SPECIAL KIDS IN BIRMINGHAM
Your One-Stop Source for Birmingham’s Kids with Special Needs: A Highlight of Resources There are a variety of services offered by organizations throughout the state for parents with children with disabilities, from inclusive school care programs to sports teams and music classes. The following is an abbreviated list of local resources and services for Alabama children with special needs. We have highlighted some great organizations here, but there are many others. You can find a more complete, inclusive list at https://birminghamparent.com/directory/special_needs_resources/. Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services 334-293-7500 www.rehab.alabama.gov The Alabama Department of Rehabilitative Services (ADRS) is a state agency created to serve children and adults with disabilities. With its “continuum of care” approach, ADRS offers services for individuals of any age through four main programs among all 67 counties in the state. Early Intervention serves children with developmental delays from birth to the age of three through a variety of coordinating services. Children’s Rehabilitation is for children with special healthcare needs from birth to 21. Its largest program, Vocational Rehabilitation, focuses on teens and adults to provide education- and employment-related services and training. Independent Living seeks to help individuals with the most significant disabilities with help in education, assistive technology, training, and home-based services to help them gain more independence. Alabama Family Trust 205-313-3915 www.alabamafamilytrust.com Alabama Family Trust is a nonprofit organization that assists in establishing trusts for children and adults with disabilities and special needs. The organization focuses specifically on three types of trust: disability trusts, elderly trusts, and trusts for children. In addition to helping establish the trust, the organization helps with disbursement of the funds in a way that complements government programs such as SSI and Medicaid. The trust also offers other significant advantages, including protection from abuse and mismanagement of assets and the potential for lower administrative fees.
Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind 205-761-3530 www.aidb.org The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is the world’s most comprehensive education, rehabilitation and service program specifically serving individuals of all ages who are deaf, blind, deaf-blind and multi-disabled. Founded in 1858, the AIDB serves more than 30,000 infants, toddlers, children, adults and seniors throughout Alabama each year with six campuses and eight regional centers. Autism Society of Alabama 1-877-428-8476 www.autism-alabama.org One of every 54 families are living with autism spectrum disorder, and the Autism Society of Alabama exists to help those families and improve the services available to them. The nonprofit advocacy group does so through autism safety initiatives, providing resources and education, and even hosting an annual camp. Behavioral One 205-991-2584 www.behavioralone.com Comprehensive behavioral support and service for children, teens, and their families can be found at Behavioral One. The organization’s team works alongside families every step of the process, from the initial concern to the assessment process and treatment plan development to the provision of services and therapy. The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs 205-879-3417 www.thebellcenter.org The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs has been providing early intervention services to children at risk of developmental delay since 1984. Located in Birmingham, the center offers a variety of services for children from infant to toddler dealing with a variety of special needs and diagnoses ranging from cerebral palsy and Down syndrome to autism and rare genetic disorders. The services are provided by transdisciplinary teams that include a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech-language pathologist, and an early childhood special education teacher. Boost Kids 205-767-9207 www.boostbirmingham.com A therapist-run company, Boost Kids seeks to help kids achieve independence through improved skills, learned strategies, environmental modifications, and caregiver education. The team utilizes evidence-based research to put together the best, most comprehensive treatment plans for each child, all of which are carried out in the company’s downtown Birmingham space.
24 | Birmingham Parent | THE FAMILY GUIDEOOK JANUARY 2022
Children’s Aid Society of Alabama-APAC Program 205-933-3004 www.childrensaid.org The APAC Program is a collaborative effort between Children’s Aid Society and the Alabama Department of Human Resources. The statewide program exists to provide education and support to Alabama families waiting to adopt, as well as empower adoptive families and help build strong bonds within adoptive families. In addition to helping families prepare for adoption, the program also offers services such as support groups, family counseling, and even an annual four-day camp for adopted children and their siblings to spend time together and with others in similar circumstances. Children’s of Alabama 205-638-9100 www.childrensal.org Children’s of Alabama ranks as one of the best pediatric medical centers in the country. The hospital has provided specialized medical care for children in Alabama and around the country since 1911. Children’s serves patients from not only every county in Alabama, but also nearly every state in the country. It’s one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the United States. Dance Without Limits 251-610-4969 www.dancewithoutlimitsfoundation.org Dance Without Limits is focused on providing professional dance instruction to individuals with special needs. During classes, dancers receive a helper to assist or at the least lots of encouragement. The class helpers range in specialty, whether it be students in occupational or physical therapy schools, Camp Smile volunteers, special education teachers, and sometimes even mothers. Down Syndrome Alabama 205-988-0810 www.downsyndromealabama.org Down Syndrome Alabama serves individuals living with Down syndrome and their families by increasing awareness, promoting acceptance, and advancing advocacy. The organization also focuses heavily on providing all sorts of needed resources to help Down syndrome families care for their loved one. Their goal is for people with Down syndrome living meaningful lives as productive members of their communities through all stages of life. Easterseals of the Birmingham Area/Easterseals of Alabama 205-942-6277 334-395-4489 www.eastersealsbham.org www.easterseals.com/alabama Easterseals has been supporting individuals with disabilities or special needs and their families for almost 100 years. The organization as a whole supports more than one million individuals with disabilities each year through services including pediatric rehabilitation, workforce development for
