"FAMILY MEMBERS AND CAREGIVERS" When a friend or family member develops a mental health condition, it's important to know that you're not alone. Many Americans have experienced caring for a person with mental illness. 1 in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental health condition. Mental health professionals have effective treatments for most of these conditions, yet in any given year, only 60% of people with a mental illness get mental health care.
As a result, family members and caregivers often play a large role in helping and supporting them. Millions of people have experienced the thoughts and questions you might be having now. - See more at: Family Members and Caregivers

Navigating Your Way Forward!

Navigating the Course: Finding Your Way Through Indiana's Special Education Rules (pdf) provides an overview and a practical resource to help parents, advocates, school personnel, and students understand the requirements of Indiana’s special education rules, found at 511 IAC 7-32 through 47, commonly known as Article 7. It is intended to serve as a companion guide to Article 7, and is not a substitute for Article 7. Please refer to Article 7 for the specific language of the special education rules. A copy of Article 7 can be found in the links at the bottom of this page.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the key federal education law that serves students with learning disabilities. The National Center for Learning Disabilities published Parent's Guide to IDEA (pdf) to help you be an informed and effective partner with school personnel in supporting your child’s learning needs.

NAMI New Hampshire developed a Guidebook for Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Serious Emotional Disorders for families and caregivers of children and adolescents with serious mental health treatment needs. This comprehensive guide covers the following topics, some of which relate to services in NH, but many of which are broadly covered and include extremely helpful information for families:

"This is the best program for families with children. It answers so many questions for parents. It can change and improve so many lives."

For parents and other caregivers of children and adolescents living with emotional, behavioral or mental health disorders.
Meets once a week for 6 weeks.
Taught by parents who have experienced the joys and challenges of parenting a child with serious mental illnesses.

"The burden of suffering experienced by children with mental health needs and their families has created a health crisis in this country...Too often, children who are not identified as having mental health problems and who do no receive services end up in jail. Children and families are suffering because of missed opportunities for prevention and early identification, fragmented treatment services, and low priorities for resources."
-- Report of the U.S. Surgeon General's Conference on Children's Mental Health
The entire report can be read at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/cmh/childreport.htm

Below are several more links to information and resources about children's mental health and education.

Related Files

(PDF File) Public Financing of Home and CommunityServices for Children and Youth with SED/U.S. Dept. of Health & HumanServices

Related Links

(Website) IndianaDepartment of Education Office of Exceptional Learners
(PDF File) Indiana Special Education Rules Article 7
(Website) IN*Source -- Indiana Resource Center for Families with Special Needs
(Website) ASK -- About Special Kids
(PDF File) Indiana Childrens Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health Plan
(Website) IDEA Parent Guide from the National Center for Learning Disabilities
(Website) NAMI Child and Adolescent Action Center
(Website) Indiana Protection and Advocacy report on Time-Out, Seclusion,and Restraint in Indiana Schools