Easter Seals Disability Services

Champions for Children, Easter Seals East Georgia

As you may be aware, the Easter Seals Georgia Coalition was awarded the grant for the Champions for Children with Exceptional Needs Initiative. Included in the Coalition are Easter Seals Southern Georgia, Easter Seals North Georgia, Easter Seals West Georgia, Easter Seals East Georgia, Easter Seals Middle Georgia and Parent to Parent of Georgia. The Champions for Children Program is funded by a $4.87 million five-year grant from The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. This grant was made possible by a one-time 2006 Georgia Legislature allocation.

The Easter Seals Georgia Coalition is pleased to announce the implementation of the Champions for Children Program in the following counties beginning August 1, 2008:

• Burke
• Jenkins
• Candler
• Lincoln
• Columbia
• McDuffie
• Elbert
• Oglethorpe
• Emanuel
• Putnam
• Glascock
• Richmond
• Greene
• Taliaferro
• Hart
• Warren
• Jefferson
• Washington
• Wilkes

The program is expected to be available statewide by October 1st. For more information on the Easter Seals affiliates and the counties they serve, please visit our website at www.easterseals.com.

The Champions for Children Program is designed to primarily assist children and families that no longer meet the eligibility requirements for the TEFRA/Katie Beckett Medicaid program. The program will provide direct financial assistance and support services for Georgia’s medically fragile and special needs children and their families. An Easter Seals Champions Coordinator will work directly with families to determine eligibility, identify service needs as described by the family and connect them with resources and services.

Families residing in the counties listed above may access services by calling the Easter Seals Coalition toll free number: 1-866-584-3742. A website for the Easter Seals Champions for Children’s Program is under development and is scheduled to be operational within the next 60 days. A description of the Champions for Children Program, the application for services and other information will be available on the site. While the $500,000 in annual funding over the next five years will be a wonderful resource for families, we recognize that all needs will not be addressed. However, the Easter Seals Georgia Coalition is committed to serving the needs of children and families to the greatest extent possible using a family friendly approach.

The Easter Seals Georgia Coalition wants to ensure that a simple and effective process is put in place, which is why we are rolling out the Champions for Children Program in stages. We realize that many of you will have specific questions about the eligibility criteria for the Champions for Children Program and the application process. However, we respectfully request that you call our toll-free number beginning August 1, 2008 only if you live in one of the 19 counties listed above or in the counties announced in the earlier north and south Georgia roll-outs.

We promise to keep you informed as we roll out the program throughout the state, and other ways that we seek to serve your family. We also promise later on to provide you with an opportunity for your feedback on the Coalition and how we might improve services.