans with Disabilities Act (P.L. 101-336), which was signed into law by President Bush on July 26, 1990. The NCD is the only Federal agency charged with addressing, analyzing, and making recommendations to the President and Congress on issues of public policy that affect people with disabilities regardless of age, disability type, perceived employment potential, economic need, specific functional ability, status as a veteran, or other individual circumstance. Information Services: Publications available free of charge include annual reports; a quarterly newsletter, FOCUS; three special reports--Toward Independence: An Assessment of Federal Laws and Programs Affecting Persons with Disabilities -- With Legislative Recommendations, 1986; On the Threshold of Independence, 1988, which outlined the specifics of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and The Education of Students with Disabilities: Where Do We Stand?, 1989. National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) 3989 Central Avenue NE Suite 550 Minneapolis, MN 55421 (612) 781-9331 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Family-related teachers, and family professionals, including families of disabled persons and minorities. The Organization: The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) is an international nonprofit educational and resource organization dedicated to the strengthening of the family. The goal of the council is to assist professionals by providing research and information and in developing professional standards in the family field. The membership of the council is comprised of researchers, teachers, clinical practitioners in family therapy, and professionals in related disciplines. Information Services: The main information component of the council are two scholarly journals, Journal of Marriage and the Family (JMF) and Family Relations (FR), and a Family Resources Database (FRD), which is available for online searching through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, and ETSI, a service of Bureau of National Affairs as the Human Resources Information Network. The data base contains approximately 120,000 citations of books, journal articles, government documents, resource organizations, instructional materials, audiovisual materials, and a listing of community services concerned with marriage and family issues. NCFR has a published book on families and handicapped members. The data base comprises numerous citations of materials concerned with various disabling conditions as they relate to family interaction. A search of the data base yields the following: families with handicapped persons (physical handicaps), 1369 citations; families with mental retardation, 844 citations; families with learning disabled members, 421 citations; families with emotionally disturbed members, 779; and families with schizophrenics, 60 citations. Besides the bibliographic files, the data base contains a Human Resource Bank, which contains the vitae of hundreds of specialists working in the field who have expressed a willingness to provide consultation to lay and professional individuals when appropriate. In addition, a Work in Progress File lists ongoing research and demonstration projects. Both government- and private-sector-funded projects are included. Nonsubscribers to BRS, DIALOG, or ETSI who wish to search the data base should contact local and university libraries, many of which provide searching assistance; if local search facilities cannot be found, FRD staff will conduct custom searches on a cost-reimbursement basis. For other information, contact NCFR at the phone number above. The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) 2539 Telegraph Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704 (415) 849-1243 (Voice) (415) 848-3101 (TDD) The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) is a national membership organization representing the 43 million individuals with disabilities. In just over 7 years, NCIL has established itself as the national voice of independent living centers as well as individuals. NCIL was organized to support independent living centers by conducting and coordinating the national advocacy efforts of the Independent Living Movement. NCIL was instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act and is taking a leading role in the Reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. NCIL provides information and referral, a speakers bureau, and technical assistance. Every May, NCIL hosts an Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, where the leaders of the independent living movement unite and discuss topics for the future. If you would like to become a member of NCIL, please contact the Berkeley office at the above address. National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE) NCRE Administrative Office Emporia State University 1200 Commercial - VH 334 Emporia, KS 66801 (316) 343-5220 Disabilities Served: Professionals. Users Served: Rehabilitation educators and trainers. The Organization: The National Council on Rehabilitation Education (NCRE) is a membership organization, which has as its purpose promoting the improvement of rehabilitation services available to people with disabilities through quality education and rehabilitation research. The organization is composed of educators, researchers, human resource development specialists, and doctoral students. NCRE fosters educational and learning opportunities for rehabilitation educators and works to promote the effective preparation of new personnel in the field of rehabilitation. Information Services: NCRE publishes pamphlets on various careers in rehabilitation; a quarterly newsletter; a quarterly journal, Rehabilitation Education; and an annual Membership Directory, which contains the names, addresses, and specialties of member programs that offer education and training in various rehabilitation disciplines (e.g., rehabilitation counseling, vocational evaluation, rehabilitation administration, undergraduate and doctoral programs in rehabilitation, and programs directed at specific populations, such as people with mental illness, hearing impairments, blindness). National Council on Stuttering (NCOS) P.O. Box 8171 Grand Rapids, MI 49508 (616) 241-2372 Disabilities Served: Stuttering. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The National Council on Stuttering (NCOS) was established to help form local stuttering councils nationwide. There are 10 local member councils in the United States, self-help groups that offer stutterers opportunities to share and learn in an atmosphere of understanding and fellowship. Information Services: NCOS provides materials and suggestions to any group of stutterers interested in starting a local council. It refers stutterers to local self-help groups and to local accredited therapy services. NCOS, in conjunction with the Speech Foundation of America, has produced a number of films on stuttering, self-help, and prevention of stuttering in children. These films are available on a loan or rental basis from the distributor, Seven Oaks Productions, 9145 Sligo Creek Parkway, Silver Spring, MD 20901, (301) 587-0330. NCOS publishes a quarterly journal covering local council news, information, and articles of interest on stuttering. The National Council on the Aging, Inc. (NCOA) 409 3rd Street, SW Washington, DC 20024 (202) 479-1200 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Professionals and volunteers working in direct service settings (such as adult day care centers, senior centers, home health care, etc.) or in health and rehabilitation planning (such as area agencies on aging, post-hospital long-term care planning, care management, etc.). The Organization: The National Council on the Aging, Inc. (NCOA) is a private, nonprofit organization, founded in 1950, serving a membership of professionals, volunteers, and organizations in aging and related fields. NCOA provides members with findings and action models from research and demonstration grants. It provides training and technical assistance, develops program standards, and disseminates information. Information Services: NCOA's bimonthly magazine, Perspective on Aging, often offers articles directly related to disability and rehabilitation, including reports on public policy. NCOA's bimonthly newspaper, NCOA Networks, provides a page of news for each of NCOA's eight constituent member units, each of which deals with concerns related to disability. Those units that have the most direct concerns are The National Institute on Adult Daycare, The National Institute for Community-based Long-term Care, and The Health Promotion Institute. NCOA's affiliated National Voluntary Organizations for Independent Living for the Aging (NVOILA) has a membership of more than 200 national groups and has maintained a direct interest in disability since its founding in 1971. The annual NCOA conference offers an opportunity for members of the constituent units and other members to exchange information and engage in joint activities. National Cued Speech Association (NCSA) P.O. Box 31345 Raleigh, NC 27622 (919) 828-1218 Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing loss. Users Served: Hearing-impaired people of all ages, their families and supporters, and professionals. The Organization: The National Cued Speech Association (NCSA) is a nonprofit membership organization formed in 1982 to provide services and information about cued speech. This system helps hearing-impaired people lip read. Unlike sign language, this communication system is based on the pronunciation of spoken words. When consistently used, cued speech leads to normal or near-normal levels of literacy in prelingually deaf children. It can also help restore understanding of the spoken word to post-lingually deafened adults. The NCSA provides direct support at regional and national levels in areas of instruction, guidance, education, professional training, publications, and referral. Its board of directors meets three times a year in different localities nationwide. Information Services: The NCSA distributes information about cued speech to members, professionals in the field of hearing loss and other communication disorders, parents of deaf children, hearing-impaired adults, and the general public. It publishes the Cued Speech Journal, largely devoted to research, and a newsletter of general interest, On Cue. A membership directory is available to members. The Cued Speech National Center, located at the above address, provides printed materials, videotapes, articles, and other resource materials about cued speech. Classes in cued speech are held here monthly, and information is available on classes and workshops being held in other parts of the country. National Data Bank for Disabled Student Services Room 0126 Shoemaker Building University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 (301) 314-7682 (Voice) (301) 314-7683 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Directors and coordinators of disabled student services programs, disabled persons. The Organization: The National Data Bank for Disabled Student Services, located at the University of Maryland, provides the means for accessing statistics related to services, staff, budget and other components of disabled student services programs across the country. The data bank cycle begins each summer when survey participants are recruited. The previous year's survey is updated and items are added so that roughly half of the questions are new each year, reflecting current concerns of participants. Examples of data included are size and type of institution, date program was started, funding, staff (including education, experience, salary), number of disabled students, services provided, fees, and new ideas. The surveys are mailed in October or November and returned for processing by January. In early spring, the data are returned to participants in coded form to preserve the confidentiality of institutions. Information Services: As in financial banking, data may be withdrawn from the Data Bank only by those who have an "account" with a reserve of data of their own. Each participant is charged a modest fee. Directors and coordinators of campus programs can use the data to support program ideas, justify staff positions, or compare service provision. Comparisons can be made based on such factors as size of institutions, sizes of disabled student population, size of staff, amount of budget, etc. In times of budget or personnel crises or in long-range planning, such supportive data can be invaluable. National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) P.O. Box NDIC9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 498-2162 Disabilities Served: Diabetes. Users Served: Disabled individuals, their families, physicians and other health care professionals. The Organization: The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) was established in 1978 to increase knowledge and understanding about diabetes among patients, health professionals, and the public. To carry out this mission, NDIC works closely with the diabetes community, forming a network that identifies and responds to informational needs about diabetes and its care. Included in the NDIC network are the Diabetes Research and Training Centers; the Centers for Disease Control and its Diabetes Control Programs; other Federal agencies; voluntary organizations on the national, regional, and local levels; professional groups; and State departments of health. NDIC, guided by an advisory committee of representatives from these groups, provides a forum for stimulating the development and exchange of diabetes information. NDIC responds to requests for information about diabetes and its complications and distributes information appropriate to health professionals, people with diabetes and their families, and the general public. Responses span a wide range of topics, from information about available patient education materials to statistical data from the National Diabetes Data Group about clinical and epidemiological characteristics of diabetes. Information Services: NDIC offers a wide range of publications including topical bibliographies; Diabetes Dateline, a bimonthly current awareness newsletter; The Diabetes Dictionary; and other publications including conference proceedings, monographs, reprints, and materials developed by the National Institutes of Health about various aspects of diabetes research and care. NDIC also maintains an automated file of brochures, audiovisual materials, books, articles, teaching manuals, factsheets and other educational materials. People in the diabetes community have online access to this file through BRS Information Technologies. National Diffusion Network (NDN) U.S. Department of Education 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20208-5645 (202) 219-2134 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Classroom teachers, principals, and other educational personnel. The Organization: The National Diffusion Network (NDN) is a nationwide system established in 1974 to improve educational programs in public and private schools through the adoption or adaptation of effective, validated programs. NDN links local educators to programs that have been rigorously evaluated and found to be effective. The more than 40 special education projects that participate in NDN cover the majority of developmental and disorder areas. Some programs receive dissemination funds through the Department of Education's National Diffusion Network. Others receive dissemination funding from the Handicapped Children Early Education Outreach Program of Special Education Programs; these models focus on the identification of preschool handicapped children and teaching techniques to aid in their development. Information Services: NDN State facilitators help schools identify and adopt the program most suitable for them. Adopting schools are then given implementation help, including training. A list of facilitators may be obtained from the above address. The catalog Educational Programs That Work provides an overview of all NDN programs and lists a contact person for each program. This publication may be purchased from Sopris West, Inc., 1140 Boston Avenue, Longmont, CO 80501, (303) 651-2829. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) 9000 Rockville Pike P.O. Box NDDIC Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 468-6344 Disabilities Served: Digestive diseases. Users Served: Persons with digestive diseases, their families, physicians and other health care providers. The Organization: The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) is a congressionally mandated service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, of the National Institutes of Health. Since 1980, the Clearinghouse has provided information about digestive diseases to educate the public, patients and their families, as well as physicians and other health care providers. Working closely with more than 20 lay and professional organizations, the Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse promotes a wider understanding of digestive health and disease. Information Services: NDDIC provides the following information products and sources: factsheets about specific digestive diseases, an inquiry and referral service that responds to professional and public requests, information about research development and organizational and governmental activities related to digestive diseases. The Clearinghouse also maintains a subfile of the Combined Health Information Database (CHID). The subfile contains references to literature, products, and services for digestive diseases patient and professional education. Health professionals and librarians can research CHID through Bibliography Retrieval Services. National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) 1800 Dempster Street Park Ridge, IL 60068 (800) 232-6372 (708) 823-7550 Disabilities Served: Down syndrome. Users Served: Persons with Down syndrome, their parents, and interested professionals. The Organization: Formed in 1973, the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) has member organizations and individuals throughout the United States, and through its Parents Group Network is able to put parents in touch with local parent groups and Down syndrome organizations in their community. The NDSC holds an annual, national conference which moves regionally across the United States, bringing together parents and professionals to address in plenary sessions and smaller workshop settings a variety of issues and concerns relating to Down syndrome. The NDSC is governed by a 21-member board of directors with a wide geographic representation and is composed of parents and professionals. Information Services: The NDSC maintains a comprehensive clearinghouse, providing information and referral services on a range of topics relating to Down syndrome. Publications include a parent-oriented pamphlet entitled, Down Syndrome, available in English and Spanish; a comprehensive, annotated bibliography; position papers on issues impacting on persons with Down syndrome and their families; education guidelines for preschool and elementary school; product fliers; and membership brochures. The NDSC charges an annual membership fee of $15, which entitles members to 10 issues a year of our journal, the Down Syndrome News. This publication contains articles and a variety of items reflecting the spectrum of interests as well as the common concerns of our membership. National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) 666 Broadway New York, NY 10012 (212) 460-9330 (800) 221-4602 Disabilities Served: Down syndrome. Users Served: Parents, teachers, physicians, nurses, related health care professionals, researchers, and concerned individuals. The Organization: The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) was established in 1979 to promote better understanding of Down syndrome and the potential of the individual with Down syndrome. Major goals are to promote basic and applied research in fields related to Down syndrome; to provide information and services to families, professionals, and interested persons; and to develop model programs which can be replicated across the country. Information Services: NDSS concentrates on disseminating information to parents of people with Down syndrome and the professionals who work with them. NDSS has produced a free public information packet including a booklet entitled This Baby Needs You Even More, a bibliography of current reading materials and factsheets. The booklet is available in Spanish. A list of parent groups and early intervention programs in each State is also available. In addition, a 25-minute video cassette about the Down syndrome child age 0 to 6, entitled Gifts of Love, is offered on a 10-day loan basis. A newsletter, NDSS Update, is published twice a year. The Directory of Programs and Services for Children with Down Syndrome Ages 0-6, is free to individuals and contains listings of programs, services, and age groups served by State. Other materials include a series of health care booklets, a computer information manual, a respite manual, and a monograph on education mainstreaming. Also available are the proceedings of each of the Annual Science Symposia. A materials fee is charged for these orders. A 24-hour 800 hotline is available to answer questions and provide referrals to resources. National Easter Seal Society (NESS) 70 East Lake Street Chicago, IL 60601 (312) 726-6200 (Voice) (312) 726-4258 (TDD) Disabilities Served: The needs of the individuals who have disabilities vary greatly. Services provided by Easter Seal Societies to meet those needs include physical, occupational, and speech language therapies, vocational evaluation, training and placement, camping and recreation, and psychological counseling. Prevention of and screening for potentially disabling conditions are also encouraged and sponsored by Easter Seals. Users Served: Disabled persons, general public. The Organization: The National Easter Seal Society (NESS) is a nonprofit, community-based health agency dedicated to increasing the independence of people with disabilities. Easter Seals makes a difference in the lives of disabled adults, children, and their families by offering a wide range of quality services, research, and programs. Easter Seals is in the forefront of advocacy efforts on behalf of people with disabilities. Through a nationwide network of 170 affiliates, more than a million people receive Easter Seal services each year. Information Services: Printed materials are available. National Education Association (NEA) 1201 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 833-4000 Disabilities Served: The NEA does not focus only on information relating to handicaps. However, general information on Federal laws, including P.L. 94-142 and P.L. 99-457, is available. Users Served: Teachers and other education employees. The Organization: The National Education Association (NEA) is a professional organization of elementary and secondary school teachers, higher education faculty, and education support personnel. Information Services: NEA lobbies Congress and the Department of Education about the content of Federal laws, including P.L. 94-142 and P.L. 99-457; informs members about implications for them and their students; and gathers teacher testimony about the effects of the law. Members may obtain information about the law and regulations and information on training programs to help regular education teachers integrate handicapped students with nonhandicapped students. National Eye Care Project P.O. Box 6988 San Francisco, CA 94101 (800) 222-3937 The Organization: The National Eye Care Project provides referrals for U.S. citizens or legal residents, age 65 or older, who do not have access to an ophthalmologist they have seen in the past. Callers who meet the eligibility requirements are mailed the name of an ophthalmologist participating near their home. Participating doctors provide medical eye exams and treatment for conditions or diseases; qualified callers will receive treatment at no out-of-pocket expense for the doctor's services. Eyeglasses, prescriptions, hospital services and other medical services are not covered under the program. Doctors accept insurance assignment as payment in full. Callers who do not have insurance are not turned away. National Eye Institute (NEI) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Building 31 Room 6A32 Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-5248 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: General public, disabled persons, their family and friends. The Organization: The National Eye Institute (NEI) has primary responsibility within the National Institutes of Health and the Federal Government for supporting and conducting research aimed at improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of visual disorders. In addition, NEI encourages the application of research findings to clinical practice, heightens public awareness of vision problems, and cooperates with voluntary organizations that engage in related activities. Information Services: Printed material on the following eye conditions is available upon request: cataract, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy. Also available are statistics on eye disease and visual impairment and information on NEI-supported research. National Eye Research Foundation (NERF) 910 Skokie Boulevard Suite 207 Northbrook, IL 60062 (708) 564-4652 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Low-vision disabled persons, ophthalmologists, opticians, optometrists, and other eye care professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Eye Research Foundation (NERF) is a membership organization for ophthalmologists, opticians, optometrists, and other professional and lay people interested in the eye care field. With the objective of improving eye care for the general public, it sponsors research projects in the field of optometry and disseminates research information on practical innovations and techniques to professionals. Dissemination is through international, national, and regional meetings and through public service announcements. The foundation also operates a low-vision clinic. Information Services: For lay inquiries, NERF provides free brochures defining specialists within the eye care profession and defining certain eye disorders, such as glaucoma, hyperopia, and myopia. The organization makes referrals to local eye specialists. NERF's bimonthly research journal on contact lenses, Contacto, is available to members only. National Federation of the Blind (NFB) 1800 Johnson Street Baltimore, MD 21230 (301) 659-9314 Disabilities Served: Blindness. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, professionals. The Organization: The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is a membership organization with 51 State and 400 local chapters. NFB keeps up with Federal and State legislation affecting blind people and State services for blind people. It acts as a legislative resource for its chapters and represents the needs of blind people through advocacy and representation in discrimination cases. It attempts to arouse public awareness of the potential and accomplishments of people who are blind through public service messages. State and local chapters are active in developing local projects to improve conditions for blind people in areas such as mass transit, employment, and library services. Members contact newly blinded persons to help them with problems of adjustment. Information Services: NFB conducts seminars on services available to blind people and what the law provides for in each State. Its National Blindness Information Center will attempt to answer any questions about blindness and the rights of blind people by phone or mail. More than 50 publications are available from NFB; some are free. NFB publishes a monthly magazine, The Braille Monitor (available in print, disc, cassette, and braille), which reports on problems, progress, activities, and new technologies related to blindness. State and local chapters refer inquiries to appropriate direct service providers. National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias 219 East Main Street P.O. Box 114 Mascoutah, IL 62258 (618) 566-2020 Disabilities Served: The ectodermal dysplasia syndromes. Users Served: Parents, professionals, patients. The Organization: Ectodermal dysplasias (ED) are genetic birth defects, the best known of which is Christ-Siemens-Touraine's syndrome or hypohydrotic ectodermal dysplasia. All of these conditions involve at least two abnormalities of derivatives of the skin. Symptoms may include lack of sweat glands, skin oils, hair, tears, and mucous membranes. There are often severe dental problems. There is no known test to determine the genetic carriers of these conditions. The National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias was formed to locate families encountering difficulties with an ED patient and to provide them with whatever support and information may be required. Educational materials and programs are provided to the medical community, and consultant services are available. Research programs for carrier identification and syndrome identification are currently being conducted in conjunction with major research facilities. Annual family conferences provide information, support, and social interaction. A treatment fund has been organized to provide financial assistance. Information Services: The foundation presently responds to all inquiries from families of persons with ED or their dentists or doctors. A variety of publications are available from the foundation including a monthly newsletter, A Family Guide to Ectodermal Dysplasias, and Charley: The Story of a Child, a family's diary of experience with their son who has ED. Most publications are free or available for a nominal charge. Audiovisual aids are also available for purchase. National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction (NFFR) 317 East 34th Street New York, NY 10016 (212) 340-6656 (800) 422-FACE Disabilities Served: Facial disfigurement as a result of birth defects, accidents, and illness. Users Served: Parents and families of facially disfigured individuals. The Organization: The National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction (NFFR) is a nonprofit, voluntary organization chartered in New York State in 1951 to aid the rehabilitation of individuals suffering from facial disfigurement. Its major purposes are (a) to provide facilities for the treatment and assistance of individuals who are unable to afford private reconstructive surgical care; (b) to assist in the training and education of personnel engaged in reconstructive plastic surgery; (c) to initiate, stimulate, and encourage research in this field; and (d) to carry on a public education program to make more people aware of the problems of facial disfigurement and the treatment methods currently available. The major program of the NFFR has been sponsorship of the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery of the New York University Medical Center. Through this program, it helps to support plastic surgery clinics in University Hospital, Bellevue Hospital, New York Veterans Administration Hospital, and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Treatment services of these clinics include reconstruction of congenital malformations of the face, crash injuries, and burns; correction of cleft lip and cleft palate deformities; microsurgery and replantation; reconstruction of the hand and upper extremities; the reconstruction of facial defects resulting from radical surgery for eradication of cancer; and plastic surgery around the eye and its adnexa. The National Foundation for Facial Reconstruction is funded completely by public contributions and each year must raise substantial sums to help support the clinic services described above. Information Services: Semiannual newsletter. The National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis (NFIC) 444 Park Avenue South New York, NY 10016 (212) 685-3440 (800) 343-3637 Disabilities Served: Ileitis (Crohn's disease) and ulcerative colitis (inflammatory bowel disease). Users Served: Disabled persons, their families, physicians, and the general public. The Organization: The National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis (NFIC) (soon to be known as The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America) is a nonprofit, research-oriented, voluntary health organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with Ileitis (Crohn's disease) and ulcerative colitis (known collectively as inflammatory bowel disease or IBD). Founded in 1967, NFIC is committed to establishing and maintaining a coordinated national program of biomedical research, professional and public education, and patient support groups. The primary goal of NFIC is to raise funds for research to find the cause and cure of these chronic illnesses, which affect an estimated 2 million Americans. Thirty thousand new cases are diagnosed annually. Information Services: NFIC provides educational programs for patients, physicians, and the public; mutual support groups; chapter newsletters; a national magazine; informational brochures and books; professional and medical forums; and research publications. The National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH) 1600 Stout Suite 1420 Denver, CO 80202 (303) 573-0264 Disabilities Served: Disabled and elderly. Users Served: Disabled and elderly persons with an emphasis on those who are indigent. The Organization: The National Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped (NFDH) is a nonprofit organization which promotes access to, and the delivery of, needed dental health care to physically or mentally handicapped persons. To accomplish this mission, which is national in scope, the foundation provides leadership in designing and coordinating innovative approaches and programs, utilizing existing delivery systems, at State and/or local levels. The foundation mobilizes participation in and support of these programs by individual dentists, organized dentistry, advocacy groups, philanthropic organizations, appropriate government agencies at all levels, and the general public including individuals, civic organizations, and businesses. Information Services: A brochure about choosing a dentist for a handicapped person and other materials about the NFDH programs are available. In States where DDS programs operate, the foundation will match qualified low-income disabled and elderly people with volunteer dentists. National Fraternal Society of the Deaf (NFSD) 1300 West Northwest Highway Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 (708) 392-9282 (Voice) (708) 392-1409 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing impairments. Users Served: Hearing-impaired persons, parents. The Organization: Organized and administered by deaf people, the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf (NFSD) was originally founded to provide life insurance coverage for deaf people who were denied coverage by established companies. Membership, which entails purchase of insurance, is open to all hearing-impaired persons, their relatives, and others involved in the field of deafness--between the ages of 0 and 70. NFSD advocates the rights of deaf people to drive and obtain auto insurance and works to eliminate discrimination in employment, education, and legal proceedings. The organization also awards scholastic and athletic achievement and sponsors local and national social activities. Information Services: A field force of trained representatives exists to offer detailed information and explanation of a variety of insurance investments and estate planning to deaf and hearing-impaired persons. Information is provided in sign language. Consumer education is also conducted through chapters in 36 States and Canada and 98 local divisions and through the bimonthly magazine, The Frat, which carries news of the society's insurance, social, and advocacy activities. The national office maintains an extensive library collection of monographs and pamphlets relating to deafness, which is available to any person or group for reference or research. National Gaucher Foundation (NGF) 1424 K Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 393-2777 Disabilities Served: Gaucher's disease (all types). Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, physicians, geneticists. The Organization: The National Gaucher Foundation, Inc. (NGF) is an organization dedicated to finding a treatment or cure for Gaucher's disease. The foundation supports research on Gaucher's; provides support to patients and disseminates information about this genetic disorder, which causes enlargement of the liver and spleen and deterioration of the bones. Information Services: NGF is a clearinghouse of information on research, symptoms, and day-to-day management of the disease. A bimonthly newsletter is sent to all interested persons. NGF can make referrals to physicians and genetics clinics. National Genetics Foundation, Inc. (NGF) 555 West 57th Street New York, NY 10019 Disabilities Served: All genetic disorders. Users Served: Physicians and the public. The Organization: The National Genetics Foundation (NGF) is a nonprofit health agency dedicated to reducing the burden of genetic disease among Americans. NGF was cited by the National Academy of Sciences in 1975 as a model for health delivery. Information Services: NGF's primary objective is the advancement of medical genetics into health delivery systems of the United States. As a service to the public, the National Genetics Foundation provides a computerized analysis of an individual's personal family health history through a Family Health Profile questionnaire. The purpose is to pinpoint health problems important to the person completing the questionnaire as well as his or her children. The report of the analysis is sent to the individual's physician, whose name and address must be listed on the form. There is a charge for each form and analysis to help defray the cost of service, handling, and mailing. The foundation operates a nationwide network clearinghouse staffed by genetic counselors who provide referral to university-based genetic centers for individuals and families who have, or suspect they may have, an inherited disorder. National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc. (NHHI) 4556 Lake Drive Robbinsdale, MN 55422 (612) 535-9771 Disabilities Served: All physical disabilities. Users Served: Physically disabled persons, architects, builders, government and industry. The Organization: The National Handicap Housing Institute, Inc. (NHHI) was incorporated in 1975 as a tax-exempt charitable organization providing services related to the development of barrier-free housing for physically disabled young adults. NHHI has developed, codeveloped and consulted on the development of 1,065 units of barrier-free housing for low income mobility-impaired young adults. In addition, NHHI has provided design- related services and/or marketing consultation toward the successful development of other units. The institute has conducted research on barrier-free housing design and developed architectural and product specification standards that are functional and affordable. In this regard, model kitchens and bathrooms have been built to test accessibility by disabled people, and virtually all brands and models of appliances and building hardware typically used in multifamily housing construction and specifications have been studied for their use by disabled persons. NHHI has also surveyed the housing needs and preferences of handicapped people as well as locational preferences to determine what housing features are needed to overcome problems resulting from specific disabilities. The institute provides information and referral on the availability of barrier-free housing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, area to a major degree and to out-state Minnesota to a lesser degree. Information on various housing assistance programs that handicapped people may be eligible for, as well as design and product information, is also provided. The institute has developed the design expertise necessary to assist architects, builders, and owners with many of their problems in creating new buildings and adapting and retrofitting older structures to be accessible through interpreting the pertinent codes and making recommendations that meet and, hopefully, exceed them functionally and aesthetically at minimal cost. The institute has a working knowledge of the requirements of 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and can assist government and industry in meeting the affirmative action and accessibility requirements demanded by this important Federal law. NHHI has shown exemplary capabilities in providing imaginative design solutions that overcome the problem of architectural barriers for the handicapped. Information Services: The institute has accumulated information on most organizations (nationwide), agencies, and individuals actively engaged in serving the housing needs of disabled persons, as well as other related service needs. Through the use of public service announcements, organizational newsletters, and general exposure of our products and services, NHHI has built a reputation as experts in the barrier-free, multifamily housing field. National Head Injury Foundation, Inc. (N.H.I.F.) 1140 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 812 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 296-6443 (800) 444-NHIF Disabilities Served: Traumatic brain injury. Users Served: Survivors, family members, councils, support groups, professionals and providers of rehabilitation, interested persons. The Organization: Founded in 1980, the National Head Injury Foundation's (N.H.I.F.) purpose is to improve the quality of life for people with a head injury and their families and to promote prevention of head injury through advocacy and public education. N.H.I.F. is a membership organization that works through its 44 State affiliates. N.H.I.F is the leading national advocacy and support organization for persons with head injuries and their families. N.H.I.F is actively involved in legislation at the Federal and State level. Information Services: A toll-free family helpline for assistance is available, as well as brochures describing head injury, prevention programs, a national directory of resources for persons with head injury and their families, national conferences for rehabilitation professionals and trial lawyers, and a catalog of educational materials. There is a national newsletter as well as films and videos. Contact Information and Resources for information. National Headache Foundation (NHF) 5252 North Western Avenue Chicago, IL 60625 (312) 878-7715 (800) 523-8858 (Illinois Only) (800) 843-2256 (Outside Illinois) Disabilities Served: Headaches/head pain. Users Served: Headache sufferers, physicians, health care professionals. The Organization: The National Headache Foundation (NHF) is a nonprofit organization established in 1970 to assist headache sufferers, their families, and the physicians who treat them. NHF is dedicated to three major goals: to serve as an information source to headache sufferers, their families, and the physicians who treat them; to promote research into potential headache causes and treatments; and to educate the public to the fact that headaches are serious disorders and sufferers need understanding and continuity of care. Information Services: NHF disseminates free information on headache causes and treatments, funds research, and sponsors public education seminars nationwide. In addition to functioning as a clearinghouse for information, NHF also has audiotapes, brochures and other helpful materials available for purchase. Membership dues in NHF are $15 per year and entitle the member to receive the following benefits: four issues of the quarterly newsletter, The Headache Handbook, and How to Talk to Your Doctor About Headaches; two informative brochures; the tyramine-free diet; an article on biofeedback, 52 Proven Stress Reducers; Travel Tips for the Headache Sufferer and more. National Hearing Aid Society 20361 Middlebelt Road Livonia, MI 48152 (313) 478-2610 (800) 521-5247 Disabilities Served: Hearing impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, hearing health care professionals. The Organization: The National Hearing Aid Society is a professional association of Hearing Instrument Specialists. Its members conduct testing for hearing and fit, select, dispense, and maintain hearing instruments (hearing aids). The society conducts programs of competency qualification, education, ethics, and training and promotes specialty-level accreditation for its members. It offers an independent study course for people interested in a career in the hearing instrument profession. For the hearing health professional, the society publishes a quarterly educational and research journal and a directory of members and has public relations/marketing programs. Information Services: The National Hearing Aid Society sponsors and administers a USA and Canada toll-free Hearing Aid Helpline, (800) 521-5247, to answer consumer questions and send free literature regarding hearing loss and hearing aids. The helpline also makes referrals to hearing aid specialists, support groups for hearing impaired people, other information sources, and provides information on a variety of hearing-related subjects. The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) The Soho Building 110 Greene Street Suite 303 New York, NY 10012 (212) 219-8180 Disabilities Served: Hemophilia, von Willebrand's disease, and other clotting factor deficiencies. Users Served: Persons with hemophilia and their families. The Organization: The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) is a voluntary, nonprofit national health agency. The foundation is dedicated to the treatment and cure of hemophilia, related bleeding disorders, and complications of those disorders or their treatment, including HIV infection, as well as to improving the quality of life of all those affected through the promotion and support of research, education, and other services. NHF coordinates the activities of 47 local chapters that provide services directly to people with hemophilia and their families throughout the United States. Information Services: The National Hemophilia Foundation offers many publications for providers, persons with hemophilia, families, and the community. NHF also produces five newsletters; Hemophilia Newsnotes (quarterly), Hemophilia Nursing Network News (semiannually), Hemophilia Psychosocial News (semi-annually), NHF Physical Therapy Newsletter (annually), Hemophilia and AIDS/HIV Network for the Dissemination of Information (HANDI) (quarterly). NHF also offers programs related to research, education, and financing as well as a comprehensive information center. For more information on NHF's programs and information services call a HANDI Information Specialist at (212) 431-8541 or 1-800-42-HANDI. National Hospice Organization (NHO) 1901 North Moore Street Suite 901 Arlington, VA 22209 (703) 243-5900 (800) 658-8898 (Hospice Referral and Information Only) Disabilities Served: Terminally ill people and their families. Users Served: Terminally ill people, hospice and other health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Hospice Organization (NHO) is a nonprofit, membership organization founded in 1978. NHO is dedicated to the promotion of the hospice concept of care and to ensuring the highest quality of care. Its membership includes hospice programs, health care professionals, and organizations interested in hospice care. Hospice is a specialized health care program emphasizing the management of pain and other symptoms associated with terminal illness while providing care for the family as well as the patient. Care is provided by physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, clergy, and specially trained volunteers and is given in the home whenever possible with inpatient care provided when necessary. The aim of hospice is to improve the quality of life remaining for dying patients and supporting the family through the bereavement period. Information Services: NHO has developed standards of care and guidelines for establishing a hospice; conducts national symposia, conferences, and workshops; publishes a national directory and other education and training resources and research materials. Information to the general public and referral to hospice programs in the United States is available through the Toll-free Hospice Helpline as listed above. National Industries for the Blind (NIB) Rehabilitation Services Division 524 Hamburg Turnpike Wayne, NJ 07470 (201) 595-9200 Disabilities Served: Blindness including multiple disabilities. Users Served: Agencies and industries for the blind. The Organization: National Industries for the Blind (NIB) was established in 1938 to act as the designated liaison between specialized industries for the blind and Federal Government procurement representatives. Approximately 100 specialized industries employing more than 6,300 blind and multidisabled blind persons are associated with NIB, and their activities involve producing goods and services for government and private industry. NIB's main functions are to allocate government purchase orders among qualified industries and to provide training and consultation to their boards and personnel in the areas of management, mechanical and industrial engineering, quality assurance, product research and development, vocational rehabilitation services, and subcontract procurement. NIB works with nonassociated agencies, helping them to meet the special requirements of both NIB and the Committee for Purchase from the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped, and with representatives in industry to create employment opportunities for blind persons. There are no fees or dues for association with NIB. Information Services: Information available through NIB relates to the standards and requirements for association with NIB as well as assistance in establishing new industries for blind and multidisabled blind persons. General information about NIB and a list of associated agencies are available to any individual. A nominal fee may be charged for some materials. A limited number of NIB publications are available in braille or large print or on tape. National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) 2235 Cedar Lane Vienna, VA 22182 (703) 560-6800 Disabilities Served: All severe disabilities. Users Served: Management and staff of (nonprofit) Work Centers across the country that employ persons with severe handicaps. The Organization: National Industries for the Severely Handicapped (NISH) is the nonprofit agency that strives to actively increase the level of employment of persons with severe disabilities through the execution of a comprehensive program of services to achieve the full potential of the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Act, Public Law 92-28. NISH conducts research and development to identify commodities and services that are feasible for Work Centers to provide to the Federal Government. NISH provides training and technical assistance, such as industrial engineering, production planning, quality control, cost analysis, and contract administration. NISH also acts as a liaison between Work Centers and the Presidentially appointed Committee for Purchase From the Blind and Other Severely Handicapped. Information Services: Nonprofit agencies that employ persons with severe disabilities are encouraged to contact NISH to learn how to become affiliated with NISH and eligible to participate in the program. Federal agency representatives are also encouraged to contact NISH to learn how to procure products and services from Work Centers under the JWOD Program. Publications: NISH publishes a monthly newsletter and an annual report. It holds national conferences: April 21-24, 1991, Las Vegas, Nevada; April 12-15, 1992, Nashville, Tennessee; and May 16-19, 1993, Phoenix, Arizona. A regional training seminar schedule available upon request. National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) P.O. Box 1492 Washington, DC 20013 (800) 999-5599 (Outside Washington, DC) (703) 893-6061 (Washington, DC Only) (703) 893-8614 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities for people aged 22 and under. Users Served: Persons with disabilities, their families and teachers, physicians, nurses, therapists, legislators, advocates, policymakers, journalists, social workers and all others concerned about disability issues. The Organization: The National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) is a federally funded project, mandated by Section 633 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) under Public Law 101-476. NICHCY collects and shares information and ideas that are helpful to children and youth with disabilities and the people who care for and about them. The Center answers questions, links people with others who share common concerns, publishes newsletters and issue papers, and generally helps the information flow between people who have it and people who need it. Information Services: NICHCY maintains a resource collection and a data base of information on the full range of options, services, and issues related to children and youth with disabilities. NICHCY's organization data base contains information on hundreds of national, regional, State and local organizations specifically concerned with disability issues. NICHCY publishes two newsletters. News Digest is published triennially and each issue offers an overview of a specific topic. Transition Summary comes out once a year and is a compilation of articles on transition from school to the adult world. Also available are a publications list; factsheets on specific disabilities; general information about disabilities; State resource sheets for each State and Territory, which list State agencies, selected disability organizations, and parent groups; legal information; and a special series for parents, called A Parent's Guide. Single copies of the NICHCY publications are available free of charge. Some publications are available in alternative formats and in Spanish. NICHCY staff members provide consultation and technical assistance on topics of information collection and dissemination, networking, and assorted other topics on request. Staff are available for conferences and workshops. National Information Center for Orphan Drugs and Rare Diseases (NICODARD) ODPHP National Health Information Center (ONHIC) P.O. Box 1133 Washington, DC 20013 (800) 336-4797 (ODPHP Health Information Center) (800) 456-3505 (NICODARD) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, health professionals, and general public. The Organization: The ODPHP National Health Information Center (ONHIC) and the National Information Center for Orphan Drugs and Rare Diseases (NICODARD) are projects of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to its clearinghouse function, ONHIC has initiated liaison activities in order to encourage the exchange of ideas on common concerns and goals among health information providers. Information Services: ONHIC and NICODARD operate an information and referral center. The data base of resource organizations helps consumers find the health information they need by locating the appropriate sources of the information. Resource organizations include disease prevention and health promotion programs, clearinghouses, professional associations, voluntary organizations, and government agencies at the national level. Organizations that provide information on the following topics are included: nutrition, cancer, immunization, accident control, infectious diseases, acupuncture, fluoridation, teenage pregnancy, hypertension, smoking, biofeedback, risk assessment, physical fitness, genetic diseases, and many others. The ONHIC data base of referral organizations is accessible to the public through the National Library of Medicine data base DIRLINE. ONHIC publishes a series of directories and bibliographies on health topics of current interest. NICODARD produces a listing of drugs approved for orphan drug status by the Food and Drug Administration. ONHIC and NICODARD information and referral services are available free of charge to lay persons and professionals. National Information Center on Deafness (NICD) Gallaudet 800 Florida Avenue, NE Washington DC 20002 (202) 651-5000 (Voice) (202) 651-5052 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and hearing loss. Users Served: Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons, parents, teachers, professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Information Center on Deafness (NICD), located on the Gallaudet University Campus, is a centralized source of accurate, up-to-date, objective information on topics dealing with deafness and hearing loss. NICD responds to questions from the general public and hearing-impaired people, their families, friends, and professionals who work with them. Through its own efforts and through continued collaboration with agencies and organizations serving hearing-impaired people, NICD collects, develops, and disseminates information on all aspects of hearing loss and programs and services offered to people who are deaf and hard of hearing across the Nation. Information Services: NICD provides either direct information, printed materials, and/or when appropriate, referrals to other helpful resources. NICD has developed numerous factsheets and resource listings on such areas as deafness, TDD's alerting and communication devices, hearing ear dogs, financial aid for hearing-impaired students, travel resources for hearing-impaired people, and short reading lists on the topics in education of deaf children. There is a nominal charge for NICD publications. National Information Clearinghouse for Infants with Disabilities and Life-threatening Conditions Benson Building 1st Floor Columbia, SC 29208 (800) 922-9234 (800) 922-1107 (South Carolina Only) Disabilities Served: All disabilities and severe health conditions affecting infants. Users Served: Parents having infants with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses, family members, caseworkers, physicians, nurses and other health care providers, NICU social workers, Child Protective Service workers, attorneys and advocates. The Organization: The National Information Clearinghouse for Infants with Disabilities and Life-threatening Conditions is a collaborative project of the Association for the Care of Children's Health (ACCH) in Bethesda, Maryland, and the Center for Developmental Disabilities at The University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. The Clearinghouse is a 5-year project (10/90-9/95) funded by the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, Administration for Children, Youth and Families, OHDS/DHHS. The primary goal of the Clearinghouse is to prevent the abuse and neglect of infants born with disabilities by providing timely and adequate information about available services and support to families and providers. Information Services: The Clearinghouse provides direct information about services and referral to appropriate providers of services for families having infants with disabilities. Information specialists at the Clearinghouse respond to individual requests and assist families to access services such as parent support and training resources, advocacy, health care, financial assistance, Child Protective Services, and legal and educational services. The Clearinghouse produces and disseminates materials including bibliographies, factsheets, and articles on Baby Doe issues. Also available will be monographs on strategies to develop information resources for persons with disabilities, strategies for enhancing systems for the provision of information and supportive services for families with infants with life-threatening illnesses and disabilities, and recommendations for increasing the knowledge and skills of professionals in providing information and support to families. National Information System for Vietnam Veterans and Their Children (NIS) Center for Developmental Disabilities Columbia, SC 29208 (800) 922-9234 (Outside South Carolina) (800) 922-1107 (South Carolina Only) Disabilities Served: All disabilities or special health care needs of children of Vietnam veterans. Users Served: Vietnam veterans having children with disabilities or special health care needs, family members, professionals. The Organization: The National Information System for Vietnam Veterans and Their Children (NIS) is a national information and referral system. Responding to each request are information specialists who are trained to assist families of Vietnam veterans who have children with disabilities to identify, understand, and access services available to them. The NIS is operated by the Center for Developmental Disabilities, a university-affiliated program, and is funded by the Agent Orange Class Assistance Program. Information Services: The NIS provides direct information and referral to service providers over the telephone. Additionally, the NIS produces and disseminates factsheets about disabilities and conditions common to the children of Vietnam veterans. National Institute for Burn Medicine (NIBM) 909 East Ann Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (313) 769-9000 Disabilities Served: Burn injury. Users Served: Health care professionals, fire services, manufacturers, teachers, students, general public, attorneys, and researchers. The Organization: The National Institute for Burn Medicine (NIBM) works to improve care available for burn victims through its research, professional training, technical assistance, and information dissemination programs. NIBM conducts research designed to improve patient care organization and delivery and to improve rehabilitation services. Specialized training for burn patients care is available for physicians, nurses, and technicians. Communities and hospitals may receive help in planning and establishing burn facilities. Emphasis is now on prevention programs for communities. Information Services: The institute distributes a variety of professional and public education materials in print and audiovisual formats, including free brochures on burn prevention and first aid. The institute responds to a wide range of requests from medical professionals, lawyers, manufacturers, teachers, students, and the public. When staff research time is required, there is a fee for services, which is lower for community service organizations and other nonprofit groups. Inquirers are asked to send written requests, outlining how the information they need will be used. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Building 31 Room 7A32 Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-5717 Disabilities Served: Allergies and infectious diseases of all kinds; also transplantation and immune deficiency disease. Users Served: Health care professionals and the general public. The Organization: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports a multimillion dollar research effort across the country at research institutions, aimed at a better understanding of the causes of allergic, immunologic, and infectious diseases and the development of better means of preventing, diagnosing, and healing these illnesses. Some of the studies are of infectious agents found in other countries, which cause death or severe handicaps for people living in the tropics and other areas outside of the United States (e.g., malaria and other parasitic diseases, leprosy, cholera, and viral diarrheas). NIAID supports Asthma and Allergic Disease Centers, which translate basic concepts in immunology, genetics, biochemistry, and pharmacology into clinical research. Comprehensive Immunologic Research and Disease Centers study immunologic diseases. Information Services: The NIAID Office of Communications has numerous publications for the lay person that cover the range of infectious diseases and allergies (e.g., asthma, pollen, dust and mold allergy, influenza, lung disease). Booklets are also available on viruses and bacteria and on bacterial meningitis, rabies, and sexually transmitted diseases. NIAID does not make referrals to sources of financial assistance for medical care, transportation, etc. National Institute of Art and Disabilities 551 23rd Street Richmond, CA 94804 (415) 620-0290 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, artists, art therapists, art educators, counselors. The Organization: The National Institute of Art and Disabilities is a nonprofit organization, which operates a demonstration visual arts program, provides professional training and consultations, helps establish art centers and art programs for children and adults with disabilities, and conducts research. The institute is founded on the belief that artistic expression is a means of promoting community involvement and integration for disabled individuals, as well as personal expression. The institute offers creative opportunities in painting, sculpture and printmaking to adults who are physically handicapped, emotionally disturbed, or mentally retarded. Students come to the center from throughout a two-county area, as an alternative to sheltered workshops and work activity programs. Training is provided in prevocational and vocational skills related to remunerative employment in the art field. Counseling and training in independent living skills are also integrated into the program. Opportunities are provided for observation, practice teaching, and research for professionals and students at the institute. The institute promotes exhibitions of creative art of people with disabilities in art galleries, museums, and public places. The philosophy of the institute is disseminated nationwide through publications, conferences, public education, and advocacy. Information Services: The institute publishes brochures on the programs and services it offers, as well as a quarterly newsletter. Publications include Art and Disabilities, Disabled Artist at Work - Photography by Judy Dater (Exhibition Catalog), Exhibition - Artist With Disabilities (Exhibition Catalog), Freedom to Create, The Creative Spirit. The institute consults with individuals and groups in establishing and operating art centers and art programs for people with disabilities. It also develops programs for children and adults in schools, sheltered workshops, convalescent hospitals, and State institutions. Professional training is provided through courses, participatory workshops, and conferences for artist, teachers, social workers, nurses, museum personnel, parents, etc. To further public education, the institute conducts lectures, and conference, radio, television, film, and media presentations. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Building 31 Room 2A32 Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-5133 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation (particularly Down syndrome) and learning disabilities (particularly dyslexia). A few genetic and metabolic disorders are studied. Users Served: Parents, teachers, health care professionals. The Organization: The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funds a multimillion dollar research program at its headquarters and around the country, at universities and medical schools. Research and doctoral training are done in the areas of maternal and child health, human development, and reproduction/population, with the focus on the continuing growth and development process (biological and behavioral) from the prenatal period to maturity. The NICHD also supports 12 Mental Retardation Research Centers across the country, where research, professional education, patient care, and counseling are undertaken. Information Services: Information is particularly strong on research related to Down syndrome, mental retardation, speech and language, and speech and reading. Most information describes various conditions and what is currently known about them. Patients may be referred by NICHD to the programs of the Mental Retardation Research Centers for diagnosis, treatment, and other services. Publications include Developmental Dyslexia and Related Reading Disorders and other speech/reading and speech/language materials and booklets on Down syndrome, smoking during pregnancy, childhood hyperactivity, anorexia nervosa, cesarean childbirth, oral contraceptives, precocious puberty, low birth weight babies, and sudden infant death. A Parent's Guide to Cystinosis provides an explanation of the disease and how it is diagnosed and offers advice on day-to-day care of the child with the disorder, including a discussion of emotional and school-related problems that can arise. A new report, Prenatal and Perinatal Factors Associated with Brain Disorders, presents current knowledge about prenatal and perinatal causes of neurological dysfunction. National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) Building 31 Room 2C35 National Institutes of Health 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-4262 Disabilities Served: Dental diseases, and disorders. Users Served: Dental and medical professionals, and the general public. The Organization: The National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) is the chief sponsor of dental research and research related training in the United States. NIDR studies relate to the cause(s), prevention and methods of diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases and conditions. Information Services: The NIDR information program communicates research advances in the oral health sciences to the public and dental professionals through the development and distribution of patient and professional education materials, publications, and scientific reports. For the professional, periodic issuances of NIDR Research Digest provide reports of current research activities. The Institute also funds state-of-the-art conferences and workshops and makes the published proceedings of these meetings available. Exhibits depicting research findings and known methods of dental disease prevention are developed and shown at dental/medical, scientific, and health educator meetings. For the lay person, pamphlets on general dental health and on specific problems of relevance to the Institute are distributed to the general public. Inquiries from the public are answered with information from the latest research reports and citations to the general dental literature. When appropriate, information is supplied regarding grantee institutions where possible service can be offered. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Building 31 Room 9A04 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-3583 Disabilities Served: Diabetes, digestive diseases, endocrine and metabolic disorders, kidney disease and urinary tract infections. Specific disorders include such diseases as ulcers, colitis, ileitis, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, and others. Users Served: General public. The Organization: The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) supports millions of dollars of research each year on the causes of and improved treatment for diabetes and other metabolic disorders, digestive diseases and nutrition, and diseases of the kidney and urinary tract. NIDDK also supports Diabetes Research and Training Centers, Digestive Disease Centers, Clinical Nutrition Research Units, and the George M. O'Brien Kidney and Urological Research Centers. Information Services: NIDDK's National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, and National Kidney and Urological Diseases Information Clearinghouse work with health educators and health professionals and handle requests for professional literature. At the central information office of NIDDK (address above), basic brochures are available on type I and type II diabetes and on several other subjects (cystic fibrosis, urinary tract infections, gallstones, peptic ulcer, and benign prostatic hyperplasia). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Information Resources and Inquiries Branch 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 (301) 443-4513 Disabilities Served: Mental illnesses. Users Served: Mentally ill persons and their families, physicians, clinicians, general public. The Organization: The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the Federal agency that supports research nationwide on mental illness and mental health. It is a component of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA). NIMH supports basic and clinical studies on the causes and new treatments of mental illnesses. It also supports research through its extramural and intramural programs on studies in the biological, psychological, epidemiological, economic, and social science aspects of mental illnesses. Information Services: To promote the understanding, treatment, and rehabilitation of mentally ill people, NIMH disseminates publications to the public on symptoms of mental illness and sources of help. Brochures are available on such illnesses as schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic, paranoia, obsessive compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, sleep disorders, and eating disorders. Some brochures are available in Spanish. A publications list is available. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Building 31 Room 8A-06 Bethesda, MD 20892 (301) 496-5751 Disabilities Served: Neurological disorders in general, cerebrovascular disease, metabolic disorders affecting the nervous system, head and spinal cord injury. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, health professionals, voluntary health organizations. The Organization: NINDS is one of 13 research institutes making up the National Institutes of Health. The Institute's mission is to conduct, support, and coordinate research in the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of neurological disorders and stroke, and in basic sciences relevant to these problems. Support of postdoctoral training for research careers is also a basic component of the Institute's mission. The Institute supports clinical research centers at university medical complexes, where patient research is conducted on epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, neural prostheses, and other neurological conditions. The Institute also collects and disseminates information on research in its field. Information Services: NINDS maintains an Office of Scientific and Health Reports (OSHR), whose services are available free to both lay and professional users. Inquiries about the Institute program, neurological and communicative disorders, and research progress in these fields are answered by phone and mail. Approximately 60 publications are kept in stock and sent out in response to inquiries. Publications include a Hope through Research series of 17 pamphlets (many covering disabling conditions), a factsheet series consisting of 11 titles, and 10 miscellaneous pamphlets, reprints, and other publications. Annual special reports on research in the major neurological areas are available, as well as scientific and technical documents, such as a monograph series containing reviews, reports of advisory committees, and proceedings of scientific meetings. A publications list and single copies of NINDS publications are available free to individuals; organizations may order small quantities for their own distribution. A monthly news service, NINDS Notes, is available to journals and newspapers. For further information, call or write the Office of Scientific and Health Reports at the above address. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) National Information Clearinghouse Program Planning and Health Reports Branch Building 31, Room 1B62 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 Disabilities Served: Diseases and disorders of hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the 13 Institutes in the National Institutes of Health established by law, conducts and supports research and research training on normal mechanisms as well as diseases and disorders affecting hearing and other communication processes, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. The legislation that established the Institute mandated the formation of a national clearinghouse. Information Services: The objectives of the National Information Clearinghouse include responses to information requests; coordination of the vast amount of information that already exists in the field of communication sciences and distribution to health professionals, patients, industry, and the public; and elimination of duplication of information by establishing a central resource center that will provide access to current information held by other sources. National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Office of Special Education & Rehabilitative Research U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 (202) 732-1134 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Researchers, rehabilitation professionals, physicians, professionals, disabled persons, and parents. The Organization: Established in November 1978 by Public Law 95-602 as the National Institute of Handicapped Research and renamed the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in 1986, NIDRR provides leadership and support for a national and international program of comprehensive and coordinated research regarding the rehabilitation of disabled individuals. The Institute's mission also encompasses the dissemination of information concerning developments in rehabilitation procedures and methods and devices that can improve the lives of people of all ages with physical and mental disabilities, especially those who are severely disabled. One of the most important aspects of research supported by the Institute is that it helps to ensure the integration of persons with disabilities into independent and semi-independent community life. In fiscal year 1990, the Institute funded 39 Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers and 16 Rehabilitation Engineering Centers, as well as research and demonstration projects, field-initiated research projects, innovation grants, fellowships, utilization grants, the Small Business Innovative Research Program, the Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems program, assistive technology grants, international programs, and interagency activities. Information Services: Requestors may obtain a listing of current NIDRR projects, information on research reports generated by NIDRR projects, and information on other rehabilitation research, from the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC). In addition, NIDRR publishes the Rehab BRIEFs, 4-page digests of current research information presented in a format readily usable by rehabilitation practitioners. National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine 1400 Jackson Street Denver, CO 80206 (303) 388-4461 Disabilities Served: Chronic respiratory and immunologic disorders including asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Users Served: Disabled persons, health care professionals, researchers. The Organization: The National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine (formerly the National Jewish Hospital/National Asthma Center) maintains treatment and research facilities where patients can be referred who need specialized care beyond the means of local families. Treatment facilities include medical care and psychological, social, occupational, physical, and recreational therapy for patients of all ages, beliefs and backgrounds. An outpatient program and short-term treatment for children with less severe illnesses are also available. The National Jewish Center program blends patient care and research teaching. Areas of research include basic investigations in molecular and cellular biology and basic and applied research in respiratory and immunological diseases. The center is affiliated with the University of Colorado Health Services Center. The center also offers postdoctoral training in respiratory diseases, immunology and allergies. Short courses are offered in other speciality areas related to respiratory diseases and immunology. Information Services: The National Jewish Center publishes four booklets that discuss in lay language the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of specific diseases. Single copies are available free of charge. The publications available are Understanding Asthma, Nocturnal Asthma, Understanding Allergy, Understanding Emphysema, Understanding Immunology, Healthy Breathing, Management of Chronic Respiratory Disease, Your Child and Asthma, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Black Lung. Also available are two quarterly newsletters: New Directions, and Lung Line Letter. The center provides a toll-free information service called LUNG LINE (800) 222-LUNG. Registered nurses are available to answer questions Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Rocky Mountain time. Off hours and weekends an operator will take messages or send information. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) P.O. Box NKUDIC 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 Disabilities Served: Kidney and urologic-related disabilities. Users Served: Health professionals, patients, and the general public. The Organization: The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a resource and referral service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health. The Clearinghouse is designed to increase the knowledge and understanding of patients, health care professionals, and the public about kidney and urologic diseases. NKUDIC gathers and disseminates educational information produced by many sources and forms a unique network among professional, lay, and voluntary associations; government agencies; and other organizations involved with enhancing patient education concerning kidney and urologic diseases. Information Services: The Clearinghouse distributes various publications prepared by the National Institute of Diabetes and Kidney Diseases. It utilizes a computerized data base of educational materials about kidney and urologic diseases. This subfile is available to the public on the Combined Health Information Database (CHID), with abstracts of materials produced for patients and health professionals. NKUDIC also publishes a bulletin for professionals with timely information about new materials and services, upcoming events, and results of NIH research. Finally, the Clearinghouse distributes annotated bibliographies and topical literature searches on selected topics on kidney and urologic diseases. National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Two Park Avenue New York, NY 10016 (212) 889-2210 Disabilities Served: Genitourinary disorders and chronic renal malfunction. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, nurses, technicians, dieticians, social workers. The Organization: Since 1950, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has been seeking the total answer to diseases of the kidney and urinary tract-- prevention, treatment and cure through research, patient services, nationwide organ donor programs, professional education, and public information. The Organ Donor Program works through 50 affiliates to gather kidneys and other organs for transplant. Support of blood banks for dialysis patients, administration of detection and screening programs, and staffing of information and referral offices along with advocacy and public information activities are among the activities of foundation affiliates and 200 local chapters. NKF sponsors symposia, conferences, and meetings for medical and allied health professionals. Education of professionals is provided by five councils of the foundation: Clinical Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Nephrology Social Workers, Renal Nutrition, Urology and Nephrology Nurses and Technicians. Information Services: Affiliates and local chapters provide counseling and referrals to local resources for patients and their families. The foundation provides a number of brochures for patients and families covering general information on kidney and urinary tract disorders, specific diseases, treatment options, diet, and rehabilitation. Sample titles are What Everyone Should Know About Kidneys and High Blood Pressure and Your Urinary Tract Infections. Some information is available in Spanish. Publications include a quarterly newsletter containing up-to-date information on research, legislation, programs and services, and learning opportunities; The Kidney, a bimonthly scientific report on single topics of current research and clinical developments in kidney disease; and The American Journal of Kidney Diseases, a monthly journal focusing on human renal and urogenital function in health and disease primarily for physicians and researchers, and Journal on Renal Nutrition. Audiovisuals are available on the physiology of the kidney, chronic renal failure, treatment, and organ donation. Materials are free to patients; a nominal fee is charged for health care professionals. National Library of Medicine (NLM) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 8600 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20894 (301) 496-6095 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Physicians, research scientists, clinicians, other health professionals. The Organization: The National Library of Medicine is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one of the five health agencies of the Public Health Service. The Library was established in 1836 as the Library of the Army Surgeon General's Office and remained under the armed forces until 1956, when it was designated as the National Library of Medicine and placed within the Public Health Service by an act of Congress. The world's largest research library in a single scientific and professional field, the Library serves as the Nation's chief medical information source. The Library, which collects materials exhaustively in approximately 40 biomedical areas, has holdings of about 5 million books, journals, technical reports, theses, microfilms, and other materials Information Services: The Library's computer-based Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (MEDLARS) was established to achieve rapid bibliographic access to NLM's source of biomedical information. It became operational in 1964 with the publication of the first computer-produced issue of Index Medicus, a comprehensive, monthly subject-author index to articles from approximately 2,600 of the world's biomedical journals. The principal objective of MEDLARS is to provide references to the biomedical literature for research scientists, clinicians, and other health professionals. MEDLARS contains over 6 million references dating from 1964 and covering virtually all handicapping conditions, rehabilitation medicine, and rehabilitation engineering. MEDLINE (MEDLARS On-Line), which became operational in late 1971, provides the capability in medical libraries around the country to query the NLM computer's store of journal article references for quick retrieval. MEDLINE contains over 500,000 recent references. Other computerized data bases developed by NLM include the following (numbers of records contained in these files are from May 1985): TOXLINE (Toxicology Information On-Line) is a collection of 1.6 million references from the last 5 years on published human and animal toxicity studies, effects of environmental chemicals, and adverse drug reactions. CANCERLIT (Cancer Literature) is sponsored by NIH's National Cancer Institute and contains more than 450,000 references on various aspects of cancer. AVLINE (Audiovisuals On-Line) is a file of about 14,000 audiovisual teaching packages used in health sciences education at the college level and for the continuing education of practitioners. HEALTH PLANNING & ADMIN (Health Planning and Administration) contains about 310,000 references to literature on health planning, organization, financing, management manpower, and related subjects. (This file may be accessed through BRS Information Technologies and DIALOG). BIOETHICSLINE, developed at the Center for Bioethics, Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, gives bibliographic information on questions of ethics and public policy arising in health care or biomedical research. It contains about 18,000 records. Seven Regional Medical Libraries, each responsible for a geographic area, coordinate NLM's on-line search services in the United States. In addition to conducting searches themselves, they can provide the user with the location of the nearest on-line center with access to NLM data bases. (There are over 3,300 of these centers located in hospitals, universities, State libraries, organizations, and companies throughout the country). The charge for NLM searches varies with each Regional Medical Library and local center; in some cases there is no cost to certain classes of users. The Regional Medical Libraries also handle requests for health literature not available locally, referring the NLM requests they cannot fill. Inquirers may contact NLM for the location of the Regional Medical Library serving their area. NLM publications include Index Medicus (described above), Abridged Index Medicus, NLM Current Catalog, NLM Audiovisuals Catalog, and published literature searches on a variety of topics. A list of publications with ordering information is available upon request. Direct access to MEDLARS and MEDLINE is also available through BRS Information Technologies and DIALOG. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Library of Congress 1291 Taylor Street, NW Washington, DC 20542 (202) 707-5100 Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairment, deaf-blindness, reading disabilities resulting from organic dysfunction, and other physical limitations that prevent the normal use of standard printed material. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers. The Organization: The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) collection of full-length braille and talking books and magazines produced for blind and physically handicapped readers is loaned free to individuals who cannot hold, handle, or read conventional printed matter. Books, magazines, and playback equipment provided by NLS are distributed through a national network to eligible residents of the United States and its territories. NLS has developed a national automated bibliographic service that enables cooperating network libraries to identify and locate books produced in special formats for handicapped readers. NLS trains and certifies volunteers in braille transcribing and in braille proofreading. Eligible readers can request that a local volunteer group braille or record materials they cannot locate elsewhere. Volunteers Who Produce Books: Braille, Tape, Large Type is a directory that lists by State the names of volunteer groups and individuals who transcribe and record books and other reading materials for blind and physically handicapped persons. Voice auditions and informal training are given to organized groups of volunteer tape narrators. The Telephone Pioneers of America, senior or retired telephone industry workers, maintain and repair playback equipment. Information Services: Questions on various aspects of blindness and physical handicaps may be sent to NLS or to any network library. Reference circulars, bibliographies, directories, and other compilations of information are free on request. The national book collection includes more that 55,000 titles of bestsellers, classics, gothic and romantic novels, mysteries, science fiction, history, biography, religion, poetry, essays, how-to-do-it books, foreign language materials, and children's books. The children's collection includes a number of special books that combine print with braille, enabling blind and sighted children and adults to read together. Some of these print/braille books are illustrated with fragrance strips that emit scents when scratched. Currently recorded and brailled books are announced in the bimonthly magazines, Talking Books Topics and Braille Book Review. Eligible readers receive these publications in large type, recorded, and/or braille versions. Seventy magazines on flexible disc (records) and in braille are offered through the program. Readers may request free subscriptions to Harper's, U.S. News and World Report, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, and many other popular magazines. Current issues are mailed to readers at about the same time the printed issues appear. Playback equipment is loaned free to readers for as long as library materials are being borrowed. Talking-book machines are designed to play disk recorded books and magazines at 8 rpm and 16 rpm; cassette book machines are designed for cassettes recorded at 15/16 ips and the standard speed of 1 7/8 ips as well as on 2 tracks and 4 tracks. An auxiliary amplifier for hearing-impaired persons is available from NLS on special request. National Lymphedema Network (NLN) 2211 Post Street Suite 404 San Francisco, CA 94115 (800) 541-3259 Disabilities Served: Primary and secondary lymphedema. Users Served: Physicians, nurses, physical therapists who are involved in the treatment of lymphedema. The Organization: The National Lymphedema Network (NLN) is a nonprofit organization established in 1988 to disseminate information about primary and secondary lymphedema to both patients and health care professionals. We recently set up a National Lymphedema Data Bank. The NLN is supported by memberships, donors, and matching grants which are tax-deductible. Information Services: The NLN has a counseling "hotline" program, toll-free number (800) 541-3259; a referral service to medical and therapeutic treatment centers throughout the United States; information and advice on both locating and establishing local support groups; information on national and international conferences; a newsletter, published quarterly, containing updated information. The National Marfan Foundation (NMF) 382 Main Street Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 883-8712 Disabilities Served: Marfan syndrome. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals. The Organization: The National Marfan Foundation (NMF) is an organization founded in 1982 to meet the needs and interests of individuals with the Marfan syndrome. This syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue that affects many organ systems, including the skeleton, the lungs, the eyes, and the heart and blood vessels. While difficult to diagnose, it is estimated that over 20,000 people in the United States have the Marfan syndrome. The National Marfan Foundation has a threefold purpose: (1) to provide accurate and timely information about this condition to patients, family members, and physicians; (2) to provide a means for patients and relatives to share experiences, to support one another, and to improve their medical care; and (3) to support and foster research. The NMF is working to provide grants to research scientists in support of their investigations into the causes and treatment of the Marfan syndrome. Fundraising for research and patient education is a major activity. The foundation is composed of over 10 chapters and community groups across the country. Information Services: NMF publishes a variety of materials for patients, the public, and professionals. Single copies of printed materials are available free from the national office; there is a charge for bulk orders. Publications include The Marfan Syndrome, which provides a comprehensive description of the condition, and How John Was Unique, a picture-coloring book for children with the condition. Fact-sheets on the syndrome and NMF are also available. A quarterly newsletter, Connective Issues, is free to members. Audiovisuals from the NMF biennial meeting and a television interview show featuring two persons affected by the Marfan syndrome are offered for loan or purchase. Additional materials, including articles, are available upon request. National Mental Health Association (NMHA) 1021 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 684-7722 (800) 969-NMHA Disabilities Served: Mental and emotional disorders. Users Served: Consumers of mental health services, their families and other concerned individuals and groups. The Organization: The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) is the Nation's only citizen's volunteer advocacy organization concerned with all aspects of mental health and mental illnesses. With over 600 affiliates across the country, NMHA works to meet this challenge through education, research, services and advocacy in your neighborhood, in your State, and in Washington, DC. Information Services: The National Mental Health Association has established a National Mental Health Information Center to meet the needs of the general public, consumers of mental health services and their families and other concerned individuals and groups. The information center responds to the public's need for accurate, helpful information on mental health topics and issues by providing written materials on a variety of mental health/mental illness subjects; it also provides referrals of mental health service organizations that are capable of responding to clinical, technical, and specific questions and of support groups that are available in communities across the country. The National MPS Society, Inc. 17 Kraemer Street Hicksville, NY 11801 (516) 931-6338 Disabilities Served: Mucopolysaccharidosis; mucolipidosis, and related disorders. Users Served: Affected persons and their families, professionals, researchers. The Organization: The National MPS Society, Inc. was founded in 1974 as a parent support group. That is still its main purpose. The society has a referral service to put families that have children with similar disorders in touch with each other. It also has a research fund and awards student stipends for qualifying students wishing to work in research labs that are doing work on MPS or related disorders. Information Services: The National MPS Society publishes a quarterly newsletter that is sent to its members. It contains information from parents and medical and research information. The society hosts two conferences a year. These conferences are held in various parts of the country. They are for families and professionals interested in MPS. National Multiple Sclerosis Society 205 East 42nd Street 3rd Floor New York, NY 10017 (212) 986-3240 (800) 624-8236 (Information Resource Center) Disabilities Served: Multiple sclerosis and related diseases. Users Served: Clients with multiple sclerosis and their families, health professionals, general public. The Organization: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society provides funding for research into the cause, prevention, treatment, and cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as for research into health care and quality of life issues. An office of professional educational programs maintains a speakers bureau and supports professional education programs in the chapters. A Washington office is active in advocacy for Federal legislation affecting MS persons and NIH research funding. One hundred forty-three chapters and branches provide direct services to people with multiple sclerosis and their families, including information and referral, counseling, equipment loan programs, and social, exercise, and recreational support activities. Seventy-three clinical diagnosis and treatment centers are supported by local chapters. Information Services: A national Information Resource Center and Library responds to inquiries from clients, the public, and professionals on diagnosis, symptoms, clinic and physician referrals, research, available treatments, and psychosocial issues. The center is fully automated and will research complex questions related to the field of multiple sclerosis using text sources and online services. Evaluating requests, researching esoteric inquiries, and supplying information are responsibilities of health professionals on staff. An information data base, addressing topics of interest to the constituency, contains documents on subjects not handled in standard resources. Publications for clients and the general public include such pamphlet titles as What is MS?, What Everyone Should Know About Multiple Sclerosis, Living with MS: A Practical Guide, The Challenge of MS, MS and Your Emotions, and Plaintalk: A Booklet About Multiple Sclerosis For Family Members. Inside MS, a quarterly periodical, is sent to all members. Some information is available in Spanish. Professionals may request publications on treatment, nursing care, group counseling, bibliographies on special topics, and selected reprints. National Music Information Center for the Handicapped Settlement Music School Program for the Handicapped 3745 Clarendon Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19114 (215) 637-1502 Disabilities Served: All disabilities except for severe-profound mental retardation, and mental illness. Users Served: Disabled persons, therapists, and educators. The Organization: The Settlement Music School is a community school offering quality music instruction to children and adults regardless of race, ethnic background, religion, disability, or ability to pay. Its specialized Program for the Handicapped is open to all students with disabilities who show musical inclinations and could benefit from the school's educational/therapeutic approaches and social/recreational activities. One goal of the program is to integrate all disabled students into regular classes of the school. In response to the lack of availability of information for professionals on the subject of music for disabled persons, the National Music Information Center for the Handicapped was conceived. Goals of the Information Center include providing information on replicating a program like that of the Settlement Music School and assembling all available printed matter (books, journal/magazine articles, directories, etc.) on the topic "Music for the Disabled" into a collection at one central location. The services of the Information Center are open to all therapists and educators, researchers in the field of creative therapies and special education, and the general public. Information Services: Brochures and pamphlets are available on issues pertaining to music for disabled persons. The Program for the Handicapped is responsible for the 1983 publication of the Guide to the Selection of Musical Instruments With Respect to Physical Ability and Disability, the first reference book of its kind on the subject. The Information Center has available a collection of large print and braille music, textbooks, and supportive materials on all areas of teaching music to disabled persons. The use of the center is free and open to the public; however, there is a nominal fee for duplication and mailing. The center is gathering a smaller collection of videotapes and records which are not for loan outside the school. Computer searches, bibliographies, folders containing periodicals, newsletters, conference data, and scholarship information are also being assembled. In addition, a manual outlining the philosophy, policies, and procedures which govern the use of the Program for the Handicapped is available upon request to assist in program development elsewhere. For a nominal fee, Information Center staff members offer consultation to institutions in developing or improving their services for disabled persons. National Myoclonus Foundation 845 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 758-5656 Disabilities Served: Myoclonus. Users Served: People suffering from myoclonus and researchers. The Organization: The National Myoclonus Foundation serves now primarily to direct those who have myoclonus to an investigating physician or neurologist. National Network of Learning Disabled Adults (NNLDA) P.O. Box 716 Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 (215) 275-7211 Disabilities Served: Learning disabilities (LD). Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: The National Network of Learning Disabled Adults (NNLDA) is an organization formed to provide support, assistance, and information to learning disabled adults and self-help groups for learning disabled adults nationwide. NNLDA encourages advocacy and provides an informal communication network among members, which it plans to formalize in the future. In addition, NNLDA works to educate the public about learning disabilities and about the abilities of those who have LD. Assistance is provided to LD adults in locating appropriate services. NNLDA has three State chapters. Information Services: NNLDA publishes a descriptive brochure about the organization. The NNLDA Newsletter, published four times a year, reports on educational programs and resources, legislation, government policies, employment and training opportunities, organizational news, and other items of interest. LAUNCH, a member organization, offers a videotape for sale about LD adults. NNLDA provides speakers for organizations and conferences. The network maintains an electronic bulletin board entitled LD ADULT on SpecialNet (see National Association of State Directors of Special Education, separate entry) to disseminate information about issues of concern to LD adults. There is no charge for information or services. National Neurofibromatosis Foundation (NNFF) 141 Fifth Avenue Suite 7-S New York, NY 10010 (212) 460-8980 (800) 323-7938 Disabilities Served: Neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease). Users Served: Persons affected by Neurofibromatosis, their families, and health care professionals. The Organization: Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a progressive genetic disorder, which can affect all areas of the nervous system and skin. Symptoms of the disorder usually begin in childhood or adolescence when multiple benign growths appear on the brain, spinal cord, or skin; the optic nerves and hearing are often affected. The National Neurofibromatosis Foundation (NNFF) was established in 1978 to provide information to individuals affected by NF and their families, physicians, and the general population. The foundation was created to promote and support scientific research into the cause, treatment, and cure of NF. The foundation's activities include public awareness campaigns and conferences on NF for medical professionals and the lay public. The NNFF has State chapters, lists 75 NF clinics, and is affiliated with 24 foreign support groups. The foundation financed and coordinated research leading to the discovery of the gene that causes NF1 and the gene product NF1. Members of the foundation include affected individuals and their families as well as medical professionals and other interested individuals. Information Services: NNFF publishes a general quarterly newsletter, a research newsletter for scientists and healthcare professionals, and distributes various other educational publications and videos aimed at promoting NF awareness. The foundation presently produces and disseminates an informational pamphlet in Spanish and French. NNFF is instrumental in assisting persons affected with NF in finding proper medical, social, and genetic counseling. The National Odd Shoe Exchange P.O. Box 56845 Phoenix, AZ 85079 (800) 843-1964 Disabilities Served: Amputations, injuries from accidents, birth defects, and mismatched feet. Users Served: Disabled persons, their families, and podiatrists. The Organization: The National Odd Shoe Exchange is a small, non-profit organization that helps people with foot size differences (mismates), amputee's, or victims of accidents or birth defects find shoes (or shoe) that fit. There are membership fee and annual dues to belong to this service. The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) P.O. Box 8923 New Fairfield, CT 06812 (203) 746-6518 (800) 999-NORD Disabilities Served: Rare diseases and disorders. Users Served: People of all ages with rare, "orphan diseases"; their families; support groups and organizations; health professionals; researchers. The Organization: The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) was incorporated in 1983 as a voluntary, nonprofit organization dedicated to representing and serving people with "orphan diseases." NORD's mission is to encourage increased identification, control, and treatment of orphan diseases through programs of education, service, and research. An orphan disease is defined as one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. To date, there are more than 5,000 such conditions striking people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds. Many are genetic; others are acquired, such as Legionnaire's Disease, etc. Still other "orphans" fall within the realm of widespread health conditions such as cancer and heart disease. Orphan diseases collectively touch the lives of more than 20 million Americans and constitute this Nation's most significant health problem. NORD acts as a clearinghouse to provide information to the public and professionals so they may more readily understand and help to alleviate rare disorders. Through a unique, computerized networking program, NORD links together people with the same disorders so they can provide each other with mutual support. Also, NORD provides technical support to developing groups and organizations. NORD also funds clinical research grants, creating hope for millions whose disorders are presently hopeless and untreatable. In addition, NORD has played a major role in advancing research on orphan diseases and in developing new orphan drugs. Information Services: NORD provides disease-specific printouts written in layman's language from a Rare Disease Database, which is nationally accessible through Compuserve. Disease-specific national support groups and referral agencies and other pertinent information are also included. Orphan Disease Update, NORD's newsletter, is published three times per year and includes resource information, progress in the field, and national organizational activities on behalf of people with rare disorders. Other printed items include NORD brochures and Patient Networking Permission Forms. National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.) 910 Sixteenth Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, DC 20006 (202) 293-5960 (Voice) (202) 293-5968 (TDD) (800) 248-ABLE Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, community-level administrators, national organizations, employers. The Organization: The privately funded National Organization on Disability (N.O.D.), successor organization to the U.S. Council for the International Year of Disabled Persons, works to support community-based efforts to improve the lives of disabled people. Emphasis is placed on the concept of partnership between able-bodied and disabled individuals in developing cooperative programs. N.O.D. encourages organizations, corporations and others to support local efforts and offers technical assistance to the growing number of participating communities. To date, there are 50 State representatives and approximately 3,000 local Community Partners of N.O.D. The national organization sponsors annual programs for Community Partners and National Partner Organizations in which it awards cash prizes for progress made at these levels toward integrating citizens with disabilities into community life. Information Services: The N.O.D. publishes a quarterly REPORT, which highlights the organization's program activities and current disability trends. REPORT is available to the general public. UPDATE, a bimonthly newsletter, is targeted to community partner groups and highlights replicable community projects and available resources. N.O.D. has a clearinghouse, which also disseminates this information. N.O.D. has a toll-free number, 1-800-248-ABLE, to handle individual inquiries. National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) 2100 M Street, NW Suite 602 Washington, DC 20037 (202) 223-2226 Disabilities Served: Osteoporosis. Users Served: Patients, families, health care professionals, researchers, and the public. The Organization: The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) is a resource for patients and health care professionals seeking up-to-date, medically sound information and program materials on the causes, prevention, and treatment of osteoporosis. A voluntary, nonprofit health agency, NOF's membership includes individuals, professionals, and organizations. NOF activities center around its five goals: to increase the Federal research effort and ensure that osteoporosis assumes a prominent place on the national health agenda; to provide direct financial support for osteoporosis research through its Research Grant Program; to increase public awareness and knowledge about osteoporosis through the national education campaign known as National Osteoporosis Prevention Week; to educate physicians and other health care professionals through conferences, publications, and a speakers bureau; and to inform patients and their families. Information Services: NOF serves as an information clearinghouse linking patients and their families with information, resources, and services, including referrals to physicians and support groups. Publications include a quarterly newsletter, The Osteoporosis Report; comprehensive educational materials for patients and physicians, such as a 40-page booklet, Boning Up on Osteoporosis; a brochure called Osteoporosis: A Woman's Guide; Physician's Resource Manual; bibliographies; and a prevention week resource kit used by health care professionals and aging, women's, and youth organizations. National Parkinson Foundation 1501 NW Ninth Avenue Miami, FL 33136 (305) 547-6666 (800) 327-4545 (800) 433-7022 Disabilities Served: Parkinson's disease and many related neurological disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, caregivers, health care professionals, educators and researchers. The Organization: The National Parkinson Foundation provides clinical, rehabilitative, and therapeutic treatment to Parkinsonians and those with related neurological disorders. It supports research, domestically and worldwide, to find the cause and cure of Parkinson's disease. The foundation is affiliated with the University of Miami School of Medicine, University of Southern California (Los Angeles) School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center of the University of Southern California, Yale University, and Loma Linda University. Information Services: The foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter containing research and general information. Additional publications include The Parkinson Patient, The Parkinson Handbook, Nutritional Considerations of Parkinson Disease, Psychological Factors in Managing Parkinson Disease, and An Example of Fighting Back - One Woman's Story. All foundation publications are free in limited quantities. National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) 633 South Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-0850 (Voice) (703) 836-0852 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Physical and mental disabilities. Users Served: People with disabilities and their families, rehabilitation professionals, including rehabilitation educators and researchers. The Organization: The National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) is one of the oldest and largest general rehabilitation associations in the country. Established in 1925, its purpose is to promote rehabilitation services in order to enhance the quality of life for persons with disabilities. The NRA includes eight affiliate associations and 60 chapters nationwide and has a membership of 18,000. Membership is open to all persons interested in rehabilitation issues. Information Services: NRA publishes the Journal of Rehabilitation quarterly, the quarterly magazine Rehab USA and the NRA Newsletter eight times per year. In addition, each of the eight associations also publishes professional journals and newsletters. NRA also publishes a popular Accessibility Manual for conference and meeting sites and a yearly Mary Switzer Monograph on a current issue or topics in the field of rehabilitation. National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) 8455 Colesville Road Suite 935 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3319 (301) 588-9284 (800) 346-2742 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: People with disabilities, parents, teachers, administrators, direct service providers, researchers, educators, students. The Organization: The National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) is a library and information center on disability and rehabilitation. NARIC is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education, to collect and disseminate the results of federally funded research projects. The collection also includes commercially published books, journal articles, and audiovisual materials. Information Services: The NARIC bibliographic data base, REHABDATA, covers all aspects of the rehabilitation field and contains citations and abstracts of the materials in the Center's collection. The data base contains over 30,000 citations. NARIC performs customized searches of REHABDATA for a nominal charge. The NARIC data base is also available publicly through BRS Information Technologies. Copies of documents cited in the data base may be obtained for a photocopying fee. In addition to providing bibliographic searches and document delivery, NARIC's information specialists provide quick reference and referral services, helping inquirers locate names, addresses, statistics, and other factual information. Users may consult NARIC's collection of materials at the Center. NARIC publishes a free newsletter, NARIC Quarterly. Other free publications include brochures and resource guides. The Center also publishes the NIDRR Program Directory, the NARIC Guide to Disability and Rehabilitation Periodicals, Directory of Librarians and Information Specialists in Disability and Rehabilitation, and the REHABDATA Thesaurus. NARIC distributes, in limited quantities, Rehab BRIEFs, a NIDRR-funded publication that summarizes research findings, and produces a subject index of Rehab BRIEFs. NARIC's facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. Patrons can use either the local or toll-free phone numbers to communicate via TDD. Most of the publications produced by NARIC, including REHABDATA searches, are available in large-print or braille editions, and all are available on IBM-compatible diskettes. National Research Register for Hereditary Hearing Loss Boys Town National Research Hospital 55 North 30th Street Omaha, NE 68131 (402) 498-6631 (TDD) (402) 498-6739 (Voice) Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals, researchers. The Organization: The National Research Register for Hereditary Hearing Loss (Register) was established to identify families with hereditary hearing impairment/deafness who would be willing to participate in research projects that might be of benefit to them. The register collects family information directly via questionnaire and medical, audiologic, and genetic information via authorization to release medical information. This information is coded and stored in a computerized data base. Principal investigators who desire to identify individuals and/or families first submit a written description of the research to be done and a description of the subjects needed for the research. The register searches the data base and informs families/individuals that match the inclusion criteria of the project about the research. Matching families/individuals contact the principal investigator directly or authorize the register to release information to the principal investigator. No register information is given to anyone without written authorization. Information Services: The register publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Hereditary Deafness Newsletter of America (HDNA), to inform families and nongenetic professionals about issues in hereditary deafness research. Updates of research in hereditary deafness, descriptions of genetic syndromes involving deafness/hearing impairment, and answers to common questions are regular features of the HDNA. The HDNA also features a feedback section that allows readers to express opinions on topics covered in the newsletter. Copies of the HDNA are free for as long as there is funding for this project. Donations are welcome, and back issues of the HDNA are available for postage and handling costs. National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals in Special Education (NRC) New Careers Training Laboratory City University of New York 33 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 840-1278 (212) 840-7619 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Public school administrators, directors of community-based programs for disabled people, teacher educators, staff developers. The Organization: The National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals in Special Education and Related Services (NRC) was established in 1979 by the New Careers Training Laboratory Center of the City University of New York. Its mission is to promote an increase in the use of trained paraprofessionals in special education. Information Services: NRC disseminates information for the use of employers, program managers, and trainers on such issues as skills and competencies needed by paraprofessionals, credentialing, new roles for paraprofessionals in education and related services, career mobility, and funding sources. The center also has information on preservice and inservice training models and training materials in use by State and local education agencies and by institutions of higher education. Besides a quarterly newsletter, New Directions, NRC publications include the Paraprofessional Bibliography: Training Materials, Resources and Programs for Paraprofessionals Working in Educational Programs for Persons with Handicapping Conditions (1981); Special Needs, Special People, which examines the state of training programs for special education paraprofessionals throughout the Nation (1980); Paraprofessionals in Special Education: The State of the Art, which gives results of a survey of State departments of special education covering the use and training of paraprofessionals over the last decade; and The Employment of Paraprofessionals in Special Education. There is a charge for postage and handling of the publications and a subscription fee for New Directions. In addition, technical assistance is available to State and local education agencies and institutions of higher education through the NRC. The center's services are available to all agencies concerned with the delivery of educational services to children with handicapping conditions. National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption 3660 Waltrous Road P.O. Box 337 Chelsea, MI 48118 (313) 475-8693 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Adoption, child welfare, mental health and developmental disability professionals. The Organization: The National Resource Center for Special Needs Adoption is the Training and Leadership Division of Spaulding for Children, a nonprofit child welfare agency in Michigan. It provides training, consultation, and technical assistance to professionals throughout the Nation interested in permanency planning, adoption, and postadoption services for children with special needs and the families who adopt them. Information Services: The National Resource Center's newsletter, The Roundtable, is distributed to professionals throughout the country. It features articles on practice, research, and current issues in special needs adoption and permanency planning. The Center Source is the center's order catalog, which features various videotapes and publications related to practice in special needs adoption and permanency planning for children with developmental disabilities. There is no fee for either publication. Quantities of these publications may be requested for conferences and special events. National Resource Institute on Children With Handicaps (NRICH) CDMRC WJ-10 University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 (206) 543-2213 Disabilities Served: Children and youth with disabilities. Users Served: Professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities, and youth and their families. The Organization: The National Resource Institute on Children with Handicaps (NRICH) provides resources to professionals who serve children and youth with disabilities and their families. NRICH is 1 of 10 National Child Welfare Resource Centers funded by the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families. NRICH is located at the Child Development and Mental Retardation Center (CDMRC), a university affiliated program, at the University of Washington. NRICH taps the expertise of faculty and professionals at CDMRC in the specialized areas of developmental disabilities, family-based services, service organization, and research. NRICH offers specialized training, technical assistance, consultation, publications, and an information clearinghouse. Information Services: NRICH has a clearinghouse accessible by phone or written inquiry, which offers a computerized compilation of over 1,000 references to books, articles, organizations and programs related to children, youth families, and disabilities. To address the complex needs and issues related to care, services, and policy development for children with developmental disabilities, NRICH publishes Special Issues Information Capsules--articles addressing practice, policy, research issues, and other special topics. National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation (RP Foundation Fighting Blindness) 1401 Mt. Royal Avenue Fourth Floor Baltimore, MD 21217 (301) 225-9400 (301) 225-9409 (TDD) (800) 638-2300 (Outside Maryland) Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments, caused by inherited retinal degenerative diseases. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, rehabilitation workers, ophthalmologists, optometrists, geneticists, mobility specialists, psychologists. The Organization: The National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation funds research in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and other retinal degenerative diseases. It funds 13 research centers in the United States and Europe, each involved in different but coordinated areas of investigation into retinal degenerative diseases. The RP Foundation maintains a national confidential registry of RP-affected persons for statistical and clinical research. In addition the foundation has initiated an RP Retina Donor Program to assist the researchers' efforts. The organization's 60 affiliates are involved in a variety of activities including information and referral, experience sharing, and fundraising. Furthermore, the National RP Foundation is a part of the International Retinitis Pigmentosa Association, a coalition of 17 countries that coordinates research on a worldwide basis. Information Services: The national office and its affiliates provide referral services to rehabilitation, psychological, medical, genetic, and vocational counseling agencies. The RP Foundation publishes several factsheets, an annual report, and a quarterly newsletter for the lay reader. The newsletter is available on cassette, and one brochure is available in Spanish. There is no charge for single copies of all materials. The RP Foundation holds regional and national educational workshops for volunteers and professionals, where leading speakers in the field of RP are featured. National Reye's Syndrome Foundation (NRSF) 426 North Lewis Bryan, OH 43506 (419) 636-2679 Disabilities Served: Reye's syndrome. Users Served: Physicians, general public. The Organization: Formed in 1974, the National Reye's Syndrome Foundation (NRSF), a nonprofit organization, has grown to over 100 affiliates in 43 States. It promotes awareness of Reye's syndrome, which strikes children and adults, most commonly after a viral illness such as flu or chicken pox. If not diagnosed and treated, Reye's syndrome can lead to death, often within a few days. NRSF provides funds for basic research and awareness of the disease and support and guidance to families who have experienced Reye's. Information Services: NRSF disseminates literature to the lay community and the medical profession, such as brochures, awareness bulletins, and emergency room posters. A brochure and an awareness bulletin are available in Spanish; an awareness bulletin can be requested in Vietnamese. An audiovisual slide/tape on Reye's syndrome is available for the general public on a loan-free basis. Two additional programs for inservice hospital training sessions are technical in nature and designed for members of the health profession. A new documentary is also available in 16mm or VHS. There is a nominal charge for large quantities of brochures. The NRSF publishes a biannual newsletter, In the News. The foundation compiles statistics and data on Reye's syndrome. The National Scoliosis Foundation 72 Mount Auburn Street Watertown, MA 02172 (617) 926-0397 Disabilities Served: Scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis. Users Served: General public, school personnel, health care professionals (anyone seeking information on scoliosis). The Organization: The National Scoliosis Foundation is a nonprofit organization focusing on educating the public, promoting school screening, and maintaining a resource center of information. Information Services: The foundation offers packets of information to parents and young people, adults with scoliosis, and health care professionals. It publishes a biannual newsletter, The Spinal Connection, which includes an overview of the foundation's activities and services and a Medical Update Information column. National Society to Prevent Blindness (NSPB) 500 East Remington Road Schaumburg, IL 60173 (800) 221-3004 Disabilities Served: Prevention of blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, and safety professionals. The Organization: The National Society to Prevent Blindness (NSPB), founded in 1908, works to prevent blindness by sponsoring community screening and testing programs, public and professional education, and research. Community programs, carried on through 26 affiliated volunteer State agencies, concentrate on health education and free screening for the public. These programs aim to detect, control, correct, or prevent glaucoma and cataract blindness; eye problems in children; eye accidents; and blindness caused by hereditary and congenital conditions, diabetes, and macular degeneration. NSPB works for the implementation of laws for eye protection in hazardous environments. It funds research in eye care and disease prevention. Information Services: NSPB provides answers to questions about eye diseases, eye safety, vision defects, and eye checkups. It publishes brochures and pamphlets on various subjects, such as glaucoma, cataracts, sunglasses, and provides single copies of most materials at no charge. NSPB publishes a newsletter, three times a year. Low-cost curriculum aids for teachers are also available. A complete catalog of NSPB publications and films may be obtained by writing or calling NSPB. National Spinal Cord Injury Association 600 West Cummings Park Suite 2000 Woburn, MA 01801 (800) 962-9629 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injuries (SCI) caused by trauma and disease. Users Served: Persons with disabilities and their families, medical and legal professionals, (physicians, nurses, therapists), social workers, rehabilitation counselors, the general public. The Organization: Founded by the Paralyzed Veterans of America in 1948, the National Paraplegia Foundation in 1979 merged with the New England Spinal Cord Injury Foundation and adopted the present name. Dedicated to programs of research and services, the National Spinal Cord Injury Association works through its more than 34 chapters to develop comprehensive systems of quality care for paraplegics and quadriplegics. Care is offered as a direct service by some chapters that give individual case consultations and advise on case management of people who are newly injured. Other chapters make referrals to direct service providers. All chapters emphasize personal contact between persons with spinal cord injuries and involve them in all aspects of activities. Regional seminars and an annual conference give professionals, constituents, and other interested persons an opportunity to exchange and compare new developments in technological, environmental, and medical research. Coping with the disability is facilitated by peer counseling, public awareness, advocacy, and environmental barrier removal. Information Services: The association functions as a clearinghouse of information for SCI individuals and medical and other health care workers. Information on independent living, rehabilitation programs, self-help devices, equipment, transportation, employment, education, personal care, and referrals are available from the National Spinal Cord Injury Resource Center at the national office and through chapters. Individual case consultations and case management advice can also be requested; contacts may be arranged for person-to-person assistance and peer counseling, if appropriate. Publications include Spinal Cord Injury Life, a quarterly journal, a National Resource Directory, Options: Spinal Cord Injury and the Future, and 14 factsheets. Interested persons may also request bibliographies of current and relevant research. In general, there is no charge for services or samples of materials; there is a minimal charge for publications. National Spinal Cord Injury Hotline (SCIH) American Paralysis Association 2201 Argone Drive Baltimore, MD 21218 (800) 526-3456 (Outside Maryland) (800) 638-1733 (Maryland Only) Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injuries. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families and friends, health care professionals. The Organization: The focus of the Spinal Cord Injury Hotline (SCIH) is to provide consumers, spinal cord injury patients, families, and friends with up-to-date information and referral resources. Additionally, the caller is given peer support and encouragement. Through a toll-free 24-hour hotline, spinal cord victims (both new and existing injuries) are linked with a local contact person with a similar level of injury and age who lives near the caller's community. The contact person provides peer support and assistance in locating physicians, services, equipment, etc. Information Services: The hotline provides specific information and referral on a variety of topics including acute injury care, rehabilitation, activities of daily living, research, local contacts, and spinal cord injury organizations. Callers are referred to local contacts for specific questions about their community and accessing services in a particular area. Some local contacts offer 24-hour information and referral; all are operational at least 5 days a week during business hours. National Stroke Association (NSA) 300 East Hampden Avenue Suite 240 Englewood, CO 80110 (303) 762-9922 Disabilities Served: Disabilities related to stroke. Users Served: Stroke survivors and their families; physicians; nurses; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; other rehabilitation professionals; rehabilitation centers and community stroke organizations. The Organization: The National Stroke Association (NSA) is the only organization focusing its efforts solely on stroke. Its goal is the reduction of stroke incidence and provision of a strong, visible, nationwide education, information, and resource service for the survivors, their families, health professionals, and the lay community. NSA also maintains a research program focused on the prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of stroke. The program is guided by the NSA Scientific Advisory Committee, which is composed of nationally recognized, stroke-knowledgeable medical professionals. NSA was founded in 1984. At present, it has chapters in Florida, Oregon, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Information Services: NSA publishes a quarterly newsletter, Be Stroke Smart, as a tool for exchanging stroke-related experiences and other information. All NSA members receive this publication, which contains articles from practitioners, researchers, stroke survivors, and their families. NSA also publishes Stroke: Clinical Updates for physicians. This is an authoritative review of current clinical applications of new pharmaceutical agents and clinical protocols. NSA also publishes a series of educational materials entitled Be Stroke Smart and a stroke recovery guide, The Road Ahead. NSA's Information Resource Center (IRC) has a broad range of stroke information and data on available services. Available upon request is a Adaptive Equipment Resource Guide. Audiovisual materials are available for loan. In addition, inquirers are referred to local services and support groups when appropriate. National Stuttering Project (NSP) 4601 Irving Street San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 566-5324 Disabilities Served: Stuttering. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, and speech therapists. The Organization: Established in 1977, the National Stuttering Project (NSP) is a self-help organization run by and for people who stutter, serving over 4,000 members nationwide. NSP provides information on all aspects of stuttering to people who stutter and the general public. In 85 self-help group chapters, NSP runs biweekly meetings where people who stutter can come, share, learn about themselves, and have fun speaking in a specially designed meeting format. NSP offers consultations in program development and technical assistance to school districts, speech clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other agencies involved in speech services. Information Services: The NSP publishes a monthly newsletter called Letting Go, which is available only to members. Publications also include pamphlets and article reprints with such titles as What Teachers Can Do to Help the Child Who Stutters and A Personal Journey Through Stuttering. A tape series, which includes a tape of a chapter meeting, and the handbook, Self Therapy for Stuttering, are available at nominal cost. NSP has a Speech Pathology Referral Service, which provides information on experienced speech therapists. Speakers and slide show presentations may be requested by schools and other organizations. National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association, Inc. (NTSAD) 385 Elliot Street Newton, MA 02164 (617) 964-5508 Disabilities Served: Tay-Sachs and other inborn errors of metabolism. Users Served: Parents, physicians. The Organization: National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association, Inc. (NTSAD) is an organization that supports research, provides educational literature on Tay-Sachs and the allied disorders, acts as a referral agency for families with afflicted children, and encourages screening. Tay-Sachs is an inherited disorder caused by the absence of a vital enzyme, which results in destruction of the nervous system and fatality, usually by age five. NTSAD provides information about screening for possible carriers of the Tay-Sachs gene and can direct interested persons to screening centers and genetic counseling services nationwide. NTSAD supports the Quality Control Program to accredit laboratories doing analysis of samples. To facilitate interaction between parents of children with these disorders, NTSAD has formed a Parent Peer Group Network to provide emotional support and offer practical guidance on a personal level. Information Services: Brochures for lay and professional persons describe the disease and recommend preventive measures through carrier testing and genetic counseling. A list of Tay-Sachs screening centers in the United States, Canada, and other foreign countries is available to medical professionals. NTSAD publishes a semiannual newsletter, Breakthrough, to report on legislation, research developments, association activities, and chapter news. One pamphlet is available in Russian and some information will shortly be available in French. There is no charge for services or single publications. National Technical Information Service (NTIS) U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 (703) 487-4600 (General Information) (703) 487-4642 (Searches) (703) 487-4650 (Documents) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Business, educators, government, and the public. The Organization: The National Technical Information Service (NTIS) is an agency created by Congress in 1950 to provide technical reports and other information products of specialized interest to business, educators, government, and the public. NTIS is the central source for the public sale of United States and foreign government-sponsored research, development, and engineering reports and other analyses prepared by national and local government agencies, their contractors or grantees, and other technical groups. The NTIS information collection exceeds 1.3 million titles, all for purchase. About 200,000 of these are of foreign origin. As directed under legislative mandate, NTIS functions on a cost recovery basis; all the costs of its products and services are paid from sales income. Information Services: Customers may use NTIS's online computer service to identify abstracts of interest from the Bibliographic Database, which contains over one million federally sponsored research reports completed and published from 1964 to date. Most of the documents cited are available only through NTIS. This data base contains documents on handicapping conditions and programs for disabled persons, including rehabilitation, rehabilitation engineering, transportation, and health care. Before initiating a search, users may consult with NTIS information specialists, who will determine the likelihood of retrieval of relevant documents. Published searches on over 3,000 topics of wide interest may be ordered from NTIS. These are listed in the Master Catalog of Published Searches, available without charge (ask for PR-186). Direct United States online access to the Bibliographic Database may be arranged through BRS Information Technologies, DIALOG, the System Development Corporation. The Government Reports Announcements and Index Journal lists summaries of U.S. Government research on a biweekly basis. It is indexed by key word, personal and corporate author, government/contract grant number, and report number. In addition, 26 Abstract Newsletters provide readers with research summaries within 3 weeks of their receipt by NTIS from the originating agencies. Abstract Newsletters of interest to professionals in the handicapped field include the following: Behavior and Society, Biomedical Technology and Human Factor Engineering, Health Planning, and Medicine and Biology. Selected Research in Microfiche (SRIM), a subscription service available in 500 subject categories, provides on a biweekly basis full text microfiche copies of reports in only the subject areas selected by the requestor. The Federal Software Exchange Center, operated by NTIS, serves as a clearinghouse of federally created computer programs. An annual catalog lists products and the agencies from which they are available. NTIS publishes many other periodicals and catalogs containing technical information on safety statistics, human services, municipal information systems, and other specialized subjects. In addition, a number of periodicals and reports make available information on research performed outside of the United States, political and economic analyses of foreign countries, and foreign news releases and articles from periodicals. The free catalog NTIS Information Services describes all products and services of the agency (ask for PR-827). NTIS also prepares a data base called Federal Research in Progress (FEDRIP), which carries summaries of research in progress from the Veterans Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and other Federal agencies. The file is updated twice a year and online access is available through DIALOG. Output received by the user contains essential information about each project, including the supporting agency, the performing organization, the principal investigator, the time covered by the project, and, in most cases, a 200-word description of the research. No further information product is available from NTIS from this file. For further information on any project included in the file, contact the project's principal investigator at the address listed in the summary. National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Lyndon Baines Johnson P.O. Box 9887 Rochester, NY 14623 (716) 475-6400 (Voice) (716) 475-2181 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness and severe hearing impairments. Users Served: Hearing-impaired students, their parents and teachers, and miscellaneous others who serve deaf people. The Organization: The National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) was established by an act of Congress and is funded through the U.S. Department of Education. Since 1968, it has provided a 2- to 3-year technical education to deaf and severely hearing-impaired students. Staff research in speech therapy, educational methods, and vocational training and placement is reported in professional journals as well as in publications of the Institute. Sign language interpreter training, teaching internships, and workshops for employers, educators, and rehabilitation professionals are offered both on and off campus. The Institute is one of nine colleges of Rochester Institute of Technology, and "mainstreaming" deaf students in classes elsewhere on campus has been accomplished with significant success. Information Services: The Division of Public Affairs provides curriculum materials; communication packages for speech pathologists; orientation manuals and information on hearing aids for audiologists and consumers; special bibliographies and other data requested by researchers; and the NTID catalog, an Institute magazine, and an educational resources catalog. There is a nominal charge for some materials. Videotapes are captioned or interpreted. The National Center on Employment of the Deaf at NTID offers services in employee development, training, and information services. Information and training are available to employers interested in hiring qualified deaf people. Workshops are conducted onsite, or employers may attend seminars at NTID. Consultation is also available in the areas of job analysis, accommodation in the workplace, and access to upward mobility for deaf employees. Training and consulting are provided for placement professionals working with deaf persons concerning successful placement strategies for qualified deaf persons. National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) National Recreation and Park Association 3101 Park Center Drive Suite 1200 Alexandria, VA 22302 (703) 820-4940 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Therapeutic recreation specialists and paraprofessionals. The Organization: The National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) is a membership organization for those who provide therapeutic recreation services for persons with disabilities in clinical facilities and in the community. NTRS is a branch of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). It offers technical assistance and consulting services to agencies, institutions, and individuals on professional issues and new techniques in the field. Information Services: NRPA publishes books and brochures on providing therapeutic recreation services to individuals with disabilities. Titles include Standards of Practice for Therapeutic Recreation Service, Philosophy of Therapeutic Recreation: Ideas and Issues, and Dynamic Leisure Programming for Older Adults. NRPA sponsors regional and national conferences where workshops are held on such topics as program development, facility design, and professional issues and trends. The Therapeutic Recreation Journal and the NTRS Report are available to members. National Tuberous Sclerosis Association, Inc. (NTSA) 8000 Corporate Drive Landover, MD 20785 (800) 225-6872 Disabilities Served: Tuberous sclerosis (TS). Users Served: Parents, neurologists, pediatricians, dermatologists and other medical specialists. The Organization: The National Tuberous Sclerosis Association, Inc. (NTSA) was founded in 1975 by parents and concerned physicians of patients with this genetic disorder, which results in tumors in any organ including the brain, convulsions, skin lesions, and, in severe cases, mental retardation. Research, accurate diagnosis, anticonvulsant therapy, and early developmental intervention are the goals of the organization. Dissemination of information to the medical profession as well as to parents and the general public, advancement of research by fundraising, and annual meetings for researchers and for the association's membership of parents and professionals implement these goals. The association has established a national Human Neurospecimen Bank and a case registry to assist scientists in their research. The members of the association offer counseling, referral, and support services to other families of TS patients. Information Services: A parent booklet, an illustrated medical brochure, and a clinical brochure listing the location of NTSA State representatives are all free upon request. A 20-minute slide presentation is available for loan. A 30-second public service tape can be supplied to any local media. NTSA attends most major medical conventions. NTSA's quarterly newsletter provides up-to-date information on treatment and research. An annual membership fee includes all mailings and a free newsletter subscription. New Eyes for the Needy 549 Millburn Avenue Short Hills, NJ 07078 (201) 376-4903 Disabilities Served: Visual impairments. Users Served: All interested persons. The Organization: New Eyes for the Needy provides funds for new prescription glasses, and lenticular contact lenses (for cataract patients) to medically indigent persons who are not eligible for other sources of financial assistance. New Eyes solicits metal frames in any condition, unbroken plastic frames with single vision lenses, sunglasses, artificial eyes, soft eyeglass cases, and any precious metal scraps such as old jewelry or silverware. The organization ships reusable glasses to medical missions and welfare agencies abroad for redistribution. Metal framed glasses and metal scrap are sent to be refined, and the proceeds furnish the funds to provide glasses for people in need in the United States. Information Services: New Eyes has organizational brochures describing its history, function, how a community group can organize a collection drive, and how donors should package and send materials to New Eyes. Information about qualifying for financial assistance from New Eyes is given to lay and medical inquirers. New Medico Head Injury System 14 Central Avenue Lynn, MA 01901 (800) CARE TBI Disabilities Served: Brain injury, neurological impairments. Users Served: Individuals with neurological impairments. The Organization: New Medico Head Injury System is a large network of brain injury treatment programs, with more than 35 facilities across the country. Staff provide specialized care for individuals of all ages and for all levels of brain injury, from coma intervention through independent living. New Medico's goal is to help each person reach the highest possible level of independence. Information Services: New Medico distributes information about head injury and other neurological impairments through its 800 number, (800) CARE TBI, ext. 4000. The publications include Headlines, a general brain injury magazine; Understanding Brain Injury: Acute Hospitalization, a family guide available to acute care hospitals; and After the Party, a videotape for adolescents about drinking and driving. Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, Inc. (OCF) P.O. Box 9573 New Haven, CT 06535 (203) 772-0565 Disabilities Served: Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Users Served: Individuals with OCD, their families, mental health professionals, researchers. The Organization: The Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, Inc. (OCF) is a national not-for-profit foundation dedicated to providing support, education, and advocacy for individuals with OCD, their family members, and the mental health community. Information Services: The OCF publishes an informative newsletter bimonthly. Other printed information available includes brochures, booklets, and a guide on the disorder and treatment modalities. Some literature is available in Spanish. The foundation has a nationwide directory of treatment referrals as well as over 160 self-help/support groups and affiliates. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 (202) 732-1213 (Voice) (202) 732-1663 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, advocates, general public. Also provides technical assistance to recipients that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department of Education. Information Services: OCR maintains a headquarters office in Washington, DC, and 10 regional offices. In addition to investigative activities, the regional offices are available to answer questions and provide technical assistance about civil rights compliance. They are a source for printed material on Section 504. For example, a brief description of the requirements of the Department's regulations under Section 504 can be obtained from the regional offices in the pamphlet, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Handicapped Rights Under Federal Law. This publication also lists the addresses and phone numbers of the regional offices and directs further inquiries and complaints to them. Procedures for Filing Complaints: Section 504 complaints may be filed in one of the 10 regional offices located in Boston, MA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Kansas City, MO; Denver, CO; San Francisco, CA; and Seattle, WA. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Room 5410 Cohen Building 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 (202) 619-0403 (Director's Office) (202) 863-0100 (Voice) (202) 863-0101 (TDD) (800) 368-1019 (Voice, Outside Washington Area) (800) 863-0101 (TDD, Outside Washington Area) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Individuals with handicaps, health care providers, human service agencies and the general public. The Organization: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for investigating discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, mental and physical handicap, and religion in programs receiving financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Recipients of funds from the Department include health care providers such as hospitals, nursing homes, family health centers and clinics; and human service providers such as State and local public assistance agencies, adoption agencies, and senior citizen centers. OCR has the responsibility, as mandated by Congress, to implement and enforce Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of mental or physical handicaps. Section 504 is a national law that guarantees individuals with handicaps access to program services and employment. OCR provides technical assistance to recipients of DHHS funds to help them achieve voluntary compliance with governing regulations. Information Services: OCR maintains a headquarters unit in Washington and 10 regional offices. Generally, complaints of discrimination should be filed with the regional offices; also, requests for assistance and information should be obtained from the regions. Factsheets on definitions, regulations, policy statements, and guidelines relating to section 504 may be obtained from OCR. Publications relating to section 504 include Your Rights as an Individual with Handicaps under Section 504; Your Rights as a Person with HIV Infection, AIDS, or Related Conditions; Notice to Recipients of Financial Assistance from the DHHS; Section 504 Regulations, parts 45 CFR 84 (Federally Assisted) and 45 CFR 85 (Federally Conducted); and Section 504 Briefing Guide. Most section 504 publications are available in large print, braille, and/or recording. Publications are free but quantities are limited. Office of Cancer Communications National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Institutes of Health U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Bethesda, MD 20892 (800) 422-6237 Disabilities Served: All cancers. Users Served: Health professionals, cancer patients, and the general public. The Organization: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) conducts and funds the Nation's major cancer research program. NCI grants and contracts support cancer research in most of the Nation's university medical centers and many other non-Federal institutions. NCI also coordinates the cancer research programs of Federal and private institutions in accordance with a constantly updated National Cancer Program, which encompasses the lines of research effort considered to be most important in solving the major problems of cancer. A network of Comprehensive Cancer Centers around the country engage in the wide range of cancer-related research and demonstration, encompassing basic research, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and public and patient education. The centers also educate and train professionals in the various clinical and research specialties. NCI also supports Clinical Cancer Centers, specializing in cancer treatment, and Non-Clinical Cancer Centers, doing basic research. Information about these programs is available from the Office of Cancer Communications. At the community level, patients may be admitted to clinical studies conducted by NCI Clinical Cooperative Groups. These groups exist at hospitals throughout the United States and involve thousands of physicians. Information Services: To speed the translation of research results into widespread application, the National Cancer Act of 1981 authorized a Cancer Control Program to demonstrate and communicate to both the medical community and general public the latest advances in cancer prevention and management. The program identifies cancer knowledge and technology and makes it available to health practitioners and the public through cooperative efforts with private and community organizations. Prevention, detection, and treatment information is prepared by NCI and distributed through community-based organizations and Comprehensive Cancer Center's communications offices to high-risk groups. The Cancer Information Service (CIS) is a toll-free telephone service, which supplies information about cancer and resources available to cancer patients. Regional CIS offices serve about 80 percent of the population of the United States; the remainder is served by the CIS at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland. CIS offices can provide specific information on particular cancer sites, detection programs, local resources for cancer patients (e.g., treatment and rehabilitation facilities, home care assistance, availability of transportation), and facts about the process of patient referral to physicians and consultation among health professionals. Information about possible causes of cancer, how to help prevent cancer, and how different forms of cancer are detected also is available. For the nearest CIS office, call 1-800-4-CANCER. NCI's Office of Cancer Communications distributes printed materials free of charge to the general public, patients, and health professionals. These include general pamphlets about cancer, its causes, preventions, and treatment, as well as publications on specific types of cancer, guidelines for patients undergoing therapy, and resource booklets for professionals. A list of publications distributed by the NCI is available from the Office of Cancer Communications, listed above. NCI's organized dissemination projects, multimedia information activities, center on specific topics. Health planners and communicators review the state of knowledge in particular subject areas and produce educational materials covering topics such as treatment options, diagnosis, and prevention. Dissemination projects have included smoking, breast cancer, coping with cancer, and asbestos. Hundreds of thousands of patient information and physician kits are distributed, along with posters, slide-tape presentations, and booklets on each topic. Materials are tested by NCI for effectiveness before being used in the projects. The monthly Journal of the National Cancer Institute presents original reports of cancer research by scientists around the world. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Office of Affirmative Recruiting and Employment Selective Placement Program 1900 E Street, NW Room 6336 Washington, DC 20415 (202) 606-0870 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Persons with disabilities, Federal agency program officials and supervisors. The Organization: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), as the central personnel agency of the Federal Government, provides information on the selective placement program for persons with disabilities and monitors and coordinates Federal personnel regulations and policies to ensure that disabled individuals are not adversely affected by barriers in the personnel system. Another major focus is on providing technical assistance to agency program officials on the Federal personnel system, on the development of understanding about disabilities, job and work site modifications, and on available resources for obtaining rehabilitation assistance. Information Services: OPM provides, through a national system of job information centers, information on Federal employment for disabled individuals. Selective Placement Coordinators in each agency recruit and provide counseling for job placement. They also work with supervisors to increase awareness of the capabilities of people with disabilities. Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) Department of Veterans Affairs Prosthetics Research & Development Center 103 South Gay Street Baltimore, MD 21202 (301) 962-1800 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injuries, amputees, vision and hearing impairments. Users Served: Veterans, researchers and interested persons. The Organization: The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) publishes the Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, annual progress reports, and clinical supplements. Information Services: The rehabilitation data base contains contents of the Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development and some related information, available through Compuserve. The Office of Technology Transfer Resource Center contains over 4,000 books and technical reports and 150 journals in the fields of rehabilitation engineering, spinal cord injury, sensory aids, orthotics, prosthetics, amputation, and gerontology. Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 (202) 732-2251 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Youth and adults with disabilities. The Organization: The function of the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), U.S. Department of Education, is to assist the States to expand, improve, modernize and develop quality vocational and adult education programs to meet the needs of the Nation's existing and future work force and to promote the development of adult education resources nationally. OVAE works to ensure that individuals who are handicapped have access to quality vocational and adult education and literary programs. Information Services: Vocational education programs are offered by local education agencies, postsecondary institutions, and community-based groups according to the needs of the existing and future work force for marketable skills. Adult education programs are offered by local education agencies as well as community-based organizations, churches and other groups. OVAE provides technical assistance to the States related to the provision of vocational-technical education, adult education, and literacy to persons with handicapping conditions. The State offices of vocational and adult education, in turn, pass on the information to the local education agencies for application to local programs. Office on Smoking and Health Technical Information Center (TIC) U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Park Building Room 1-16 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 (301) 443-1690 Disabilities Served: Smoking-related health problems. Users Served: Researchers and health professionals. The Organization: Established in 1978, the Office on Smoking and Health is the U.S. Public Health Service program most concerned about the health hazards of smoking. Its Technical Information Center (TIC) collects, organizes, and disseminates the world's literature on smoking and its effects on health. TIC's scientific and technical collection comprises over 55,000 hard copy reports on all aspects of smoking and health. In addition, a bibliographic data base has more than 50,000 records in machine-readable form. The "Smoking and Health" data base is available to the public on DIALOG, File 160. Information Services: Technical and public education publications may be obtained from the Center and include the Bibliography on Smoking and Health and the Smoking and Health Bulletin, a current awareness periodical listing references on all aspects of smoking and health. Reprints of articles included in the Bulletin are available on a limited basis. There is no charge for TIC services and publications. ORBIT Search Service A Division of Maxwell Online, Inc. 8000 Westpark Drive McLean, VA 22102 (800) 955-0906 (703) 442-0900 ORBIT Search Service, a division of Maxwell Online, Inc. is an international leader in online information service. ORBIT users have instant access to more than 100 computerized databases that are heavily concentrated in the areas of science, technology, and patents. ORBIT is searched via easy-to-learn English language commands. Along with these commands, the searcher enters words, names, dates, or numbers that describe a chosen subject. In return, the system supplies records of information sources, in many cases providing a detailed abstract of the original text. The Orton Dyslexia Society (ODS) 724 York Road Baltimore, MD 21204 (301) 296-0232 Disabilities Served: Dyslexia. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, health care professionals. The Organization: The Orton Dyslexia Society (ODS) is an international membership organization for professionals, dyslexics, and parents of dyslexic children. Its purposes are to disseminate information related to dyslexia and to guide persons with dyslexia and parents of dyslexic children to available resources for diagnosis, remediation, and tutoring. ODS has 44 volunteer branches, which serve the needs of their individual communities by offering guidance, workshops, and seminars. Information Services: ODS can provide some general information to inquirers by phone or by letter; most information requests are met through a variety of ODS publications on dyslexia and related learning disabilities. There is a charge for books and a nominal fee for most pamphlets and article reprints. The ODS Annals of Dyslexia (formerly the ODS Bulletin) is a compilation of scientific papers delivered at its annual conference, containing therapy applications and articles about the state of the art. Audiotapes of individual conference papers are available. ODS also publishes a quarterly newsletter, Perspectives on Dyslexia, containing pertinent local and national information. Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, Inc. (OI) P.O. Box 14807 Clearwater, FL 34629 (813) 855-7077 (Editorial Office) (516) 325-8992 (Administrative Office) Disabilities Served: Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disorder). Users Served: People with osteogenesis imperfecta, parents, teachers, health care professionals. The Organization: The mission of the Osteogenesis Imperfecta Foundation, Inc. is to improve the quality of life for individuals affected by osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) through research, education, awareness, and mutual support. The foundation was organized in 1970 by parents of children with osteogenesis imperfecta. Characterized by fragility of bone and often by stunted growth, the condition displays a wide range of severity. Management of the disorder and treatment of symptoms, which may include hearing and dental problems as well as frequent fractures are now available at many hospitals and medical centers. Public awareness and fundraising to support research are other activities of the organization. Information Services: Medical information, care and management techniques, and emotional support are available through contacting the foundation office. Pamphlets describing the disorder and its management; a guide to education for children with osteogenesis imperfecta; reprints of articles by parents, researchers, and health care professionals; a quarterly newsletter, BREAKTHROUGH; and referrals to local support groups and peer contacts are available from the foundation. Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) 801 Eighteenth Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 (202) 872-1300 Disabilities Served: Paralysis caused by spinal cord injury or disease. Users Served: Paralyzed veterans, families, health care professionals, and the broad universe of persons with a disability. The Organization: Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is a national information and advocacy agency working to restore spinal cord injured or diseased veterans' bodies and life potentials as closely as humanly possible to those of Americans not suffering spinal cord dysfunctions. It supports and funds research related to spinal cord treatment, rehabilitation, and regeneration. A national advocacy program focuses on transportation, architectural barriers, wheelchair design, and education opportunities. PVA representatives plead claims for veterans before the Department of Veterans Affairs. The organization has more than 40 chapters and subchapters, which help the PVA carry out its programs. One of PVA's chapter-oriented programs trains nurses in the care and treatment of spinal cord impaired patients. PVA sponsors and supports wheelchair sports and recreation. Information Services: PVA publishes brochures and other materials on such subjects as architectural barriers, research related to spinal cord injury, veterans benefits, disability-related legislation, and sports. It provides statistical data (e.g., VA health care utilization) and technical assistance materials on architectural barrier removal and adaptive devices. PVA also publishes two magazines, Paraplegia News and Sports and Spokes. Parent Care 101 1/2 Union Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-4678 Disabilities Served: Handicaps resulting from premature birth. Users Served: Perinatal professionals, psychologists, hospital administrators, occupational therapists, behavioral scientists, developmental specialists, social workers, parents, and concerned citizens. The Organization: Parent Care, formerly Parents of Premature and High-Risk Infants, Inc. (PPHRI) was established in 1982 by a group of parents and professionals to provide a national focal point for information, referral, and support for families of infants who require special care at birth. The goals of the organization are to support families with critically ill newborns, to encourage communication between parents and perinatal professionals, to initiate and support parent support groups, to facilitate networking between parent support groups and health care agencies, and to enhance public awareness of the special needs of families of premature and high-risk infants. Information Services: Parent Care publishes a quarterly newsletter, Parent Care News Briefs, which is free to members. It also publishes a Resource Directory, which lists support groups throughout the country and reviews books and other materials in this field. There is a small charge for most materials (members receive reduced rates). For information regarding membership, educational materials, and proceedings from Parent Care conferences, contact the national headquarters at the above address. Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Inc. (PDF) William Black Medical Research Building Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center 650 West 168th Street New York, NY 10032 (212) 923-4700 (800) 457-6676 Disabilities Served: Parkinson's disease and related disorders. Users Served: People with Parkinson's disease, family members, health care professionals. The Organization: The Parkinson's Disease Foundation, Inc. (PDF) is primarily a research organization. It supports the Parkinson Research Laboratories at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, where research is conducted in the various neurosciences. Patient care and services are provided through Presbyterian Hospital's Vanderbilt Clinic and Neurological Institute. In 1960, the foundation established a Brain Bank at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons to give scientists the opportunity to study the brains of deceased Parkinson patients. The foundation awards research grants and fellowships to investigators at Columbia and other medical schools. It sponsors symposia at which scientists from all over the world present findings of their research relating to Parkinson's disease. The foundation also sponsors patient conferences. Information Services: Proceedings from the symposia and other reports are published. For the lay and professional inquirer, the foundation provides general information about Parkinson's disease. Some information is available in Spanish. These booklets are published by the foundation specifically for patients and families: The Parkinson Patient at Home, Exercises for the Parkinson Patient, and Parkinson's Disease: Progress, Promise and Hope. The foundation publishes a quarterly newsletter reporting on research developments and other items of interest. The foundation will refer patients and family members to specialists and to self-help groups. Parkinson's Educational Program 3900 Birch Street Suite 105 Newport Beach, CA 92660 (714) 250-2975 (800) 344-7872 Disabilities Served: Parkinson's disease. Users Served: Individuals with Parkinson's, their family members and friends, health care providers, general public. The Organization: The Parkinson's Educational Program is a nonprofit association with the following purpose: to promote the establishment of support groups for people with Parkinson's, their families and friends; to assist the support groups in the services they offer to their communities; to help protect the rights of people with Parkinson's and their family members; to educate the public to an understanding of Parkinson's; to encourage and support education of health care providers with the objectives of helping in an early diagnosis and a better understanding of the total treatment needed for people with Parkinson's and their family members; to promote, encourage, and assist in any way possible in the search for the causes and cure of this disease; to provide peer counseling services/materials. Information Services: Parkinson's Educational Program maintains a complete catalog of books, aids for easier living, audio and videotapes and articles dealing with all aspects of living with Parkinson's and what has been and is being done in research. There is no membership fee; however, the monthly newsletter Pep Exchange is by subscription of $15/year in the United States and $25 outside of the United States. Parkside Medical Services Corporation 205 West Touhy Avenue Park Ridge, IL 60068 (708) 698-4700 (800) PARKSIDE Disabilities Served: Chemical dependency and psychiatric disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, professionals, and general public. The Organization: Parkside Medical Services Corporation is a nonprofit provider of substance abuse treatment. The company is a division of the Lutheran General Health Care System, which is headquartered in Park Ridge, Illinois. Parkside operates chemical dependency and psychiatric treatment facilities for adults and adolescents in more than 100 locations throughout the United States and Sweden. Information Services: Parkside distributes information on various programs and locations of treatment facilities to professionals and the general public. This information can be obtained by writing the corporate office or by calling the Parkside Crisis Center at (800) PARKSIDE. Partners of the Americas PATH (Partners Appropriate Technology for the Handicapped) Americas Program 1424 K Street, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 628-3300 Disabilities Served: All persons with disabilities. Users Served: Partners of the Americas promotes economic and social development through 60 bilateral partnerships linking States of the United States with countries or areas of Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers on both sides work together in community projects to improve agriculture, economic development, employment opportunities for low-income citizens, health and nutrition, services for disabled persons, and emergency preparedness. The Organization: The Partners of the Americas and the partner rehabilitation program involve a network of people and programs addressing the needs of disabled persons, their families, and communities. Partner volunteers disseminate information, provide training, and implement projects aimed at improving the lives of disabled persons. Priority areas include teacher training, materials development, early detection, resource center development, development of self-help and parent groups, public awareness campaigns, and vocational development. All exchanges take place between one of 46 States and 31 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where linkage has been established. Information Services: Brochures are available for program areas including emergency preparedness, International Training Program, and Fellow Program (leadership training). Various publications are available on programs in special education and rehabilitation services. Some publications are available in Spanish and Portuguese. Technical assistance is provided through the exchange of professionals between partnerships. Pediatric Projects, Inc. (PPI) P.O. 571555 Tarzana, CA 91357 (818) 705-3660 Disabilities Served: All handicaps, including emotional disabilities caused by pediatric hospitalization. Users Served: Children in health care, parents, teachers, health science professionals. The Organization: Pediatric Projects, Inc. (PPI) is an international, nonprofit, public benefit corporation that serves as an educational and advocacy group, promoting the mental health of children in health care. PPI develops and distributes medically oriented therapeutic toys and books for children and publications for parents and professionals about helping children cope with illness, disability, treatment, and hospitalization. In addition to materials, the organization provides educational sessions and consultations to encourage quality mental health approaches to the physical care of ill or disabled children. Information Services: Besides brochures about the organization, PPI provides information about preparing children psychologically for treatment and hospitalization, developing therapeutic child life programs in medical settings, and assisting children and their families in coping with illness. Pediatric Mental Health is a bimonthly newsletter available by subscription. It includes articles on parenting play and preparation for treatment and hospitalization, with interviews and reports of research, written in readable style. Issues in Pediatric Mental Health is a monograph series, covering gaps in practice and research and providing extensive bibliographies. PPI also publishes books for children, parents, and professionals on coping with treatment and hospitalization and an extensive series of bibliographies on specific illnesses, disabilities and treatments. PPI also publishes Medical Toys & Books, a quarterly newsletter that reviews medically oriented materials for use with toddlers through teens. Curriculum materials in the form of both fiction and nonfiction books help children understand the disabilities of their friends, neighbors, and classmates. Some publications are available in Spanish. Also available from PPI are two video cassette series. Growing Up With Cancer is a two-part series about school reentry after cancer treatment. A r. Rogers series for young children discusses going to the hospital, having an operation, and having a cast. All publications, videos, and medically oriented toys are available by mail order for reasonable charges. Catalog requests should be sent to PPI. Pediatric Projects, Inc. provides technical assistance to medical and nursing staffs in developing new programs and improving existing ones so that attention is given to the mental health and development of children in clinics and hospitals. Consultation, seminars and workshops are available for a fee. People First International P.O. Box 12642 Salem, OR 97309 (503) 362-0336 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. Users Served: Persons with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities. The Organization: People First International is a self-advocacy organization of persons with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities. They meet in local chapters to learn to speak for themselves, learn leadership skills, and take actions to improve their lives. People First began in Salem, Oregon, in 1974. Since then, State and local chapters have been established across the United States and Canada and in England, Australia, and other foreign countries. The most recent International People First Convention was held in London, England, in 1989. The international office provides assistance to groups seeking to establish chapters. Information Services: Information about People First and setting up local chapters is available from the organization. Materials include a "how to" booklet and an officers' handbook. There is a charge for the information packet. A Hollywood-produced movie "We are People First" is available through James Stanfield House in Los Angeles. Perkins School for the Blind 175 North Beacon Street Watertown, MA 02172 (617) 924-3434 Disabilities Served: Blindness, deaf-blindness, and multihandicapped students. Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: Perkins School for the Blind has been committed to serving blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, and multi-impaired students and clients since it was chartered in 1829. Programs and services are structured to develop students and clients' maximum potential intellectually, physically, mentally, and socially. The school serves clients age birth to adult on a residential and day basis through Infant/Toddler and Preschool Programs, a Lower School (elementary education) Program, a Deaf-Blind Program, a Secondary Services (Jr. and Sr. High School) Program, a Severe Impaired Program, and an Adult Services Program, which includes a Head Injury Unit. Outreach services are provided locally, nationally, and internationally in a wide variety of areas. A teacher training program is offered in cooperation with Boston College. The Howe Press, a division of Perkins, manufactures the Perkins Brailler as well as other appliances and materials for blind students. A historical museum on campus is open to the public. While Perkins is a private school, tuition is usually paid by the State or local agency that refers the student. Information Services: Nineteen curricula in areas such as academics, self-care, home economics, mobility, and physical education are available through the Perkins School. In addition, many publications are available through the Howe Press. The Howe Press has lists of curriculum materials and publications for educators and parents including a Bibliography of the Deaf-Blind, Speech Beginnings for the Deaf-Blind Child, and the Perkins Sign Language Directory. Price lists for appliances (including the braille typewriter) and for publications are available on request. The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, Inc. 11 Rust Hill Road Levittown, PA 19056 (215) 946-BURN (800) 888-BURN (Toll Free for Burn Survivors) Disabilities Served: Burn survivors. Users Served: Burn survivors and their families. The Organization: A worldwide self-help organization established in 1977 for burn survivors and their families, the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, Inc. works to ease the psychosocial adjustment of severely burned persons during and after hospitalization so that they can return to normal lives within their communities. While anyone with an interest in the goals of the society is free to join, members are in large part recovered burn victims, who volunteer to help patients and their families on a one-to-one basis. Members work under the supervision of attending hospital staff. Information Services: Burn survivors and their families who would like to get in touch with other burn survivors for counseling or help may contact the Phoenix Society for referral to the nearest regional coordinator. If there is no coordinator close enough, the society will make arrangements for a volunteer to contact the inquirer. The society publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Icarus File, which is included with membership. Nonmembers may subscribe for a nominal charge. In addition, a list of audiovisual materials on fire prevention, burn care, true life stories of burn victims, and other topics is available from the society. Information and/or assistance is available in Spanish; the society is prepared to make arrangements for other languages as necessary. Polio Information Center (PIC) 510 Main Street Suite A446 Roosevelt Island, NY 10044 (212) 223-0353 Disabilities Served: Poliomyelitis and postpolio. Users Served: Disabled persons, physicians, health professionals. The Organization: The Polio Information Center (PIC) attempts to locate and list on computer postpolio individuals throughout the country in order to gather information about present health status, disseminate information on postpolio research, and locate health care professionals who are knowledgeable about postpolio care. PIC offers referral services for people who had polio to physicians and other health care professionals. The center has begun networking across the country. As they are organized, regional groups are listed with the center and become part of the national network. Information Services: The center provides referrals to local physicians around the country who are familiar with postpolio care. Referrals are also made to support groups across the country. The PIC maintains a computer listing of over 2,000 individuals who had polio and knowledgeable physicians. Statistical data on types of polio, medical problems, and years of onset are available. Membership dues are charged. Prader-Willi Syndrome Association 6490 Excelsior Boulevard Suite E-102 St. Louis Park, MN 55426 (612) 926-1947 Disabilities Served: Prader-Willi syndrome. Users Served: Parents, teachers, health care professionals. The Organization: Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare condition that results from a birth defect. Those with this sporadically occurring disorder suffer obesity, if untreated, short stature, poor muscle tone, and mental retardation in 95 percent of the cases. Association members are parents and professionals, who share knowledge and experience about the syndrome and how to manage it. Parent groups across the country hold informal meetings and often invite professional speakers to address them. There are 27 chapters of the association. Information Services: The association's bimonthly newsletter contains tips from parents and professionals on management of a Prader-Willi syndrome child; diet is emphasized. Prader-Willi Syndrome: A Handbook for Parents contains information on behavior and learning capacity of the Prader-Willi child as well as tips on management, diet, and exercise. Prader-Willi Syndrome, an overview by Suzanne Cassidy, M.D., may also be purchased. There is a nominal charge for materials. An overview of the syndrome is available in French and Spanish. The association provides information to parents regarding physicians or hospitals with specific knowledge of the syndrome. President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities (PCEPD) 1111 20th Street, NW 6th Floor Washington, DC 20036 (202) 653-5044 Disabilities Served: All types. Users Served: Persons with disabilities, organizations of and for people with disabilities, employers, labor leaders, physicians, rehabilitation and placement specialists, and the general public. The Organization: The President's Committee on Employment of People With Disabilities (PCEPD) is a public-private partnership of national and State organizations and individuals working together to improve the lives of people with physical, mental, and sensory disabilities by increasing their opportunities for employment. The Committee is currently composed of some 600 members. Included among these are employers, training and rehabilitation specialists, educators, labor leaders, veterans organizations, medical and health professionals, service organizations, community leaders as well as individuals with disabilities, their organizations, and their advocates. The President's Committee serves an advocacy and public awareness role in fostering job opportunities for people with disabilities. As part of this effort, PCEPD works with autonomous committees on employment of people with disabilities at State and local levels, as well as produces its own publications and services. The Committee has a leading role in establishing an acceptable climate in industry and labor toward hiring individuals with disabilities. PCEPD has organized around the national committee a number of standing committees, which deal with special topics. The Committee has produced sensitizing campaigns to educate various publics on the employment needs of people with disabilities. Information Services: PCEPD provides information primarily in the area of employment and has published numerous pamphlets on related topics. General information is provided on the Committee's activities, and selected materials published by PCEPD are sent on request. All services are free. PCEPD also publishes a monthly newsletter, Tips and Trends, and a quarterly magazine, Worklife, which carries articles about people with disabilities, employment programs, trends, and related topics. PCEPD sponsors the Job Accommodation Network, a data base system for providing information on resolving accommodation problems so individuals with disabilities can enter the work force. President's Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR) Wilbur J. Cohen Building Room 5325 330 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20201 (202) 619-0634 Disabilities Served: Mental retardation. Users Served: Government officials, general public. The Organization: The President's Committee on Mental Retardation (PCMR), established by Executive Order 11280 of May 11, 1966, is composed of 21 citizen members, appointed by the President, and six cabinet members (ex officio). The Secretary of Health and Human Services is chairperson. The primary objectives of the Committee are to advise and assist the President and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on all matters pertaining to mental retardation; evaluate national, State, and local efforts; help coordinate Federal activities; facilitate communication between Federal, State, and local agencies; inform the public about mental retardation; and mobilize support for related activities to promote self-sufficiency. The Committee's principal activities are directed toward the prevention of mental retardation, enhancement of the quality of life of persons with mental retardation, promotion of the legal rights of retarded citizens, and increased public sensitivity and awareness regarding people with mental retardation, both nationally and internationally. Information Services: PCMR provides single copies of publications free of charge. Major publications available are Reports to the President: The Mentally Retarded Worker: An Economic Discovery (1983) and Mental Retardation: Plans for the Future (1985); Parents Concerns and Advice: A Summary of Interview Findings (1985); Assessment of the National Effort to Combat Mental Retardation from Biomedical Causes (1983); National Open Forum on Prevention of Mental Retardation from Environmental and Psychosocial Causes (1984); and Community Forum on Employment of Handicapped People - "A Primer" (1985). P.R.I.D.E. Foundation (Promote Real Independence for the Disabled and Elderly) 71 Plaza Court Groton, CT 06340 (203) 445-1448 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, and professionals. The Organization: The P.R.I.D.E. Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose primary objective is to provide assistance for handicapped and elderly persons in the areas of homemaking, independence in dressing, personal grooming, and fashionable apparel. Information Services: For a fee, P.R.I.D.E. provides technical assistance to health agencies, social service groups, and voluntary organizations in the areas of clothing design and other homemaking skills. Direct services to disabled and elderly persons and their families include sewing assistance, adapting patterns and designs to meet the clothing needs of persons with specific disabilities, training in sewing machine operation, and the provision of household devices for use in the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Many of these services are offered through the mail. P.R.I.D.E. makes available a clothing exhibit, "The Travel Trunk," for a rental fee of $50. This exhibit contains approximately 30 to 50 sample garments, which have been especially designed for persons with various disabling conditions. P.R.I.D.E. provides brochures on dressing, grooming, home management, and fashionable apparel for disabled and elderly persons. The foundation also disseminates a number of publications including a curriculum guide for advanced inservice training for homemaker/home health aids; sewing instruction manuals; pattern design and clothing modification manuals; a bibliography of resources; an information sheet for scoliosis patients; a clothing lesson plan for training of care givers who provide assistance in dressing and grooming; and other materials designed to teach the disabled homemaker or service provider. There is a charge for all items except brochures. Project Head Start Administration for Children, Youth and Families Office of Human Development Services U.S. Department of Health and Human Services P.O. Box 1182 Washington, DC 20013 (202) 245-0562 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled children, child care professionals, 3- to 5-year-old disabled children from low-income families. The Organization: Project Head Start, administered by the Administration for Children, Youth and Families, was reauthorized by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35). The law requires that no less than 10 percent of enrollment opportunities in Head Start programs in each State be available for handicapped children and that services be provided to meet their special needs. HHS regional offices award grants to local public and private agencies for the purpose of operating Head Start programs in their communities. Intended primarily for preschool children from low income families, the program serves over 450,000 children through almost 1,300 grantees located in rural and urban areas throughout the United States and territories. Of the enrollment for the 1988-89 Head Start program year, children professionally diagnosed as handicapped accounted for 13.5 percent of the total. Information Services: Local Head Start programs are the main source of information about specific services and eligibility. General information about Head Start is available from the national office and includes an annual report and a directory of local Head Start programs listed by State. Materials for the child care professional can be obtained only from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Project on Science, Technology and Disability American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1333 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 326-6672 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Students and scientists/engineers with disabilities, teachers, counselors, parents, rehabilitation engineers, college administrators. The Organization: The Project on Science, Technology and Disability was launched in 1975 as the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) advocate for disabled professionals and students engaged in science. The project also acts as an information center for disabled individuals, parents, teachers, and employers in areas pertaining to science education and careers. Through surveys, studies, symposia, and workshops, the project has collected information about science education and employment opportunities for disabled persons. Using the information it collects, the project consults with universities, professional scientific societies, and the Federal Government to identify the accessibility and program needs of disabled scientists and students and to suggest strategies to meet those needs. Information Services: The project publishes reports, guides, and directories based on its activities, including Barrier Free Meeting: A Guide for Professional Associations, a step-by-step system for achieving accessibility at professional meetings; a Resource Directory for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (2nd edition), containing names and biographical data of disabled scientists who will consult with those working to improve science education and career opportunities for people with disabilities; Science for Handicapped Students in Higher Education, based on a study of barriers to postsecondary science education; Scientific and Engineering Societies: Resources for Career Planning, a listing of counseling, referral, and placement services of scientific professional associations and a source book on career counseling in science; A Research Agenda on Science and Technology for the Handicapped, the findings of a project and workshop researching science and technology for people with disabilities; Out of School Programs in Science, a listing of science programs that take place outside of the traditional classroom; Within Reach: Out of School Science Opportunities for Youth, a guide for students with disabilities, their parents, teachers, and counselors. Project STAR 77B Warren Street Brighton, MA 02135 (617) 783-7300 Disabilities Served: HIV infection. Users Served: Drug-exposed children with HIV infection and their families. The Organization: Project STAR is a collaborative program that provides direct services to 46 children with HIV infection and their families. The children are under the age of 6 and all demonstrate some degree of developmental delay. Services include early intervention, case management, daycare, transportation, and parent and sibling support. Project WIN Outreach 77B Warren Street Brighton, MA 02135 (617) 783-7300 Disabilities Served: HIV infection. Users Served: Professionals who are serving, or planning to serve, drug- exposed children with HIV infection and their families. The Organization: Project WIN Outreach provides training and technical assistance to professionals who are serving, or planning to serve, drug- exposed children with HIV infection and their families. WIN Outreach staff provides two types of training: replication and awareness. Replication training is designed to help teams replicate or adapt the transdisciplinary and transagency procedures, models we have implemented and refined in our federally funded demonstration grants. Awareness training provides information regarding the special service needs, characteristics, and issues of families whose children are HIV-infected. Information Services: A manual entitled Community Service Delivery for Children with HIV Infection and Their Families: A Manual for Planners, Service Providers, Families and Advocates provides guidelines for developing community-based, family-centered services for children with HIV infection and their families. PsycINFO American Psychological Association 1200 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (800) 336-4980 (703) 247-7829 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Psychologists, educators, health care professionals. The Organization: Part of the American Psychological Association, a professional society of psychologists and educators, PsycINFO is a family of interrelated information services providing a variety of ways to access the world's published literature in psychology and related behavioral and social sciences. Information Services: PsycINFO publishes the Psychological Abstracts (PA) index, a comprehensive monthly compilation of nonevaluative summaries of the world's literature in psychology and related disciplines. Each year PsycINFO scans materials from over 1,300 periodicals and conference reports, technical reports, and monographs for inclusion in PA and the PsycINFO data base. Among the 17 major classification categories according to which abstracts are grouped are the following: "Physical and Psychological Disorders," "Psychometrics," "Treatment and Prevention," and "Educational Psychology," which includes special education. Documents on the characteristics of physically and psychologically disabled populations and their treatment may be found under these categories. PA's Volume Index, an annual subject and author index, is sent to all subscribers to PA; cumulative indexes from 1969-71, 1972-74, 1975-77, 1978-80, and 1981-83 are available. PsycScan publications, quarterly current awareness journals, are available in the areas of clinical, developmental and applied experimental psychology, and applied psychoanalysis. A sixth quarterly journal, PsycScan: LD/MR, covers learning disabilities, communication disorders, and mental retardation. The PsycINFO data base contains nearly 750,000 items published from 1967 to the present. Approximately 33 percent of the documents included in this online data base concern characteristics of physically and psychologically impaired persons and their treatment. In addition, about 14 percent of the documents in the data base are on educational topics; items on handicapped students form a subset of these records. Many of the terms used by PsycINFO's information specialists to search this file are related to specific handicapping conditions and treatment, including physical and mental disorders; attitudes towards mental illness, mental retardation, physical handicaps, and sensory handicaps; rehabilitation; and special education and mainstreaming. These key words are listed in the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, which may be purchased from PsycINFO. Descriptions of PsycINFO services and price information are available upon request. Direct online access to the PsycINFO data base may be arranged through BRS Information Technologies or DIALOG Information Services, Inc. PsycINFO also offers PASAR, a fee-based search service of the data base. Quota International, Inc. 1420 21st Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 331-9694 Disabilities Served: Hearing and speech impaired persons. Users Served: Persons with hearing and speech impairments and their families, health care professionals. The Organization: Quota International, Inc. is a nonprofit service organization of executives and professionals, serving deaf and hearing and speech impaired persons through the Quota Foundation. The foundation was established in order to assist the more than 400 local Quota Clubs in their activities, which inform the public about the capabilities and potential of hearing impaired persons; inform the public of special needs of hearing and speech impaired people and services available to them; and ensure accessibility to all public services for hearing and speech impaired people. Information Services: Publications include the Shatter Silence brochure and four pamphlets on: The Effects of Noise Pollution on Hearing Loss, Closed Captioned Television for Hearing-Impaired Persons, Hearing Loss in Adults, and Early Detection of Hearing Loss in Infants. Reclamation, Inc. 2502 Waterford San Antonio, TX 78217 (512) 824-8618 Disabilities Served: Mental illness. Users Served: Former mental patients. The Organization: Reclamation, Inc., is an alliance of former mental patients trying to help eliminate the stigma of mental illness. It is a private nonprofit corporation chartered by the State of Texas, May 7, 1974. It was organized in San Antonio, Texas, at the office of the Mental Health Association by eight former mental patients. Some of the goals of this organization include helping mental patients get out and stay out of mental hospitals by assistance in the areas of resocialization, employment, and housing; promoting the operation of a facility patterned after Fountain House and run entirely by former mental patients; assisting patients and their families in understanding of and adjustment to each other; developing a unified voice of the mental health patient for participation in the consumer group movement; monitoring the media for stigmatizing presentations and encouraging them to make amends, acting as a nonprofit political force in relation to mental health issues. Information Services: Publications include a brochure describing program and services and Positive Visability, a newsletter published on a quarterly basis. Recording for the Blind (RFB) 20 Roszel Road Princeton, NJ 08540 (609) 452-0606 (800) 221-4792 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments; physical and perceptual disabilities that prevent the person from reading normal printed material. Users Served: People with print disabilities, as well as counselors, teachers, parents and health care professionals who act on their behalf. The Organization: Recording for the Blind (RFB) supplies taped educational books in cassette form, free on loan to handicapped students and professionals. RFB serves students of many ages, as well as people no longer in school who use educational books to pursue careers or personal interests. RFB accepts requests to tape textbooks that are not already contained in its Master Tape Library. Those titles are then added to the library's approximately 77,000 titles at the average rate of 3,000 each year. Tapes are produced at 32 recording studios nationwide. RFB makes referrals to alternative sources for taped material as necessary. Information Services: A print catalog, listing books available on tape as of early 1990, can be requested for a charge. In lieu of the catalog, "borrowers" may call RFB toll free at (800) 221-4792 to order or inquire about specific titles. Also available is a Subject Reference System, which provides subject access to RFB's entire library. Taped books include textbooks, research materials, and a variety of computer manuals. RFB also records fiction, drama, and poetry in a number of languages. A print newsletter, RFB News, is published 3 to 4 times per year, and a Borrower News Cassette is distributed annually. A "Guide to Using RFB's Services" is available in print and on cassette. Borrowers pay a one-time $25 registration fee and are billed for postage only if they request tapes not to be sent via Free Matter for the Blind. Borrower applications will be sent upon request. Recovery, Inc. The Association of Nervous and Former Mental Patients 802 North Dearborn Street Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 337-5661 Disabilities Served: Emotional disorders and mental illness (aftercare). Users Served: Disabled persons. The Organization: Founded in 1937 to provide self-help aftercare for released patients of psychiatrist Abraham Low, Recovery, Inc., uses Low's techniques of describing and coping with daily problems to prevent relapse or chronicity. All leadership is voluntary and groups follow procedures established by Dr. Low. Health care professionals are welcome as observers, but weekly meetings are conducted by members who are lay leaders and former patients. It is not necessary to have been under the treatment of a physician or to have been hospitalized to join Recovery; many members come through personal referrals or publicity as well as professional referral. There are 1,000 chapters in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Puerto Rico. Information Services: The techniques on which the organization is based are presented in the handbook by Dr. Low, Mental Health Through Will Training (available also in Spanish and French). Other Low lectures are available on cassettes or records; topics range from "The Fear of Life Ebbing Away" to "The Obsession of Being Contaminated." Pamphlets on the organization, a bimonthly newsletter, reprints of articles describing the organization, a publications list, and a directory of group meetings can be requested. The organization prefers to offer demonstration meetings instead of speakers at gatherings of professionals or for other interested organizations. Contact the headquarters office for information on this service. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) 8719 Colesville Road Suite 310 Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 608-0050 Disabilities Served: Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Users Served: Sign language interpreters. The Organization: The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is a national professional association of more than 4,000 sign language interpreters established in 1964 and incorporated in 1972 as a nonprofit organization. The organization initiates, sponsors, promotes, and implements policies and activities that will further the profession of interpretation of American Sign Language and the transliteration of English. RID is the only national certifying body in the country for sign language interpreters. Members subscribe to a code of ethics. Information Services: RID publishes and distributes a bimonthly newsletter, Views, which focuses on topics of professional concern to interpreters and their clients, as well as publications dealing with the interpreting process. Individuals and organizations contacting RID may also request information about careers in interpreting, the RID National Testing System, finding and hiring an interpreter, tips on using interpreter services, interpreter preparation programs, and interpreter services provider agencies. A free brochure is available to those who request it. Rehabilitation International (RI) 25 East 21st Street New York, NY 10010 (212) 420-1500 (Voice) (212) 420-1752 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Organizations in the disability field and government ministries. The Organization: Founded in 1922, Rehabilitation International (RI) is a world organization for disability prevention and rehabilitation with more than 135 member organizations in 83 countries and 10 international member organizations. RI assists member organizations in establishing and improving rehabilitation programs, cooperates with other international organizations in advancing the welfare of disabled people, and organizes international and regional conferences and seminars. RI has consultative status with the United Nations and its specialized agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO, and WHO. Information Services: RI edits the International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, which contains articles on research projects, methodological problems and solutions in rehabilitation research, and basic theoretical aspects of rehabilitation. RI's quarterly newspaper, International Rehabilitation Review, reports on international, regional, and national developments. The Newsletter of the Secretary General of Rehabilitation International is published three or four times per year to provide organizational news to member groups and key associates. Also available is One-in-Ten, a quarterly newsletter on childhood disabilities, their prevention, and rehabilitation, produced by the Joint Technical Support Program of UNICEF and RI. This RI/UNICEF Technical Support Program is an ongoing project to help UNICEF field offices and personnel in developing countries to integrate rehabilitation and disability prevention services within their primary health care programs. Recent RI publications include Forging Linkages: Modifying Disability Benefit Programs to Encourage Employment; Ethical Issues in Disability and Rehabilitation (report of an international conference, copublished with World Institute on Disability and World Rehabilitation Fund); Proceedings of 1988 World Rehabilitation Congress; and special issue (1990) of One-in-Ten on "Community-Based Rehabilitation." A publications list and organizational description are available free of charge. Many publications are available in languages other than English. Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services U.S. Department of Education Switzer Building 330 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20202-2531 (202) 732-1282 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Professionals in rehabilitation and related fields, and disabled persons. The Organization: The Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) supports a variety of services to assist disabled individuals to maximize their potential for employment and independent living. Programs are designed to reduce dependency, increase self-reliance, and utilize the productive capabilities of disabled individuals. Priority is focused on severely disabled individuals. RSA's major components, which work directly with the programs, are the Office of Program Operations and Office of Developmental Programs. The Office of Program Operations has the primary responsibility for administering the Basic State Grants, Client Assistance, and Independent Living--Part A programs, Supported Employment VI-C Formula and discretionary grants, and programs authorized by the Randolph-Sheppard Act. The Basic State Grants program makes grants to States for the provision and administration of vocational rehabilitation services to assist physically and mentally handicapped individuals in becoming gainfully employed. Services provided include diagnosis, counseling, placement, training, and physical and mental restoration. The Client Assistance program makes grants to States to provide assistance in informing and advising clients and applicants of available benefits under the Rehabilitation Act and, upon their request to assist them in their relationships with project programs and facilities providing services. This includes assistance in pursuing legal, administrative, or other appropriate remedies to ensure the protection of the rights of such individuals under the Rehabilitation Act. The Independent Living--Part A program makes grants to States to assist in providing comprehensive services for independent living. These services are designed for individuals whose disabilities are so severe that they do not presently have the potential for employment but who nevertheless may benefit from rehabilitation services that will enable them to live and function independently. The Office of Program Operations also oversees the implementation of the Randolph-Sheppard Act and provides leadership and consultation for public and private agencies serving persons who are blind and visually handicapped. Some of the functions relating to the Randolph-Sheppard Act include developing guidelines and regulations for Federal departments and blind licenses to conduct vending facilities programs, working with State agencies to increase the range and number of employment opportunities for blind persons, providing technical consultation, and interpreting provisions of the act for the convening and operation of State and Federal arbitration panels. The Office of Developmental Programs provides leadership in and manages RSA's discretionary program development activities including support for training, rehabilitation facilities, service projects and Independent Living--Parts B and C initiatives. Discretionary grants are awarded for projects of national significance and for projects meeting the unique needs of special handicapped populations. Service projects are funded to demonstrate methods of expanding assistance to underserved disability groups, develop new and innovative approaches to meeting the needs of severely disabled clients, and provide special training and employment opportunities to severely disabled individuals. Activities include Projects with Industry, Special Projects for the Severely Disabled, Migratory Workers Projects, Service Grants to Indian Tribes, Helen Keller National Center for Deaf/Blind Youths and Adults, and Special Recreation. The Independent Living Center program provides grants for the establishment and operation of independent living centers, which offer an array of services to assist clients to function independently. These grants are available to any designated State unit which administers the State plan under Section 705 of the Rehabilitation Act. Training projects increase the number and improve the skills of personnel qualified to provide vocational rehabilitation and independent living services to handicapped individuals. Information Services: Individual inquiries to RSA are handled by the Correspondence Control Unit, 9202) 732-1369. Research to Prevent Blindness 598 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 752-4333 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairments. Users Served: Ophthalmologists, ophthalmic scientists, other visual researchers, general public. The Organization: Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) provides financial support to ophthalmology departments of more than 60 medical schools in the United States for the purpose of scientific research on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of visual disorders. It has supported the development of techniques such as laser treatment, vitrectomy, microsurgery, and therapeutic use of contact lenses as well as extensive basic studies of the eye and its diseases. Incentives are provided to attract outstanding scientists to eye research through annual awards. Information Services: RPB provides information concerning vision research to news media, legislators, practicing opthalmologists, and the public. The RPB National Science Writers Seminar in Eye Research, conducted every several years, brings together outstanding vision scientists, news editors, and writers for reports and discussions of progress in the management and prevention of blinding eye diseases. RPB publishes the formal scientific reports for dissemination to the Nation's practicing eye physicians. RPB answers general inquiries about eye research on a limited basis. It does not offer scientific advice or recommendations on individual eye problems. All applications for support of vision research must be made through chairmen of departments of ophthalmology. RESNA 1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 857-1199 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, teachers, physicians, occupational and physical therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, rehabilitation engineers, service providers, manufacturers of rehabilitation technology. The Organization: RESNA is an organization concerned with the exploitation of science and technology in the rehabilitation process. Founded in 1979, its purpose is to promote and support the development, dissemination, integration, and utilization of knowledge in rehabilitation engineering and to assure that these efforts result in the highest quality of care and service delivery for all disabled citizens. RESNA's role is to serve as a catalyst and information center to address current issues that must be resolved so that disabled persons can enjoy independent living to the fullest extent possible. RESNA's membership includes rehabilitation professionals drawn from all pertinent disciplines, providers, and consumers. Interaction between these groups promotes understanding and better service to those who can benefit directly from the application of rehabilitation engineering technology. Membership benefits include a central role in formulating and influencing policy relating to the delivery of technology to disabled citizens, a forum for information exchange, publications, and participation in regional and national conferences. RESNA's diverse discipline groups act as task forces to define their own objectives and roles in the service delivery process and interact with each other to assure effective functioning of the delivery system. Such task forces include consumers, health care practitioners, inventors and designers, researchers, manufacturers and distributors, authorizers and providers, and legislators. RESNA also sponsors the Easter Seal Society Student Design Competition (for able as well as disabled students) in conjunction with its annual conference. Information Services: An organizational brochure and membership information are available from RESNA. The association publishes RESNA News, a bimonthly newsletter, as well as the proceedings of the RESNA annual conference. Other publications includeAssistive Technology Sourcebook. There is a charge for all publications, with a discount for RESNA members. The membership fee includes a subscription to the quarterly newsletter. The annual conference program is available in braille at the time of the meeting for registrants. When possible, RESNA will refer people to experts residing in their local area, selected from the RESNA membership list. Resources for Rehabilitation 33 Bedford Street Suite 19A Lexington, MA 02173 (617) 862-6455 Disabilities Served: Hearing and speech impairments, arthritis, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, mobility impairments, low back pain, spinal cord injuries, and vision impairment and blindness. Users Served: Professionals who provide services to individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions and individuals with these disabilities. The Organization: Resources for Rehabilitation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing training and information to health and rehabilitation professionals. Information Services: The organization provides directories, desk reference books, and special publications designed for distribution by professionals to individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions. Resources for People with Disabilities and Chronic Conditions. This directory contains chapters on spinal cord injuries, low back pain, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hearing and speech impairments, vision impairment and blindness, and epilepsy. Information on organizations, publications, environmental adaptations, and assistive equipment is provided as well as special information for children and youth. Meeting Needs of Employees with Disabilities. Provides employers and counselors with the information they need to help people with disabilities retain or obtain employment. Information on government programs and laws, supported employment, training programs, environmental adaptations, and transition from school to work. Chapters on mobility, vision, hearing, and speech impairments include information on products and services that enable employers to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities. Respiratory Nursing Society (RNS) 5700 Old Orchard Road First Floor Skokie, IL 60077 (708) 966-8673 Disabilities Served: Pulmonary dysfunction. Users Served: Respiratory nurses. The Organization: The Respiratory Nursing Society (RNS) is the professional association for nurses who care for clients with pulmonary dysfunction and who are interested in the promotion of pulmonary health. RNS was created in January 1990 to promote coordinated, comprehensive high-level nursing care for these clients by fostering respiratory nurses personal and professional development; providing educational opportunities through which nurses can enhance their knowledge and skills; and conducting, participating in, and disseminating research. RNS holds its first annual meeting in February 1991. Information Services: RNS publishes a bimonthly newsletter, Perspectives in Respiratory Nursing. RP Foundation Fighting Blindness 1401 Mt. Royal Avenue 4th Floor Baltimore, MD 21217 (800) 638-2300 (301) 225-9409 (TDD) (301) 225-9400 (Local) Disabilities Served: Visual impairment. Users Served: Persons with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), Usher syndrome, and other inherited retinal degenerative diseases; their families, professionals and the public. The Organization: The National Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation, Inc., d.b.a the RP Foundation Fighting Blindness, supports research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of retinitis pigmentosa and allied inherited retinal degenerative diseases. The foundation also compiles a registry of persons affected by these diseases and coordinates a retina donor program (postmortem eyes used in research studies). The RP Foundation also has volunteer affiliates and sponsors research centers in the United States and abroad. Information Services: The RP Foundation Fighting Blindness provides literature to the general public and professionals. Among its informational brochures are pieces about RP, Usher syndrome, and related conditions. The foundation issues a periodic newsletter, Fighting Blindness News. The newsletter reports on research findings, special events, and human services; it is available at no cost. An annual report is also published. A national conference for persons with inherited retinal degenerative disease, their families, and interested persons is planned approximately every 2 years. Included are sessions on research, coping, and low vision devices. Affiliates also hold ongoing meetings and events. Rubella Project Developmental Disabilities Center St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center 428 West 59th Street New York, NY 10019 (212) 523-6280 Disabilities Served: Rubella, and conditions arising from its complications. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, physicians. The Organization: The Rubella Project was established for research, training, and service in prevention and management of rubella and congenital rubella and for research in rubella vaccines. The project provides medical and allied services to children with congenital rubella in the New York metropolitan area and is a national referral center for unusual complications associated with rubella and rubella vaccines. Information Services: The Rubella Project responds to telephone and mail inquiries related to the disease and current management techniques. It makes referrals to diagnostic centers located in the northeastern United States. A bibliography of scientific articles related to congenital rubella and rubella vaccine is available from the Project. Some information is available in Spanish. Rubinstein-Taybi (RTS) Parent Group 414 East Kansas Smith Center, KS 66967 (913) 282-6237 Disabilities Served: Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS). Users Served: Families who have children diagnosed with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome. The organization also tries to provide information to educators, health care providers, and others who seek information on RTS. The Organization: The Rubinstein-Taybi (RTS) Parent Group was created in July 1984 to provide contact for families who have children who have been diagnosed with RTS. Information Services: The organization provides families in the group with general information on Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome along with a booklet about the families in the group, contact addresses, and special help that the group has learned about the various problems associated with RTS. It also has periodic packets of information and updates for the families. For others requesting information, the organization tries to give them as possible. A pamphlet, Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome, provides information to interested persons. The organization also tries to supply information on new reports or updates that they might have access to. Science for the Handicapped Association c/o George Davis Science Center Moorhead State University Moorhead, MN 56563 (218) 236-2904 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, teachers. The Organization: The Science for the Handicapped Association (SHA), which has as its main objective the promotion of science for all levels of handicapped students, organizes sessions on science for disabled people at conventions of the National Science Teachers Association. SHA cooperates with agencies and organizations that have similar goals. Information Services: The association has published a bibliography on science and disabled persons and publishes a newsletter several times a year covering science education programs, grants, aids, and equipment and containing annotated listings of current articles on science and disabled persons. In addition, SHA provides assistance to individuals who request help with special needs in science programs for handicapped students. S.E.E. (Signing Exact English) Center for the Advancement of Deaf Children 10443 Los Alamitos Boulevard Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (213) 430-1467 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Hearing impairment, deafness, delayed language. Users Served: Children, parents, interpreters, aides, teachers and other professionals who work in the areas indicated above. The Organization: The S.E.E. Center is a charitable nonprofit organization concerned with improvements in development of language capabilities of hearing impaired or language delayed individuals. Another of the goals is the improvement of early intervention in the United States related to hearing impairment or delayed language. In addition, the organization is developing standards for measuring the signing skills of interpreters and teachers. Information Services: The S.E.E. Center operates in a number of ways: 1. Referral Service--Voice, TDD, and mail service help parents of newly determined hearing impaired children locate services and professional assistance. 2. Publications--Parent Packets provide basic information to help understanding of deafness and its impact. This includes references for added information. Question sheets provide lists of questions for parents to ask various service groups to determine their appropriateness. 3. Workshops and Seminars--These provide skill building for parents, educational interpreters, and teachers using sign language. Seminars are tailored for specific groups involved with hearing impaired children. 4. Grants--The S.E.E. Center is currently completing a 3-year Federal grant to establish criteria for determining sign language skill level of teachers and interpreters. 5. Videotapes--Tapes have been prepared to provide basic information regarding causes and clues of deafness and approaches to handling the communication requirements and to demonstrate the effectiveness of an English-based sign system. Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) 7800 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814 (301) 657-2248 (Voice) (301) 657-2249 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Hearing impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, audiologists, otolaryngologists, rehabilitation agencies. The Organization: Incorporated in 1979, Self Help for Hard of Hearing People (SHHH) is an international educational organization of hard of hearing persons and others concerned with this disabling condition. SHHH seeks to educate hearing-impaired persons about hearing loss detection, management, and prevention of further loss and to develop public and professional acceptance of the needs of hard of hearing people. Over 250 chapters have been formed. Information Services: SHHH publishes a bimonthly journal about hearing loss and relevant aids, communication techniques, and programs and a newsletter for chapter organizers. The organization also offers information and referral services and annual conventions. Publications are available on a variety of topics including hearing aids, assistive listening devices, communication access systems for groups and large rooms, the psychological effects of hearing loss, and assertiveness training for hard of hearing people. There is a charge for most publications. Sensory Aids Foundation (SAF) 399 Sherman Avenue Suite 12 Palo Alto, CA 94306 (415) 329-0430 Disabilities Served: Blindness and visual impairment, deafness/hearing disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, employers, rehabilitation counselors. The Organization: The Sensory Aids Foundation (SAF) is a nonprofit organization in operation since 1972, which introduces employers to the kinds of services and equipment they need in order to employ handicapped persons. Major services provided are (1) employer orientation to sensory aids equipment and assistive devices used in making jobs accessible for handicapped people, (2) identification of specific jobs that handicapped persons may perform competitively, (3) identification of equipment used by handicapped persons, (4) identification of new areas of employment for handicapped persons, and (5) maintenance of the Computer Education, Training and Evaluation Center (CETEC) for hands-on training on computer access equipment and evaluation of new devices. Information Services: Services are provided to potential employers, rehabilitation counselors, and handicapped persons. SAF publishes Technology Update, (a bimonthly subscription newsletter). Technology Update is concerned with new equipment, new applications, and new techniques to assist visually impaired persons. Sertoma International/Sertoma Foundation 1912 East Meyer Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64132 (816) 333-8320 Disabilities Served: Communication disorders (hearing and speech). Users Served: The general public through a network of civic service clubs and speech, and hearing centers. The Organization: Sertoma International is a civic service organization founded April 11, 1912, in Kansas City, Missouri. SERvice to MANkind is its motto, and its 35,000 members belong to about 950 Clubs in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Women are first invited to join Sertoma in 1985. The clubs' primary sponsorship activities focus on helping people with speech and hearing problems, but it also has programs in the areas of youth, national heritage, drug awareness and recognizing community service by non-Sertomans. The clubs also do various local projects unrelated to the international programs. The Sertoma Foundation is the fundraising arm of Sertoma. The foundation's mission is to support the approved charitable and educational programs of Sertoma through effective fundraising, investment of funds and distribution of proceeds. The foundation awards more than $100,000 per year in grants to Sertoma Clubs for various speech and hearing projects. The foundation has a nationwide network of 258 affiliates, which include speech and hearing clinics, speech pathology and audiology departments of universities and hospitals, etc. Affiliates join with Sertoma Clubs and the foundation to provide speech and hearing services to local communities. The foundation provides, among other things, educational grants for affiliate's staff members to attend conventions, workshops, and other training events to enhance professionals skills. Information Services: The foundation has funded various projects, among them a hearing conservation program titled "Quiet Pleases." The program is a series of videotapes and education kits which address hearing and speech issues. "Quiet Pleases" is distributed via Sertoma Clubs. For additional information contact Sertoma International. Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children Tampa, FL 33607 (813) 281-0300 Disabilities Served: Children's orthopaedic or burn disabilities. Users Served: Disabled children up to age 18. The Organization: The Shriner's first children's orthopaedic hospital opened in 1922 as the official philanthropy of the fraternal order. There are now 19 orthopaedic hospitals and three burn institutes serving children up to age 18 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Diagnosis and treatment are offered solely on the basis of medical and financial need, at no charge to the patient's family. The burn institutes accept children who need immediate care or those needing plastic surgery and rehabilitation ("healed" burns). Research on the causes of crippling and scarring and on methods of treatment is conducted at each Shrine Hospital. Members' assessments, charitable bequests, and a variety of fundraising activities support this network of patient care and research facilities. Information Services: Application forms for hospital admission, brochures on the hospitals and burn institutes, and donation and bequest forms are available from local Shrine Temples or from the International Headquarters. Eligibility for treatment is determined on the basis of applications, which are completed by parents or guardians, the referring physician, and a local Shrine sponsor. For emergency admission to burn institutes or hospitals, call Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children in Tampa, Florida, (813) 281-0300. Toll-free numbers: (800) 237-5055; for Florida, (800) 282-9161. Sibling Information Network A.J. Pappanikou Center University Affiliated Program 991 Main Street East Hartford, CT 06108 (203) 282-7050 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Siblings, parents, teachers, physicians, physician therapists, educators, psychologists. The Organization: The Sibling Information Network, a recently formed organization for professionals and individuals interested in siblings of handicapped children and their problems, offers support and assistance to those working in this area. Information Services: The network works to provide a common information base, serving as a clearinghouse for research and other professional activities related to siblings of handicapped children. The network's quarterly newsletter, available free to members, reports on activities of members, literature for siblings of handicapped children, and other topics of interest. The network has published a collection of articles taken from the newsletter, a list of sibling groups and programs, a bibliography of journal articles on siblings, a bibliography of children's literature, and list a of audiovisual materials about children with various disabilities. The newsletter and publications are geared toward the membership (nominal dues are charged), but materials are provided to others if requested. Sick Kids (Need) Involved People, Inc. (SKIP) 216 Newport Drive Severna Park, MD 21146 (301) 647-0164 Disabilities Served: Disabilities in children which require dependency on medical technology, particularly related to home care. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents and family members, and health care professionals. The Organization: Sick Kids (Need) Involved People, Inc. (SKIP) is a national education, resource, and support organization founded to foster and promote the feasibility of specialized pediatric home care for medically fragile children. Assuring the highest possible quality of life obtainable for these children who are dependent on medical technology is the ultimate goal. SKIP has approximately 25 chapters nationwide and is expanding in all areas of the country. Chapters provide information, education, and support over the telephone and through group meetings. Professionals such as physicians, social workers, psychologists, and counselors participate in group meetings through educational presentations and as facilitators to encourage parental interaction. Parent networking to offer peer support and mutual aid is an important component of SKIP services. Information Services: SKIP puts out printed materials and sponsors educational presentations dealing with home care of technology-dependent children. Donations for individual membership are requested but are not required. The Simon Foundation for Continence P.O. Box 835 Wilmette, IL 60091 (708) 864-3913 (800) 23 SIMON Disabilities Served: Loss of bladder and/or bowel control. Users Served: Individuals with incontinence, their families, and health care professionals. The Organization: The Simon Foundation for Continence was established as a not-for-profit organization in 1983. The mission is to bring the topic out of the closet, remove the stigma associated with incontinence, and provide information to sufferers, their families, and the medical professionals who provide their care. The foundation is a membership organization, serving people worldwide, with offices in Chicago and Toronto. Information Services: The Simon Foundation distributes information about incontinence to members, the medical profession, and the general public. Available are The Informer, a quarterly newsletter; Managing Incontinence: A Guide to Living With the Loss of Bladder Control, a hardbound book (available also in Japanese and Spanish); and numerous factsheets. Educational videos for the health care professionals are also available. The foundation's self-help group"I WILL MANAGE" provides support for those individuals whose incontinence has yet to be cured. Sister Kenny Institute Division of Abbott-Northwestern Hospital 800 East 28th Street at Chicago Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55407 (612) 863-4457 (Voice) (612) 863-5163 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, and other family members. The Organization: Sister Kenny Institute is a nationally renowned JCAH and CARF accredited comprehensive rehabilitation facility located on the campus of Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Sister Kenny Institute provides effective, affordable, goal-oriented rehabilitative patient care, research, education, and other activities that enhance the quality of life for persons with physical disabilities. Sister Kenny Institute is a full-service acute care facility. Patients receive 24-hour rehabilitation nursing, therapy, counseling, education, and a daily visit by a psychiatrist, a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Patients also have 24-hour access to the complete medical services of Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, one of the Upper Midwest's most comprehensive medical centers. Sister Kenny Institute has specialized inpatient and outpatient programs for people with stroke, spinal cord injury, and brain injury and for persons who have undergone rhizotomy surgery. Features of these programs include Brain Injury Program, Spinal Cord Program, Stroke Program, and Rhizotomy Program. Sister Kenny Institute also provides inpatient and outpatient services for those with arthritis, musculoskeletal disorders, chronic pain, postpolio complications, neurological disorders, and speech or language disorders. The following specialized programs are geared toward returning the client to work: chronic pain rehabilitation, vocational services, work injury, and hand rehabilitation services. All patients at sister Kenny Institute receive individualized treatment programs, which are goal-oriented and time-specific. Timely reports and ongoing communication with case managers are important components of a patient's stay at Sister Kenny. Providing the most cost-effective care is also an ongoing objective. Sister Kenny Institute's Day Hospital program is designed for transition from the intensive inpatient stay to a structured but less intense outpatient day program. An Accommodations Department in the Wasie Center is available for family members and outpatients not living in the metro area. The facility offers reasonably priced rooms and is connected directly to the hospital. Information Services: A wide variety of health care materials are prepared and published by the institute for health professionals, patients, and their families. The catalog lists publications and audiovisuals on range of motion exercises; managing specific hand problems; patient care; transfers and positioning; pain, stroke, heart, back, bowel and bladder, and hand and leg care; and patient education and community education. A newsletter, Independent, is published two to three times per year and contains about 30 percent external information of interest to disabled persons and others. Sister Kenny Institute provides inservice training in all aspects of rehabilitation for insurance personnel. For more information on Sister Kenny Institute, please call (612) 863-4457. Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation Inc. 382 Main Street Port Washington, NY 11050 (516) 767-2866 Disabilities Served: Health problems related to Sjogren's syndrome (SS) and its many symptoms (dry eyes, mouth, etc). Users Served: Individuals with Sjogren's syndrome, health professionals. The Organization: The Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, Inc., is a not-for-profit mutual aid organization whose purpose is to educate patients and their families and help them cope with the problems and frustrations related to this disease, to increase public and medical awareness about Sjogren's Syndrome, to stimulate medical interest and research to find better treatments, and to develop a cure for Sjogren's syndrome. Information Services: The Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation Inc., publishes a monthly newsletter, The Moisture Seekers; a handbook, The Sjogren's Syndrome Handbook: An Authoritative Guide for Patients ($19.95 plus $2.50 shipping and tax); a basic information leaflet (also available in Spanish); and special articles related to SS problems. Small Business Administration (SBA) Special Projects Section Office of Business Loans 1441 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20416 (202) 653-6570 Disabilities Served: All handicaps of a permanent nature that make an individual competitively disadvantaged in the type business pursued. Users Served: Disabled persons, nonprofit organizations established to employ handicapped persons. The Organization: The Small Business Administration (SBA) was established to encourage, assist, and protect the interests of small businesses. Financial assistance is available through Handicapped Assistance Loans to small business concerns 100 percent owned or to be owned by handicapped individuals and to nonprofit organizations established to employ handicapped persons for not less than 75 percent of the man hours required for the direct production or services provided for sale by the organization. No financial assistance will be provided if funds are otherwise available from the applicant's own resources, from a private institution or from other Federal, State, or local programs, including SBA's Guaranty Loan Program. SBA may guarantee up to 90 percent, not in excess of $155,000 or 85 percent of loans up to an exposure of $750,000 for SBA, of a loan made by a private lending institution. Direct loans by SBA have an administrative ceiling of $150,000. Interest rates on direct loans are 3 percent per year. Interest rates on guaranteed loans are set by the participating lending institution and must be legal and reasonable and within a maximum allowable amount, which is set periodically by SBA. No direct loan can be approved if a guaranteed loan is available. Direct loan funds are limited and are subject to the amount of congressional appropriations. Information Services: SBA provides information about the Handicapped Assistance Loan Program to any interested individual. SBA has offices located in major cities where individuals can apply for information and other small business training. For the addresses of these offices, write to the address above. Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute Rehabilitation Engineering Center and Rehabilitation Engineering Service 2232 Webster Street San Francisco, CA 94115 (415) 561-1619 Disabilities Served: Blindness, low vision, deaf-blindness. Users Served: Disabled adults and children, rehabilitation professionals, special educators. The Organization: The Smith-Kettlewell Rehabilitation Engineering Center is a nonprofit research and development program within the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute. The Center designs and builds electronic devices: (1) as prototypes for eventual manufacture by industry, or (2) as research devices which the Center evaluates in terms of need and efficacy for the target consumers. The program is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The Smith-Kettlewell Rehabilitation Engineering Service contracts to do custom design and fabrication of electronic devices on a fee-for-service basis. Both the Rehabilitation Engineering Center and the Rehabilitation Engineering Service focus on "low-technology, high-utility" devices. Information Services: An Annual Report of Progress is available from the Rehabilitation Engineering Center. In addition, the Center publishes a subscription quarterly, The Smith-Kettlewell Technical File. Intended for readers with at least moderate sophistication in electronics, this publication is available in braille, talking book cassette, and IBM 5-1/4" floppy disk. Smith-Kettlewell Rehabilitation Engineering personnel are available to answer questions concerning blindness and low vision, especially as related to technology. They are also available to speak on these topics. Social Security Administration (SSA) 6401 Security Boulevard Baltimore, MD 21235 (301) 965-7700 (Voice) (800) 325-0778 (TDD) (800) 2334-5772 (Voice) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Persons with disabilities. The Organization: The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers a national program of contributory social insurance that pays benefits when earnings stop or are reduced because a worker retires, dies, or becomes disabled. Disability insurance (SSDI) provides a partial replacement of monthly earnings to disabled persons who meet work requirements for eligibility. After 24 months of receiving benefits under SSDI, persons automatically qualify for hospital and medical insurance under medicare. (Persons of any age who need kidney dialysis or kidney transplant for permanent kidney failure also may be eligible for medicare. Medicare protection for these people starts with the third month after they begin maintenance dialysis. Under certain conditions, protection can begin earlier). Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a noncontributory program financed out of general Federal funds, is also administered by SSA. SSI provides monthly payments to indigent aged, blind, and disabled persons, without regard to prior employment, with limited income and resources. More than 1,300 local Social Security offices are responsible for processing applications and claims for SSDI and SSI programs; they also determine eligibility for medicare, although medicare claims are processed by independent contractors or carriers. Information Services: The Social Security Administration operates a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-234-5772. Callers can speak to a representative from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. weekdays. Most Social Security business can be handled by phone. People can, however, contact a local Social Security office. SSA publishes some 50 booklets on its programs, including specialized programs for the disabled. Those booklets and the Medicare Handbook are available, free of charge. Some publications are available in braille and in Spanish. Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH) 26 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11242 (718) 858-5483 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Persons with disabilities seeking information on travel, organizations for and of handicapped people, travel-related industries personnel involved in providing travel and tourism services. Those involved in recreational therapy. The Organization: The Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH) is a nonprofit society (Tax exempt 501(c) 3) that offers advice and assistance in all matters relating to travel and tourism for handicapped persons. Further, it acts as advocate for these people in matters relating to such travel and tourism before Congress, where it has had a seat on the Congressional Caucus on Travel and Tourism Advisory Board since its inception. In the international field, it has been an affiliate member of the World Tourism Organization for the last 5 years. In 1985 as a result of pressure from the society, the World Tourism Organization set up a working party on travel and tourism for handicapped people, and SATH has chaired it since its inception. As a result, the organization has added tourism for handicapped persons to its ongoing program and SATH has produced a Report on Tourism for Handicapped People and a Code of Conduct; the first of these was distributed to all members in early 1988, and the second is in committee and will no doubt be accepted in 1991. Information Services: SATH produces a regular travel newsletter for the handicapped traveler, SATH News, as well as information sheets on most types of travel-related problems of the handicapped tourist. In 1985 it published a guide for handicapped visitors to the United States in conjunction with USTTA, Greyhound Bus Company and ASTA. This is distributed both by SATH and the USTTA office overseas. Other material includes information sheets on travel facilities available in a number of countries. Sociological Abstracts, Inc. (SAI) P.O. Box 22206 San Diego, CA 92192 (619) 695-8803 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Researchers, administrators, professionals. The Organization:: Founded in 1953 by a group of sociologists, Sociological Abstracts, Inc. (SAI) has continued to provide nonevaluative abstracts from core and relevant journal literature in sociology and related disciplines. SAI's collection contains materials on the sociological aspects of handicapping conditions, including major diseases, mental illnesses, and physical disabilities, provided the authors are sociologists and/or the articles are written from the conceptual view of sociology. Information Services: Researchers, administrators, and other users may obtain custom searches of SAI, including searches of pre-1963 records and of related data bases. Cost estimates for these searches may be prepared in advance without obligation. In addition to Sociological Abstracts, SAI's major subscription journal, Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA), is also available on a subscription basis. This journal is devoted to linguistics and related disciplines, and its contents may be searched by SAI. LLBA contains abstracts on learning disabilities from a large serial base. The following publications are also available from SAI: International Review of Publications in Sociology (IRPS), which lists abstracts of sociology books and book reviews published in sociology journals; Supplements, containing abstracts of papers presented at regional, national, and international meetings of sociologists; and Social Planning/Policy & Development Abstracts (SOPODA), SAI's new publication of nonevaluative abstracts in the three title areas. Searches of the SA, LLBA, SOPODA, and IRPS files are available online through DIALOG and BRS. In Europe SA is available on Data-Star and DIMDI. SA and SOPODA are offered on CD-ROM as Sociofile, from Silver Platter Information. Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA) 1700 Rockville Pike Suite 250 Rockville, MD 20852 (800) 621-3141 (301) 770-7222 Disabilities Served: Spina bifida, with related hydrocephalus. Users Served: Parents, teachers. The Organization: Organized in 1974, the Spina Bifida Association of America (SBAA) began and continues a primary emphasis on local parent and patient support groups. Activities also include public education, research, advocacy, and sponsorship of an annual conference for professionals and lay persons on medical, social, educational, and legal issues relating to this disability. A Medical Advisory Board identifies national medical needs and evaluates current medical advances, reporting on these to the membership. The Professional Advisory Board for Education studies current educational programs for children with spina bifida. SBAA continues to work closely with the National Easter Seal Society and the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Information Services: Publications and public education materials are available through 100 local chapters in the United States and Canada; chapters also sponsor parent, teenage, and young adult support groups. Publications include: The Child with Spina Bifida; Giant Steps for Steven; Introduction to Spina Bifida; El Nino Con Espina Bifida; You are Special - ou're the One; The Needs of Children With Spina Bifida; Residential Issues for Today; a bimonthly newsletter, Spina Bifida Insights; and manuals for parents and teachers. Material on organizing SBAA chapters, copy for radio spots, publicity and media presentations, and a directory of chapters can be requested. There is a nominal charge; price lists will be mailed. SBAA will make referrals to local chapters and/or treatment centers as necessary. Video and audiotapes are available for rental or purchase. Spinal Cord Society (SCS) Wendell Road Fergus Falls, MN 56537 (218) 739-5252 Disabilities Served: Spinal cord injury. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, physicians interested in spinal cord treatment, neuroscientists. The Organization: The Spinal Cord Society (SCS) is an international organization of persons with spinal cord injuries, their families and friends, and dedicated scientists and physicians who are all working toward the ultimate goal of cure through improved treatment methods and research. The SCS raises funds to support a targeted research program aimed at nerve regeneration in the central nervous system. The society also performs public awareness functions. The SCS has over 200 chapters in the United States and in foreign countries. In addition to its support of reversal-oriented pure and applied medical research, the SCS maintains a data bank of chronic spinal cord injury case histories, which are continuously monitored for improving treatment and guiding research; this data and referral service is available to SCS members. The case histories are used for screening patients for referral to other physicians or to the Spinal Center, based in the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics. Information Services: Brochures describing the activities of the Spinal Cord Society are available. A newsletter, published monthly, contains up-to-date information on the latest treatments and research. A subscription is included in the annual membership fee. SCS also has a variety of films, available to chapters, service clubs, and other interested groups. Spinal Network P.O. Box 4162 Boulder, CO 80306 (303) 449-5412 Disabilities Served: Paralysis: spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, postpolio. Users Served: People who use wheelchairs, physical rehabilitation professionals. The Organization: Spinal Network was formed in 1985 to provide a central data base for people who use wheelchairs to find answers, connections, and resources. As a result of this organization, Spinal Network published Spinal Network: The Total Resource for the Wheelchair Community, a 372-page resource guide. They also sell and distribute a wide variety of books on all aspects of disability. Information Services: Spinal Network publishes Spinal Network: The Total Resource for the Wheelchair Community, a 372-page resource guide with chapters on medical information, sports and recreation, travel, computers, sex and romance, civil rights, a description of disability organizations in North America, and a State-by-State listing of resources. It also publishes Spinal Network Extra, a quarterly magazine for people who use wheelchairs. Stuttering Resource Foundation 123 Oxford Road New Rochelle, NY 10804 (914) 632-3925 (800) 232-4775 Disabilities Served: Stuttering. Users Served: Stutterers, parents of stutterers and children at risk of becoming stutterers, friends, relatives and employers of stutterers, teachers, speech pathologists, medical doctors, media (TV, radio, print), students (all levels call us for information and we have spoken to classes), community groups, libraries, psychologists, social workers. The Organization: The Stuttering Resource Foundation was formed in October 1987. Since its inception, the Stuttering Resource Foundation has written and published a booklet, The Stutterer in the Classroom, which is being used as a guide throughout the United States and Canada; produced eight nationally televised public service announcements; appeared on a variety of television and radio shows; published quarterly editions of the newsletter; and begun work on a national directory of programs that deal with stuttering. The foundation is presently in the process of organizing groups for parents of children who stutter or are at risk of stuttering. All information is sent with no fee and no membership charge. Each person who calls the foundation is sent a letter, suggesting possible professionals to contact, the name of the nearest support group(s), and any specific information relevant to their needs, as well as general information on stuttering. Each person is automatically placed on the mailing list to receive Update and to be informed of further developments. In addition, the foundation now keeps a list of individuals willing to participate in research for the National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders (NIDCD) of the NIH. Information Services: The Stuttering Resource Foundation provides a teacher's guide, The Stutterer in the Classroom; a book for parents, Does Your Child Stutter? by Peter Ramig, Ph.D.; eight public service announcements (professional quality on 3/4" and 1" tape, as well as home, 1/2" copies); other pamphlets and brochures; a quarterly newsletter, Update; a listing of programs in the United States and Canada that deal with stuttering (soon to be a formal directory); a bibliography of all writings on stuttering during the past decade (done through a computer data search); and a listing of other organizations that deal with stuttering. Technical Aids and Assistance for the Disabled Center (TAAD) 1950 West Roosevelt Road Chicago, IL 60608 (312) 421-3373 (800) 346-2939 Disabilities Served: Visual, physical, and learning disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons, health care professionals, educators and general public. The Organization: The Technical Aids and Assistance for the Disabled Center (TAAD) is an environment created by COPH-2 (Committee on Personal Computers and the Handicapped) to provide options in using personal computer technology to persons with disabilities. The TAAD Center provides advocacy and services with an emphasis and perspective on selection and application of microcomputers that is an alternative to the conventional approach of the rehabilitation network. The center's approach allows the end users to make informed decisions as to which systems or devices best meet their needs. This is accomplished by (1) providing hands-on use of various computers, adaptive aids, and software; (2) drawing upon consumer experiences via COPH-2 Bulletin Board; and (3) providing technical information through the collection and dissemination of printed materials, videotapes, and software and via the AppleLink data base. Other services include equipment loans, workshops and product demonstrations, and advocacy before manufacturers, equipment dealers, rehabilitation providers, educators, and others. The TAAD Center is a charter member of the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA). Technology Utilization Program (TU) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 500 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20546 (202) 755-2420 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons, rehabilitation engineers, health care professionals, researchers. The Organization: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Technology Utilization Program (TU), as part of its mission, adapts aerospace technology to the development of equipment for the prevention of illness and the care of sick, handicapped, and elderly persons. NASA's TU Program operates in areas from bioengineering to human services delivery. Among the products that have been developed using aerospace technology are rechargeable pacemakers; portable cassette units for electrocardiograms; coin operated high blood pressure machines; a voice controlled wheelchair that responds to 35 one-word commands; "Meals for the Homebound," food which can be easily prepared and is designed for mailing and long storage without refrigeration; a foldable walker designed for use on stairs; and a cardiology mannequin that can simulate 40 heart disease conditions with a high degree of realism for the education of medical students in cardiology. Information Services: Information on manufacturers of technological innovations such as the ones listed above can be obtained by writing to NASA's Scientific and Technical Information Facility, TU Office, P.O. Box 8756, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Baltimore, MD 21240, (301) 859-5300, ext. 210. Also available is a general brochure that describes many of the technical products from NASA's TU Program entitled, Technologies for the Handicapped and the Aged. NASA Tech Briefs, a free indexed quarterly journal utilized by the United States engineering community and other professionals, describes innovations. NASA SP's, a series on complex technological advances, are also available. Other services sponsored by the NASA TU Program are available through the Industrial Applications Centers, which provide access to the world's largest depository of technical data; the State Technology Application Centers (STAC), which apply technology to specific needs in States; and NASA's Computer Software and Management Information Center (COSMIC), which makes selected computer programs from NASA available to engineers and researchers. Tel-Med, Inc. National Headquarters 952 South Mt. Vernon Avenue P.O. Box 1768 Colton, CA 92324 (714) 825-6034 Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, general public. The Organization: Tel-Med is a library of tape-recorded health care messages, which are disseminated nationwide to over 370 hospitals, medical societies, universities, and other agencies that are licensed to sponsor Tel-Med programs. Licensees set up telephone lines to communicate taped messages to the public. An individual calls, selects a tape, and an operator plays the appropriate message. The 3- to 5-minute tapes are written by physicians and other health care specialists and are reviewed periodically to insure that they contain the most current information on the subject. Tapes are also reviewed by local community medical boards of the sponsoring agents. Information Services: Tel-Med's library consists of more than 600 tapes on health care subjects. Of specific interest to handicapped persons are Tel-Med's series of tapes on diabetes, eye care and hearing, and cancer. Tel-Med also produces tapes on arthritis-rheumatism, cleft lip and palate, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, sickle cell anemia, multiple sclerosis, brain damage recovery, Social Security, and SSI and State disability insurance. The selection of tapes available varies among licensees. Tel-Med sends organizational brochures, including information on licensing procedures, and a list of Tel-Med licensees, upon request. Tel-Med publishes a newsletter for licensees and will provide them with copies of resources used to document the tape. Tele-Consumer Hotline 1910 "K" Street, NW Suite 610 Washington, DC 20006 (800) 332-1124 (Voice/TDD) (202) 223-4371 (Voice/TDD) Disabilities Served: Hearing, speech, cognitive, motion, and vision impairments. Focus is on people who have an inquiry or challenge related to use of the telephone. Users Served: Disabled persons and their associates (friends, family, and co-workers), rehabilitation professionals, information specialists, etc. The Organization: The Tele-Consumer is a nonprofit, independent consumer information service established in 1984 to assist consumers through the changes in telephone services that resulted from the breakup of the phone company. It receives financial and technical support from AT&T Communications, Pacific Bell, Bell Atlantic, Southwestern Bell Telephone, South Central Bell, and NYNEX. Information Services: The Special Needs Program was established to meet the unique information needs of persons with disabilities. Publications include a comparison chart of TDD/Voice relay services throughout the country, a Shoppers Guide to special telephone equipment (listing available devices, distributors, and prices), a list of TDD directories throughout the United States, and much more. The hotline also provides free telephone assistance and publications on topics such as how to select a long distance company, how to select a phone, how to save money on your phone bill, what to do when your phone doesn't work, where to complain about telemarketing fraud, and many other issues. Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc. (TDI) 814 Thayer Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 589-3786 (Voice/TDD) (301) 589-3006 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, deaf-blindness, and speech impediments. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, people with normal hearing and speech, general public with telecommunications interests and concerns. The Organization: Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., (TDI) serves members, people with deafness and hearing impairments, and the general public with their needs of telecommunications by providing public information about telecommunications and deafness/hearing impairment, assuring equal access to telecommunications technologies and services, supporting legislation affecting Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TDD) users, and monitoring telecommunications issues and concerns across the country. Information Services: TDI publishes the International Telephone Directory of TDD Users, annually, which includes the TDD numbers of Federal, State, local agencies, businesses and organizations that serve deaf and hearing-impaired persons. TDI also publishes GA-SK Newsletter quarterly for TDI members. Nominal dues entitle members to the directory and GA-SK Newsletter. The Telephone Pioneers of America (TPA) 22 Cortlandt Street 25th Floor New York, NY 10007 (212) 393-4397 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Individuals and community agencies. The Organization: The Telephone Pioneers of America (TPA) is an industry-related volunteer organization. The TPA is a nonprofit association, and its membership comprises more than 800,000 long-term and retired employees of the telecommunications industry. The organization has 104 chapters in 12 regions in the United States and Canada. Information Services: The TPA provides numerous services, in many cases using technical skills of volunteers gained on the job and applying them toward the needs of disabled people. Pioneers invented the game of beep baseball, a variation of softball played with a beeping ball that enables visually impaired people to participate. The TPA continues as the sole manufacturer of beep baseball equipment. In 1961, the U.S. Library of Congress designated Pioneers as the official repair organization for the talking book program. Talking books are recording machines that enable visually impaired people to hear what they cannot read. A variety of devices, such as telephones, doorbells and smoke detectors, have been designed to substitute light signals for the conventional tones as an aid for hearing impaired people. The TPA also improves access to recreation areas by constructing ramps and refitting playgrounds. Another recreational device made by Pioneers is the hand-operated tricycle (HOT). HOT trikes are made for children who cannot use their legs but who can power the trike by pumping handlebars designed with a crank mechanism. Terri Gotthelf Lupus Research Institute 50 Washington Street South Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 852-0807 (800) 825-8787 Disabilities Served: Lupus. Users Served: Those affected by lupus and the general public seeking information on the disease. The Organization: The Terri Gotthelf Lupus Research Institute was founded to help the millions of lupus victims in the world and to encourage, coordinate, and direct future progress in the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease. The institute's primary emphasis is to grant Lupus Research Scholar Awards to clinicians and scientists interested in the multidisciplinary aspects of lupus to carry out 3-year projects under the direction of senior scientists at leading lupus research facilities. The institute also provides informational services to the public and to those affected by lupus through a national hotline service, through informational publications in the national media and press, and through public service announcements. Other activities include the publishing of materials that bring to the attention of clinicians, scientists, and the public new accomplishments in lupus research; the convening of scientific meetings to bring together clinicians and scientists from various fields related to lupus; and the dissemination of data, information, and publications on various aspects of lupus. Information Services: The institute provides a national hotline service; a journal; newsletters; and a pamphlet on the symptoms of lupus, Lupus: The 11 Quiet Alarms. Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) 42-40 Bell Boulevard Bayside, NY 11361 (718) 224-2999 Disabilities Served: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS). Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, physicians, other health care and educational professionals. The Organization: Established in 1972 by patients and their families, the Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) offers information and moral support to others affected by this condition through its approximately 50 chapters in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Tourette syndrome is a neurological movement disorder, characterized by rapidly repetitive multiple movements called "tics" and involuntary vocalizations. Neuropsychiatric symptoms that characterize this genetic disorder appear in childhood and may be misdiagnosed for an average of 10 years, creating severe psychological damage in the patient and family. For this reason, association activities emphasize early identification and treatment. Education of professionals as well as the general public is conducted through publications and the media to alert physicians and families to the signs and symptoms of the syndrome. Since the cause and cure are not known, the association supports medical research through grant awards, fundraising, and solicitation of autopsy brain tissue for the TSA Brain Bank. Information Services: As the only clearinghouse of information on TS, the association maintains a current referral file of physicians throughout the country who are working with patients. Exhibits are held at medical conventions each year to acquaint more physicians with current research and treatment. The TSA Newsletter reports on medical progress throughout the world as well as on activities of local chapters. Lists of insurance companies, TS chapters, bibliographies and article reprints for professionals and patients, membership information, and public education films and tapes, "Stop It! I Can't," "I'm a Person, Too," "Tourette Syndrome: A Guide to Diagnosis ," "TS: A Panel of Experts," "Tourette Syndrome: The Parent's Perspective--Diplomacy in Action," "The Gift of Hope," and "Talking About TS" are available on request. Recent publications focus on making Tourette syndrome understandable to the school nurse, special educator, the school psychologist, and service providers. A pamphlet is available in Spanish and French. Publications are available for a nominal charge. Trace Research and Development Center on Communication, Control and Computer Access for Handicapped Individuals S-151 Waisman Center 1500 Highland Avenue Madison, WI 53705 (608) 262-6966 (Voice) (608) 263-5408 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities, speech and language disorders (all disabilities served in the area of computer access). Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, teachers, physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, rehabilitation engineers, and researchers. The Organization: The Trace Center was formed in 1971 to address the communication problems faced by nonvocal severely disabled children and adults. The Center is primarily concerned with research and development in the areas of augmentative communication (conversation and writing) and computer access for individuals with physical disabilities. In 1983, it received a grant from the National Institute of Handicapped Research to conduct research as a Rehabilitation Engineering Center. The Center does not manufacture or distribute equipment but will make referrals to specific sources of information regarding equipment, software, service centers, related professionals, and other information networks. Current projects involve efforts to make standard computer hardware and software accessible to disabled individuals; to standardize electronic communication aids, which will provide compatibility between devices from different manufacturers; and to develop interfaces, which allow disabled individuals to use nonstandard input devices to access standard computers. Information Services: The Trace Center publishes brochures and pamphlets on a variety of topics in the areas of funding resources, augmentative communicative principles and systems, and information on microcomputers and computer access for disabled persons. The Center further aims to meet its objectives of commercial facilitation and information dissemination through a series of workshops, articles available through the Reprint Service, and the development and updating of publications. Publications include Trace Resource Book, a reference volume listing and describing currently available products for communication, control, and computer access for people with disabilities. Information on specific aids available, software and hardware, manufacturers, and other resources is provided to individuals, parents, educators, researchers, and clinicians. All information is available in alternative formats for people unable to read or handle print materials. Audiovisuals covering equipment development in the areas of augmentative communication and computer access, training materials, and perspectives on the disabled population are available. There is a nominal charge for most materials from the Center and from the Reprint Service, which operates on a cost recovery basis. Traumatic Brain Injury Research/Education Association (TBI Association) 25432 Seventh Grosse IIe, MI 48138 (313) 671-8366 Disabilities Served: All disabilities associated with head injury and related neurological disorders. Users Served: Health care professionals, and providers of services and products. The Organization: The Traumatic Brain Injury Research/Education Association (TBI Association) is a nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization of professionals providing services and products to brain-injured persons and their families. The TBI was founded to encourage research and education on the causes, prevention, and treatment of traumatic brain injury; provide a forum for exchange of information and ideas among providers of service and treatment; formulate and support the highest possible standards of care of brain trauma patients; and provide continuing growth and development of professionals furnishing services and products. Case management services are available from the TBI Association to disabled persons and family members within the State of Michigan. Referrals to appropriate programs, treatment facilities, and health care professionals are made nationwide. Information Services: The TBI Association publishes a bimonthly newsletter which contains information about people and products, abstracts, new products and resources, classified ads, monograph listings, and a comment section. A quarterly journal covers research findings, field reports, features, book reviews, letters and reports on treatment programs, and techniques. Both publications are available by subscription. TBI Association members are invited to participate as presenters, faculty members and/or registrants at conferences and seminars, including international travel/education events. Other services offered to members include data and literature search through the association's computer link-ups, a monograph distribution service and computer program exchange, a consultant's listing (for members wishing to provide consulting services in their areas of expertise), an information and referral file, an abstract service, and research grants, as they become available. Both individual/professional and corporate memberships are available. Members receive information services at cost; there is a small fee for nonmembers. Travel Information Service Moss Rehabilitation Hospital 1200 West Tabor Road Philadelphia, PA 19141 (215) 456-9600 (Voice) (215) 456-9602 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Physical disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, travel organizations and agencies, and health care professionals. The Organization: Moss Rehabilitation Hospital's Travel Information Service collects and disseminates worldwide travel accessibility information to requestors in the United States and abroad. Information Services: The Travel Information Service prepares information packages on accessible travel from material in its files and mails them to requestors. Referrals are made by telephone, by mail, or in person to appropriate travel information resources that can assist disabled people in planning a trip. There is a nominal charge for materials to cover postage and handling. TRIPOD GRAPEVINE 2901 North Keystone Street Burbank, CA 91504 (818) 972-2080 (Voice/TDD) (800) 352-8888 (Voice/TDD) (800) 2-TRIPOD (Voice/TDD California Only) Disabilities Served: Deaf. Users Served: Parents and professionals. The Organization: The purpose of the TRIPOD GRAPEVINE is to assist families concerned with the vital issues that arise when rearing a deaf or hard of hearing child (i.e., family acceptance, emotional well-being, education, social skills, legal rights, vocational/career education opportunities, etc.). Since there is no one encompassing answer in deafness, each of our responses is individually researched to provide unbiased up-to-date information. Information Services: When a family with a deaf or hard of hearing child needs someone to listen, an idea, an article to read, or the name of someone nearby with a similar experience, TRIPOD's GRAPEVINE is just a phone call away. TRIPOD has a National Advisory Board of experts in deafness and child development. In addition, TRIPOD has developed extensive files, which can be used researching responses to specific questions. The files are constantly updated. TRIPOD also loans and sells an award-winning videotape "Language Says It All" and Part II, "Once Upon a Time". "Language Says It All" focuses on how four families come to understand and fulfill their deaf child's need for language. Mothers and fathers speak candidly about their feelings, the effect on brothers and sisters, and the frustrations of finding new ways to communicate. "Once Upon a Time", Part II of "Language Says It All," reminds us how important storytime is to parent and child. Michael's dad and Loren's mom describe how they felt when they didn't know "the sign" and share what they did. Sense is a quarterly newsletter with articles about child development, speech, and sign of interest to parents and professionals sent to individuals who request it. United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Inc. (UCPA) 1522 K Street, NW Suite 1112 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 842-1266 (800) USA-5UCP Disabilities Served: Cerebral palsy and other severe physical disabilities. Users Served: Persons with cerebral palsy and others with severe disabilities and multiple services needs, and the families of both. The Organization: The United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Inc. (UCPA) is a national network of over 170 local affiliates in 45 States. The mission of UCPA is to affect positively the quality of life for persons with cerebral palsy and also others with severe disabilities and multiple service needs and the families of both and to prevent cerebral palsy and minimize its effect. UCPA is a dynamic network of people committed to the following purposes: to assure the rights and entitlements of persons with disabilities; to equip and enable individuals with cerebral palsy and other severe disabilities to obtain the fullest possible employment, productivity, and participation in an integrated community; to support freedom of choice by assuring multiple options in daily living; to provide a continuity of quality human services; to improve living conditions in all circumstances; to present factual material for the awareness and understanding of all segments of the public; to involve persons with cerebral palsy and also others with severe disabilities in decision-making processes affecting their lives; and to mobilize human and financial resources to accomplish the above. Information Services: UCPA provides information, materials, and training to inform individuals with disabilities and their families about laws and regulations as well as appropriate programs and services and to empower them to translate laws into practice. UCPA produces four publications--Word from Washington, Family Support Bulletin, The Networker, and Affiliate Update--plus other materials to promote community awareness and improve public attitudes about the capabilities and contributions of individuals with disabilities. United Leukodystrophy Foundation (ULF) 2304 Highland Drive Sycamore, IL 60178 (815) 895-3211 (800) 728-5483 Disabilities Served: Leukodystrophy. Users Served: Families and professionals concerned with leukodystrophy. The Organization: The purposes of the United Leukodystrophy Foundation (ULF) are to provide information, assist in identifying resources, coordinate a communication network among families, increase public awareness, and promote research. Information Services: ULF provides a brochure, a quarterly newsletter, disease specific materials, and an annual national conference. United Parkinson Foundation (UPF) 360 West Superior Street Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 664-2344 Disabilities Served: Parkinson's disease. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, health care professionals. The Organization: The United Parkinson Foundation (UPF) is a membership organization for Parkinson's disease patients and their families. UPF assembles information about the disease and disseminates it to members and nonmembers alike. UPF also gives financial assistance to scientists who are studying the disease. Information Services: Booklets on exercise, research, and therapies are available at no cost to Parkinson's disease patients and their families; and the information in the booklets is supplemented by UPF's quarterly newsletter. This information is also available to nonpatients; subscription cost is $25 per year. The organization maintains a national list of diagnostic, treatment, and rehabilitation centers for the patient, and it can provide the names of retail outlets for obtaining prosthetic devices and special equipment. At the request of the patient, UPF will contact the patient's employer to explain Parkinson's disease and the work limitations, if any. UPF sponsors scientific symposia on Parkinson's disease for lay audiences. Professionals are permitted onsite use of UPF's collection of reprints of scientific papers. United Scleroderma Foundation, Inc. (USF) P.O. Box 350 Watsonville, CA 95077-0350 (408) 728-2202 Disabilities Served: Scleroderma. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, physicians, rheumatologists and dermatologists, other health care professionals. The Organization: The mission of the United Scleroderma Foundation (USF), a nonprofit organization established in 1975, is to provide educational and emotional support for scleroderma patients and their families. The USF is committed to increasing awareness of this devastating disease and raising essential research dollars to determine its cause, enhance treatment, and find a cure. There are USF chapters throughout North America. Scleroderma literally means hard skin. Localized scleroderma involves the skin and subcutaneous tissues; systemic scleroderma, which is more serious, can affect the entire body system. Information Services: The foundation disseminates pamphlets on scleroderma and its various manifestations, the Scleroderma Handbook for patients, and the Scleroderma Digest. Members receive a quarterly newsletter, which reports on medical treatment, research, chapter news, workshop information, and helpful hints. Many chapters also publish quarterly or monthly newsletters and offer accredited workshops. Membership (dues charged) entitles the donor to a full literature packet and four newsletters; otherwise there is a nominal charge for publications. Brochures are available in Spanish. USF will refer patients and their families to physicians in their areas and to a local chapter if available. U.S. Bureau of the Census Customer Services Washington, DC 20233 (301) 763-4100 (General Information) (301) 763-8300 (Disability Data Information) Disabilities Served: Data published on disability. Users Served: All persons interested in statistics on population, housing, business, government, and other areas covered in Census Bureau data products. The Organization: The Bureau of the Census is the principal statistical agency of the Federal Government. It collects the population and housing census every 10 years, economic censuses every 5 years, and a variety of monthly, quarterly, and annual surveys. The Census Bureau collects information by asking questions of households, businesses, and governments. It also prepares estimates and projections of the population. The results appear in over 2,000 reports and other data products a year covering a wide variety of topics and geographic areas. For complete information on Census Bureau products and services, see the annual Census Catalog and Guide. The monthly newsletter, Census and You, is also a useful source of information. Contact Customer Services for information on how to order. Information Services: The Census Bureau issues disability statistics in printed reports, microfiche, computer tape, and other media. The statistics include data from the 1990 census (to become available beginning in 1992) on work disability, mobility limitations, and self-care limitations; the 1980 census on work disability and public transportation disability; the Current Population Survey (occasional P-23 series reports) on work disability; and the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP; various P-70 series reports) on functional limitations, need for assistance, children's disability status, conditions causing disability, and limitations on major life activities. University Microfilms International (UMI) 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48106 (313) 761-4700 (800) 521-0600 (For Information) (800) 521-3042 (For Ordering) Disabilities Served: All handicaps. Users Served: Researchers, health care professionals, teachers. The Organization: University Microfilms International (UMI) was founded in 1938 to provide researchers with difficult-to-obtain books and articles. Its publications include dissertations, masters theses, books, periodicals, and monographs, which are printed, photocopied, or microfilmed. UMI also operates information retrieval systems to access the more than one million published dissertations accepted at North American colleges and universities. Recently this program has been broadened to include some foreign universities. Information Services: Customers may order searches of UMI's Comprehensive Dissertation Database. Computer printouts delivered to the user include the dissertation title, author, advisor, page and volume reference to Dissertation Abstracts International (DAI), and UMI monthly publication giving concise author-prepared summaries of dissertations. Users may also consult the Comprehensive Dissertation Index (CDI), which gives bibliographic information on almost every doctoral dissertation accepted in North America since 1861. CDI contains more than 5,000 titles on deafness, blindness, mental retardation, birth defects, special education, rehabilitation and other disabling conditions, and related subjects. Users with computer terminals may access CDI directly through arrangement with BRS Information Technologies or DIALOG (see separate entries). UMI also has several research collections in health available on microfiche including the National Rehabilitation Information Center's Rehabilitation & Handicapped Literature collection. Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) 400 7th Street, SW Room 9314 Washington, DC 20590 (202) 366-4043 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: General public. The Organization: The Urban Mass Transportation Administration more commonly known as UMTA, is one of nine major agencies housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Headed by an administrator appointed by the President (with the advice and consent of the Senate), UMTA administers a program of financial assistance for the providers of urban and rural public mass transportation. The Urban Mass Transportation Administration Act of 1964, as amended, is the statutory authority for UMTA's programs. UMTA functions through a Washington headquarters office, plus 10 regional offices in cities from coast-to-coast, all operating under principles contained in a National Transportation Policy released by President George Bush on March 8, 1990. The areas of research and technical assistance within the UMTA program have seen considerable evolution during the agency's short history. While originally motivated by a desire to deploy new technologies developed by America's space program into a mass transit environment, in more recent years the program has evolved into more policy-oriented work aimed at evaluating current methodologies, providing stable and reliable sources of data and information, and conducting demonstrations in improved management techniques. UMTA's technical assistance efforts have also been used to assist mass transit operators comply with new requirements and responsibilities they must meet in such areas as reduced vehicle emissions, accessibility for disabled persons, and a whole range of issues in the general area of civil rights. Information Services: Contact UMTA for additional information. Very Special Arts (VSA) 1331 F Street, NW Suite 800 Washington, DC 20004 (202) 628-2800 (Voice) (202) 737-0645 (TDD) Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Individuals with disabilities, parents, teachers and other service providers through a national and international network of VSA affiliates. The Organization: Very Special Arts (VSA) is an educational affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Founded in 1974, Very Special Arts (formerly National Committee on Arts for the Handicapped) coordinates arts programs and festivals for people with physical and mental disabilities. Very Special Arts programs are implemented through a network of local, State, and national organizations, including educational and cultural institutions, arts agencies, associations for disabled people, and health and rehabilitation organizations. These groups work in turn with parents, teachers, volunteers, trainers, artists, health specialists, and other experts to develop talents and skills in participants of all ages, from preschoolers to senior citizens. Information Services: Published materials about model programs and demonstration projects are available at a nominal charge through the VSA National Office. Contact information for individual VSA State and international programs is also available through the VSA National Office. VISION Foundation , Inc. 818 Mt. Auburn Street Watertown, MA 02172 (617) 926-4232 (800) 852-3029 (Massachusetts Only) Disabilities Served: Blindness, visual impairment. Users Served: Disabled persons, optometrists, ophthalmologists, social workers. The Organization: VISION Foundation, Inc., is a self-help organization whose primary goal is to assist persons with sight loss in adjusting to their disability and receiving services. In addition to the information and referral program described below, support services are available to persons in Massachusetts through self-help groups. Information Services: The foundation operates a nationwide information center, which handles inquiries on the availability of large print materials and aids and appliances, Social Security and other benefits and services, travel, housing, employment, recreation, and other areas. The foundation also distributes materials in large print, braille, and recorded formats, such as catalogs, self-help tapes, and brochures. VISION Views, the foundation's annual newsletter, is available in large print and on cassette. Coping with Sight Loss: The VISION Resource Book may be purchased in large print. A VISION Resource List available in large print and on cassette, an annual listing of more than 150 brochures, pamphlets and catalogs, is available free of charge; there is a handling fee for items ordered. While the foundation primarily serves disabled consumers, professionals working with visually impaired persons will find these publications of interest. VISION Resource Update is a newsletter published bimonthly, on cassette and in large print; it is a membership benefit. Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) 3801 East Florida Avenue Suite 206 Denver, CO 80210 (303) 753-0218 (800) 426-2547 Disabilities Served: All disabilities approved for home care services by attending physician. Users Served: Disabled persons, health care professionals, general public. The Organization: Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) is a coalition representing nonprofit community-based home health care providers. By calling our 800 line you can obtain the name, address, and telephone number for any of the 443 visiting nurse organizations in the United States. Visiting nurse agencies offer a wide range of community-based services, including home care, hospice, infusion care, specialized pediatric and maternal/child care programs, enterostomal therapy, and other specialized nursing services, as well as physical, speech and occupational therapy. In addition to skilled services, VNA's provide personal care, homemaking, social services, nutritional counseling and friendly visiting. Information Services: VNAA maintains a toll-free number for patient referral. Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association (VEWAA) National Rehabilitation Association 633 South Washington Street Alexandria, VA 22314 (703) 836-2209 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Vocational evaluators, work adjustment specialists. The Organization: Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association (VEWAA) is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1967 to promote the professions and services of vocational evaluation and work adjustment. VEWAA is a division of the National Rehabilitation Association. It comprises membership that provides services to disabled and nondisabled people who need assistance with vocational development or career decision-making. The national association supports the activities of almost 50 State chapters and 7 regional chapters. Individual members provide vocational assessment and adjustment services within a variety of settings, such as rehabilitation, vocational and special education, corrections, job training and manpower development, employment and career development, industrial and personal injury, welfare and homeless programs, and business and industry. Through the commitment of its members, VEWAA provides a variety of professional development activities; conducts a biannual national Issues Forum; and consults with and gives guidance to accreditation bodies at national and State levels, etc. Information Services: Contact organization for information. Voice Indexing for the Blind, Inc. (VIB) 7420 Westlake Terrace Suite 203 Bethesda, MD 20817 (301) 469-9470 Disabilities Served: All disabilities that make it difficult or impossible to use printed reference materials. Users Served: Disabled persons, teachers, librarians and agencies serving the blind and visually handicapped. The Organization: Voice Indexing for the Blind (VIB) is a nonprofit organization of volunteers devoted to increasing access by print-handicapped persons to publish reference works and informal personal files, address lists, recipes, etc. through a technique called voice indexing. Voice indexing provides "headlines" to direct the blind reader to specific portions of recorded material. Using a 4-track cassette player, the tape is scanned at "fast forward" speed by index term, thus saving much time in locating items within a reference work or in less formal personal files. VIB is involved in developing procedures for voice indexing, instructing individuals and groups in the technique, publishing a list of voice-indexed materials that are generally available and preparing voice-indexed recordings of reference materials on contract for wide distribution. Information Services: VIB produces a brochure which gives an introductory description of the nature and purpose of voice indexing and procedures for informal sequential voice indexing. Other publications available include Voice Indexing Manual, a detailed technical procedure for producing voice-indexed cassettes, and Voice-Indexed Cassettes: A List of Titles that are Generally Available (1990 edition in preparation). VIB will consult by letter, phone, or in person on the suitability of materials for the voice indexing and methods of doing the voice indexing. There is a nominal fee for consultation and/or preparation of voice-indexed tapes and for the manual. Most cassettes that VIB produces have braille labels. The bibliography is widely distributed on a voice-indexed cassette. Williams Syndrome Association 1611 Clayton Spur Court Ellisville, MO 63011 (314) 227-4411 Disabilities Served: People with Williams syndrome. Users Served: Families of children with Williams syndrome, Williams syndrome adults; educational and medical professionals with Williams syndrome clients. The Organization: The Williams Syndrome Association was established in 1983 to provide support and assistance to families with the Williams child and to provide professionals with access to groups of Williams individuals for possible study. The association's goals are also to locate those other Williams families unaware of the association; to become a visable group in the medical, scientific, educational and professional communities in order to facilitate referrals of newly diagnosed individuals; and to encourage medical and behavioral research aimed at finding the cause of Williams syndrome in order to improve methods of social integration of the Williams individual. Information Services: The association publishes the Williams Syndrome Newsletter every 2 months along with a brochure, Facts About Williams. A handbook, Handbook for Parents/Handbook for Teachers, is available for a small fee. An audiovisual library of past meetings and conventions and a print library of articles dealing with Williams syndrome are also available. Wilson's Disease Association P.O. Box 75324 Washington, DC 20013 (703) 636-3014 or (703) 636-3003 Disabilities Served: Wilson's disease and Menkes' syndrome. Users Served: Disabled persons, parents, physicians and other health care professionals, genetic counselors, and social workers. The Organization: The Wilson's Disease Association is a nonprofit self-help and advocacy group whose main purpose is to give aid and support to the families and victims of Wilson's disease and related diseases. Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder characterized by excess storage of copper in the body tissues, particularly in the liver, kidneys, brain, and corneas of the eyes. The association fosters research, disseminates information, disburses funds for research, and provides direct financial aid to patients. Information Services: The association's biannual newsletter contains information on current research, pertinent legislation, and advocacy activities. Pamphlets about the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Wilson's disease are available free of charge, up to 50 copies. The association can refer patients to physicians specializing in Wilson's and related diseases and to researchers. The association also maintains a data base of articles from medical journals and books that deal with various aspects of the disease. World Institute on Disability (WID) 510 16th Street, Suite 100 Oakland, CA 94612 (415) 763-4100 Disabilities Served: All disabilities. Users Served: Disabled persons and their families, government agencies, legislative bodies, disability organizations, centers for independent living, media, international visitors. The Organization: The World Institute on Disability (WID) is a public policy institute seeking solutions to major problems faced by people of all ages with disabilities. It was founded in 1983 by disabled people who have extensive personal and professional knowledge of disability-related issues and who were among the founders of the independent living movement. WID has focused on areas that have significant impact on the basic human rights and needs of disabled individuals. There areas include public education, service systems consultation, and national and international development of independent living. WID in conjunction with InfoUse and the Western Consortium for Public Health of the University of California has been awarded a 5-year grant to establish a National Research and Training Center on Public Policy in Independent Living. Over the next 5 years, WID will analyze the Nation's most effective personal assistance programs building on previous surveys and research in this area. Training priorities will focus on identification of successful approaches to creating barrier-free supportive environments and empowering consumers and their families. WID in partnership with Rehabilitation International has administered the IDEAS project through which fellowships are provided to experts to study exemplary disability programs in Europe and the Americas which could benefit the USA. The IDEAS grant has just been extended for another 3 years. With seed money from the telecommunications industry, WID is convening a panel of leaders from the disability community to evaluate current initiatives and technology and make recommendations how this burgeoning industry can best serve the disability community. Recognizing that AIDS has become a disabling condition, a new program will be started to transfer the peer support model to the AIDS community. WID is promoting independent living concepts in the international disability community by giving workshops, hosting international visitors, exchanging information, and participating in international conferences. Information Services: Publications include The Need for Personal Assistance; Attending to America: Personal Assistance for Independent Living (also available: Executive Summary of Attending to America); Access to Health Care, Vol. 1, Nos. 1 & 2, Measuring the Health Insurance Needs of Persons with Disabilities and Chronic Illness, and Nos. 3 & 4, Strategies for Adapting the Private and Public health Insurance Systems to the Needs of Disabled Persons; Quality of Life: A Report on Employment, Housing, Recreation and Social Relationships obtained from 218 adults with developmental disabilities. The institute offers information on all aspects of attendant care services, independent living, and study results from the IDEAS project in foreign countries. World Recreation Association of the Deaf/USA (WRAD) P.O. Box 3211 Quartz Hill, CA 93586 (805) 943-8879 (TDD) Disabilities Served: Deafness, hearing impairments, families and friends of deaf people. Users Served: Deaf people and their families, parents of deaf children, sign language students, and professionals. The Organization: The World Recreation Association of the Deaf (WRAD) is a nonprofit recreational, educational, and cultural organization made up of deaf, hearing impaired, and hearing people who live in all parts of the world. WRAD celebrates the differences and diversities of people and encourages interaction among the membership, for stimulating and exciting exchange of ideas, concepts, and information. Information Services: WRAD provides sign language interpreters in recreation and cultural activities for the deaf and hard of hearing community, especially in national parks; newsletter for members, the WRAD News on a quarterly basis plus local chapter newsletters and flyers of events and special attractions; many local, State, and national activities including skiing, educational lectures, bicycling, camping, water sports, and much more; leadership training to both adults and youth groups in schools and in the community; handbooks that offer growth of recreational programs for deaf people; and instructional lessons and seminars to members. WRAD receives internship programs from colleges. Youth Development Information Center (YDIC) National Agricultural Library 10301 Baltimore Boulevard Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 344-3719 Disabilities Served: All disabilities related to youth. Users Served: Professionals, educators, researchers, and organizations concerned with youth. The Organization: The Youth Development Information Center (YDIC) is a joint project of the Extension Service (USDA) and the National Agricultural Library. As a reference center, it provides services focused on all aspects of youth development. Information Services: The Center maintains a national collection of books, journal articles, dissertations, theses, reports, curricula, and other resources relevant to youth development. It provides reference and referral services to assist the user in finding answers to specific questions pertaining to youth development. Brief complimentary literature searches of computerized data bases are performed on a request specific topic. There is a cost for exhaustive searches.