AG Bell, Washington, has been awarded a 3-year, $150,000 grant from the Oticon Foundation (William Demants og Hustra Ida Emilies Fond) to support the revision, strengthening, and expansion of AG Bell’s Parent Advocacy Training (PAT) program, says a statement released by the organization.
PAT equips families with skills to effectively advocate for a child with hearing loss who communicates through listening and spoken language, says the statement.
Alexander T. Graham, executive director of AG Bell said in the statement that "the Oticon Foundation’s support is critical to AG Bell’s renewed efforts to support youth and family programs. The PAT program is needed now more than ever as families are increasingly choosing a listening and spoken language outcome for their child only to find K-12 public school services challenging to understand and negotiate."
PAT was developed by parents and attorneys to help program participants gain a general understanding of federal special education law and how to use that knowledge when advocating for their child.
As in the past, PAT will help parents work collaboratively with the public early intervention and K-12 schools systems to ensure the best outcome for their child, says the statement. The expansion of the program will include online individual learning and the ability to facilitate discussions at the local level through AG Bell chapters.
[Source: AG Bell]
