Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. is a responsive community advocate in addressing the needs of families of students with special needs in Dutchess County. Our Special Education Advocates are committed to providing families with information, referral, and technical assistance to ensure all students receive an appropriate and equitable education within our public schools.
During this time, however, we are facing increasing demand for services and limited staff capacity to address this demand.
As a result, we are limiting our intake response time, which may extend to 2 weeks or beyond before someone is able to return your call.
Please complete this brief parent request form and someone from our special education department will be back in touch with you as soon as we are able. We appreciate your understanding until we are able to resume our services at full capacity.
Please complete this Parent Request Form to get started.
*March 21, 2020 Supplemental Fact Sheet Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities.
Click to download the Supplemental Fact Sheet Handout
Link to Individuals with Disabilities Education Act fact sheet and website.
The Special Education Advocate at Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. (TRI) meets with the parents of students with disabilities to assist them with navigating through the school system. Their goal is to determine an appropriate education which meets the child’s needs. The Advocate provides assistance and education with the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, and develops a TRI Independent Living Plan to help the parents become self-advocates so their child will stay in school and reach their educational goals.
TRI offers a Special Education Rights Workshop which contains the following content: parents and students rights, the school district’s responsibilities, how to receive services for a child, the Committee on Special Education (CSE) process, eligibility for special education services, and what actions to take if you disagree. This workshop is offered weekly during the school year and scheduled at libraries throughout Dutchess County.
Other workshops we periodically offer are: Common Core, Individualized Education Plans, Understanding Evaluation Testing, and Transitioning to Adult Services.
TRI’s Special Education Advocacy program is funded by Adult Career Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities – Family Support Service (OPWDD-FSS), and Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DCFS). We must inform our parents whose child is utilizing Self-Direction and willing to receive Special Education Advocacy services to allocate specific funds in the child’s Self-Direction budget. If you have any questions, one of the Special Education Advocates will be happy to sit down with you to answer any questions.
WELCOME MESSAGE & SELF-DIRECTION LETTER
After you have submitted a Parent Request Form, and had your phone consultation with the Special Education Advocate, you will be emailed a HIPAA-compliant link for a Parent Intake. It requires that you have a smart device or computer to sign the online form. If you are having technical difficulty tell your advocate and their administrative staff so they may send you the PDF, or send it via fax, mail, or schedule in person.
School Consent to Release Forms must be updated every new school year.
Each fiscal year, Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. (TRI) needs to ask our returning consumers to update their files by signing the release of the “Authorization Pertaining To NYSED ACCES-VR.“. This form is for parents with children under age 18.
CONTACT:
Judith Kreitzer,
Special Education Administrative Assistant
(845)452-3913 Ext. 124
j.kreitzer@taconicresources.org
Jennifer O’Neill,
Special Education Advocate
(845) 452.3913 Ext.112
j.oneill@taconicresources.org
Douglas Gilmour,
Special Education Advocate
(845) 452.3913 Ext. 126
d.gilmour@taconicresources.org
Patricia Lucio-Penn, Bilingual-Spanish
Special Education Advocate
(845)452-3913 Ext. 117
p.lucio-penn@taconicresources.org
Dutchess County Resources
- Think Differently
Think Differently - Dutchess County All Abilities Program Director
Dutchess County All Abilities Program Director - Helping Our Children Guide
Helping Our Children Guide
New York State Resources
- ACCES-VR Adult Career & Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation Services serving Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Ulster ACCES-VR Adult Career & Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation Services
- NYS Education Department Special Education
NYS Education Department – Special Education - NYSED Special Education Law Regulations
NYSED Special Education Law Regulations - NYS Special Education approved private schools in the Hudson Valley
New York State Special Education Approved Private Schools in the Hudson Valley| - NYS Office of Children and Family Services NYS Office of Children and Family Services
- NYS Office of Mental Health NYS Office of Mental Health
- NYS Special Education Task Force NYS Special Education Task Force
- Parent to Parent of NYS Parent to Parent of NYS
Federal Resources
Website Resources for Parents of Children with disabilities
- Understood
Understood - Learning Disabilities Online – Educators Guide to Learning Disabilities/ADHD
Learning Disabilities Online - Learning Ally
Learning Ally - Center for Parent Information and Resources
Center for Parent Education and Resources Center - PACER Center
PACER Center
Website Resources for Preparing Students with Disabilities for College
- How Students with Disabilities can Prepare for College
How Students with Disabilities can Prepare for College - National Center on Secondary Education & Transition
National Center on Secondary Education & Transition - Think Ahead Program at Dutchess Community College for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Think Ahead Program at Dutchess Community College for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - Think College
Think College
Website Resources for Hiring People with Disabilities
- Neurodiversity Career Connector Neurodiversity Career Connector