MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—For more than 50 years, the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities has been helping Ohio families navigate the challenges, questions, and emotions that can come with raising a child with disabilities.
What started in 1972 as a grassroots effort led by parents and professionals has grown into Ohio’s federally funded Parent Training and Information Center, serving families across the state, including Crawford and Marion counties.
Even with the organization’s growth over the years, Executive Director Lisa Hickman said the heart behind the mission has always remained the same.
“One of the reasons PTIs like ours are so successful is the Parent-to-Parent Model we operate under,” Hickman said. “The majority of the staff that work for our organization and support parents and families are themselves a parent of a child with a disability, a parent of an adult child with a disability, a family member of an individual with a disability, or an individual with a disability themselves. We have been where our parents and families are now.”
The organization provides support, training, and resources to families of children with disabilities from birth through age 26, while also offering guidance and support for professionals who work with those families. Services range from helping parents better understand special education services and advocacy opportunities to assisting transition-age students as they prepare for adulthood.
OCECD also works to empower youth with disabilities to become advocates for themselves through self-determination and self-advocacy training programs.
Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, the organization focuses on meeting families where they are and helping them better understand the systems, services, and resources available to them.
“Our work is really about helping families become informed and effective advocates for their children,” Hickman said. “When we hear from families that our support helped them achieve meaningful outcomes for their child, those are the moments we celebrate.”
In addition to direct support, OCECD regularly offers trainings, conferences, online resources, and educational materials for both families and professionals throughout Ohio. One initiative Hickman highlighted is the organization’s Special Education Lay Champions training series, which helps individuals better understand the special education process so they can better support others in their communities. The self-paced training is available in English, Spanish, and Somali.
For Hickman, the work is deeply personal.
“I am the parent of two great kids, one of which has multiple disabilities, including ADHD and is on the Autism Spectrum,” she said. “For every single one of us that work at OCECD, it is not work, it is passion and compassion that drives us.”
Families interested in learning more about OCECD can visit the organization’s website to access resources, connect with local support staff, explore upcoming trainings and events, or sign up for ongoing updates. All services provided by the organization are free to families throughout Ohio.