Featured Speaker: Linda Higgins, Educational and IHSS Advocate,
Hope Consulting and Advocacy, Founded March 2014,
Linda Higgins got into advocacy as a result of having had their daughter, Megan Hope, who had Down syndrome and autism. Thanks to her, they have fostered several children with special needs and adopted three of them. They lost Megan Hope on December 27, 2013 to a pulmonary embolism. Their advocacy is now her legacy. Linda has taken many classes and attended numerous workshops to learn advocacy, including having completed the Parent Advocacy and Mentoring (PAM) training through Special Needs Network and Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) training through Council of Parents, Advocate, and Attorneys (COPAA).
Linda’s kids have had many different diagnoses, including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder partial, emotional disturbance, Cerebral Palsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, sensory processing disorder (SPD), central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), and dyslexia. All of them have needed significant advocacy to get their academic needs met, and two have required IHSS services. Megan had Down syndrome, autism, asthma, a heart condition, feeding tube, SPD, was not potty trained, and more, yet she was denied the first three times they applied for IHSS. They didn’t understand the program, and was told they should apply, but that was before Facebook and all the easy methods of learning via the internet. Linda has learned that if the parents don’t know what IHSS provides and why they deserve the services, they will be given nothing. She has worked to get more services and has learned what needs be done to improve hours. And now, she uses that knowledge to help parents.
We hope that you’ll plan to attend this important support group meeting. Please RSVP by September 9th to Nicole Aptekar at naptekar@gmail.com
Meeting location: Temple Beth Israel, 3033 N. Towne Ave., Pomona
