Resources for Advocacy and Information and Action:

ADAPT focuses on promoting services in the community instead of warehousing people with disabilities in institutions and nursing homes. Attendant services (help with things like eating, dressing, toileting, moving from wheelchair to bed, etc.) are the cornerstone to community based services for people with severe disabilities. ADAPT is working to get people Real Choice in long term care services and supports.

American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is the largest national non-profit non-partisan cross disability member organization in the United States.

Americans with Disabilities Act full text of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The Arc is the world’s largest community based organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Autism Society of America serves the needs of individuals with autism and their families through advocacy, education, public awareness, and research.

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization.

Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services

DisabilityInfo.gov is the Federal government’s online source for disability related information and resources.

Disability Preparedness for People with Disabilities provides a resource for information about emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.

Disaster Preparedness provides links to help persons with disabilities prepare for and respond to emergencies.

Disability Resources Directory NC Thousands of the best disability resources on the Internet.

Disability Rights North Carolina is a private, tax-exempt, non-profit corporation that began by offering legal representation to children and adults with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

Epilepsy Foundation of America is a national organization that works for people affected by seizures through research, education, advocacy and service.

Gentle Teaching is a set of strategies based on a psychology of interdependence that sees all change as being mutual and bringing about a feeling of companionship and community.

HIV/AIDS Publications and Resources is A CDC site with many online publications available to visitors including, Partner Notification and Referral Services, Counseling, Testing and Referral Standards, and Fact Sheets.

Mouth (Voice of the Disability Nation) is a bi-monthly magazine, which focuses on issues at the cutting-edge of the disability rights movement.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots organization for people with mental illness and their families. Founded in 1979, NAMI has affiliates in every state and in more than 1,100 local communities across the country.

National Association for the Dually Diagnosed is a not-for-profit membership association established for professionals, care providers and families to promote understanding of and services for individuals who have developmental disabilities and mental health needs. The mission of NADD is to advance mental wellness for persons with developmental disabilities through the promotion of excellence in mental health care.

National Council for Support of Disability Issues (NCSD) helps advance public attitudes, awareness, respect, consideration and advance the success of people with all types of disabilities.

National Organization on Disability The mission of the National Organization on Disability (NOD) is to expand the participation and contribution of America’s 54 million men, women and children with disabilities in all aspects of life.

NC Association of Community Based ICF/MR Providers represents community based not-for- profit and for-profit providers in North Carolina.

North Carolina Guardianship Association is a private, nonprofit corporation founded in 1997. It trains and supports individuals who are court-appointed guardians for persons who lack the capacity to make sound personal and business decisions and who have no family members or friends to serve in that capacity.

NC TASH is the advocacy organization in NC that carries the torch of TASH, the leading advocacy organization for children and adults with severe disabilities.

North Carolina Disability Action Network (NC DAN) brings members of the disability community together to claim our power as citizens and take ACTION as a unified force on issues of local, state and national concern for North Carolinians with disabilities.

People First People First is an organisation run by and for people with learning difficulties to raise awareness of and campaign for the rights of people with learning difficulties and to support self advocacy groups across the country.

SABE (Self Advocates Becoming Empowered) is a group working to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals and that they are given the same decisions, choices, rights, responsibilities, and chances to speak up to empower themselves.

Social Role Valorization is a high-level service and relationship theory based on empirical knowledge for the design and rendering of both formal and informal services and relationships to any kind of people with any kind of need or condition, but especially those who are devalued or at risk thereof.

TASH is an international membership association leading the way to inclusive communities through research, education, and advocacy. TASH members are people with disabilities, family members, fellow citizens, advocates, and professionals working together to create change and build capacity so that all people, no matter their perceived level of disability, are included in all aspects of society.

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is the leading source of information on cerebral palsy and is a pivotal advocate for the rights of persons with any disability. As one of the largest health charities in America, the UCP mission is to advance the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with disabilities through an affiliate network.

Resources for Linking to Local Services or Support :

Brain Injury Association of NC (BIANC) is a non-profit membership organization that advocates on behalf of individuals with brain injury and their families.

Brice Foundation(not on web yet).

Career Management Group (CMG) is an organization that assists employers with finding qualified applicants from the non- traditional applicant pool.

Gaston County Department of Social Services .

Gaston County Health Department .

GRS/RC (not on web yet) is a provider of case management services for persons with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness.

Pathways LME is the area mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse authority for Gaston, Lincoln and Cleveland Counties. As an LME, Pathways is responsible for overseeing and managing a system of care for consumers and their families. Pathways contracts with many public and private, high quality, outcome based, providers throughout the area to deliver care to those who need it.

The Pilot Club of Gastonia is the premier service organization engaged in improving quality of life in our community, focusing on brain-related disorders.

RANE (Real Advocates Now Emerging) is a group of persons with developmental disabilities who want to live just as everyone else.

Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing serves individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, their families and the communities in North Carolina by enabling them to achieve equal access, effective communication and a better quality of life.

Services for the Blind to enable people who are blind or visually impaired to reach their goals of independence and employment.

Social Security Administration .

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to adults with disabilities and children who have limited income and resources.

Vocational Rehabilitation of NC promotes employment and independence for people with disabilities through customer partnership and community leadership.