Family Advocacy & Community Training (FACT)

The agency serves individuals and the community through parent training, direct educational advocacy, transition planning, community education, mediation, self-advocacy, and referral for individuals with developmental disabilities and/or mental illnesses. Also provides Family Support Partner for families of children with developmental disabilities and a Parent Partner for families of children with serious emotional disturbance. Serves children ages 3 through 21 and their families.

ADVOCACY: Supports individuals birth through age 21 with developmental disabilities and their parents by assisting them in planning programs and/or resolving issues related to education and community inclusion. Classes are offered for families and parents to learn effective advocacy skills and pertinent information such as the IEP process, various disabilities, communication skills and parenting techniques.

FAMILY SUPPORT PARTNER:  Families are partnered with experienced staff who are also parents of individuals with developmental disabilities. Through this shared perspective the parent partner helps the family navigate service systems to secure needed services, and resources that help keep families intact.

PEOPLE FIRST OF ST. CHARLES:  Creates new opportunities for individuals aged 18 and over to develop self-advocacy skills that will lead to a better understanding of services available, how to access them, and how to advocate to solve problems and barriers experienced in the service systems.